737-bbj

[Daveroo]

this BBJ has a staircase stickin out on this ramp,is this built in to the plane?..notice the box looking thing stickin out of the plane at the top of the stairs...and could a 373-BBJ be modified with a rear "airstair" like on 727's?...

 

[Tom Clayton]

The retractable front ladder is definitely built into the airframe. As for putting in a rear staircase into the tail, I doubt it. I've checked a few cutaways, including military, and there just doesn't look to be enough room.

http://thelexicans.wordpress.com/2013/07/24/cutaway-thursday-boeing-737-800/

 

[Skyhawk_310R]

The retractable front ladder is definitely built into the airframe. As for putting in a rear staircase into the tail, I doubt it. I've checked a few cutaways, including military, and there just doesn't look to be enough room.

http://thelexicans.wordpress.com/2013/07/24/cutaway-thursday-boeing-737-800/

Agreed. I'm not seeing what was described as a "box looking thing sticking out the plane...". My understanding of these 737's is they had front and rear airstairs that came out of the left sides, but unaware of something coming out the bottom rear as the 727's had. To me, that just looks like a standard 737 with the front airstairs being used.

Ken

 

[n4gix]

The 737-200C has front airstairs contained in a "box" just below the door. It extends outward for about 5', then unfolds and tilts downwards to its fully extended position (as shown on that picture).

The rear airstairs are attached to the aft port door, which is hinged at the bottom. As the door unfolds downward, the stairs unfold slowly, the hand rails are raised slowly until the door is fully opened.

Now that said, I should think that modifying a BBJ to have that type of airstair/door would not be practical because of the changes required by the different hinge arrangements.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Wrangell_Alaska_Airlines_Combi.JPG

 

[ViperPilot2]

The 737-200C has front airstairs contained in a "box" just below the door. It extends outward for about 5', then unfolds and tilts downwards to its fully extended position (as shown on that picture).

The rear airstairs are attached to the aft port door, which is hinged at the bottom. As the door unfolds downward, the stairs unfold slowly, the hand rails are raised slowly until the door is fully opened.

Now that said, I should think that modifying a BBJ to have that type of airstair/door would not be practical because of the changes required by the different hinge arrangements.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Wrangell_Alaska_Airlines_Combi.JPG

There's also a lot of equipment there in the tail section, and then there's the Aft Bulkhead issue...