How big a runway does a boeing 737 need to take off?

Question

strange question I know, but on a recent trip to dublin (from East Midlands Airport) the aeroplane seemed to take off much quicker than it did from Dublin airport.....it seemed to go on for miles before actual take off.

TIA...

Answer 1

For a 737-700, the absolute minimum is about 3400 feet, and the maximum is well beyond 15,000 feet (about 14,100 feet at sea level).

The exact length required depends on the weight of the airplane at take-off, the exact model of the 737, the altitude of the airport, the air temperature, and other factors.

Answer 2

I don't have an answer for you as to how long the takeoff roll is on a 737. Very few people are going to be able to give you an exact answer, and those who can, can't really give you an exact answer.

Let me explain.

Boeing (in this case, but every manufacture does the same thing) puts out a very detailed manual for every airplane with lots of information. It covers everything from how different systems work, to what the performance of the plane is, and everything else a pilot could possibly need.

The takeoff performance section has many many variables. Things like weight, temperature, wind, and airport elevation all change who long the takeoff roll will be, so unless you had all that information, and then some, you aren't going to be able to get an answer.

There are times when an airplane can take off in a much shorter distance than what is normal. Head winds will significantly decrease the takeoff distance. Each 9 knots of head wind will decrease the take off distance by 10%. I would guess a fully loaded 737 will take about 3,000' of runway or so. If there is a 15 kt headwind the takeoff distance will decrease by about 400-500 feet. That is quite a bit, and you'll feel like you're climbing faster too.

Other things like flap settings, how quickly the power is applied and other factors will determine how much runway is used. Often times if there is a long runway the pilots will ease the power on slowly, which makes for a very smooth take off but makes for a longer ground roll. If there is plenty of runway, why not make it smooth for the passengers?  On the other side, if the runway is short you can bet on a maximum performance takeoff.

Answer 3

Dennis is correct.  There is no magical number.  There were well over 7000 737's in various configurations and with different engines.  That would be like saying how fast is a Corvette?  You need a lot more info to give an accurate answer. What year?  What engine? etc.  The higher the airport elevation and the higher the temperature the more runway you will need for the take off roll.   East Midlands airport is at 306 ft vs 242 feet for Dublin, so if everything else were equal you would be off in ever so slightly less distance at Dublin.  Did the plane take on fuel @ Dublin?  Weight will make a large differance as well.  Also an extended taxi out to the runway could feel like it was taking forever?

Answer 4

Let's say 7000 feet of runway to be safe.

As the others have said, there are many variables. Different 737's have different engines.

Headwinds decrease the amount of runway needed, as does an increase in the flap setting (generates more lift)

Weight is a big factor too, as is air temperature

It's possible that one take-off was at a heavier weight, while one was lighter. If one flight was really full of people and the other wasn't, there's your reason

Answer 5

Wizard, at Charleston, WV, which is 982' in elevation, United operated B-737-200's with a runway 5700 x 150'. The new versions, the -300,500,-700,-800,-900 series have more powerful engines and carry more passengers.

The pilots can use lower power settings and use longer take-off rolls to save fuel, also. It is all physics and judgment.

Regards,

Dan