The Boeing 737 uniquely flies with its wheels exposed, but there's an interesting reason why
Published on Jun 29, 2025 at 9:47 PM (UTC+4)
by Claire Reid
Last updated on Jun 27, 2025 at 5:15 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
Unlike other planes of its type, the Boeing 737 flies with its landing-gear wheels exposed, and there’s an interesting reason why.
The Boeing 737 took its first ever flight all the way back in April 1967 and entered service the following February.
Since then, more than 12,000 have been built, and there are numerous variations.
However, one thing has remained the same since it was first designed – its landing gear wheels remain extended during flight.
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Why does the Boeing 737 have the unique feature?
The first batch of Boeing 737s is known simply as the 737 Originals, but is sometimes nicknamed the Jurassic because of their age.
Numerous generations and variations have followed, including the Boeing 737-800, which has a pretty impressive cockpit, and the Boeing 737 MAX.
No matter which model, the planes all keep their landing gear wheels exposed when the gear is retracted because there are no doors to cover the gear wells.
This feature is pretty unusual; almost all other airliners, including those made by Boeing, cover the main landing gear when the plane is in flight.
The reason for this is actually related to the plane’s origins.
The plane was initially designed and built to run short routes at less-developed, and often smaller, airports.
As many of these airports didn’t have decent repair facilities in place, designers wanted the 737 to be as simple as possible.
So, they decided to ditch the main gear doors and instead fit landing gear with wheels that lay flat when it is retracted.
Decades on, the aircraft has more or less kept to the same design, meaning that today, although not really required any longer, modern 737s still have no landing gear doors.
The 737 holds some impressive stats
First going into production back in the 1960s, the Boeing 737 has a long history behind it.
It was the highest-selling commercial aircraft until it was overtaken by the Airbus A320 family in 2019; however, it still holds the record for the most total deliveries with 12,092 and counting.
As of May this year, a total of 16,956 have been ordered.
Boeing has estimated that there are up to 2,800 of its 737s in the skies at any given moment, and that one takes off or lands every 1.5 seconds.
Since their introduction, the global fleet of 737s has carried more than 31 billion passengers and traveled a staggering 170 billion miles, equivalent to around 2,100 round trips from Earth to the sun.
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Claire Reid is a journalist who hails from the UK but is now living in New Zealand. She began her career after graduating with a degree in Journalism from Liverpool John Moore’s University and has more than a decade of experience, writing for both local newspapers and national news sites. Claire covers a wide variety of topics, with a special focus on cars, technology, planes, cryptocurrency, and luxury.
