Boeing 720 / 720B Short- to Medium-Range Jet Airliner Family

The Boeing 720 was a shortened and lighter derivative of the 707 designed for short- to medium-range airline routes and airports with shorter runways. First flown in 1959, it brought four-engine jet service to domestic and regional networks worldwide; the later 720B introduced JT3D turbofans, and 154 aircraft were built before the 727 and 737 assumed the market. Retired airframes later served as freighters, test aircraft, and museum exhibits. The structured 41.68 m length and 106,200 kg MTOW refer to the turbofan-powered 720B planning configuration; Boeing gives 41.50 m and 104,000 kg for the original 720. Both share the 39.88 m wing span. The standard maximum seating arrangement has 149 seats; 156 requires the option of two additional Type III emergency exits. These figures distinguish the two models rather than treating every 720 as identical. The 12.55 m height is the 720B at operating empty weight; the same Boeing table gives 12.62 m for the original 720 at operating empty weight, with lower heights at maximum ramp weight.