Boeing 767-200

Entering commercial service in 1982 with United Airlines, the Boeing 767-200 was the initial variant of the successful 767 family.

Designed to sit between the narrow-body 737/757 and the massive 747, the 767-200 was created for high-density transcontinental routes (like New York to Los Angeles) and medium-range international flights. It was designed to offer the spaciousness of a wide-body cabin with the fuel efficiency of a twin-engine aircraft, replacing older, thirstier jets like the Boeing 707 and McDonnell Douglas DC-8. More information below.

Historical Context: The "Sister Ship" Strategy

A unique aspect of the 767-200’s development was that it was designed simultaneously with the narrow-body Boeing 757.

Boeing took a massive gamble by designing two different planes at once, but the strategy paid off. The two aircraft shared the same advanced cockpit design and flight handling characteristics. This allowed pilots to be "type-rated" on both aircraft simultaneously, meaning a pilot could fly a 757 in the morning and a wider 767 in the afternoon. Airlines loved this flexibility.

Distinctive Design Features

The 767-200 introduced several design elements that became standard in later Boeing aircraft.

1. The Two-Person "Glass Cockpit"

Like its sister ship the 757, the 767-200 was the first Boeing wide-body designed from scratch to eliminate the Flight Engineer.

It featured a revolutionary (for the time) "glass cockpit," using CRT digital screens to display flight information and engine health, rather than hundreds of analog dials. This allowed the aircraft to be flown safely by only a two-person crew (Captain and First Officer), offering massive cost savings to airlines.

2. The Cabin Layout (2-3-2)

The 767 fuselage is wider than a 737 but significantly narrower than a 747 or 777. This led to a unique economy cabin layout: 2-3-2 (two seats by the window, an aisle, three seats in the middle, another aisle, and two seats by the other window).

Passenger surveys consistently rated this layout very highly. It meant that in economy class, 87% of passengers had either a window or an aisle seat, and there was only one "middle seat" per row.

3. Visual Identification

The 767-200 is the shortest member of the 767 family. Because the fuselage is relatively short but wide, the -200 has a somewhat "stubby" or squat appearance compared to the longer, sleeker 767-300 and -400 variants that followed.

The ETOPS Revolution

While the initial 767-200 was designed for domestic US flights, its most lasting legacy is how it changed oceanic flying.

Before the 767, twin-engine planes were forbidden from flying more than 60 minutes away from a diversion airport. Crossing oceans required three or four engines (like the 747, DC-10, or L-1011).

The 767-200 demonstrated such incredible engine reliability that regulators created ETOPS (Extended-range Twin-engine Operational Performance Standards). The 767 was the first aircraft certified for extended over-water flights. This allowed airlines to fly direct "thin" routes across the Atlantic (like Boston to Dublin) economically with a twinjet, spelling the beginning of the end for most three-engine airliners.

Key Variants

767-200: The initial model, optimized for U.S. transcontinental flights with moderate range.

767-200ER (Extended Range): Entering service in 1984, this version featured an extra fuel tank in the center wingbox and higher weight limits. This was the aircraft that truly opened up transatlantic routes for twin-engine jets.

KC-46 Pegasus: The modern US Air Force aerial refueling tanker is a heavily modified derivative of the 767-200ER airframe.