What was the first Boeing airliner to use a two-person flight deck?

The Boeing 737 was the first Boeing airliner to use a two-person flight deck.

Earlier Boeing jetliners such as the 707 and 727 typically used a three-person cockpit, including a flight engineer. The original 737 was designed with a two-person flight deck for a captain and first officer, reflecting advances in systems automation and changing airline requirements. This arrangement helped reduce crew costs while preserving the aircraft’s operational capabilities.

The 737 first flew in 1967 and entered service with Lufthansa in 1968. Its compact size and two-person cockpit suited short- and medium-haul routes, allowing it to serve airports and markets that did not require a wide-body aircraft. Later 737 generations introduced more advanced avionics, but the basic two-pilot cockpit concept remained. The 727, despite being a smaller narrow-body aircraft, preceded the 737 and retained a flight engineer’s station.