- Start
- Feb 9, 196390% CONFIDENCEsource
Boeing 727-100 Makes Its First Flight From Renton
The prototype Boeing 727-100, N7001U, lifted off from Renton Municipal Airport on 9 February 1963 with chief test pilot Lew Wallick and landed about two hours later at Paine Field in Everett.
- Chief test pilot S. Lewis "Lew" Wallick Jr. flew it with co-pilot Richard "Dix" Loesch Jr. and flight engineer Marvin "Shuly" Shulenberger Jr.[1][2]
- The flight lasted 2 hours 1 minute and ended at Paine Field, Everett, after departing Renton Municipal Airport[1][2]
- Wallick and Loesch flew approaches to a stall on the inaugural flight; as many as 700 stalls were flown in testing and certification, because the FAA worried about T-tail stall recovery[4]
- Boeing launched the 727 on 5 December 1960 with 40 orders each from United and Eastern; the FAA approved the 727-100 on 24 December 1963 and Eastern flew the first passenger service on 1 February 1964[3]
- 1,832 727s were built before production ended in September 1984[3]
Notable features
- 727-100 with JT8D-7 engines: three turbofans of 14,000 lbf each, 106 passengers in two classes or 125 in one[3]
- 133 ft 2 in long, 108 ft span, 11 ft 8 in cabin width, maximum takeoff weight 169,000 lb, range 2,250 nmi[3]
- The prototype carries engines of the JT8D family (This Day in Aviation lists JT8D-1) and is now in the Museum of Flight collection[2]