Tribute to the First Boeing 727 to Touch the Sky

        Water salute for the Boeing 727 prototype

On March 2, the Museum of Flight’s recently-restored Boeing 727 prototype made its first flight in 25 years; the flight also marked the airplane’s last flight ever. The Future of Flight at Paine Field in Everett, Wash. held a pre-flight ceremony while hundreds of enthusiastic fans and former Boeing  727 flight crew members awaited the plane’s flight and arrival at The Museum of Flight. The plane received a heartfelt welcome at the Museum when it taxied through the Museum’s Boeing Field gate at 11 a.m.

The Boeing 727-100’s final flight from Paine Field to Boeing Field lasted less than 15 minutes. Upon landing it taxied directly into the Museum’s parking area—through a celebratory arch of water created by water cannons on Boeing and King County firetrucks—where the engines were shut down for the last time. After the ceremonies, the plane was opened to the public, where they were able to tour for the remainder of the day as part of their admission. The Boeing 727 will also be open to the public this weekend, March 5-6, also free with admission (tours inside of the plane will only be available if it is not raining that day).

The Boeing 727’s brief trip from Everett to Seattle was flown under a special flight permit, with only essential flight crew onboard during the flight: pilot Tim Powell, co-pilot Mike Scott, flight engineer Ralph Pascale, and safety officer Bob Bogash. Powell, Scott and Pascale fly Boeing 727s on a regular basis; airline and corporate pilot Powell has over 10,000 hours at the controls of various Boeing 727s. Bogash is the Museum’s Boeing  727 project manager.

727 Open for Public Tours March 5-6.

This weekend, March 5-6, the plane will be open for public tours, free with admission to the Museum. Interior tours available only if it does not rain on that day.

The 727 will be on temporary display in the Museum’s Airpark through the summer. It will be moved for permanent display in the Aviation Pavilion in the fall.

N7001U, the Boeing 727 prototype, was the former aircraft of United Airlines. The aircraft was flew for the first time on 9 February 1963. Now the airplane is 53 years old.