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Water
salute for the Boeing 727 prototype
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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.
