A common legend that runs through the halls of Boeing involves a test and demonstration flight of the Boeing 367-80, the prototype that became the Boeing 707. At the Seattle Seafair festival, Alvin “Tex” Johnson was supposed to do a flyover in the prototype. On the ground and on Lake Washington, business executives of all types in the aviation community plus ordinary crowds would get the chance to see Boeing’s big jet in action. However, instead of just a simple cruise by, Johnson barrel-rolled the plane not once, but twice over the crowds. According to legend, Bill Allen, then President of Boeing, turned to Larry Bell of Bell Helicopters and said, “Give me one of those damned (heart) pills, I think I need it more than you do”. The next day, in Allen’s office, he demanded to know just what the hell Johnson was doing. His response: “Selling airplanes, sir.” And sell they did.
The Farnborough Air Show is a week-long aviation trade show that takes place in England, and it’s a great place to see a new plane such as the Dreamliner 787-9 when they come out. During the course of the week the Dreamliner performed demonstration flights, and in this era companies don’t get away with just a quick fly-by…you have to prove to the customer that the plane that is going to cost the company millions of dollars is worth every last cent in investment.
The first video is footage of a complete practice run before the Dash 9 flew over to England. In the second video, Steve Taylor, President of Boeing Business Jets describes the maneuvers during the actual flyover at Farnborough. That takeoff launch might look radical but for an empty airliner, it’s a piece of cake!
(Videos courtesy of Boeing)
Alvin “Tex ” Johnston did a 360 roll in the Dash 80, 707 prototype. Sorry guys YAWN !!!!