Fifty five years ago today Tex Johnson, renowned Test Pilot, flew the Boeing 367-80 prototype of the Boeing 707 over Seattle during an air show and surprised everyone but himself and his crew by doing a wing over roll....
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And the age of commercial air travel was born.
It wasn't the first commercial jet, the British de Havilland was that and the French Caravelle was just a year behind, but it was clearly the best and established Boeing and America as world technology leaders.
You could fly Pan Am out of JFK to Brussels, flip up some arm rests and sleep for a few hours until they brought you a hot wash cloth and OJ to get ready to land. And that was in coach. Back then only demi-gods and movie stars flew First Class....
Hat tip to Mostly Cajun for reminding me of the date!
