FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1969
1969 - 2249.PDF
972 PARIS WEEK . FLIGHT International. 12 )unc 1969 a-''S'3 THE BIGGEST EXHIBIT SOON AFTER 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday of Jast week the Boeing 747 and the BAC/Sud-Aviation Concorde rubbed shoulders for the first time when the giant from Seattle met the slim beauty from Toulouse on the apron at Le Bourget. There was a torrential downpour at the time, and the visibility was not more than a mile. The 747 had just completed its first intercontinental journey—a 5.160-mile flight from Seattle in 9hr 8min—while Concorde had arrived in bright sunshine on opening day. Right up until the last minute it was doubted whether the 747 would make the trip. The four aircraft flying are heavily involved in development aimed, hopefully, at clearance in time for the start of scheduled services by Pan American before next Christmas. AH engines recently had to be fitted with new main shafts. But the Department of Commerce in Washington got its way in the end, over the heads of the manufacturers and the airlines, and all was made ready for the flight to Paris. A ten-hour endurance trip, to check specific range, was made with the actual aircraft (N731PA) on Saturday. May 31. with a return flight non-stop from Seattle to New York and back (previous flying amounted to only 8hr). No demonstra tions were made during the stay at Le Bourget. and the air craft departed on Saturday. June 7. on a direct flight to Washington. Captain on the Seattle-Paris flight was Boeing test pilot Mr Don Knutsom, with Mr Lew Wallick. co-pilot, Mr Pat D. Roberts, flight engineer, and Mr Jim Brown, navigator. But. referring to the last-mentioned. Don Knutsom jokingly Heading, long-haulers of the '70s meet for the first time at Le bourget. The fourth Boeing 747 (N73IPA), destined for Pan American, viewed beneath the nose of BAC/Sud Concorde 001. Left, Air France produced the right kind of tug to manoeuvre the giant on the apron
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
