747 historical events 1977-1985 - Boeing 747 | information center

I collected all the important milestones of the mighty  BOEING 747  in the past 50+ years. I tried to do my best to recall every important moment of more than fifty-year. I hope my efforts serve your reading enjoyment.

Corrections and additions are warmly welcome at  postmaster@boeing747.net
Dates are in yyyy.mm.dd. format.

747 milestones | 1977-1985

• 1977.02.18 The prototype space shuttle orbiter Enterprise (OV-101) made its first captive flight aboard NASA 905, the Boeing 747-123 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft. On this flight, no one was aboard
  

   Enterprise. NASA 905 was flown by Aircraft Commander Fitzhugh L. Fulton, Jr., Pilot Thomas C. McMurty, and Flight Engineers Louis E. Guidry, Jr. and Victor W. Horton. The duration of the first captive              flight was 2 hours, 5 minutes. The Enterprise/SCA combination reached a maximum speed of 287 miles per hour (462 kilometers per hour) and altitude of 16,000 feet (4,877 meters).

• 1977.05.04 FAA certification granted to Rolls Royce RB-211 powered 747s.
  

• 1977.08.12 The Space Shuttle Enterprise is dropped from the 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft over Edwards AFB - that was the 1st test flight. At Edwards Air Force Base, California, the prototype Space Shuttle Oriter, Enterprise, (OV-101) was mated to the Boeing 747-100 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, N905NA, call sign NASA 905, for the first of five approach and landing test flights. On Enterprise‘ flight deck were astronauts Fred Haise and Gordon Fullerton. The crew of NASA 905 were NASA test pilots Fitz Fulton and Tom McMurty with Vic Horton and Skip Guidry as flight engineers.An estimated 65,000 people had come to Edwards to watch and at 8:00, Fitz Fulton began the take off roll down Runway 22. For the next 38 minutes the spacecraft/aircraft combination climbed together into the desert sky. After reaching an altitude of 24,100 feet (7,346 meters), Fulton put the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft into a shallow dive. At 8:48 a.m., Fred Haise fired the seven explosive bolts holding the two craft together. The 747 entered a descending left turn while Haise banked Enterprise away to the right.
  

• 1977.09.30 The worldwide fleet of more than 300 747s passed the five million flight-hours mark.
  

• 1977.10.29-31 A Pan Am 747SP (N533PA, specially named Clipper New Horizons for the occasion (to mark the airline's fiftieth anniversary) set a new speed record for an around-the-world flight, passing over both poles: San Francisco-London-Cape Town-Auckland-San Francisco, in 54 hours 7 minutes and 12 seconds for the 26.706 miles (42.970km) flight, breaking the previous record established twelve years earlier by a modified B707 by 8 hours 20 minutes. Captain Mullikin flew the 747SP on another circumnavigation, 29–31 October 1977, but this time it crossed both the North and South Poles. Renamed Clipper New Horizons, 21025 set 7 world records on that flight. This trip was called “Flight 50.”
  

• 1978.06.01 First 747-100B ordered by Iran Air The 747-100B model was developed from the -100SR, using its stronger airframe and landing gear design.
  

• 1978.10.12. JA8133 Roll out of the first 747-100B/SR for ANA
  

• 1978.11.03. JA8133 First flight of the 747-100B/SR
  

• 1978.12.21. JA8133 First 100B/SR delivered to ANA
  

• 1979.05.29. EP-IAM Roll out of the first 747-100B for Iran Air
  

• 1979.06.20. EP-IAM firs flight of the 100B
  

• 1979.08.01. FAA certified the dash 100B
  

• 1979.08.02. EP-IAM delivery of the first 100B
  

• 1979.10.11 400th delivery, a 747-200B to Aerolineas Argentinas.
  

• 1979.08.02 first delivery of 747-100B to Iran Air (EP-IAM)
  

• 1979.12.21 100th main deck cargo 747 delivered, a 747C to Transamerica Airlines.
  

• 1980.06.11 Boeing announces a new version, the 747-300. First order also took place the same day by Swissair
  

• 1980.11.19 Boeing rolls out 500th 747 from the factory, a 747-200 Combi delivered Feb. 17, 1981, to Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS).
  

• 1981.12.15 Largest 747-300 order recorded; 8 for Singapore Airlines.
  

• 1982.04.02 HZ-AII The last 747-100B delivered to Saudi Arabian Airlines
  

• 1982.11.10 First 747-300 rolled out, F-GDUA
  

• 1982.09.(15?) 21 HB-IGC First 747-300M rolls out of the factory.
  

• 1982.10.05 First flight of the 747-300M
  

• 1982.12.10. First flight of the 747-300
  

• 1983.03.01 F-GDUA the first 747-300 delivered to french UTA
  

• 1983.03.04 FAA certification granted for 747-300.
  

• 1983.03.05 HB-IGD first 747-300M Combi delivey to Swissair
  

• 1983.03.23 HB-IGD first 747-300 enters commercial service with Swissair.
  

• 1983.04.01 F-GDUA first 747-300 enters commercial service by
  

• 1984.07.18. Captain Lynn Rippelmeyer of People Express becomes the first woman to captain a 747 across the Atlantic, she was captain of People Express flight #2 from Newark International Airport to London Gatwick airport, departing at 7:35 pm.
  

• October 1985 Boeing announces the 12th version of its jumbo jet family, the advanced-technology 747-400.
  

• 1985.10.22 Launch customer Northwest Airlines orders 10 747-400s.