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Old 03-04-2013, 10:46 PM   #89
Marin
Scraping Paint
 
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 13,745
Quote:
Originally Posted by Papa Charlie View Post
The test pilot, without authorization did a roll over the crowd in the 707. When he landed there was a slew of executives ready to hand him his papers. What saved him and set the future of the airplane was the immediate response from the airlines placing orders for the plane.
Tex Johnston became a good friend of mine in the years before he died. He told me the "true" story of that barrel roll and it differs considerably from the legend that has sprung up since. All in all, a remarkable man (I helped him some with his autobiography). I've worked at Boeing for some 33 years now and while the company itself has had its ups and downs the products continue to be amazing machines, particulalry when you get to see them, as I and my crew do, hard at work for our customers all around the world.
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