AIRPLANE HISTORY
B O E I N G
Airplane PA099, Manufacturer Serial Number 19437 is the Boeing 737 Prototype. It is a Model 737-130 (-100 Series) built to a Lufthansa Detail Spec, and assigned the last customer variable number in the DLH PA001-PA099 block. The airplane was assembled in Boeing Plant II at Boeing Field, during the summer of 1966. In September 1966, it was moved out of the Plant II assembly bay, and had the vertical fin and both engines installed on the ramp in front of the factory building. It was then moved down the field to Position 1 of the Thompson site (a purpose-built factory building at the southwest end of Boeing Field), for systems installation.
The airplane was painted in December 1966 in an olive drab, dark green and yellow color scheme, and formally rolled out in a ceremony in the Thompson site the same month. Assigned registration was N73700. The airplane was then moved to the Flight Center flight line for final functional tests, fueling, and engine runs. The airplane made its first flight April 9, 1967 from Boeing Field to Paine Field. The Captain was Brien Wygle and the co-pilot was Lew Wallick. The airplane was the lead airplane of a six airplane (2 -100's and 4 -200's) certification fleet. Certification was received from the FAA in a ceremony in the B-52 hangar in December 1967. Initial production airplane deliveries and entry into revenue service occurred in January and February 1968.
The webmaster of this site participated, as a liaison engineer, and later as a field service engineer, in all the above activities.
Following FAA type certification, PA099 participated in the flight testing and certification of various follow-on mods and configuration changes as an experimental airplane in the Boeing flight test fleet. One major change was the testing and certification of the hydraulically powered target thrust reversers installed commencing line number 136 to replace the original pneumatically powered 727 clamshell door/deflector door reversers. The new reversers were known as HPTR for High Performance Thrust Reverser, and were based on the DC-9 reverser.
N A S A
After several years of Boeing flight test work, PA099 was placed in storage by Boeing for several years, until sold to the U.S. Government - National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as a flight test airplane. NASA had two blue and white color schemes over the life of the airplane. Their registration was simply NASA 515. As a public use airplane, NASA was not required, nor did they register the airplane with the FAA in its early service. Later, NASA decided to obtain N numbers for their fleet of airplanes and PA099 became N515NA on the FAA registry.
NASA 515 was involved in numerous pioneering flight investigations including control systems, 3D and 4D navigation, in-flight energy management, computerized flight management systems, electronic displays, Microwave Landing System (MLS) development (overrun in late development by the advent of GPS,), slippery runway studies, and clear air turbulence and wind shear detection and warning. The airplane has a second flight deck, fully functional, installed in the main cabin, that was used for much of the flying. Control systems used included the original Boeing control column/wheel, Brolly handles (like bicycle handlebars), and the current side-stick controllers. Numerous glass cockpit CRT display configurations were tried, that attacked many questions regarding display arrangements, colors and symbology. Much of this work wound up on Boeing, Douglas, and Airbus airplanes as well as the Space Shuttle. The airplane has a unique fourth hydraulic system with a reservoir, pump and filter system. Other studies were perfomed of drag-reducing external coatings, cockpit displayed traffic information, takeoff performance monitoring, and precision flare guidance (during landing touchdown.) For a superb in-depth discussion of all these flight test studies, and many more, please refer to the outstanding book Airborne Trailblazer, written by Lane Wallace and released by NASA. This book is entirely devoted to the NASA flight tests performed using this historic aircraft, and it is available for reading on-line at
http://oea.larc.nasa.gov/trailblazer/SP-4216/toc.html.
After about 25 years in NASA service, the airplane flew its last research flight from its base at the Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia on June 27, 1997. The airplane was donated to the Museum of Flight in Seattle, and was flown to Moses Lake, Washington for interim storage in September 1997, pending creation of a permanent display location at Boeing Field. NASA stipulated that the airplane be maintained in an airworthy condition. They also retained title to the airplane until such time as it was placed on permanent display. They continue to hold title to the airplane as of this date.
PRESERVATION
After retirement from Boeing, I began volunteer work on “E1", the 727 Prototype at Paine Field. I had worked on 737's for over 30 years. After arrival of NASA 515 in September 1997, I began helping Tom Cathcart, MOF Chief of Restorations, during his monthly visits to the airplane. In November 1998, I took over complete responsibility for the airplane, and became Crew Chief. I have tried to make visits on approximately 4 week cycles ever since.
Based on my experience with long-term storage of airplanes, including the Comet, 727, and B-52, it was apparent how rapidly the condition of the structure and systems can deteriorate if not maintained. Accordingly, a maintenance schedule was established that involved periodic operation of the airplane and its systems. The results have been more than validated. The 737 condition today is superb. Virtually all systems on the airplane are fully functional, reliable, and in a flight-worthy condition. The objective of an airworthy airplane capable of a final ferry flight with minimal maintenance restoration has been met.
Each visit involved a detailed pre- and -post operation walk-around inspection, checking of, and servicing all fluids (engine and APU oil levels, CSD oil, hydraulic reservoirs), checking and servicing all tires and shock struts, brake and thrust reverser accumulators, engine and APU fire bottles, etc. Operation involved running the APU, operating all cockpit control systems, exercising all flight controls, trim systems, air conditioning packs, pumps, motors, fans, lights, and valves; all avionic systems, communication, fire protection, ice and rain protection systems. The engines were operated and the airplane was taxied around the airfield checking engine operation, thrust reverser, and brakes, as well ensuring the condition of the wheel bearings and tires. At the conclusion of each visit, all openings, inlets, exhausts and vents were closed and sealed with custom covers purpose built for this airplane. Special springtime surveillance was carried out to curtail, interrupt, and remove bird nesting activities.
DISPLAY
Plans have been approved, and activities undertaken, that will allow the airplane to be placed on permanent display in the late spring of 2003. After its ferry flight to Boeing Field, the airplane will join RA001 - the 747 prototype, and N874AA, an American Airlines 727-200 (that arrived at the Museum 20 Jan 2003,) on static display across the street from the Museum on the west side of East Marginal Way.
As a young engineer, I worked on the design, assembly, and flight testing of this airplane. Fate has allowed us to come together again, each in our retirement.
It has been an honor and a privilege, to work on, and to be the custodian of, this beautiful airplane.
Lien !
