N767BA

N767BA was a Boeing 767 aircraft that was built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes as the prototype of the 767. The aircraft type was launched as the 7X7 program on 14 July 1978 and rolled off the assembly line on 4 August 1981, later achieving its maiden flight on 26 September. Boeing retained the prototype aircraft for testing throughout its lifetime. Starting in 1984, Boeing converted the aircraft to an Airborne Surveillance Testbed for a United States Army program.

Aircraft development

In 1972, Boeing had intentions to replace their quad-engined Boeing 707 with an aircraft smaller than the three large widebody aircraft then in production: the Boeing 747, McDonnell Douglas DC-10, and Lockheed L-1011 TriStar. Boeing partnered with Italian corporation Aeritalia and the Civil Transport Development Corporation (CTDC) to share the development costs. This was Boeing's first major international joint venture. In return for their early participation, Aeritalia and CTDC received supply contracts. The initial 7X7 design was planned as a short take-off and landing airliner for short-distance flights, but it was later redefined as a mid-size, transcontinental-range airliner due to lack of customer interest in the original concept.Norris & Wagner 1998, pp. 156–57. Aircraft development began on 6 July 1979.

The Boeing 767 incorporated several new technologies for its time, including an advanced two-crew Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS) flight deck, which featured six color Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) displays. The aircraft also introduced improved avionics systems, more fuel-efficient engines, and a new wing design with greater sweepback, specifically optimized for high-altitude performance and efficiency. This was Boeing's first twin-engined wide-body aircraft.

The type was certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on 30 July 1982, and entered service with United Airlines later that year.

History

On 4 August 1981, the Boeing 767-200 prototype, which was equipped with two Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7R4D engines, rolled off the assembly line at Boeing Everett Factory, a facility that was originally constructed to produce the Boeing 747. N767BA's serial number was 22233.

Airborne Surveillance Testbed

Between 1984 and 1987, Boeing converted the aircraft to an Airborne Surveillance Testbed for a United States Army program intended to collect data on ICBM tests. Initially designated the Airborne Optical Adjunct, the program was renamed to the Airborne Surveillance Testbed in 1991. The first flight after the conversion occurred on 21 August 1987. The primary external modification was an radome atop the forward fuselage, which contained a long-wavelength infrared sensor. Operator stations and processors were installed in the main cabin. In this capacity, it was used to track ballistic missile test launches at the Kwajalein Missile Range and other U.S. military facilities in the Pacific Ocean, with various upgrades installed over time.

Retirement

On 20 September 2003, N767BA performed its final flight to Southern California Logistics Airport in Victorville, California for storage. On 16 April 2007, the aircraft's civil registration was cancelled and the aircraft dismantled shortly thereafter.

See also

* Boeing 757
* Boeing 787 Dreamliner

References

{{Boeing 757/767 family
Boeing 767
Prototypes
Boeing aircraft
Individual aircraft