787 test flight image from Flight Aware |
While putting a 787 Dreamliner to an endurance test, Boeing pilots got creative with their flight plan—spelling out “787” and the Boeing logo over the American west and Midwest.
The 787 took off from Seattle Thursday for an 18 hour endurance test flight, Boeing VP of marketing Randy Tinseth said.
Because the test flight needed to cover 9,000 miles, it made sense to zig and zag across the country.
“Our team coordinated with the many air traffic control centers, choosing the routing to avoid restricted airspace. In the end, the flight covered over 9,000 nautical miles— all of it captured by our friends at Flight Aware,” Tinseth said.
Flight tracking company Flight Aware captured the “787” and Boeing logo that spanned from Seattle to the eastern tip of Iowa.
The “8” alone covered airspace over Idaho, Nevada, Utah and Montana.
The 787 successfully completed its test flight, likened to a giant etch a sketch by Tinseth, at 8:45 Friday morning when it came full circle and landed back in Seattle.
Though the event may have been, in part, a publicity stunt, it was no doubt a creative way to cover 9,000 mile without leaving the U.S.
