| B-HNL N7771 (former) WA001 (former) | |
| Aircraft Type: | Boeing 777-267 |
| Manufacturers: | Boeing |
| Civil Registration: | B-HNL |
| Flights: | 20519 |
| Total Hours: | 49687 |
| Construction Date: | 9 April 1994 |
| First Flight: | 12 June 1994 |
| In Service: | 1994–2018 |
| Last Flight: | 18 September 2018 |
| Preservation: | Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona, United States |
| Fate: | On display |
B-HNL is a Boeing 777 aircraft that was built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes as the prototype of the 777. It had rolled off the assembly line, originally registered as N7771, on 9 April 1994 and first flew on 12 June. It then spent 11 months of its time with other prototype aircraft for testing and certification and on 19 April 1995, the aircraft type was certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA) with United Airlines being its launch customer.[1] Boeing then delivered the aircraft to Cathay Pacific, re-registering to B-HNL, in the year 2000 and was retired 18 years later, having its last flight on 18 September 2018 to Pima Air & Space Museum for aircraft display.[2] The Boeing 777 is the world's largest twin-engine jet and also the first and one of two Boeing aircraft to feature the fly-by-wire system, the second aircraft being the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.[3] [4]
In early 1990, Boeing and eight major airlines which include: All Nippon Airways, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Delta Air Lines, Japan Airlines, Qantas, and United Airlines, came together and worked on a new aircraft design.[5] The aircraft, which was the Boeing 777, filled a crucial size and range gap in Boeing's commercial airliner lineup, offering greater passenger capacity than the twin-engine Boeing 767 and improved operating efficiency compared to the quad-engine wide-body Boeing 747. In October 1990, United Airlines made history by placing the first order for the 777— a total of 128 units valued at approximately $22 billion, marking the largest commercial aircraft order at the time.
On 9 April 1994, B-HNL, originally registered as N7771, rolled off the assembly line at the Boeing Everett Factory, an airplane factory that was originally constructed for the massive Boeing 747 prototype. The aircraft was originally powered by two Pratt & Whitney PW4074 engines with each delivering about 77000 pounds of thrust and the aircraft's serial number was 27116.[6] [7]
On 12 June 1994, before the first flight, Philip M. Condit, then-Boeing's president, wished John Cashman, test pilot, good luck and jokingly added, "And no rolls!" This reference alluded to the noteworthy occasion when Alvin M. Johnston famously performed a successful barrel roll in the Dash 80 (Boeing 707 predecessor) on 6 August 1955. At approximately 11:45 a.m. Pacific Time Zone, B-HNL (N7771) took to the skies with the flight lasting about 3 hours and 48 minutes, setting a record as the lengthiest first flight for any of Boeing's airliners. During the flight, it reached a peak altitude of 19,000 feet (5,791 meters) and successfully completed all scheduled tests, including the in-flight shutdown and restart of an engine.[8] On 19 April 1995, the aircraft type was certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA). On 30 May, the FAA granted 180 minutes ETOPS clearance for PW4074-powered 777-200s.[9]
On Spring of 2000, Peter Gardner, who served as Cathay Pacific's vice-president of Engineering in the US at the time, received a call from Cathay Pacific. The request was for an additional aircraft to cater to the expected surge in demand during the Christmas peak season. Cutting in line for a new 777 wasn't a part of the plan. However, Peter noticed a neglected airframe tucked away in a corner of Boeing's production facility and it caught his attention. After flight testing, B-HNL (N7771) wasn't needed anymore and was merely sitting in a corner with no engines or any basic flight controls. Peter contacted Boeing to inquire about possibly rebuilding the airframe quickly and affordably. In the end, nearly 5,000 individuals participated in its construction, motivated by a prize draw offering 30 lucky winners the chance to join the delivery flight for a Christmas shopping trip to Hong Kong. Boeing also replaced the two original Pratt & Whitney PW4074 engines with two Rolls-Royce Trent 884B-17 engines.[10] On 6 December 2000, after being repainted and the aircraft being re-registered, B-HNL was delivered to Cathay Pacific.[11]
After almost 18 years of service, Cathay Pacific finally decided to retire B-HNL on 1 June 2018. Cathay Pacific and Boeing both chose the Pima Air & Space Museum to display B-HNL and on 18 September 2018, it performed its 14-hour final flight from China via Hong Kong to Tucson, Arizona.