THIS DAY IN AIRPOWER HISTORY: Four First Flights for February 9

February  9, 1963, 1969, 1972, 1997: The Boeing Co. conducts the first flights of four airframes - flying the 727 in ‘63, the 747 in ‘69, the E-3 in ‘72 and the 737-NG in ‘97. A combination of production schedules, ideal weather conditions and a little bit of luck led to the selection of this inauspicious date for first flight operations.