Originally Posted by
JoeDTW
UA's first 767 delivery was in Aug 1982, several months before AA's and DL's. UA began 767 service on ORD-DEN in Sep 1982, two months before AA began SFO-JFK 767 service and three months before DL began ATL-TPA service.
some info about the earliest 767-200s:
N767BA, the first jet off the line remained in Boeing colors, and eventually served as the platform for the Airborne Optical Adjunct (AOA) /
Airborne Surveillance Testbed (AST), both programs being run by the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command
the next three, all in United colors and with a three-crew flight deck configuration, made up the Pratt & Whitney flight test fleet (N601UA, N602UA, N603UA)
the first Delta jet (N101DA, Line Number 6, also three-crew) was a the first GE-powered bird (it’s still active in cargo service with ABX Air, N740AX)
from what I remember, L/N 5 (N604UA, three-crew) made a brief appearance in the flight test program and was the first to enter the flight deck conversion line; L/N 7 (N605UA) was the first built with a two-crew flight deck
the first AA jet was L/N 8
L/N 9 (N606UA) flew the inaugural revenue flight; L/N 10 (N607UA) flew the First-of-Model certification test flight on 11 Aug 1982 (I was Test Director) … I think these two were ceremonially delivered together
L/N 12, “Spirit of Delta” N102DA, flew the First-of-Model for the GE-powered variant (17 Sep 1982; I was also in the TD seat) and is now on display at the Delta Flight Museum in Atlanta