AlaskaAV
GONE WEST
Mission, TX
How this happened I will never know for sure.
I was assigned as District Sales Manager for Wien in Seattle responsible for sales functions in all the lower 48 states at one point (around 1978 or 79). I suspect a Boeing VP set this up but he would only smile and say nothing.
Boeing had been building a very special 747 SP, that early little stubby thing, for the head of Kuwait. As I often drove by it at Boeing Field durring final touches, I could not believe a foreign country could purchase such an aircraft. As I recall, that was before the 747-200s that our government purchased for our president to use.
A VP friend of mine at Boeing that I had worked with at Wien setting up our new 737s, told me the aircraft was set up for 28 passengers only but other than that, he could not tell me anything else but just smile when I asked questions. Unbelievable fuel capability and he would not tell me the range it could fly. It was really a beautiful aircraft but I have never been able to accept that stubby fuselage. I am used to a work horse aircraft. Even the black Playboy Bunny DC-9 had a normal fuselage and actually held more passengers (bunnies?) I suspect that 747 SP had a round bed in the back just as the Playboy 9 had. A bunny girlfriend of mine told me that.
Anyway, after Boeing gave the "keys" to the Emir, there was a huge reception at a downtown Seattle hotel to celebrate with all the native food and special treats from Kuwait and a huge ice swan sculpture. This is what blew my mind. I was invited by written invitation and by name. I walked through the reception line and shook hands with the Emir who greeted me by name (given to him by an aide). What does a guy say?
Me? Something stupid I am sure. I did know a few others there so didn't really left out thanks to the Boeing VP. Some days it just paid to get up and go to work or just never go to sleep.
This one I just fell into because I helped a friend from Boeing out on our first 737 operations when they needed help. More about that later. Boeing was very nice to me.
I was assigned as District Sales Manager for Wien in Seattle responsible for sales functions in all the lower 48 states at one point (around 1978 or 79). I suspect a Boeing VP set this up but he would only smile and say nothing.
Boeing had been building a very special 747 SP, that early little stubby thing, for the head of Kuwait. As I often drove by it at Boeing Field durring final touches, I could not believe a foreign country could purchase such an aircraft. As I recall, that was before the 747-200s that our government purchased for our president to use.
A VP friend of mine at Boeing that I had worked with at Wien setting up our new 737s, told me the aircraft was set up for 28 passengers only but other than that, he could not tell me anything else but just smile when I asked questions. Unbelievable fuel capability and he would not tell me the range it could fly. It was really a beautiful aircraft but I have never been able to accept that stubby fuselage. I am used to a work horse aircraft. Even the black Playboy Bunny DC-9 had a normal fuselage and actually held more passengers (bunnies?) I suspect that 747 SP had a round bed in the back just as the Playboy 9 had. A bunny girlfriend of mine told me that.
Anyway, after Boeing gave the "keys" to the Emir, there was a huge reception at a downtown Seattle hotel to celebrate with all the native food and special treats from Kuwait and a huge ice swan sculpture. This is what blew my mind. I was invited by written invitation and by name. I walked through the reception line and shook hands with the Emir who greeted me by name (given to him by an aide). What does a guy say?
Me? Something stupid I am sure. I did know a few others there so didn't really left out thanks to the Boeing VP. Some days it just paid to get up and go to work or just never go to sleep.
This one I just fell into because I helped a friend from Boeing out on our first 737 operations when they needed help. More about that later. Boeing was very nice to me.
