BOEING 720 SHORT-HAUL PIONEER

摘要

The Boeing 707-120 Stratoliner first flew on December 20, 1957 and when it entered service with Pan Am on October 26, 1958 it revolutionised the long-haul airline market with its high speed and low seat cost. The stretched Boeing 707-320 Intercontinental's maiden flight was on January 11, 1959 and Pan Am started using the type as the launch customer on August 26 of the same year. Meanwhile as early as 1956, studies had begun to address the short- and medium-haul market segment - flying passengers between second-tier cities with shorter runways than the 707 could operate from. Under the designation of the 707-020, ten configurations were considered, mostly with four engines but some twin-jet designs were put forward.