35 Years Of The Boeing B762

[Grahame Hutchison]

On this day in 1981, the first Boeing B767-200 took to the skies.

The 767 entered service with United Airlines on September 8, 1982, and the aircraft's first commercial flight used a JT9D-powered 767-200 on the Chicago-to-Denver route. The CF6-powered 767-200 commenced service three months later with Delta Air Lines. Upon delivery, early 767s were mainly deployed on domestic routes, including U.S. transcontinental services. American Airlines and TWA began flying the 767-200 in late 1982, while Air Canada, China Airlines, and El Al began operating the aircraft in 1983. The aircraft's introduction was relatively smooth, with few operational glitches and greater dispatch reliability than prior jetliners. In its first year, the 767 logged a 96.1 percent rate of takeoff without delay due to technical issues, which exceeded the industry average for new aircraft.

The B762 at Sydney Airport

Qantas VH-EAN


Qantas VH-EAN


Air New Zealand ZK-NBA


Ansett VH-RME