"Mxsmanic" wrote in message
...
Bob F. writes:

First an "experimental" aircraft in aviation talk is just another
classification. The characteristics may be well known and just doesn't
fit
into any other class.

My impression is that many aircraft are called experimental in order to
get
around certain troublesome regulations.

And my impression was that you were talking about an aircraft that was
unsafe for flight.


Secondly, I have personally flown a number of experimental Boeing
aircraft
into LAX when I worked for the flight test group there. I believe
B747-100
s/n 1 is still classified as experimental. And I flew B401, 2 and 3 (the
first 3 747-400 designated a/c). They too were classified as
experimental
and flew into a lot of large airports with heavy population.

How many hours had they flown elsewhere before they visited those large
airports?

I don't know exactly, in the case I cited, dozens probably. Everett (Payne
Field), North of Boeing field was built for 747 development because
manufacturing and test facilities were too small and there was no place to
expand since the city was built tightly around the airport. Many maiden
flight took place at Boeing Field and nearby Renton (same situation). It
was a matter of conveniences that Everett was used for their latter flights
and as far as I know, there was never a crash in the neighborhood. Early
maiden flight aircraft actually have a very good statistical record.
--
Regards, Bob F.