Whether the passenger 707 would be profitable was far from certain. At the time, nearly all of Boeing's revenue came from military contracts. In a demonstration flight over Lake Washington outside Seattle, on August 7, 1955, test pilot Tex Johnston performed a barrel roll in the 367-80 prototype. Although he justified his unauthorized action to Bill Allen, then president of Boeing, as selling the airplane with a 1 'g' maneuver he was told not to do it again.
Whether the passenger 707 would be profitable was far from certain At the time nearly all of Boeing's revenue came from military contracts In a demonstration flight over Lake Washington outside Seattle on August 7 1955 test pilot Tex Johnston performed a barrel roll in the 367-80 prototype Although he justified his unauthorized action to Bill Allen then president of Boeing as selling the airplane with a 1 'g' maneuver he was told not to do it again