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While largely civilian, there is some military significance to this jacket, so I was hoping someone here might be able to help me find a lead.
I bought this years ago off ebay from a vintage shop in Texas, among a huge lot of old military and commercial flight jackets they had.
It's a commercial, black Alpha Industries MA-1, with several patches that indicate it towards having belonged to a Boeing test pilot, active most often probably in the early 80's to mid or late 90's.
I'm hoping it's original, and to find more about the owner and hopefully even find him, if he's still alive.
According to the patches, assuming this is all original, the wearer:
-Tested the GE-90 engines on 777 WA-076, the first 777 to be fitted with GE-90 engines that served as a testbed/certification aircraft for the (then new) engines, which are still the most powerful engines in the world.
Article about one of the tests from May 1995:
https://www.flightglobal.com/ge-probes-surge-cause-on-bas-777/16003.article
-Tested GE engines flying between Edwards AFB to the Mojave (Presumably the Mojave Air and Space Port, then known as the Civilian Aerospace Test Center)
Video about one such test aircraft at Mojave
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkvmpQUvfqk
-Tested CFM56-3 engines on the 737-300 on transcontinental flights, and on the 737-400, both of which are part of the Boeing 737 "Classic" series which the CFM-56-3 was specifically designed for during the early-mid 80's.
http://www.dutchops.com/AC_Data/Engines/CFM_56_3.htm
-Tested E-6 Mercury's (which use CFM-56 engines) for the US Navy's TACAMO (Take Charge And Move Out) program.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TACAMO
And was part of the Flight Test Team who:
-Tested E-3A Sentry AWACS aircraft and KE-3A tanker aircraft (also fitted with CFM-56's) for the Saudi Air Force, who acquired them in 1986-1987 as part of the Peace Sentinel program.
https://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/saudis-seek-awacs-upgrades-04405/
The jacket is used but in good shape still, the WA076 patch is coming off however. There's nothing written on the jacket anywhere that would indicated a name or other personal ID.
If anyone here would happen to be an aviation enthusiast or know one, or could point me someplace where I might find better luck asking, I'd greatly appreciate it.
Enjoy!
-Nate
I bought this years ago off ebay from a vintage shop in Texas, among a huge lot of old military and commercial flight jackets they had.
It's a commercial, black Alpha Industries MA-1, with several patches that indicate it towards having belonged to a Boeing test pilot, active most often probably in the early 80's to mid or late 90's.
I'm hoping it's original, and to find more about the owner and hopefully even find him, if he's still alive.
According to the patches, assuming this is all original, the wearer:
-Tested the GE-90 engines on 777 WA-076, the first 777 to be fitted with GE-90 engines that served as a testbed/certification aircraft for the (then new) engines, which are still the most powerful engines in the world.
Article about one of the tests from May 1995:
https://www.flightglobal.com/ge-probes-surge-cause-on-bas-777/16003.article
-Tested GE engines flying between Edwards AFB to the Mojave (Presumably the Mojave Air and Space Port, then known as the Civilian Aerospace Test Center)
Video about one such test aircraft at Mojave
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkvmpQUvfqk
-Tested CFM56-3 engines on the 737-300 on transcontinental flights, and on the 737-400, both of which are part of the Boeing 737 "Classic" series which the CFM-56-3 was specifically designed for during the early-mid 80's.
http://www.dutchops.com/AC_Data/Engines/CFM_56_3.htm
-Tested E-6 Mercury's (which use CFM-56 engines) for the US Navy's TACAMO (Take Charge And Move Out) program.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TACAMO
And was part of the Flight Test Team who:
-Tested E-3A Sentry AWACS aircraft and KE-3A tanker aircraft (also fitted with CFM-56's) for the Saudi Air Force, who acquired them in 1986-1987 as part of the Peace Sentinel program.
https://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/saudis-seek-awacs-upgrades-04405/
The jacket is used but in good shape still, the WA076 patch is coming off however. There's nothing written on the jacket anywhere that would indicated a name or other personal ID.
If anyone here would happen to be an aviation enthusiast or know one, or could point me someplace where I might find better luck asking, I'd greatly appreciate it.
Enjoy!
-Nate
