BRANIFF HISTORY TODAY - On this day, Wednesday, June 27, 1973, Braniff International's famed Boeing 747-127 Jumbo Jet registered as N601BN and dubbed 747 Braniff Place landed at Wichita Municipal Airport. Braniff's Great Pumpkin's arrival at Wichita marked the first time ever that a 747 had landed at the airport. The big luxury liner landed at Wichita to pick up Beech Aircraft Corporation employees to take them on a trip to Honolulu, Hawaii. Beech is the famed general and business aircraft manufacturer based at Wichita Airport along with Boeing Wichita and Cessna Aircraft Company. Beech, Boeing, Cessna, The Coleman Company and Gates Learjet Corporation employee groups totaling 315 members departed at noontime on June 27th for the trip to Hawaii. Braniff's big 747 Honolulu flight was rerouted from Dallas/Ft. Worth through Wichita for the special trip. Ship N601BN was Braniff's first 747 and it was the 100th 747 off the line at Boeing's Everett, Washington, plant in December 1970. However, the legendary jet's front section was built at Boeing's Wichita plant. Braniff International's District Sales Director, Ms. Carroll Little, noted that the huge orange 747, which was configured for 327 passengers, would arrive in Wichita at 11AM on June 27th from Dallas Love Field and then depart at 12PM for the nonstop flight to Honolulu International Airport. While in Hawaii, the employee group passengers stayed at the Reef Hotel on the famed Waikiki Beach. The group toured the many attractions on the island of Oahu. Optional tours were also offered to the other Hawaiian islands during the group's stay. The Hawaii passengers were scheduled to return a week later departing Honolulu, on July 3, at 6PM and arriving Wichita on the morning of the July 4th holiday. Ms. Little said that the 747 flight to Hawaii normally operated nonstop from Dallas Love Field every day, offering passengers traveling to and from Honolulu, to Wichita were offered connecting service. However, there was nearly a full plane of the Wichita employee groups and the 747 was rerouted through the city to provide nonstop service for the holiday trip. The massive presence of the 747 was the talk of the town! Photo: Braniff International Boeing 747-127 registered as N601BN and dubbed 747 Braniff Place is taxiing over from the Braniff International Operations and Maintenance Base at Dallas Love Field for her daily departure to Honolulu, Hawaii, in late 1971. The big jet is painted in the 1971 Harper and George 747 Braniff Place Orange Color Scheme with Alexander Girard Sky Font in White with BI Tail Logo in Orange over White Vertical Tail. Braniff Airways Foundation Copyright 1926 2026 Photo: Braniff Airways, Incorporated, Copyright Braniff International Heritage Archives Now Associated with The University of Texas at Dallas System Braniff Airways Space Sciences Endowment braniffinternational.com braniffboutique.com flybraniff.com braniffinternationalhotels.c…