The Boeing 777-300 takes to the skies for the first time Oct. 16, 1997 and begins the first of more than 1,400 flight-test hours planned for this newest member of Boeing commercial jetliners. The airplane, powered by two Rolls-Royce Trent 892 engines, took off from Paine Field in Everett, WA, at 10:27 a.m. PDT into brilliant, autumnal skies. Frank Santoni, the 777-300s chief pilot and John Cashman, chief pilot for Boeing Commercial Airplane Group, evaluated the airplane's handling qualities, cycled the landing gear and tested electrical, hydraulic, air-conditioning and other systems.