On August 2, 2003, the Dash 80 took off from Boeing Field on its first flight since 1991. The next day it took off on its way to the Smithsonian's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center where it is currently on display. The historic Dash 80 had sat in the Arizona desert from 1972 until 1988, when Boeing President Bill Allen donated it to the Smithsonian. The airplane was towed to the nearby Davis-Monthan Air Force Base to prepare it for flight to Seattle in 1990. In Seattle again, it was flown and used used in numerous public events, including the July 15, 1991 commemoration event for the 75th birthday of The Boeing Company. The airplane was then fully restored before delivery to the Smithsonian.