71 years ago today, July 19, 1954 (June 20, 1954 in the lunar calendar), the engine flight Boeing 707 made its first flight. On July 19, 1954, 72-year-old engineer William E. Boeing witnessed the maiden voyage of the 80 Sprint in Seattle. The aircraft is designated as a 707. After Boeing's wife Bertha named the plane "Sprint", the plane took off and reached a cruising speed of 60 miles per hour. The Boeing 707 was built for intercontinental travel and can carry 219 passengers.