What year did the Super Guppy 377SGT-F make its first flight?

The “Super Guppy made its first flight in 1965. It is the largest aircraft in the world. It is part of the “National Aeronautics and Space Administration” (NASA) fleet used to transport critical components for NASA’s missions. The Guppy fleet was made up of multiple aircrafts including the “Pregnant Guppy 377PG”, now retired, and the “Super Guppy 377SGT-F” seen in this picture.

Prior to these aircrafts, the Apollo rocket stages built in California and sent to Florida had to be shipped in parts on slow boats which made the journey through the Panama Canal.

Since the first flight in 1965, the aircraft has flown over 3 million kilometers in support of NASA’s “Gemini, Apollo and Skylab” programs. Without this aircraft, NASA would never have been able to send astronauts to the moon in 1969.

Today the Guppy is used to transport large components bound for the “International Space Station” or other new-outer worldly projects. When not in use by NASA, the aircraft is used by other industries to ship massive components.

More Info: interestingengineering.com

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14 Comments

Benedicte Corneliussen

The Guppy 101 crashed during FAA certification tests at Edwards on May 12, 1970. The first 377SGT Super Guppy (N211AS) made its maiden flight on August 24 of the same year. That would make the correct answer 1970.

dick aspel

Definitely 1970. Another wrong answer, sigh.

Brad Lang

It was 1970, wasn't it?

lls

Benedicte Corneliussen, Thank you--I thought that, too!

Dayanand Singh

The first 377SGT Super Guppy (N211AS) made its maiden flight on 24 August 1970. ASI's board of directors decided to sell the 377SGT to France's Airbus Industrie. Airbus committed to purchase of one aircraft in 1970, with a contractual commitment for ASI to build a second.

john duckett

Sources would say first flight 1965 and maiden flight 1970. Is there a difference, and if so which is correct? I for one wouldn't have a clue.

Pat Askew

Wrong answer. The first 377SGT Super Guppy (N211AS) made its maiden flight on 24 August 1970. ASI's board of directors decided to sell the 377SGT to France's Airbus Industrie. Airbus committed to purchase of one aircraft in 1970, with a contractual commitment for ASI to build a second. It was the successor to the Pregnant Guppy, the first of the Guppy aircraft ... First flight, August 31, 1965

Helga U. Williams

I chose 1970 and it was incorrect. Have to Google this one! 🙄

Nicholas Miernicki

John Griffith, When I was in the Army we had a training exercise where we loaded part of our battery on a C5. It was immense, but, from what I understand the AN 225 is even bigger.

Julie Allen

Information available makes it difficult to decide 1962,1965 or 1970 On September 19, 1962, the bizarre new aircraft took to the skies near Los Angeles. When former Air Force pilot Jack Conroy took off and safely landed this specially modified hulk of a plane without a hitch, he inaugurated a new age of airborne transport lead by Aero Spaceline's Guppy family of aircraft. and this. The first two Super Guppies (377-SGT-201 and 202) were built by Aero Spacelines at Santa Barbara, being delivered to Airbus in 1971 and 1973 respectively.