[4] The aircraft flew for the first time on April 29, 1988, under the command of test pilot James Loesch and co-pilot Kenneth Higgins.

[5] The first flight was six weeks behind schedule owing to subcontractor delays in supplying components and extra troubleshooting on the aircraft's electronics systems.

[5] Boeing used the aircraft for several months for test flying duties until the type was certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on January 10, 1989.

The subsequent National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation found that the lower rudder control module's cast metal housing had broken due to a fatigue crack, resulting in the hardover.

[2] After its final flight in September 2015, N661US remained parked at Atlanta while crews removed parts that could be reused on other Delta aircraft.

In April 2016, the jumbo jet was moved across two streets to its permanent home in front of the Delta Flight Museum in Atlanta.

[8][11] Delta employees conducted a funding campaign called "The Airloom Project" with the aim of converting Ship 6301 and the parking lot surrounding it into an outdoor exhibit.

[13] Museum visitors enter the 747-400 via stairs or an elevator, proceed through the intact first-class cabin, and then through the economy section, part of which has been converted into an exhibition space, where the aft pressure bulkhead is visible.