Once Pratt & Whitney agreed to go ahead with development of the JT8D, Eddie Rickenbacker, chairman of the board of Eastern, told Boeing that the airline preferred the JT8D for its 727s.
Unha vez que Pratt & Whittney accedeu a desenvolver o JT8D, Eddie Rickenbacker, presidente da xunta de Eastern, fíxolle saber a Boeing que a aeroliña prefería o JT8D para os seus 727s.