Back in 2000, NWA donated a retired 747 to Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo to use as a maintenance procedures trainer. Apparently now WMU no longer wants the plane, and is in the process of having it scrapped. As one last hurrah, the school is offering to let the Mich ANG Crash Rescue unit practice its rescue procedures on the craft, including one where a lance punctures a hole in the fuselage and releases a large volume of foam.

Interesting news. One of my best friends was instrumental in getting NW to donate the aircraft to WMU. He was there the day they delivered the plane. Guess I'll be giving him a call tonight to either break the news to him, or find out more.

Every ending is a CLASSIC!

Sad news, indeed.

Here are pictures of the airplane in happier times:

View Large View Medium Photo © Mick Bajcar

View Large View Medium Photo © Martin W Coaker

View Large View Medium Photo © Frank J. Mirande

View Large View Medium Photo © Jay R. West

How could anyone not want a 741?

How could anyone not want a 741?

That's what I'm thinking. I would think that NWA isn't too pleased with their donation being scrapped after only 4 years.

pilottim747

I would think that NWA isn't too pleased with their donation being scrapped after only 4 years.

if they got a tax write off for the airplane, I don't think they'd care too much...

very very sad.........i miss my days at WMU, and its only been a year!! That was one of the greatest days I spent in K-ZOO when that bird landed here, (other than that one party we had at our house !!! So whats next for us? How about one of the retiring S-340''s from Mesaba!!!

The 747 is actually at WMU's aviation facility in Battle Creek. One of the reasons they are scrapping the plane is because it is costing them so much money to keep it there (maintenance and other costs of keeping a plane on the grounds) while they get minimal use from it. From what I understand, NW pretty much gutted it and there are very few remaining parts that are useful to the university. There are currently no seats or engines and the aircraft has a large problem with birds nesting in certain places on/in it.

Since NW took the engines away after the plane was delivered, there has not been much WMU could do with it. Getting rid of the aircraft will free up needed space for the aviation college and the airport itself. Removal will make way for BTL's new runway.

http://www.mlive.com/news/kzgazette/index.ssf?/base/news-10/109215144147270.xml

The dean of the college, Rick Maloney, is in the process of lining up a smaller, replacement aircraft to be used for that work.

NW DC-9 maybe?!

I would love to see a DC-9 or a DC-10 out on our ramp. That would be awesome!

FB05

"That's what I'm thinking. I would think that NWA isn't too pleased with their donation being scrapped after only 4 years."

Northwest doesn't care. They got a nice tax write-off and some good PR out of the deal. Plus, they removed the engines.

Anyway, Western Michigan University has an excellent flight school.

Western Michigan also has a great music department. The 2003 National Intercollegiate Band was principally conducted by WMU's director of bands.

It's sad to see the old girl leave.

PS- Sorry for hijacking your topic, RareBear. My bad.  

"The dean of the college, Rick Maloney, is in the process of lining up a smaller, replacement aircraft to be used for that work.

NW DC-9 maybe?!

I would love to see a DC-9 or a DC-10 out on our ramp. That would be awesome!

FB05"
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I think NW will retire the A319/ A320 before the Diesel 9's....  

CALMSP:

We just picked up your business school dean as our new school President here at WCSU.

As for the bird itself, it's kinda' big for an aviation college, particularly at that airport. Maybe a DC-9 would have been better, as someone else suggested?

It would have been a wonder, if a college could pay the running costs for such a massive aircraft. Its only sad that with N608US the last of the beautiful ex-NWA 747-100s will be gone soon (I know there are 1 or 2 others around, but none that could be saved from scrap).
I would love it if one old ex-NWA 747 could be saved for a museum in the bowlingshoe livery.

Unfortunately without any engines I do not think there is much they can do with it as far as moving goes.

Are there are photos of the B747 being scrapped.

It is a pity, how few B747-100 are left.

NW was looking for a tax write off when they where going to park the plane. The old Dean of the college (whom nobody really liked) fought tooth and nail to get that plane here. None of the students or staff really wanted the aircraft but we got it anyway. Part of the deal was that Northwest would leave 1 engine (for the maintenance students to tear apart and use), all the avionics in the cockpit, and seats from all 3 classes. Well in under a year NW decided they would go back on their promise and took all the engines (minus the cowlings) and all the avionics from the cockpit. Only 3 or so seats where left over. NW basically gutted the aircraft and all we where left with was a giant metal tube.

I always wondered what happened to those engines, someone told me that they were in one of the hangars. Well NW should give something better than that and with all the parts in it. Lewis University's 737-200 still has all the parts in it(except the galley stuff and the GTE phones), and it's very good to work on. Even the engines are on the aircraft. I love hearing that plane rev up each time. It was so loud, you can hear it when you're comming into the front gate. Pittful that NWA did this to them and the airplane.


Sad sad sad, tisk tisk tisk tisk tisk tisk tisk tisk.

I'll gladly put the thing in the park in front of my house. Thoughts of any 74 feeling the cutter's torch bring tears to my eyes.