Looking at the Google Map of DEN, on the pad west of the UA Hangar....

There seems to be a UA 727 in the old grey livery with one engine missing.

Any status on that aircraft? Tail number perhaps?

I've never seen that 727 there at DEN, and I'm not sure how old the Google Map image is.

That plane is now painted all white with spray paint basically. It was purchased by the City of Denver a few years ago to use as practice for airlines teaching their employees to deice planes. I've been able to walk inside that plane and it's pretty much stripped inside, although there are a seats in poor condition and to instruments were all gone. It still sits in the same place at DIA.

IIRC, the image is from 2002 and the airplane was a fire trainer. I didn't bother to look for it when I was back home for Christmas.

That plane sat there for YEARS! I believe it was originally a parts plane if I am not mistaken. Something to do with stocking parts vs. keeping it on the plane.

Haven't looked for it in years, remember it like it was yesterday.

Quoting Sking11 (Reply 1): I've been able to walk inside that plane and it's pretty much stripped inside, although there are a seats in poor condition and to instruments were all gone.

You wouldn't have happen to look to see if it still had its certificate on the back of the flight deck door? Or see the s/n plate at the 1L door? I've been trying to positively ID that aircraft for years and nothing I can find in any census or web searches can tell me excately what aircraft that is.

That aircraft has been there since sometime in 2001. I believe it was damaged and was decided to be used from training purposes rather than fix it up just to fly it off to the desert. United first used it for training ground handlers and then it was donated to the airport to use for de-ice training. I don't believe its ever been used for fire training.

The aircraft in question was delivered to United and flew only with United. It is N7285U (21563/1418) and it was bulit on December 11, 1978.

Quoting PSU.DTW.SCE (Reply 5): I don't believe its ever been used for fire training.

Good to know, my mistake.