I work out of SDF and have noticed a B737 (Reg N731VA) parked on the tarmac across from gate A7. It has a whitish/grey color scheme and has been sitting there for about 3 months, give or take. Anybody knows what the story is on this out of place aircraft...???

Boeing727

[Edited 2008-04-30 15:17:47]

[Edited 2008-04-30 15:21:19]

Just wondering...

Boeing727

[Edited 2008-04-30 15:20:36]

[Edited 2008-04-30 15:21:38]

It's registered to Wells Fargo Bank. Of course, that could be anyone?

http://www.landings.com/evird.acgi?p...es%2Fsearch_nnr.html&nnumber=731VA

It is blocked on flight aware.

M

Could it belong to Vision Air? I think most of there a/c are in white/grey livery & there registrations seem to end with VA.

I'm sure it's Vision Air. Very sketchy info about it too.

http://www.abcdlist.nl/photo/n731va.html

http://www.airfleets.net/ficheapp/plane-b737-27456.htm (pic)

http://rzjets.net/aircraft/search.ph...?type=737-3&linkid=6563¤t=on

As N368CE it was regularly in Europe and was accused of operating extraordinary rendition flights and CIA related flights by human rights groups.

I'm certain its Vision Air as well! The B737's & their B767's seem to operate flights supporting the the US Government(hence the very sketchy info)! Both types are frequent visitor's here in Europe, Bratislava Slovakia with both types & Budapest Hungary with the B737's. One of the B737's N34315 is currently based in Bratislava as a back-up aircraft!

Dave(SAAB900)

According to someone in the "ATA is dead" thread, Vision Air are a pax airline for the USAF CRAF pool.

R

I can't find the article, but I have read articles in the UK press about the US Government's rendition flights - at least one had photographs and registrations of similar 737s and BBJs being used to transport "prisoners of war" / "kidnapped civilians" (delete as appropriate to your political leaning) to and from the US' various interrogation and internment facilities, notably Guantanamo Bay. That said your a/c hasn't been listed in connection with any of the above, and I can find very little on it. A number of European countries (see link below) are conducting investigations about the use of their airports for refuelling etc, as the US' actions relating to extraordinary renditions is not entirely in agreement with the Geneva Convention on Human Rights.

A handful of known planes have been listed at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rendition_flights

All operations of this kind are very sketchy indeed, and one day likely to come back to haunt a number of prominent politicians

[Edited 2008-05-01 07:53:27]

Quoting Jamesontheroad (Reply 8): That said your a/c hasn't been listed in connection with any of the above, and I can find very little on it.

You didn't look very far:

http://iagblog.blogspot.com/2006/05/n368ce-new-conspiracy-jet.html

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/76035

http://www.utvlive.com/newsroom/indepth.asp?id=71537&pt=n

there are plenty of other references around.

http://www.aerotransport.org/php/go....002+and+pl.cn%3D27456.00&orderby=1


Here the full story of this plane.

Quoting FCKC (Reply 10): Here the full story of this plane.

Full list of identities and registered owners maybe but the "full story" might yet be a little more complex

Quoting Jamesontheroad (Reply 8): All operations of this kind are very sketchy indeed, and one day likely to come back to haunt a number of prominent politicians

Hence the name Vision Air? Because they know they'll never be anything like that?   

This aircraft is operated by Vision Air, aka Aviation Ventures based out Las Vegas and Baghdad Iraq.
It flies contract flights for the US goverment.