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Oldest Commercial A/C Still In Service?

Jpz1991 From United States of America, joined Apr 2000, 70 posts, RR: 0
Posted (9 years 5 months 3 days 1 hour ago) and read 4859 times:

Does anyone know what is the oldest commercial aircraft still in regular service with a major airline?

16 replies: All unread, jump to last

Capt078 From United States of America, joined Jul 2003, 421 posts, RR: 2
Reply 1, posted (9 years 5 months 3 days 1 hour ago) and read 4809 times:

for any major airline in north america, it's got to be northwest dc-9s. otherwise, there are a bunch of bac-111s in africa. i know chalks uses grumman amphibians and there are some dc-3s on some sightseeing flights out west.

N707PA From United States of America, joined Apr 2000, 272 posts, RR: 0
Reply 2, posted (9 years 5 months 3 days ago) and read 4726 times:

Is N700ME still in service ?(DC-9 #2)

Slamclick From United States of America, joined Nov 2003, 10062 posts, RR: 71
Reply 3, posted (9 years 5 months 3 days ago) and read 4627 times:

Up until two months ago this one was.

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Photo © Chuck Ross

As for jets, one of the oldest DC-9-14 airframes was still flying recently. I'm researching it.

Happiness is not seeing another trite Ste. Maarten photo all week long.

Santosdumont From Brazil, joined Dec 2003, 1201 posts, RR: 4
Reply 4, posted (9 years 5 months 3 days ago) and read 4555 times:

For what it's worth, I was thumbing through a popular Brazilian aviation magazine and they list a 737-200 flying for VASP (PP-SMA) as the oldest pax acft operating for the same carrier in Brazil.

I did a quick photo check here and it appears the acft went into service with VASP in 1969. Reading on, the text says the oldest pax acft in Brazil is a 1962 Fokker F-27 Friendship currently in service with Tavaj airlines flying as PT-LAG. I tried a photo search on that model but came up empty-handed.

Let me take advantage of the discussion on old commercial acft by saying how much I miss the 707 Sad

"Pursuit Of Truth No Matter Where It Lies" -- Metallica

Vimanav From India, joined Jul 2003, 1470 posts, RR: 20
Reply 5, posted (9 years 5 months 2 days 20 hours ago) and read 4401 times:

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Photo © Tony Rogers

Don't know about world's oldest but this one's the oldest fixed wing commercial airplane in scheduled airline service in India today. Incidentally 'Samudragupta' turned 24 just a few hours ago.

rgds//Vimanav

Sarfaroshi kii tamannaa ab hamaare dil mein hai, Dekhnaa hai zor kitnaa baazu-e-qaatil mein hai

Trident From United Kingdom, joined Feb 2000, 484 posts, RR: 0
Reply 6, posted (9 years 5 months 2 days 20 hours ago) and read 4342 times:

Has to be something like a DC-3 or maybe even a De Havilland Dragon Rapide.
Is there not a Ford Trimotor still earning its keep somewhere in the US?

Beltwaybandit From United States of America, joined Mar 2003, 495 posts, RR: 0
Reply 7, posted (9 years 5 months 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 4241 times:

The question specified "a major airline." So all the DC3s are out.

Gotta be a DC-9, unless you expand it to freight, in which case you may need to check on DC-8s.

Some of NW DC-9s must be from 1967-69.

Mlsrar From United States of America, joined Mar 2000, 1417 posts, RR: 9
Reply 8, posted (9 years 5 months 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 4201 times:

I think it's N700ME from YX--manufacture date Feb 24 1966, and was one of the early birds off the line.

I mean, for the right price I’ll fight a lion. - Mike Tyson

BR715-A1-30 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR:
Reply 9, posted (9 years 5 months 2 days 18 hours ago) and read 4008 times:

I thought N400ME was the 2nd off the line. or was it the first.

Dexter From Austria, joined Jul 2000, 261 posts, RR: 1
Reply 10, posted (9 years 5 months 2 days 17 hours ago) and read 3896 times:

I've done some research and the winner seems to be:
CP-1223, a 727-78, in service with Lloyd Aero Boliviano:

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Photo © Dave Sturges

This bird is l/n 104 and had accomplished its first flight on January 5th 1965.
This is, of course, among more or less significant carriers. A few small airlines in Africa and Latin America operate even older aircraft (such as l/n 15, 24 and 44).

PS At least the aircraft looks to be in good condition:

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Photo © Miguel Cano Alva

Pilotallen From United States of America, joined Nov 1999, 656 posts, RR: 4
Reply 11, posted (9 years 5 months 2 days 17 hours ago) and read 3823 times:

Now dont quote me but if we did get into cargo as well DHL still flies convairs correct? not in the us but in germany or somethign to that extent. Fedex also has some older F27's unless they got rid of those already. Ups has dc-8's too. along with ABX.

Thats not flying, thats falling with style -Woody

Espion007 From Denmark, joined Dec 2003, 1691 posts, RR: 0
Reply 12, posted (9 years 5 months 2 days 16 hours ago) and read 3733 times:

Im sure Aeroflot is using att least 1 REALLY old an-2 somewhere in Siberia or up in the arctic.

Snakes on a Plane!

MidEx717 From United States of America, joined May 2002, 132 posts, RR: 1
Reply 13, posted (9 years 5 months 1 day 14 hours ago) and read 3526 times:

N700ME its last flight or flights will be December 31, 2003. Some days Midwest Airlines flies N700ME and other days it sits outside the hangar in MKE or inside the hangar if mainteance is needed. N700ME will be retired from service after that day and I have heard rumors that it might go to the Simthsounen in Washington D.C. Will give you people updates if I hear any more news.

VS340 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR:
Reply 14, posted (9 years 5 months 1 day 7 hours ago) and read 3377 times:

If the end of N700ME is in only a few days then this may very well be the last picture taken of it still in service, at least on A.net.

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Rhino4ever From United States of America, joined Sep 2001, 146 posts, RR: 3
Reply 15, posted (9 years 5 months 1 day ago) and read 3217 times:

NWA's oldest DC-9 is ship #9150, registration # N8908E, A DC-9-14 with a FSN# of 50 with a date of September 8,1966.

CanadianNorth From Canada, joined Aug 2002, 3371 posts, RR: 10
Reply 16, posted (9 years 5 months 21 hours ago) and read 3139 times:

Buffalo Airways of Yellowknife, NWT, operates 1 passenger carrying DC-3, aswell as a fleet of cargo carrying DC-3s, DC-4s, and C-46s. I dont know about the oldest but these aircrafts arent exactly your modern widebody jetliner...

Merry Christmas!
CanadianNorth

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