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WMU's 747 To Be Scrapped

RareBear From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 553 posts, RR: 0
Posted (8 years 9 months 2 weeks 4 days 10 hours ago) and read 3633 times:

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.

Illegitimus non carborundum

20 replies: All unread, jump to last

JMV From United States of America, joined Jan 2000, 241 posts, RR: 1
Reply 1, posted (8 years 9 months 2 weeks 4 days 9 hours ago) and read 3594 times:

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.

Google begins where my brain ends! ©

Invictus From Germany, joined Aug 2004, 64 posts, RR: 0
Reply 2, posted (8 years 9 months 2 weeks 4 days 9 hours ago) and read 3588 times:

Every ending is a CLASSIC!

The captain of my soul.

Fanofjets From United States of America, joined Apr 2000, 1895 posts, RR: 3
Reply 3, posted (8 years 9 months 2 weeks 4 days 7 hours ago) and read 3476 times:

Sad news, indeed.

Here are pictures of the airplane in happier times:

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Photo © Mick Bajcar

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Photo © Martin W Coaker

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Photo © Frank J. Mirande

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Photo © Jay R. West

The aeroplane has unveiled for us the true face of the earth. -Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Col From Malaysia, joined Nov 2003, 2040 posts, RR: 22
Reply 4, posted (8 years 9 months 2 weeks 4 days 7 hours ago) and read 3453 times:

How could anyone not want a 741?

Pilottim747 From United States of America, joined Jul 2001, 1607 posts, RR: 5
Reply 5, posted (8 years 9 months 2 weeks 4 days ago) and read 3303 times:

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

Aviation Photographers & Enthusiasts--Coordinate your life.

Nosedive From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR:
Reply 6, posted (8 years 9 months 2 weeks 4 days ago) and read 3271 times:

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...

CALMSP From United States of America, joined Aug 2003, 3662 posts, RR: 8
Reply 7, posted (8 years 9 months 2 weeks 3 days 11 hours ago) and read 3137 times:

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!!!

okay, I'm waiting for the rich to spread the wealth around to me. Please mail your checks to my house.

AZO From United States of America, joined Jun 2002, 765 posts, RR: 1
Reply 8, posted (8 years 9 months 2 weeks 3 days 7 hours ago) and read 3029 times:

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

Kalamazoozoozoozoozoozoozoo

Flyingbronco05 From United States of America, joined May 2002, 3838 posts, RR: 3
Reply 9, posted (8 years 9 months 2 weeks 3 days 7 hours ago) and read 3019 times:

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

Never Trust Your Fuel Gauge

Phxinterrupted From United States of America, joined Apr 2002, 474 posts, RR: 0
Reply 10, posted (8 years 9 months 2 weeks 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 2980 times:

"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.

Keepin' it real.

MD-90 From United States of America, joined Jan 2000, 8418 posts, RR: 13
Reply 11, posted (8 years 9 months 2 weeks 2 days 22 hours ago) and read 2839 times:

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

N766UA From United States of America, joined Jul 1999, 7993 posts, RR: 27
Reply 12, posted (8 years 9 months 2 weeks 2 days 22 hours ago) and read 2813 times:

It's sad to see the old girl leave.

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

This Website Censors Me

Tjwgrr From United States of America, joined Mar 2000, 2297 posts, RR: 3
Reply 13, posted (8 years 9 months 2 weeks 2 days 13 hours ago) and read 2670 times:

"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"
---------------------------

I think NW will retire the A319/ A320 before the Diesel 9's.... Smile/happy/getting dizzy

Direct KNOBS, maintain 2700' until established on the localizer, cleared ILS runway 26 left approach.

Elwood64151 From United States of America, joined Feb 2002, 2477 posts, RR: 7
Reply 14, posted (8 years 9 months 2 weeks 2 days 13 hours ago) and read 2661 times:

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?

Those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it in summer school.

Na From Germany, joined Dec 1999, 9614 posts, RR: 10
Reply 15, posted (8 years 9 months 2 weeks 2 days 13 hours ago) and read 2647 times:

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.

AZO From United States of America, joined Jun 2002, 765 posts, RR: 1
Reply 16, posted (8 years 9 months 2 weeks 2 days 13 hours ago) and read 2607 times:

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

Kalamazoozoozoozoozoozoozoo

BENNETT123 From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2004, 6363 posts, RR: 1
Reply 17, posted (8 years 9 months 1 week 5 days 19 hours ago) and read 2463 times:

Are there are photos of the B747 being scrapped.

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

Wmupilot From United States of America, joined Jan 2003, 1473 posts, RR: 12
Reply 18, posted (8 years 9 months 1 week 5 days 9 hours ago) and read 2299 times:

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.

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CcrlR From United States of America, joined Aug 2001, 2203 posts, RR: 1
Reply 19, posted (8 years 9 months 1 week 3 days 23 hours ago) and read 2149 times:

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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.

"He was right, it is a screaming metal deathtrap!"-Cosmo (from the Fairly Oddparents)

Aaron747 From Japan, joined Aug 2003, 7646 posts, RR: 28
Reply 20, posted (8 years 9 months 1 week 3 days 22 hours ago) and read 2110 times:

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.

If you need someone to blame / throw a rock in the air / you'll hit someone guilty

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