A few years ago, a routine inspection being conducted by the Lebanese Civil Aviation Authority (LCAA) found tiny cracks on the wing and fuselage. They deemed the aircraft not safe to fly, so they grounded and it's been grounded ever since.
It has changed locations on the airport a number of times though. For a while, it was parked in the remote stands next to the terminal, so one could get a very close view of it while driving up the ramp to the departure level of the terminal. Here is a picture:
AeroWeanie From United States of America, joined Dec 2004, 1601 posts, RR: 52 Reply 3, posted (7 years 5 months 1 week 2 hours ago) and read 4128 times:
There are three other Boeing 720s still operating. Honeywell operates one, N720H and Pratt & Whitney operates two, N720PW and C-FETB. They are all used as engine test beds.
FlagshipAZ From United States of America, joined Jan 2001, 3419 posts, RR: 15 Reply 4, posted (7 years 5 months 6 days 23 hours ago) and read 3986 times:
AeroWeanie is correct. There are some other 720s still in flyable service. The 2 owned by Pratt & Whitney will probably be the last of their kind. That awesome photo above showing the 2 720s flying in formation is truly a classic shot. Too bad Bill Harm's website is retired. He would have shown us which 720s are still here with us. Regards.
"Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." --Ben Franklin
RobK From United Kingdom, joined Sep 2004, 3940 posts, RR: 19 Reply 6, posted (7 years 5 months 6 days 23 hours ago) and read 3936 times:
Quoting FlagshipAZ (Reply 4): Too bad Bill Harm's website is retired. He would have shown us which 720s are still here with us
My friends at airlinerlist.com have the exact same info as what Bill would have had. They too also don't show any recent sightings, hence why I asked the question. I did do some research before asking.
No-one knows for sure of the current status of N720JR then?
MEA-707 From Netherlands, joined Nov 1999, 4124 posts, RR: 37 Reply 7, posted (7 years 5 months 6 days 23 hours ago) and read 3921 times:
N720JR is still at Malta, it was towed around the airport but didn't fly since it arrived there 11 March 2004, is seen last month and I am sure we here it as soon as anything happens as there is an active spotters community on Malta.
A sighting at Beirut in 2005 was a mistake, that must have been P4-NJR instead (which hasn't flown for about 5 years).
thanks RobK for refering to us,
Servaas
nobody has ever died from hard work, but why take the risk?
BA From United States of America, joined May 2000, 11141 posts, RR: 61 Reply 8, posted (7 years 5 months 6 days 21 hours ago) and read 3841 times:
RobK,
I have done some research for you regarding N720JR.
N720JR was banned from flying by Lebanese authorities in September 2003 after a routine inspection sighted 31 defects.
Here is an excerpt from an article:
Lebanese aviation officials told The Associated Press that the JR Executive Boeing 720 has been grounded at Beirut International Airport since Sept. 12.
The decision was taken according to a directive issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation after inspection showed the jet to have 31 defects, the aviation officials said.
However, it was flown to Malta in March 2004 and has been there ever since, reportedly not airworthy I'm afraid.
There was a rumor that it returned to Beirut last September (in 2005), but the sighting turned out to be false.
I believe it is still in Malta. It is not allowed to fly in Lebanese airspace and in the airspace of many other countries including Switzerland as that article mentions.
Correct, it hasn't been flying since 2001 and is not airworthy. I mixed up the two in my earlier post. The routine inspection I mentioned was for N720JR as P4-NJR was grounded by Lebanese civil aviation authorities years before.
In February 2004, the Lebanese Civil Aviation Authority (LCAA) also grounded all of TMA's Boeing 707 freighters. They have gotten pretty strict.
Quoting AeroWeanie (Reply 3): Pratt & Whitney operates two, N720PW and C-FETB. They are all used as engine test beds.
Quoting FlagshipAZ (Reply 4): The 2 owned by Pratt & Whitney will probably be the last of their kind.
Nice picture AeroWeanie. Ironically, both are ex-MEA birds from Lebanon.
N720PW was sold to Pratt & Whitney Canada by MEA in December 1995 while C-FETB was sold in January 1986.
N720PW I believe was used as the engine testbed for the PW6000. I remember seeing a picture a couple of years ago.
Regards
"Generosity is giving more than you can, and pride is taking less than you need." - Khalil Gibran
Lightsaber From United States of America, joined Jan 2005, 10864 posts, RR: 100 Reply 10, posted (7 years 5 months 6 days 20 hours ago) and read 3761 times:
Quoting FlagshipAZ (Reply 4): The 2 owned by Pratt & Whitney will probably be the last of their kind.
Four engine airframes are just too useful to test engines. I watched one of these two test beds flying around with the original pw6000... looked great! Sigh... Hopefully the pw6000A can redeem the line.
BA From United States of America, joined May 2000, 11141 posts, RR: 61 Reply 11, posted (7 years 5 months 5 days ago) and read 3521 times:
Quoting Lightsaber (Reply 10): Four engine airframes are just too useful to test engines. I watched one of these two test beds flying around with the original pw6000... looked great!
Correct, I believe N720PW was the one that did the first PW6000 engine test.
Regards
"Generosity is giving more than you can, and pride is taking less than you need." - Khalil Gibran
UK_Dispatcher From United Arab Emirates, joined Dec 2001, 2553 posts, RR: 32 Reply 12, posted (7 years 5 months 4 days 17 hours ago) and read 3377 times:
The sad point here is the fact that all passenger-carrying B720s are now unceremoniously gone from the skies, so there will never be another opportunity to fly on the type.
I would pay real money for the opportunity to fly on a B720 - sad that it will never happen
BA From United States of America, joined May 2000, 11141 posts, RR: 61 Reply 13, posted (7 years 5 months 4 days 16 hours ago) and read 3363 times:
Quoting UK_Dispatcher (Reply 12): The sad point here is the fact that all passenger-carrying B720s are now unceremoniously gone from the skies, so there will never be another opportunity to fly on the type.
I would pay real money for the opportunity to fly on a B720 - sad that it will never happen
The one in question here, N720JR, is a passenger carrying 720 and it is still around.
It last flew in March 2004 from Beirut and it is still flyable, however, it hasn't been flown since because it's been banned from many country's airspace, first by Lebanon after they found 31 defects in it.
However, with some restoration, I am sure this aircraft can be safe to fly and be removed from country's ban lists.
The question is if they will put effort in some restoration work? I doubt it, simply because there isn't the will or incentive to.
It will be interesting to see what happens to this bird. How much longer will it stay in Malta? That's my question.
"Generosity is giving more than you can, and pride is taking less than you need." - Khalil Gibran
MEA-707 From Netherlands, joined Nov 1999, 4124 posts, RR: 37 Reply 14, posted (7 years 5 months 4 days 11 hours ago) and read 3267 times:
Quoting BA (Reply 13): The one in question here, N720JR, is a passenger carrying 720 and it is still around
German Airevents.de actually offered a sightseeing flight on it in october 2003 for $250 from Beirut. I wanted to go, booked already to go to Beirut but then the flight was cancelled. We visited the owners and the aircraft though and they told us "if they would have 20-40 people booked, we can fix a date and will fly you" while I believe the aircraft was already grounded then and Airevents couldn't manage to get the appointments fixed, they didn't answer calls etc.
nobody has ever died from hard work, but why take the risk?
Sponsor Message: 
From United Kingdom, joined Sep 2004, 3940 posts, 
From United States of America, joined Sep 2004, 356 posts, 
From Canada, joined Oct 2004, 1424 posts, 
From Netherlands, joined Nov 1999, 4124 posts, 
Four engine airframes are just too useful to test engines. I watched one of these two test beds flying around with the original pw6000... looked great! Sigh... Hopefully the pw6000A can redeem the line. 
From United Arab Emirates, joined Dec 2001, 2553 posts, 
Printer friendly format 
