747fan From United States of America, joined Jun 2007, 1165 posts, RR: 1 Posted (5 years 9 months 2 days 18 hours ago) and read 2206 times:
My curiosity was aroused when I saw this: http://flightaware.com/live/flight/UPS9415
This UPS DC-8 was headed to Roswell Intl. Air Center this morning - I wonder why? Are they actually beginning to phase out their DC-8's? I know they're retiring their 727's, but I thought the DC-8's were going to be staying a bit longer, longer than the 747 classics, which are next down the list in terms of retirement.
747fan From United States of America, joined Jun 2007, 1165 posts, RR: 1 Reply 2, posted (5 years 9 months 2 days 16 hours ago) and read 1891 times:
Quoting LTU932 (Reply 1): Maybe they're going in for maintenance and/or a new paintjob? ROW has a paintshop where at least US frequently sends its Airbus for a new paintjob.
It maybe was maintenance, although I believe all of UPS' DC-8's have the newish livery (it flew practically right overhead, so I couldn't see the paint job); none of the 747 classics do, almost half of the A300's don't (some were delivered right before the new livery came out), and a couple 757's don't. I do know that they've shrunk their fleet of Super 70's a bit over the years down to about 32 from a high of over 50, so maybe they were retiring the particular bird that I saw takeoff at school this morning (I can't help but look up when I hear that distinctive growl of those 4 quiet CFM's). But hopefully it was just for maintenance, as it would be sad to see another DC-8 go to the boneyard!
LTBEWR From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 12365 posts, RR: 12 Reply 4, posted (5 years 9 months 2 days 15 hours ago) and read 1722 times:
Don't forget they lost one of the DC-8's at PHL a year or so ago in a fire started by shorted computer batteries that were cargo. Lucky that happened just before landing there and went big after landing. It led to a total loss of that proud bird. Sometimes they visit EWR too. Something about those old DC-8's (and almost any DC/MD aircraft) that just looks good. They were also so overengineered that their lifespans can be measured in human generations, not just 1. Let's just hope that this bird still has a lot of hours left in it before that final too expensive check that will cause it to be wfu and become parts for other DC-8's or beer cans.
RFields5421 From United States of America, joined Jul 2007, 6189 posts, RR: 25 Reply 5, posted (5 years 9 months 2 days 14 hours ago) and read 1629 times:
There have been at least two other DC-8 flights to ROW and two DC-8 flights out of ROW in the past couple weeks.
Could they have actually been carrying cargo, or picking up cargo?
9/18 - UPS9413 SDF-ROW UPS9044 ROW-SAT
(A UAL B752 and USA A319 also departed ROW on 9/18)
I didn't know that American Eagle was flying to ROW from DFW. That will be a much shorter drive to Carlsbad than Midland.
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