SCUMBAG From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Posted (5 years 7 months 1 day 9 hours ago) and read 6757 times:
Such a great number of once proud sliver birds leaving here shredded and crushed, and the pace just grows by the day. As someone who was on the 747-100 one week after roll out, and who can still recall the absolute hysteria and wonderment that new Queen of the Sky's caused around the world, it just seems depressing that I see the bobcat over at the tear down area everyday busting this mighty machine up. Oh well, I read here about the breakneck phase of new aircraft coming out of Europe and here in the USA and I guess there has to be room made and this is progress! I salute these cold and now still marvels laying around the desert floor, who served us flawlessly for generations and united countless millions of loved ones decade after decade. The new generation of aircraft has quite a task to live up to, to mirror the service we got from these old timers.
XXXX10 From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2000, 777 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (5 years 7 months 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 6522 times:
Whilst it is sad to see these machines, which took so much effort to build, being destroyed there is another way of looking at it.
The fact these these planes are being broken up means that they have successfully ended their careers doing what they were built to do. Much better to see an aircraft being destroyed at the end of it's service life than prematurely in an incident.
AirCop From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 3, posted (5 years 7 months 21 hours ago) and read 5981 times:
Looks like one of those 747's being scrapped struck back. From the AZCentral web site on 11/22:
Associated Press
Nov. 22, 2007 01:13 PM
A man working on a Boeing 747 at an airstrip near Marana was critically hurt when the landing gear collapsed and he was trapped under the plane, authorities said.
The worker was part of a crew disassembling the retired passenger jet at Pinal Airpark Wednesday, Pinal County Sheriff's spokesman Mike Minter said.
For unknown reasons, the landing gear suddenly retracted and the plane fell, trapping Stanley Nye in the gear compartment, Minter said.
He was eventually freed and taken to a Tucson hospital, where he was in critical condition.
DeltaL1011man From United States of America, joined Sep 2005, 8628 posts, RR: 8 Reply 6, posted (5 years 7 months 20 hours ago) and read 5862 times:
Quoting Itsnotfinals (Reply 5): The A380 is the new queen of the sky now, there is no stopping progress.
how many A380s are there flying and how many 747s? (hint there are a sh*t load more 747s so i wouldn't say that the A380 is queen of anything but size)
"Oh look at the sUGAr falling out of the sky! Look at the sUGAr falling out of the sky!" LM 1922-2011 Go Dawgs! G.A.T.A.
National757 From United States of America, joined Jul 2007, 717 posts, RR: 1 Reply 9, posted (5 years 7 months 19 hours ago) and read 5746 times:
Quoting Dan2002 (Reply 8): queen of the skies has alot more than just size going for it.
I agree 100%. Not looking to start a flame war..just my own personal opinion follows: The A380 is a remarkable machine on its' own however there will always be one queen of the skies, the Boeing 747.
Formula 1 Grand Prix Trips: YUL '08, MEL '09, BCN '10, SIN '11, and LGW '12
MIAMIx707 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 11, posted (5 years 7 months 19 hours ago) and read 5681 times:
Not long ago we were talking about the first flyable A320 that was scrapped, and likewise with the first 757. Since then, I'd like to know how many of each have been broken up, and what airline There's been quite a few of each already..
The Pro Air MD-90s that were built in the late 90s and flew for only about 2 years were being broken up the other day. Has this ever happened before where modern, and still pretty much "new" airliners have been broken up? My guess would be no.
D328 From United States of America, joined Jul 2007, 294 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (5 years 7 months 16 hours ago) and read 5256 times:
Quoting Itsnotfinals (Reply 10): I would say the Connie is the real queen of the Skies, it was a much more elegant looking aircraft, but to each his own.
BuyantUkhaa From Mongolia, joined May 2004, 2781 posts, RR: 3 Reply 14, posted (5 years 7 months 8 hours ago) and read 2483 times:
I was just looking at Marana on Google Earth and I noticed a bunch of very exotic-looking small planes with canards outside the apron, to the N/NE of where it says "Final Airpark" (at 32º30'48"N 111º19'20"W). Does anybody know what type of plane that is?
United_Fan From United States of America, joined Nov 2000, 7176 posts, RR: 8 Reply 15, posted (5 years 7 months 8 hours ago) and read 2400 times:
Quoting BuyantUkhaa (Reply 14): I was just looking at Marana on Google Earth and I noticed a bunch of very exotic-looking small planes with canards outside the apron, to the N/NE of where it says "Final Airpark" (at 32º30'48"N 111º19'20"W). Does anybody know what type of plane that is?
The name escapes me , but I know they were bought back my the manufacturer due to cracks.
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Candid76 From United Kingdom, joined Apr 2005, 715 posts, RR: 5 Reply 16, posted (5 years 7 months 7 hours ago) and read 2334 times:
They were the Beech Starship
If you see these aircraft being broken up every day could you possibly let us know which aircraft - scrapping dates even for 747s at Marana seem hard to come by. The best way to see these retired birds is to go to Tucson and hire a light aircraft and pilot, as I did in January. You can then fly in there and take photos.
Itsnotfinals From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 18, posted (5 years 7 months 6 hours ago) and read 2191 times:
Quoting United_Fan (Reply 15): but I know they were bought back my the manufacturer due to cracks.
there were no cracks.
Raytheon failed to sell enough aircraft to break even so they bought them back because keeping spare parts and providing maintenance was too expensive.
Several operators refused the buyback and are still operating those aircraft today.
"Why is Raytheon scrapping it's fleet of Starships?
Raytheon's response:
"In regards to your Starship query, we are indeed decommissioning the fleet. We made the business decision that because of the low number of aircraft in service, and the specialized parts necessary to keep the aircraft flying, that it did not make sense from a business standpoint to continue to support the aircraft."
SCUMBAG From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 19, posted (5 years 7 months 4 hours ago) and read 2069 times:
Want to get into MARANA..? fly in! anyone can do a flyover or touch and go.... it is a public taxpayer strip, they can not stop you from flying in or over the strip. ATC is busy with the army air guard choppers n the field, and federal law enforcement training going on in the old planes, but you can do a long slow touch and go, or like me.... live just outside the gate! as many planes are for sale you can go kick some tires with a broker and if you are a televangilest take up a 747 SP and buy it! (Rev Earnst Angely did
EBJ1248650 From United States of America, joined Jun 2005, 1932 posts, RR: 2 Reply 20, posted (5 years 7 months 4 hours ago) and read 1990 times:
Quoting Itsnotfinals (Reply 5): The A380 is the new queen of the sky now, there is no stopping progress.
And some years down the road a whole new set of a.netters will report the first A380 being scrapped ... 'cause progress has overtaken that giant machine too.
Visityyj From Canada, joined Jun 2000, 519 posts, RR: 0 Reply 21, posted (5 years 7 months 4 hours ago) and read 1979 times:
Quoting SCUMBAG (Reply 19): Want to get into MARANA..? fly in! anyone can do a flyover or touch and go
Yeah done that, but it's not the same as wandering around like when Schnozz Meyer was alive (GRHS). There was also an airshow one year (1990?) but then the 'iron curtain' came down.
Graphic From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 22, posted (5 years 7 months 3 hours ago) and read 1979 times:
I want to bring my cameras into Marana or Victorville or Mojave one warm summer night and do a bunch of night photography out there. Anybody know where I can get hooked up with that?
Itsnotfinals From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 23, posted (5 years 7 months 2 hours ago) and read 1900 times:
Quoting EBJ1248650 (Reply 20): And some years down the road a whole new set of a.netters will report the first A380 being scrapped ... 'cause progress has overtaken that giant machine too.
SCUMBAG From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 24, posted (5 years 6 months 4 weeks 23 hours ago) and read 1587 times:
Indeed, go to youtube and get the videos of the 747 teardown, or the nose ride in the 747.... just keep looking for airplane graveyard until you find the guy who took a golf cart and romped all ovr the field, and rode in the nose wheel of a 747 with his video cam while it was being taxied across the field.... HE has the ability to get you in, and his youtube name is camper or Kamper something. he works for evergreen. Good luck!
AirframeAS From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 14150 posts, RR: 26 Reply 25, posted (5 years 6 months 4 weeks 23 hours ago) and read 1573 times:
Quoting Visityyj (Reply 2): But the really important issue is, can you get me inside Fortress Marana ? Pretty please.
If you read reply #3, you'll see why it is closed to the public for this very reason.
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