United_Fan From United States of America, joined Nov 2000, 7160 posts, RR: 8 Posted (4 years 11 months 4 weeks 1 day 20 hours ago) and read 3248 times:
What a sad day for 727 fans like myself.Today is Champion's last day of operations. No more pax 727's in the US (AFAIK). I will always remember seeing them in LAS (hell,I remember seeing SY DC-10's!).Sad,but their 727's will probably not find new owners,as 727 freighters are becoming more rare. I always like seeing the yellow DHL 727 flying overhead when i walk to work in the am.
Hatbutton From United States of America, joined Mar 2005, 1453 posts, RR: 15 Reply 1, posted (4 years 11 months 4 weeks 1 day 20 hours ago) and read 3153 times:
This is sad...when I worked on the ramp for Skywest in Denver I loved seeing that 727 barrel in making all kinds of noise. Airplanes these days are just getting too quiet. I miss the old loud airplanes that you could smell the Jet A from a mile away =)
NwAflyer07 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 2, posted (4 years 11 months 4 weeks 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 2991 times:
I'm just glad I got to fly the 727 when I did.. DTW-PBI back in 2000. I will miss those planes so much... Sad to see another airline go. Hopefully the industry rebounds in the coming years.
GCT64 From United Kingdom, joined Nov 2007, 1104 posts, RR: 1 Reply 3, posted (4 years 11 months 4 weeks 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 2996 times:
Flightaware shows:
CCP8705 LAX to Marana (KMZJ) last Tuesday (Tue 27 May)
CCP8000 MSP to Opa Locka (KOPF) last Wednesday (Wed 28 May)
CCP8001 DFW to San Bernardino (KSBD) yesterday (Fri 30 May)
CCP8002 MSP to San Bernardino (KSBD) yesterday as well
CCP8003 DFW to Opa Locka (KOPF) late pm yesterday as well
CCP8004 OKC to Opa Locka (KOPF) early this morning (Sat 31 May)
NWADC9 From United States of America, joined May 2004, 4858 posts, RR: 10 Reply 4, posted (4 years 11 months 4 weeks 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 2995 times:
So long, Champion! And 727's!
Flying an aeroplane with only a single propeller to keep you in the air. Can you imagine that? -Capt. Picard
United_Fan From United States of America, joined Nov 2000, 7160 posts, RR: 8 Reply 6, posted (4 years 11 months 4 weeks 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 2958 times:
OPF is not a good sign for storage...MZJ maybe,but OPF means certain death (too humid)
'Empathy was yesterday...Today, you're wasting my Mother-F'ing time' - Heat.
NWADC9 From United States of America, joined May 2004, 4858 posts, RR: 10 Reply 7, posted (4 years 11 months 4 weeks 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 2958 times:
Quoting RJ111 (Reply 5): It's sad the sudden demise the 727 experienced partly due to 9/11.
You mean the issues with finances in the airline industry around 9/11? If I recall correctly, it's been like this since 2000 or so.
Flying an aeroplane with only a single propeller to keep you in the air. Can you imagine that? -Capt. Picard
United_Fan From United States of America, joined Nov 2000, 7160 posts, RR: 8 Reply 8, posted (4 years 11 months 4 weeks 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 2918 times:
I just found this site for Champion merch. They have some neat stuff.
Jetmatt777 From United States of America, joined Jun 2005, 2663 posts, RR: 36 Reply 9, posted (4 years 11 months 4 weeks 1 day 18 hours ago) and read 2850 times:
This sucks. No one could take me tothe airport to see the last (daytime) arrival at OKC for Champion. Sad.
MEA-707 From Netherlands, joined Nov 1999, 4117 posts, RR: 37 Reply 10, posted (4 years 11 months 4 weeks 1 day 17 hours ago) and read 2789 times:
I was in Cochabamba, Bolivia this week and one Champion Air 727 was there at the LAB maintenance area with US registration and full colours. We got a ramp tour and a LAB person said they would get around a dozen Champion 727s, some just for overhaul and 3 to be introduced into LAB service. So there might be good news on the survival chances of these aircraft.
Did Pan Am III stop definitefely with their 727s, even as Boston Maine or whatever? In that case indeed today saw the final pax 727s in the USA.
nobody has ever died from hard work, but why take the risk?
United_Fan From United States of America, joined Nov 2000, 7160 posts, RR: 8 Reply 11, posted (4 years 11 months 4 weeks 1 day 17 hours ago) and read 2748 times:
Quoting MEA-707 (Reply 10): I was in Cochabamba, Bolivia this week and one Champion Air 727 was there at the LAB maintenance area with US registration and full colours. We got a ramp tour and a LAB person said they would get around a dozen Champion 727s, some just for overhaul and 3 to be introduced into LAB service. So there might be good news on the survival chances of these aircraft.
That's good news...It breaks my heart to see 727's scrapped That might explain the OPF flights...
'Empathy was yesterday...Today, you're wasting my Mother-F'ing time' - Heat.
MSYtristar From United States of America, joined Aug 2005, 6242 posts, RR: 51 Reply 12, posted (4 years 11 months 4 weeks 1 day 17 hours ago) and read 2731 times:
Always a sad day when a 727 operator goes under. Boy I sure do miss taking a 727-200 Advanced out of MSY's runway 1 and using up damn near every inch of the runway on a hot summer's day. Hearing those JT8D's roar to life was an awesome experience.
Long live the 727...the finest narrowbody every built.
SNCntry32 From United States of America, joined Jan 2007, 1511 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (4 years 11 months 4 weeks 1 day 15 hours ago) and read 2610 times:
Quoting MSYtristar (Reply 12): Always a sad day when a 727 operator goes under.
NW no doublty caused this by pulling the NBA contracts and bringing them back in house. Champion was always the bastard daughter NW didnt want to admit they had..
Good luck to all the employees at Champion.
Vicki, if your reading this, you have some amazing storys from Champion.
Dalb777 From United States of America, joined May 2005, 2192 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (4 years 11 months 4 weeks 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 2390 times:
Is the 727 that had a mechanical problem at MSY that caused the San Antonio Spurs to sleep on the plane still at MSY? I know it was still on the ramp days after the problem, with no work being done to it.
Geaux Tigers! Geaux Hornets! Geaux Saints! WHO DAT!!!
Nwafflyer From United States of America, joined Jul 2004, 1050 posts, RR: 2 Reply 16, posted (4 years 11 months 4 weeks 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 2381 times:
Whatever happened to Champion? I always saw their planes at DTW - they helped NW through all the mechanics issues, and I thought they were a very solid charter service. I guess I just don't understand what happened
Flyusairways From United States of America, joined Dec 2005, 176 posts, RR: 3 Reply 17, posted (4 years 11 months 4 weeks 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 2297 times:
I flew on MG500 last night (5/30) on OKC-LAS before continuing on to ELP. We got the water cannon salute at OKC before takeoff. It was rather emotional, but the crew was absolutely fantastic considering the circumstances. They even made sure I got off the plane first in LAS because of my extremely tight connection to US. Once I finish up some other work I will try to put an extensive trip report together with pictures and videos.
Thank you to all of the employees of Champion who made my flight something I will never forget. You were outstanding.
All nonstop flights are direct, but not all direct flights are nonstop!
Crownvic From United States of America, joined Oct 2004, 1595 posts, RR: 6 Reply 18, posted (4 years 11 months 4 weeks 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 2276 times:
As far a OPF is concerned, it is not always "doom and gloom". In the old days, there is no doubt that a flight to OPF was a trip to the guillotine, but today, that is not always true. Many aircraft going to OPF have gone onto another life, but unfortunately, most either went to Africa, South America or CIS states and may have met their demise there. Long live the 727!
146CREW From United States of America, joined Mar 2004, 211 posts, RR: 1 Reply 19, posted (4 years 11 months 4 weeks 1 day 7 hours ago) and read 2211 times:
Mark5388916 From United States of America, joined Aug 2007, 377 posts, RR: 0 Reply 20, posted (4 years 11 months 4 weeks 1 day 7 hours ago) and read 2205 times:
Quoting GCT64 (Reply 3): CCP8001 DFW to San Bernardino (KSBD) yesterday (Fri 30 May)
CCP8002 MSP to San Bernardino (KSBD) yesterday as well
I live here in Riverside so im going to have to see about getting over there. I remember flying on a UA 727 MSY-DEN pre 9/11 in a severe TS. Now that was fun for say a 10 year old aviation nut!
Mark
I Love ONT and SNA, the good So Cal Airports! URL Removed as required by mod
A340Spotter From United States of America, joined Jul 2003, 1973 posts, RR: 26 Reply 21, posted (4 years 11 months 4 weeks 20 hours ago) and read 2004 times:
CCP8705 LAX to Marana (KMZJ) last Tuesday (Tue 27 May)
CCP8000 MSP to Opa Locka (KOPF) last Wednesday (Wed 28 May)
CCP8001 DFW to San Bernardino (KSBD) yesterday (Fri 30 May)
CCP8002 MSP to San Bernardino (KSBD) yesterday as well
CCP8003 DFW to Opa Locka (KOPF) late pm yesterday as well
CCP8004 OKC to Opa Locka (KOPF) early this morning (Sat 31 May)
probably all for storage
2 others headed to ARG/Walnut Ridge, AR, though only 1 can still be accessed on flightaware's site, this one from the 28th of May. The other one I think was around the 24th or 25th.
Crownvic From United States of America, joined Oct 2004, 1595 posts, RR: 6 Reply 22, posted (4 years 11 months 4 weeks 8 hours ago) and read 1750 times:
Now, going to Walnut Ridge is NOT good. That is one place where big jets fly in, but rarely ever leave in one piece
FlyDeltaJets87 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 23, posted (4 years 11 months 4 weeks 8 hours ago) and read 1742 times:
I got to fly one of these back in 2006 fron DEN to SPS (Wichita Falls, Texas) for part of an ROTC program. The main part of our program was at Buckley AFB in Colorado but our incentive rides were at Sheppard AFB in Texas, so for our group, a Champion Air 727 was used. 25 cadets and cadre on a 150+ seat airplane. What a thrill.
F9Animal From United States of America, joined Dec 2004, 4739 posts, RR: 30 Reply 24, posted (4 years 11 months 4 weeks 8 hours ago) and read 1742 times:
This is a very sad ending to Champion. The aircraft they chose to stick with were just not going to make it in todays rough market. I will miss the 727's in their colors. They were very sweet looking, and had lots of character. I miss you Champion. I hope the employees find work. The flight engineer job is becoming so very rare.
I Am A Different Animal!!
25 OPNLguy: Maybe these folks are expanding... http://www.fly-low.com/feat1205/pinnarg.html
26 MSYtristar: " target=_blank>http://www.fly-low.com/feat1205/pinn....html Ok, I gotta check that place out. Who says they don't serve meals on WN? (and yes, you c
27 A340Spotter: Ironically, in the same week that the Champion Air goes in, one of the long stored Independence Air CRJs, N620BR, flew out (to BDL, see that thread..
28 727LOVER: As of the same day that Champion quit, Aerosur sent into MIA what may its last 727 flight. If so, the May 31,2008 is the LAST day of pax 727 service i
29 Af773atmsp: I flew Champion Air from MSP to MCO. Very nice flight. I'll miss the passenger 727s at MSP.
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