JAG10005 From United States of America, joined Jan 2011, 4 posts, RR: 0 Posted (2 years 4 months 3 weeks 3 days 9 hours ago) and read 17241 times:
Looking at the photos of aircraft stored at Victorville, does anyone know how many UA 744s are mothballed? I know that UA states that they have 24 744s in service, and the occasional battleship grey N194UA substituting for mechanicals, but how many other 744s can UA deploy into service, if any? In a recent Nov 25, 2010 shot of VCV, there are at least 3 744s in UA's white/tulip livery and one in battleship grey. Are there any UA insiders who can speak to the disposition on these birds...owned, leased, returned to lessor, sold, etc? I'm assuming the interiors haven't been upgraded to lie-flat?
ChiGB1973 From United States of America, joined Mar 2004, 1605 posts, RR: 1 Reply 1, posted (2 years 4 months 3 weeks 3 days 8 hours ago) and read 17069 times:
This will help some. It seems to be fairly up to date, with 194 showing active status. I'm not sure how long its been out and flying again.
as739x From United States of America, joined Apr 2003, 5820 posts, RR: 23 Reply 2, posted (2 years 4 months 3 weeks 3 days 7 hours ago) and read 16741 times:
SonomaFlyer From United States of America, joined Apr 2010, 1177 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (2 years 4 months 3 weeks 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 16510 times:
Looks like six in storage atm. Two were stored in 2009, three more stored in 2008 and one in 2001 which will likely never see service again.
LAXintl From United States of America, joined exactly 13 years ago today! , 22059 posts, RR: 51 Reply 4, posted (2 years 4 months 3 weeks 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 16417 times:
Lets start at the beginning.
United ordered a total of 50 747-400s, however eventually only took delivery of 42 plus taking on 2 Northwest Airlines deliveries.
During the post 9/11 BK process, the carrier had 14 lease returns leaving a fleet of 30.
Following the fuel price run up in 2008, 6 (N187UA, 193, 194, 195, 196, 198) were parked. Subsequently 194 was brought back in 2010 to serve as an operational spare and primarily flew a SFO-ORD hop between hubs.
Of these 6-tails, all are company owned and are being remarketed for sale/lease. I believe UA has, or is close to having found a new home for at least one of the tails.
[Edited 2011-01-01 12:15:36]
From the desert to the sea, to all of Southern California
kgaiflyer From United States of America, joined Jul 2008, 3650 posts, RR: 1 Reply 5, posted (2 years 4 months 3 weeks 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 16338 times:
Quoting JAG10005 (Thread starter): Looking at the photos of aircraft stored at Victorville, does anyone know how many UA 744s are mothballed? I know that UA states that they have 24 744s in service, and the occasional battleship grey N194UA substituting for mechanicals, but how many other 744s can UA deploy into service, if any? In a recent Nov 25, 2010 shot of VCV, there are at least 3 744s in UA's white/tulip livery and one in battleship grey. Are there any UA insiders who can speak to the disposition on these birds...owned, leased, returned to lessor, sold, etc? I'm assuming the interiors haven't been upgraded to lie-flat?
Well, I saw two at SFO yesterday (one landed while I was waiting for UA-6747 to load at gate 78B and another was parked on a remote pad) . So at least two must be in service.
CODC10 From United States of America, joined Jul 2000, 2167 posts, RR: 8 Reply 6, posted (2 years 4 months 3 weeks 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 16153 times:
Quoting kgaiflyer (Reply 5): So at least two must be in service.
Two 747s with the old livery? Or do you mean two 747s in service? There are 25 UA 747s currently operating...
kgaiflyer From United States of America, joined Jul 2008, 3650 posts, RR: 1 Reply 7, posted (2 years 4 months 3 weeks 3 days 5 hours ago) and read 16115 times:
Quoting CODC10 (Reply 6): Two 747s with the old livery?
In the *new* livery if you please.
I'm guessing that since one landed and then taxied to international pier-G -- then it must be in regular service.
drerx7 From United States of America, joined Jun 2000, 4906 posts, RR: 9 Reply 8, posted (2 years 4 months 3 weeks 3 days 5 hours ago) and read 16000 times:
CODC10 From United States of America, joined Jul 2000, 2167 posts, RR: 8 Reply 9, posted (2 years 4 months 3 weeks 3 days 5 hours ago) and read 15910 times:
I'm guessing that since one landed and then taxied to international pier-G -- then it must be in regular service.
Do you disagree?
Just about every UA 747 that I've seen/flown on (except N194UA) since the beginning of last year has had the 2005 United livery ("shades of blue"). There are definitely a lot more than two in service.
As far as the merged UA/CO livery, sounds like we can expect the first ship to be in service sometime in February. Can't wait to see the globe on a 747 tail again.
KC135TopBoom From United States of America, joined Jan 2005, 11711 posts, RR: 52 Reply 10, posted (2 years 4 months 3 weeks 3 days 5 hours ago) and read 15826 times:
This site shows 6 parked/stored UA B-747-400s, at least 4 are at VCV and the other two do not show where they are (N187UA and N193UA);
drerx7 From United States of America, joined Jun 2000, 4906 posts, RR: 9 Reply 11, posted (2 years 4 months 3 weeks 3 days 4 hours ago) and read 15564 times:
All 744s in service are in the new liver except one that has been brought from the desert. It is the sole 744 in the old config.
kgaiflyer From United States of America, joined Jul 2008, 3650 posts, RR: 1 Reply 12, posted (2 years 4 months 3 weeks 3 days 4 hours ago) and read 15483 times:
Quoting drerx7 (Reply 8): Ok we are all confused...are you talking about the new merged Continental livery?
Since you yourself know that is *impossible*- then I am obviously talking about blue-bottom-white top as new.
I fly on a lot of battleship-gray 319s, so I (personally) regard *that* as the old livery, and blue-bottom-white-top as the *new* livery.
Sorry if I caused confusion. My post was well-intentioned, and I didn't foresee the problem.
drerx7 From United States of America, joined Jun 2000, 4906 posts, RR: 9 Reply 13, posted (2 years 4 months 3 weeks 3 days 3 hours ago) and read 14839 times:
Quoting kgaiflyer (Reply 12): Since you yourself know that is *impossible*- then I am obviously talking about blue-bottom-white top as new.
The clarification needed to come as someone posted erroneously that there was a new CO liveried 744 in the other thread.
as739x From United States of America, joined Apr 2003, 5820 posts, RR: 23 Reply 14, posted (2 years 4 months 3 weeks 2 days 22 hours ago) and read 11853 times:
The 747's will start being repainted to the Globe Livery Feb '11. The process will be completed Dec '13 which will take a long time. So I don't know if the schedule is a misprint or they will take their time with the 747. All other a/c in the UAL fleet will be completed by Dec '12.
"Some pilots avoid storm cells and some play connect the dots!"
DC8FanJet From United States of America, joined Aug 2006, 380 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (2 years 4 months 3 weeks 2 days 20 hours ago) and read 10974 times:
Quoting LAXintl (Reply 4): believe UA has, or is close to having found a new home for at least one of the tails.
boeingdotcom From Singapore, joined Nov 2008, 83 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (2 years 4 months 3 weeks 2 days 9 hours ago) and read 6164 times:
Sorry but asking this irrelevant question, but why was N185UA (cn 25395/919) stored? Wouldn't it be uneconomical to store an aircraft that young, especially since it's bought/leased...
SonomaFlyer From United States of America, joined Apr 2010, 1177 posts, RR: 0 Reply 17, posted (2 years 4 months 3 weeks 2 days 9 hours ago) and read 6111 times:
UA's 744's were purchased not leased. The issue of when to store often turns on whether its due for a heavy maintenance check and the fact they want to cut capacity.
United Airline From Hong Kong, joined Jan 2001, 8792 posts, RR: 17 Reply 18, posted (2 years 4 months 3 weeks 2 days 9 hours ago) and read 5776 times:
Will the rest return to service with UA?
Quoting drerx7 (Reply 11): All 744s in service are in the new liver except one that has been brought from the desert. It is the sole 744 in the old config.
drerx7 From United States of America, joined Jun 2000, 4906 posts, RR: 9 Reply 19, posted (2 years 4 months 3 weeks 2 days 7 hours ago) and read 5566 times:
Quoting drerx7 (Reply 11):
All 744s in service are in the new liver except one that has been brought from the desert. It is the sole 744 in the old config.
Will they upgrade this aircraft?
I'm not an insider so I don't know; however, with the 787 delays I see, from my armchair ceo capacity, a role for those parked 744s.
AADC10 From United States of America, joined Nov 2004, 1836 posts, RR: 0 Reply 20, posted (2 years 4 months 3 weeks 2 days 5 hours ago) and read 5345 times:
I do not think that UA still owns 185. UAL's quarterly reports list only 6 parked 744s including the still operating 194 to the frustration of many frequent flyers.
It seems unlikely since fuel prices are rising, they are trying to maintain capacity discipline and the stored planes all have the old configuration. Most, if not all of the remaining planes are in need of heavy maintenance. On the other hand, 194 was supposed to go back into storage during the winter slow season but it is still out there, although it is presumably being used to cover widebody repainting. There is a small chance if traffic booms or if the 787 and A350 are so delayed that they have to retire some of the operating widebodies but I am sure they would prefer to wait for new aircraft than turn to old ones.
LAXintl From United States of America, joined exactly 13 years ago today! , 22059 posts, RR: 51 Reply 21, posted (2 years 4 months 3 weeks 2 days 4 hours ago) and read 5236 times:
N185UA is not a United aircraft.
It was a lease return during bankruptcy and has not flown for United since 2001!
All other 744 are stored is VCV desert
26876 (939) 747-422 28/09/1992 N187UA Stored 10/2009 - Stored at VCV 01/2010
26890 (1085) 747-422 07/08/1996 N193UA Stored 08/2008 - Stored at VCV 01/2009
26899 (1113) 747-422 23/05/1997 N195UA Stored 11/2008 at VCV
28715 (1120) 747-422 30/06/1997 N196UA Stored at VCV 10/2008
28716 (1124) 747-422 20/08/1997 N198UA Stored at VCV 03/2009
In the UA 744 history, we can find
24363 (740) 747-422 21/08/1989 02/10/2006 N172UA To Blue Sky
as G-CEFD
24383 (811) 747-422 19/09/1990 02/10/2006 N176UA To Blue Sky
as G-CEFE
25379 (911) 747-422 20/04/1992 12/11/2006 N183UA To Corsair
as F-HLOV
25380 (913) 747-422 01/05/1992 21/04/2006 N184UA To Corsair
as F-HKIS
26474 (988) 747-451 25/07/1994 01/03/2007 N106UA To Blue Sky
as EK-74774
26875 (931) 747-422 24/08/1992 01/04/2005 N186UA To Corsair
as F-GTUI
26877 (944) 747-422 04/12/1992 13/07/2005 N188UA To Corsair
as F-HSEA
26878 (966) 747-422 23/03/1993 10/08/2005 N189UA To Corsair
as F-HSEX
26879 (973) 747-422 22/04/1993 02/10/2006 N190UA To Blue Sky
as G-CEFF
26880 (984) 747-422 24/06/1993 31/05/2005 N191UA To Corsair
as F-HSUN
26881 (989) 747-422 02/08/1993 21/09/2010 N192UA To Phuket Airlines
as HS-AKS
26903 (1171) 747-422 28/08/1998 09/09/2003 N108UA To Dubai Air Wing
as A6-HRM
26906 (1185) 747-422 16/11/1998 01/05/2003 N109UA To Dubai Air Wing
as A6-MMM
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