FAT5DEP From United States of America, joined Mar 2006, 118 posts, RR: 0 Posted (6 months 3 days 7 hours ago) and read 405 times:
I saw this on sfgate and thought I'd share. Anybody have anymore pics of the 49er Liner? Looks likes a United 727. It is pic 3 on the link below if it doesn't come up right away.
Quote: Some of the most entertaining charters I've flown have been for various sports teams, such as the San Francisco 49ers. At the time I flew the 49ers' charter, I was "plumbin' on the 10." (Translation: I was a DC-10 flight engineer, sometimes referred to by pilots as "plumbers.")
[SNIP]
There was an unusual aspect to that flight. The captain, a manager for the airline, thought it would be just the thing to spiff up the airplane and he took it upon himself to hire a crew to paint "49ER LINER" on the side of the airplane the night before the charter. He didn't ask for permission before he did it, and when he did get around to asking, it's my understanding the airline told him no. Too late as the paint job was already done, and the airline kept it for years after. It made me smile every time I saw it at various airports.
Irishpower From United States of America, joined Aug 2003, 377 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (6 months 3 days 2 hours ago) and read 405 times:
Being that I lived in Millbrae, I used to go out almost every Sunday night when they were traveling back from away games. They almost always arrived at the very last gate in the old United terminal ( I think it was gate 83 or 84).
Eddie DeBartolo also always wanted the team to travel in a wide body plane for more comfort so in fact it was almost always a DC-10. Even the flights down to LA to play the Rams were flown on a DC-10.
FAT5DEP From United States of America, joined Mar 2006, 118 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (6 months 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 405 times:
Thanks for the info. Should have guessed it would have been bigger than a 727. My brother was a ticket agent for UA at SFO. I remember him telling me about seeing Steve Young and Jerry Rice coming off the plane. My dad lived in Millbrae as well. Spent many hours watching planes and eating pizza at the end of Runway 1L and 1R.
Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.
American 767 From United States of America, joined May 1999, 3320 posts, RR: 14 Reply 5, posted (6 months 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 405 times:
Quoting as739x (Reply 2): It was in fact a DC-10 as LoneStar says.
Either United or Continental, definitely one of the two, hard to tell which when you look at the cheat line because the picture is black and white and you see no logo no tail no title. Remember, at that time Continental also had a three color cheat line on a white fuselage.
But I would rather guess United for two reasons:
1. United always had a hub in San Francisco, not Continental, so they were probably the ones to transport the SF 49ers players.
2. When you observe the font of the word "Liner" above the cheat line, it looks similar to the font United was using during the Saul Bass rainbow color scheme era (mid 70s-early 90s).
Ben Soriano
"Aimer jusqu'a l'impossible, c'est possible". Tina Arena.
It was United. UAL #4949 was the flight number on all their charters till the DC-10 retired. They then went to a 767 before starting to tinker with other airlines, well after the Walsh years. Sorry, forgot to add that above.
"Some pilots avoid storm cells and some play connect the dots!"
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From United States of America, joined Mar 2006, 118 posts, 
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