VCVSpotter wrote:

MaxTrimm wrote:

How many Southwest MAX’s and/or Delta planes are stored at VCV? I know Delta had a bunch there last year around this time, but have been slowly taking them out since. Was just curious

Don't have exact numbers, but Southwest still has around 15 737MAXs at VCV and Delta has around 50 aircraft still stored at VCV. Both are guesstimates, but the Southwest # should be pretty close.

Got it. thanks. I thought Delta didn’t have many left, but even anywhere close to 50 is still a lot of planes.

MaxTrimm wrote:

VCVSpotter wrote:

MaxTrimm wrote:

How many Southwest MAX’s and/or Delta planes are stored at VCV? I know Delta had a bunch there last year around this time, but have been slowly taking them out since. Was just curious

Don't have exact numbers, but Southwest still has around 15 737MAXs at VCV and Delta has around 50 aircraft still stored at VCV. Both are guesstimates, but the Southwest # should be pretty close.

Got it. thanks. I thought Delta didn’t have many left, but even anywhere close to 50 is still a lot of planes.

As if today (after the two departures) there are 8 WN Max AC still sitting in VCV:
N8701Q
N8704Q
N8710M
N8717M
N8719Q
N8723Q
N8729H
N8733M

Of course, not counting any undelivered ones that Boeing is storing out there, but AFAIK there aren't any undelivered SWA Max's in VCV, at least not anymore.

KDAL wrote:

MaxTrimm wrote:

VCVSpotter wrote:

Don't have exact numbers, but Southwest still has around 15 737MAXs at VCV and Delta has around 50 aircraft still stored at VCV. Both are guesstimates, but the Southwest # should be pretty close.

Got it. thanks. I thought Delta didn’t have many left, but even anywhere close to 50 is still a lot of planes.

As if today (after the two departures) there are 8 WN Max AC still sitting in VCV:
N8701Q
N8704Q
N8710M
N8717M
N8719Q
N8723Q
N8729H
N8733M

Of course, not counting any undelivered ones that Boeing is storing out there, but AFAIK there aren't any undelivered SWA Max's in VCV, at least not anymore.

Oops, forgot to factor in the few that flew out recently (last week or so).

There are currently 2 undelivered WN 737MAX8s at VCV, N8813Q and N8814K.

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N8813Q
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N8814K

VCVSpotter wrote:

KDAL wrote:

MaxTrimm wrote:

Got it. thanks. I thought Delta didn’t have many left, but even anywhere close to 50 is still a lot of planes.

As if today (after the two departures) there are 8 WN Max AC still sitting in VCV:
N8701Q
N8704Q
N8710M
N8717M
N8719Q
N8723Q
N8729H
N8733M

Of course, not counting any undelivered ones that Boeing is storing out there, but AFAIK there aren't any undelivered SWA Max's in VCV, at least not anymore.

Oops, forgot to factor in the few that flew out recently (last week or so).

There are currently 2 undelivered WN 737MAX8s at VCV, N8813Q and N8814K.

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N8813Q
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N8814K

They seem to be emptying WN’s out of SKF/MWH, so I’d expect these will be on the move fairly soon. Slightly off topic but I believe in total we sit at 6 or 7 undelivered Boeing frames for WN. I’d expect at least 2 of those will be delivered this week; perhaps the VCV frames will return after said departures.

Tip of the hat to HPRamper in the Air Cargo (non-Amazon/DHL) Thread - 2021: FedEx A300-600F N717FD will head to VCV on April 6 for retirement.

https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n717fd

Air Canada A330-300 C-GKUH flying YUL-VCV as AC2357 for storage.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/c-gkuh

Southwest 737MAX8 N8704Q exited storage VCV-DAL as WN8700.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n8704q

Air Premia 787-9 HL8388 filed VCV-CHS 9:30AM - 4:07PM as BOE487.
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/BOE487

FedEx 777F N840FD filed VCV-ANC 11AM - 3PM as FX9815 en route to SIN for standardization work.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/flights/fx9815

Alaska 737-900ER N487AS filed VCV-SEA 6PM-8PM as AS9410 after repaint.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n487as

Southwest 737MAX8 N8814K exited storage VCV-BFI as BOE58 (did some go arounds at SMX too!). The only remaining Southwest 737MAX at VCV is now N8813Q which flew in on July 8, 2020. I'd imagine that would be leaving soon...(should use callsign BOE57).
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n8814k

Virgin Orbit 747-400 N744VG flew MHV-MHV as OBT01 for a test flight today with 3 go-arounds at MHV's runway 30 before heading up over Sequoia National Forest.
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N744VG

Norwegian 787-9 LN-LNK flying OSL-VCV as NAX9E for return to lessor.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/ln-lnk

Alaska 737-900ER N492AS flying SEA-VCV as AS9411 for repaint.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n492as

I've been told by numerous sources (varying in reputability, but two are really on the money all the time) that Qantas A380 VH-OQC will be heading out of storage at VCV. OQC will go to 'Europe' (I assume Dresden/DRS) for maintenance (12 year check). VH-OQC's transponder has also been on a lot more at VCV and yesterday it was pulled out of it's parking spot into the 'alleyway' at VCV in preparation to be moved to the southern part of the airport (see FR24 link below. If not available, it's just the space in front of where the A380s are currently parked). VH-OQC should fly out to LAX sometime in April.
https://www.flightradar24.com/VHOQC/27430a16

Virgin Orbit 747-400 N744VG flew to Spaceport America and back to Mojave the other day.
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N744VG

United 767-300ER N641UA flying ORD-VCV as UA2759 for repaint into the EvoBlue livery.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n641ua

United 767-300ER N664UA exited paint VCV-IAH as UA2726.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n664ua

Southwest 737MAX8 N8717M exited storage VCV-PAE as WN8702.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n8717m

Southwest 737MAX8 N8710M exited storage VCV-DAL as WN8703.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n8710m

Delta 777-200LR N705DN filed VCV-MWH 11:45AM - 1:55PM. Not sure what to make of this, but a conversion program now seems like a MUCH bigger possibility.
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N705DN

Delta 767-300ER N185DN filed ILN-VCV 12PM - 1:34PM as DL9940.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n185dn

Delta 737-900ER N885DN filed VCV-ATL 3PM - 10:02PM as DL9950.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n885dn

United 737-700 N24706 filed VCV-IAH 4PM - 9:01PM as UA2699 tomorrow (April 6) after repaint into the EvoBlue livery.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n185dn

VCVSpotter wrote:

Delta 777-200LR N705DN filed VCV-MWH 11:45AM - 1:55PM. Not sure what to make of this, but a conversion program now seems like a MUCH bigger possibility.
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N705DN

Delta 767-300ER N185DN filed ILN-VCV 12PM - 1:34PM as DL9940.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n185dn

Delta 737-900ER N885DN filed VCV-ATL 3PM - 10:02PM as DL9950.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n885dn

United 737-700 N24706 filed VCV-IAH 4PM - 9:01PM as UA2699 tomorrow (April 6) after repaint into the EvoBlue livery.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n185dn

Who would invest in a rigorous and expensive conversion program when such small feedstock is available? My guess would be some kind of a GE engine testbed rather than freighter conversion.

VCVSpotter wrote:

Delta 777-200LR N705DN filed VCV-MWH 11:45AM - 1:55PM. Not sure what to make of this, but a conversion program now seems like a MUCH bigger possibility.
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N705DN

Delta 767-300ER N185DN filed ILN-VCV 12PM - 1:34PM as DL9940.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n185dn

Delta 737-900ER N885DN filed VCV-ATL 3PM - 10:02PM as DL9950.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n885dn

United 737-700 N24706 filed VCV-IAH 4PM - 9:01PM as UA2699 tomorrow (April 6) after repaint into the EvoBlue livery.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n185dn

https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquir ... mberResult

Per Deltas SEC filings 777-200LR---N705DN was owned by Delta.
After searching the FAA website the aircrafts new owner is the Bank of Utah trustee.

https://d18rn0p25nwr6d.cloudfront.net/C ... 9f0976.pdf
2020 Q3 annual report
On page 15 : All 18-777ac will be retired by December 2020
On page 50 : the fleet page states 5-owned and 5-retired, the 5 retired were most likely owned as they were in Q1

Newark727 wrote:

yochai wrote:

VCVSpotter wrote:

Delta 777-200LR N705DN filed VCV-MWH 11:45AM - 1:55PM. Not sure what to make of this, but a conversion program now seems like a MUCH bigger possibility.
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N705DN

Delta 767-300ER N185DN filed ILN-VCV 12PM - 1:34PM as DL9940.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n185dn

Delta 737-900ER N885DN filed VCV-ATL 3PM - 10:02PM as DL9950.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n885dn

United 737-700 N24706 filed VCV-IAH 4PM - 9:01PM as UA2699 tomorrow (April 6) after repaint into the EvoBlue livery.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n185dn

Who would invest in a rigorous and expensive conversion program when such small feedstock is available? My guess would be some kind of a GE engine testbed rather than freighter conversion.

Is "conversion to billionaire oligarch's flying sex palace" an option?

Definitely agree that a cargo conversion wouldn't make much sense, but that's one of the rumors I've been hearing. VIP conversion at Greenpoint Technologies in MWH is another.

(Undelivered) Southwest 737MAX8 N8813Q exited storage VCV-YKM as BOE57.

https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n8813q

United 737-700 N24706 exited paint VCV-IAH as UA2699.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n24706

United 737-700 N15712 flew IAH-VCV as UA2756 for repaint into the EvoBlue livery.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n15712

FedEx A300-600F N717FD flew MEM-VCV as FX9030 for retirement.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n717fd

NASA 747SP N747NA filed PMD-PMD 8:55PM - 5:35AM as NASA747.
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/NASA747

Southwest 737MAX8 N8719Q exited storage VCV-PHX as WN8700.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n8719q

ANA 777-300ER JA731A flying HNL-MHV as NH9431 for retirement.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/ja731a

NASA 747SP N747NA filed PMD-PMD 8:15PM - 4:48AM as NASA747.
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/NAS ... /KPMD/KPMD

Delta 767-300ER N183DN filed ILN-VCV 12PM - 1:31PM as DL9937 tomorrow (April 8).
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n183dn

Southwest 737MAX8 N8723Q exited storage VCV-PHX as WN8700.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n8723q

Southwest 737MAX8 N8701Q exited storage VCV-PAE as WN8701.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n8701q

Mexican Air Force 737-800 FAM3528 filed VCV-VCV for a test flight.
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/FAM3528

Delta 9937 767-332ER has departed ILN for VCV. Unsure of purpose weather for retirement or other purpose. Reg # N183DN

https://www.flightradar24.com/DAL9937/2756758e

ILNFlyer wrote:

Delta 9937 767-332ER has departed ILN for VCV. Unsure of purpose weather for retirement or other purpose. Reg # N183DN

https://www.flightradar24.com/DAL9937/2756758e

Yup, filed two days ago. Believe it's for retirement but not a 100% certain.

GE 747-400 N747GF flying VCV-VCV for a test flight.
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N747GF

United 777-200ER (reg unknown) filed HNL-VCV 9AM - 5:17PM as UA2714 tomorrow (April 9). My bet is that this is one of the PW engined 772s headed to VCV for storage.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/flights/ua2714

LATAM has announced that they will 'retire' (more like return to lessor) all of their A350s, decent chance that they could fly to VCV in the coming days/weeks.
https://twitter.com/flyingfan1/status/1 ... 56898?s=12

VCVSpotter wrote:

United 777-200ER (reg unknown) filed HNL-VCV 9AM - 5:17PM as UA2714 tomorrow (April 9). My bet is that this is one of the PW engined 772s headed to VCV for storage.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/flights/ua2714

Yup, United 777-200ER N798UA flying HNL-VCV as UA2714 for storage.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n798ua

United 777-200ER N792UA (registration unconfirmed, but it's the only one stored at EWR) filed EWR-VCV 11AM - 1:19PM as UA2704 tomorrow (April 10) for storage.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/flights/ua2704

Mexican Air Force 737-800 FAM3528 flying VCV-MEX after storage/maintenance work.
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/FAM3528

Southwest 737MAX8 N8729H exited storage VCV-HOU as WN8700.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n8729h

Southwest 737MAX8 N8733M exited storage VCV-PHX as WN8701. This was the final Southwest 737MAX8 in storage at VCV. N8733M also did a small wing wave on departure which was super neat to see (I was out there today, more details further down).
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n8733m

United 777-200ER N792UA flew EWR-VCV as UA2704 for storage.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n792ua

Ceiba Intercontinental 777-200LR CS-TQX flew SSG-VCV for storage. This is a VIP 77L that used to operate for the Government of Equatorial Guinea until they started using 77L P4-SKN. Found out this was coming completely out of luck when I was about to head home, was worth the 3 hour wait (despite the VERY backlit shots).
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/cs-tqx

Link to my photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/CNgdwpNBMKD/




Some exclusive photos/INFORMATION will be up tomorrow on my Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/west_coast_aviation/).
I'll write up a 'trip report' after my two posts tomorrow so that I can use those photos as reference/context for my VCV trip analysis.

Very nice for you to get CS-TQX at VCV. It made a visit to LAX about 3 years ago. It actually has a passenger interior and was used for flight to MAD mostly. It was used as a VIP plane before P4-SKN was delivered but with regular interior. I think i have seen some pics of the interior on their Facebook page a few years ago.

The777Man

Hi VCV Spotter nice catch did yo manage to get any other general shots of 787 parking etc. on this trip, if so share a link I need to keep my FSX KVCV project as up to date as I can any help appreciated. Hope all is well and safe there in VCV country. All the best.

great effort! great shots of that 777...

The777Man wrote:

Very nice for you to get CS-TQX at VCV. It made a visit to LAX about 3 years ago. It actually has a passenger interior and was used for flight to MAD mostly. It was used as a VIP plane before P4-SKN was delivered but with regular interior. I think i have seen some pics of the interior on their Facebook page a few years ago.

The777Man

crownvic wrote:

great effort! great shots of that 777...

Thank you both! Very interesting that she has a regular pax interior, must be why they decided to switch to 77L P4-SKN.

dougbr2006 wrote:

Hi VCV Spotter nice catch did yo manage to get any other general shots of 787 parking etc. on this trip, if so share a link I need to keep my FSX KVCV project as up to date as I can any help appreciated. Hope all is well and safe there in VCV country. All the best.

I have a few, not the best quality but you can tell what's what. PM me and we can figure out a way I can send them to you ASAP.

Here's another exclusive from me and https://www.instagram.com/west_coast_aviation/:
Asiana Cargo 747-400F HL7414 is returning to service!! She recently had engine #2 and #4 attached and it looks like she could be in service by the summer season!
Link to images: https://www.instagram.com/p/CNiEI09h6co/

Virgin Australia 777-300ER VH-VPF filed SIN-VCV 12PM - 4:16PM for return to lessor tomorrow (April 12).
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/VHVPF

VCV Trip Report from April 10, 2021:
A lot of things have carried over from my March trip. There are a few noticeable differences though: the #1 being Asiana's 744F returning to service (going to Western Global as N452SN, thank you so much to MO11 and wjcandee on the Air Cargo (non-Amazon/DHL) Thread - 2021 for that insight.). Also, on my last trip, there were 3 787s near the paint hangar/where Southwest was storing the 737MAXs. There are now 6 787s (4X-ERD, B-20EC, EC-NGR, LN-LNI? (not sure, didn't catch the reg exactly), LN-LNK, LN-LNL). The last Southwest 737MAX8 flew out of VCV too so Qantas A380 VH-OQC will be moved to that spot in the coming days. Boeing is continuing work on the 787s (SCOOT 788 9V-OFM rolled out of the hangar as I returned with my lunch LOL). Interestingly enough, 9V-OFM didn't have engines attached but I have a photo showing it with engines from March...weird. As United 772s start rolling in, hopefully we'll see where they end up being parked. Currently they're just in the new arrivals area, N798UA already has some tape on the tail. That's a nice segway to my pictures...

Link: https://www.instagram.com/p/CNi5JzthOHp/

VCVSpotter wrote:

Virgin Australia 777-300ER VH-VPF filed SIN-VCV 12PM - 4:16PM for return to lessor tomorrow (April 12).
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/VHVPF

This frame wasnt leased, its more than likely being repossessed by the bank

VCVSpotter wrote:

The777Man wrote:

Very nice for you to get CS-TQX at VCV. It made a visit to LAX about 3 years ago. It actually has a passenger interior and was used for flight to MAD mostly. It was used as a VIP plane before P4-SKN was delivered but with regular interior. I think i have seen some pics of the interior on their Facebook page a few years ago.

The777Man

crownvic wrote:

great effort! great shots of that 777...

Thank you both! Very interesting that she has a regular pax interior, must be why they decided to switch to 77L P4-SKN.

dougbr2006 wrote:

Hi VCV Spotter nice catch did yo manage to get any other general shots of 787 parking etc. on this trip, if so share a link I need to keep my FSX KVCV project as up to date as I can any help appreciated. Hope all is well and safe there in VCV country. All the best.

I have a few, not the best quality but you can tell what's what. PM me and we can figure out a way I can send them to you ASAP.

Here's another exclusive from me and https://www.instagram.com/west_coast_aviation/:
Asiana Cargo 747-400F HL7414 is returning to service!! She recently had engine #2 and #4 attached and it looks like she could be in service by the summer season!
Link to images: https://www.instagram.com/p/CNiEI09h6co/

Is that an ANA b737 in the pics and are those TAM A32X`s part of the original batch parked on the far side where the LATAM 787`s were are are they new arrivals.

qf789 wrote:

VCVSpotter wrote:

Virgin Australia 777-300ER VH-VPF filed SIN-VCV 12PM - 4:16PM for return to lessor tomorrow (April 12).
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/VHVPF

This frame wasnt leased, its more than likely being repossessed by the bank

Oops, my mistake. Thanks!

dougbr2006 wrote:

Is that an ANA b737 in the pics and are those TAM A32X`s part of the original batch parked on the far side where the LATAM 787`s were are are they new arrivals.

Yes it is, and yes the TAM A32Xs are part of the original batch.

ANA 737-700 JA04AN flew ANC-VCV as EH5672 for retirement.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/ja04an

China Southern 787-9 B-20EL exited storage VCV-CHS as BOE919.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/b-20el

Delta A321 N307DX exited storage VCV-MSP as DL9936.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n307dx

NASA SOFIA 747SP N747NA filed PMD-PMD 12:20PM - 8:18PM as NASA747. Rare daytime departure for them.
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/NAS ... /KPMD/KPMD

With news that all 12 Qantas A380s are expected to return to the skies by 2024, I thought I'd share some of my photos of them from last Saturday (April 10):
https://www.instagram.com/p/CNpiHwfht-B/

VCVSpotter wrote:

VCV Trip Report from April 10, 2021:
A lot of things have carried over from my March trip. There are a few noticeable differences though: the #1 being Asiana's 744F returning to service (going to Western Global as N452SN, thank you so much to MO11 and wjcandee on the Air Cargo (non-Amazon/DHL) Thread - 2021 for that insight.). Also, on my last trip, there were 3 787s near the paint hangar/where Southwest was storing the 737MAXs. There are now 6 787s (4X-ERD, B-20EC, EC-NGR, LN-LNI? (not sure, didn't catch the reg exactly), LN-LNK, LN-LNL). The last Southwest 737MAX8 flew out of VCV too so Qantas A380 VH-OQC will be moved to that spot in the coming days. Boeing is continuing work on the 787s (SCOOT 788 9V-OFM rolled out of the hangar as I returned with my lunch LOL). Interestingly enough, 9V-OFM didn't have engines attached but I have a photo showing it with engines from March...weird. As United 772s start rolling in, hopefully we'll see where they end up being parked. Currently they're just in the new arrivals area, N798UA already has some tape on the tail. That's a nice segway to my pictures...

Link: https://www.instagram.com/p/CNi5JzthOHp/

Was there any aircraft on the scrapping pad in the north east (next to the Qantas A380s) when you were there, or on the scrapping pad between the runways?

a2b7 wrote:

VCVSpotter wrote:

VCV Trip Report from April 10, 2021:
A lot of things have carried over from my March trip. There are a few noticeable differences though: the #1 being Asiana's 744F returning to service (going to Western Global as N452SN, thank you so much to MO11 and wjcandee on the Air Cargo (non-Amazon/DHL) Thread - 2021 for that insight.). Also, on my last trip, there were 3 787s near the paint hangar/where Southwest was storing the 737MAXs. There are now 6 787s (4X-ERD, B-20EC, EC-NGR, LN-LNI? (not sure, didn't catch the reg exactly), LN-LNK, LN-LNL). The last Southwest 737MAX8 flew out of VCV too so Qantas A380 VH-OQC will be moved to that spot in the coming days. Boeing is continuing work on the 787s (SCOOT 788 9V-OFM rolled out of the hangar as I returned with my lunch LOL). Interestingly enough, 9V-OFM didn't have engines attached but I have a photo showing it with engines from March...weird. As United 772s start rolling in, hopefully we'll see where they end up being parked. Currently they're just in the new arrivals area, N798UA already has some tape on the tail. That's a nice segway to my pictures...

Link: https://www.instagram.com/p/CNi5JzthOHp/

Was there any aircraft on the scrapping pad in the north east (next to the Qantas A380s) when you were there, or on the scrapping pad between the runways?

Nothing on the pad next to the Qantas A380s except what looked like a Cathay Pacific 747 nose cone and a jet bridge (prop for TENET movie shooting). They’ve significantly reduced their scrapping pace from previously (surprisingly, I would’ve thought that they’d keep up a break-neck pace to accommodate all the aircraft flying in).

Couldn’t see the scrapping pad between the runways (didn’t go to the mound that day).

Delta 757-200 N668DN exited storage VCV-ATL as DL9939.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n668dn

VCVSpotter wrote:

NASA SOFIA 747SP N747NA filed PMD-PMD 12:20PM - 8:18PM as NASA747. Rare daytime departure for them.
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/NAS ... /KPMD/KPMD

With news that all 12 Qantas A380s are expected to return to the skies by 2024, I thought I'd share some of my photos of them from last Saturday (April 10):
https://www.instagram.com/p/CNpiHwfht-B/

Great pics, hope to see these take to the skies once again soon. Have you happened to lay eyes on the two DL MD-90s that were ferried out to VCV within the last few months? I believe it was N908DA and N962DN. Would be curious to know if there's been any action with those two, as it was somewhat mysterious what Boeing's intent was for those two.

gdavis003 wrote:

Great pics, hope to see these take to the skies once again soon. Have you happened to lay eyes on the two DL MD-90s that were ferried out to VCV within the last few months? I believe it was N908DA and N962DN. Would be curious to know if there's been any action with those two, as it was somewhat mysterious what Boeing's intent was for those two.

Thanks
Sadly I wasn’t able to see where they were at, but they weren’t at the Boeing/ComAv hangar, nor were they on the south/south-east area where all the new arrivals or future departures are parked. I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure nothing’s going on with them at the moment.

Air Canada 787-9 C-FRTU flew YYZ-VCV as AC2339 for paint touch-up.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/c-frtu

United 767-300ER N641UA has been at IAC for repaint into the EvoBlue livery for 14 days now....should be leaving very soon so that C-FRTU can take that hangar. Love to see IAC getting a steady flow of repaint contracts.
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N641UA

SkyLease Cargo 747-400F N904AR filed ORD-SBD 2:30PM - 5:39PM as GG9904 to resolve post D check landing gear issues (allegedly also caused the air return to ORD the other day). Thanks to Navion on the Air Cargo (non-Amazon/DHL) Thread - 2021 for that info! Hopefully N904AR actually flies to SBD today (filed on Tuesday but didn't leave ORD).
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/KYE9904

VCVSpotter wrote:

a2b7 wrote:

VCVSpotter wrote:

VCV Trip Report from April 10, 2021:
A lot of things have carried over from my March trip. There are a few noticeable differences though: the #1 being Asiana's 744F returning to service (going to Western Global as N452SN, thank you so much to MO11 and wjcandee on the Air Cargo (non-Amazon/DHL) Thread - 2021 for that insight.). Also, on my last trip, there were 3 787s near the paint hangar/where Southwest was storing the 737MAXs. There are now 6 787s (4X-ERD, B-20EC, EC-NGR, LN-LNI? (not sure, didn't catch the reg exactly), LN-LNK, LN-LNL). The last Southwest 737MAX8 flew out of VCV too so Qantas A380 VH-OQC will be moved to that spot in the coming days. Boeing is continuing work on the 787s (SCOOT 788 9V-OFM rolled out of the hangar as I returned with my lunch LOL). Interestingly enough, 9V-OFM didn't have engines attached but I have a photo showing it with engines from March...weird. As United 772s start rolling in, hopefully we'll see where they end up being parked. Currently they're just in the new arrivals area, N798UA already has some tape on the tail. That's a nice segway to my pictures...

Link: https://www.instagram.com/p/CNi5JzthOHp/

Was there any aircraft on the scrapping pad in the north east (next to the Qantas A380s) when you were there, or on the scrapping pad between the runways?

Nothing on the pad next to the Qantas A380s except what looked like a Cathay Pacific 747 nose cone and a jet bridge (prop for TENET movie shooting). They’ve significantly reduced their scrapping pace from previously (surprisingly, I would’ve thought that they’d keep up a break-neck pace to accommodate all the aircraft flying in).

Couldn’t see the scrapping pad between the runways (didn’t go to the mound that day).

Thanks for the report. I also would have thought that there would be some activity, but I guess Victorville is still more about storage than part out.

Boy, Skylease Cargo's fleet really seems to be shrinking. They long for this world?

Here are two photos from today (April 16, 2021) of Lufthansa 744 D-ABVP (parts donor) and EVA Air 744F B-16402/N27063, all credit goes to Matt Hartman on Facebook:
Link to Facebook post: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10 ... 5963834303





Based off the first photo, it looks like they already harvested some tail hydraulics and the APU from D-ABVP. In addition, the flaps being deployed along with the scissor lift parked next to it suggest that the flaps will soon be removed and transferred to EVA Air.

Going to the photo that shows EVA Air, it looks like they're working on installing the APU and doing some work on the right wing (cherry picker is underneath). Kinda surprised that only those two things have changed but there's also likely some interior work and other changes that aren't readily visible. Hope to see former B-16402 grace the skies again soon!

Great aerial view of MHV below from the Stratolaunch twitter page (link provides slightly higher resolution). All signs point to a flight next week...
Link: https://twitter.com/Stratolaunch/status ... 1223593988

I think that has the most 747s in one photo - I count 46!

washingtonflyer wrote:

Boy, Skylease Cargo's fleet really seems to be shrinking. They long for this world?

They're not going anywhere. They just D-checked their two Factory-F 744 freighters, repainting one at the same time, and they fly them like there is no tomorrow. Always on the move. Just a couple hours on the ground, and off they go. They use heavy crews so they can fly ANC-China-ANC (or CONUS-China-ANC) without staging crews or having lengthy stops in, say, Seoul, to change crews and such.

They have been printing money with their freighters since March of last year, and, but for this, with newly-painted, D-checked, nose-loading aircraft that are in extraordinary demand, I'm sure they have paid their bills and put some money away.

wjcandee wrote:

washingtonflyer wrote:

Boy, Skylease Cargo's fleet really seems to be shrinking. They long for this world?

They're not going anywhere. They just D-checked their two Factory-F 744 freighters, repainting one at the same time, and they fly them like there is no tomorrow. Always on the move. Just a couple hours on the ground, and off they go. They use heavy crews so they can fly ANC-China-ANC (or CONUS-China-ANC) without staging crews or having lengthy stops in, say, Seoul, to change crews and such.

They have been printing money with their freighters since March of last year, and, but for this, with newly-painted, D-checked, nose-loading aircraft that are in extraordinary demand, I'm sure they have paid their bills and put some money away.

That may be true, but their fleet has shrunk substantially. Two years ago I think they had at least three MD11s in addition to their 744 fleet.

washingtonflyer wrote:

wjcandee wrote:

washingtonflyer wrote:

Boy, Skylease Cargo's fleet really seems to be shrinking. They long for this world?

They're not going anywhere. They just D-checked their two Factory-F 744 freighters, repainting one at the same time, and they fly them like there is no tomorrow. Always on the move. Just a couple hours on the ground, and off they go. They use heavy crews so they can fly ANC-China-ANC (or CONUS-China-ANC) without staging crews or having lengthy stops in, say, Seoul, to change crews and such.

They have been printing money with their freighters since March of last year, and, but for this, with newly-painted, D-checked, nose-loading aircraft that are in extraordinary demand, I'm sure they have paid their bills and put some money away.

That may be true, but their fleet has shrunk substantially. Two years ago I think they had at least three MD11s in addition to their 744 fleet.

They were really only running one MD11 towards the end of that fleet. There was an article in ch-aviation in February of last year saying that they had formally ended MD11 ops. And a bunch of complaining in 2018-2019 from folks on various fora that they were short of cash blah-blah.

Then Covid. Then $$$$$.

Phase 1: Collect underpants.
Phase 2: ?
Phase 3: Profit!

washingtonflyer wrote:

wjcandee wrote:

washingtonflyer wrote:

Boy, Skylease Cargo's fleet really seems to be shrinking. They long for this world?

They're not going anywhere. They just D-checked their two Factory-F 744 freighters, repainting one at the same time, and they fly them like there is no tomorrow. Always on the move. Just a couple hours on the ground, and off they go. They use heavy crews so they can fly ANC-China-ANC (or CONUS-China-ANC) without staging crews or having lengthy stops in, say, Seoul, to change crews and such.

They have been printing money with their freighters since March of last year, and, but for this, with newly-painted, D-checked, nose-loading aircraft that are in extraordinary demand, I'm sure they have paid their bills and put some money away.

That may be true, but their fleet has shrunk substantially. Two years ago I think they had at least three MD11s in addition to their 744 fleet.

Cut the wheat from the chaff and run was the plan. They have been going absolutely non-stop for almost a year now. Having just (2) factory 747-400Fs simplified the operation and allowed them to focus on just flat out ops. This delay due to the landing gear isn't what you want but overall, it will get dealt with and 904AR will be back on the line.

United swapping their 737s for repaint:
United 737-700 N15712 filed VCV-EWR 2:30PM - 10:13PM as UA2697 after repaint into EvoBlue livery.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n15712

United 737-800 N76508 filed DEN-VCV 7AM - 8:20AM as UA2741 for repaint into EvoBlue livery tomorrow (Monday April 19).
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n76508

ANA 787-9 N882BA (JA936A) flying CHS-VCV for storage.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n882ba

Virgin Atlantic 787-9 G-VFAN flying LHR-VCV as VIR819P for structural repairs according to skyliner.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/g-vfan
https://www.skyliner-aviation.de/regdb. ... av4&page=4

United 767-300ER N641UA filed VCV-IAH 3PM - 8:08PM as UA2757 after repaint into EvoBlue livery.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n641ua

Former TAM A321 N891LW filed VCV-MEX 6:35PM - 11:53PM. Not sure who it's going to.
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n891lw