SX - OAC

https://m.planespotters.net/airframe/bo ... ays/3wowke

SX - OAD

https://m.planespotters.net/airframe/bo ... ays/egklyr

SX - OAE

https://m.planespotters.net/airframe/bo ... ays/e5dgg3


Grounded in 2000 after Olympic bought the A340s . Then eventually all scrapped .

Polot wrote:

OA260 wrote:

Polot wrote:

Paint looks good for sitting out in open for 20 years.

One of the volunteers repainted it by hand a few years ago amazing talent . I was at an open day prior to Covid and the interior is surprisingly good . The interior design was specially selected by Onassis direct from Boeing.

Ah that makes sense. I was amazed the red on the logo on tail was still red and not pink.

Indeed better job then a QR A350 lol

Thanks for sharing this!

What awesome pics

And such a beautiful plane from a special time in aviation!

lijnden wrote:

Ship SX-OAA went to TWA if I remember right. Ship SX-OAB is the one in this story. What happened to the ex SQ birds they bought in the early 80’s after Greece entered the EU? I think there were 2 or 3 of them?

SX-OAD was scrapped in Bruntingthorpe quite recently, in 2020. Not sure what happened to the other two.

FGITD wrote:

airsmiles wrote:

argentinevol98 wrote:

This airplane isn't preserved, it is abandoned. Same thing is rampant where I live. Rusting hulks of old aircraft from failed airlines left for decades to rot.

It’s not abandoned There’s a group who want to preserve it but there are problems with access to the site. I’m not sure why you have such a problem with a group trying to retain some aircraft and airline heritage.

No one seems to take issue with the idea of preservation, but more so see the reality of the situation.

The group may want to preserve the 747, but they haven’t yet and cannot access it for whatever reason. For all intents and purposes that means it’s abandoned. And based on the information available, it will require an absolute fortune to do any such preservation work.

So it’s nice to see that people care, and it’s all fun to say that you want it preserved…but the reality is that it’s a rusting hulk that no one is looking after or making any preventative effort on.

Reminds me of travel town in Los Angeles. Some trains were delivered in fantastic shape, and restored further on arrival.

But then, money is short and time rolls on and everything has gone to hades there. Not even investing in paint to recoat the tops of engines before major rust sets in.

It’s sad to see what has happened to some of the stock since being donated

ikramerica wrote:

FGITD wrote:

airsmiles wrote:

It’s not abandoned There’s a group who want to preserve it but there are problems with access to the site. I’m not sure why you have such a problem with a group trying to retain some aircraft and airline heritage.

No one seems to take issue with the idea of preservation, but more so see the reality of the situation.

The group may want to preserve the 747, but they haven’t yet and cannot access it for whatever reason. For all intents and purposes that means it’s abandoned. And based on the information available, it will require an absolute fortune to do any such preservation work.

So it’s nice to see that people care, and it’s all fun to say that you want it preserved…but the reality is that it’s a rusting hulk that no one is looking after or making any preventative effort on.

Reminds me of travel town in Los Angeles. Some trains were delivered in fantastic shape, and restored further on arrival.

But then, money is short and time rolls on and everything has gone to hades there. Not even investing in paint to recoat the tops of engines before major rust sets in.

It’s sad to see what has happened to some of the stock since being donated

There’s no point investing in paint if you can’t get access to use it.

WesternDC6B wrote:

Fixinthe757 wrote:

Wow, yall must be the life of the parties! Give the old girl a break already. And btw, concrete doesnt rust

The re-bar beneath it does, especially with time, and especially if it was badly-done concrete in the first place, where sea-side sand, insufficiently washed, was used in the making. The salt tears up the re-bar, ergo, rust.

Re-bar, yes. AKA iron. NOT concrete. Therefore concrete does not rust.

From what I read on facebook, it seems that my fellow Greeks are getting excited and sentimental as usual. Here are some comments:
“The giant faced the heavy snow and today 26 January landed normally after taking off on the 25th. She has seen a lot in her 48-year history”.
“The arrival of flight OA 412 had a happy end. She is carrying the hope in her to be part of the future Aviation Museum”.
“The front wheel touched down so softly...we are happy to say she didn’t sustain any damage”.
“If only one had been there when the sound of alloy shift echoed in the void”.
“Ready for lift-off as in the good old times!”
“It couldn’t have happened otherwise. The flight was concluded successfully”.

Please read full story below:

Arion640 wrote:

lijnden wrote:

Ship SX-OAA went to TWA if I remember right. Ship SX-OAB is the one in this story. What happened to the ex SQ birds they bought in the early 80’s after Greece entered the EU? I think there were 2 or 3 of them?

OAA almost crashed after takeoff once I believe.

You are referring to an (in)famous incident that happened in Aug 1978. SX-OAA lost an engine having just become airborne. That was by no means enough to doom the aircraft. Rather, it was bad communication between the cockpit crew that almost sealed its fate. That was just before it was realized that CRM -as it is now called- was necessary to develop and enforce as mandatory to airline crews. To cut a long story short, it was due to the sheer airmanship of the captains that the plane was saved as it was literally hanging by a thread between life and eternity. Let me add that those two videos that have recently appeared on YouTube leave a lot to be desired. Only we know all the hair-raising details and could some day make a precise presentation. But this is an other story and one we would rather forget...

OA260 wrote:

Polot wrote:

Paint looks good for sitting out in open for 20 years.

One of the volunteers repainted it by hand a few years ago amazing talent . I was at an open day prior to Covid and the interior is surprisingly good . The interior design was specially selected by Onassis direct from Boeing.

It should be preserved but Greece is not like other nations when it comes to Aviation and care very little about these things. The former employees and enthusiasts have done well to save it up until now.

I doubt it will last another year though sadly . Glad I got to fly on it in the 90's and then see it again.

A few pics I took :

So much for it being a rusted/deteriorated hunk of trash as some others here have claimed. In fact, I'd say it looks like it is in quite good condition on the inside.

Veigar wrote:

OA260 wrote:

Polot wrote:

Paint looks good for sitting out in open for 20 years.

One of the volunteers repainted it by hand a few years ago amazing talent . I was at an open day prior to Covid and the interior is surprisingly good . The interior design was specially selected by Onassis direct from Boeing.

It should be preserved but Greece is not like other nations when it comes to Aviation and care very little about these things. The former employees and enthusiasts have done well to save it up until now.

I doubt it will last another year though sadly . Glad I got to fly on it in the 90's and then see it again.

A few pics I took :

So much for it being a rusted/deteriorated hunk of trash as some others here have claimed. In fact, I'd say it looks like it is in quite good condition on the inside.

For sure but never let facts spoil baseless ravings

The fact is the volunteers put hundreds of hours into cleaning the interior and other basic maintenance over a number of years all relying on donations and many of them on low incomes themselves. Thats another reason Id like to see a stay of execution the fact that real aviation enthusiasts love the aircraft and were willing to give up their time to try preserve it. My respect goes to them over armchair CEOs who know the cost of everything but the value of nothing !

OA260 wrote:

Veigar wrote:

OA260 wrote:

One of the volunteers repainted it by hand a few years ago amazing talent . I was at an open day prior to Covid and the interior is surprisingly good . The interior design was specially selected by Onassis direct from Boeing.

It should be preserved but Greece is not like other nations when it comes to Aviation and care very little about these things. The former employees and enthusiasts have done well to save it up until now.

I doubt it will last another year though sadly . Glad I got to fly on it in the 90's and then see it again.

A few pics I took :

So much for it being a rusted/deteriorated hunk of trash as some others here have claimed. In fact, I'd say it looks like it is in quite good condition on the inside.

For sure but never let facts spoil baseless ravings

The fact is the volunteers put hundreds of hours into cleaning the interior and other basic maintenance over a number of years all relying on donations and many of them on low incomes themselves. Thats another reason Id like to see a stay of execution the fact that real aviation enthusiasts love the aircraft and were willing to give up their time to try preserve it. My respect goes to them over armchair CEOs who know the cost of everything but the value of nothing !

Where’s that Stelios chap from EasyJet fame when you need him. I’m sure he could afford to help given his wealth but, as often is the case, it’s the ones who can afford it least who pour the passion into saving a nations heritage.

Stelios is Cypriot and he doesn't give a damn about things going on in Greece.

acceldrag wrote:

Stelios is Cypriot and he doesn't give a damn about things going on in Greece.

Very true. A Greek-Cypriot who was born in Athens and spent his teenage years in Greece.

airsmiles wrote:

acceldrag wrote:

Stelios is Cypriot and he doesn't give a damn about things going on in Greece.

Very true. A Greek-Cypriot who was born in Athens and spent his teenage years in Greece.

In fact he can't be more attached to aviation like all Greeks and Cypriots than with Olympic Airways and still...

davidjohnson6 wrote:

Why should this 747 be preserved ? I don't see anything particularly special about it
Maybe one could chop off just the nose and have a walk-in cockpit as an exhibit of when Onassis owned Olympic and the airline was something impressive in a museum in Greece somewhere... but to preserve an entire 747 is a lot to ask

Part of aviation history in Greece ? Might not be special to you, but to aviation entusiasts in Greece it may very well be.

Once it melts it'll be back to normal, nothing to worry about, move along please.

OMAA

OMAAbound wrote:

Once it melts it'll be back to normal, nothing to worry about, move along please.

The airplane is already back to normal as of 26 January. And since then the weather has also been back to normal, glorious sunshine. Seems the weather has repayed us with beautiful days so typical of Athens. Let us hope that the plane’s fate will also be favourably decided because the “Investor” Lamda Development is averse to the idea of an Aviation Museum.
Now as for those who suggest with mischievous pleasure that only the cockpit/upper deck area should be preserved, I say either all of it or not at all. There is nothing more deplorable than seeing those chopped-off skulls in air museums, monuments of miserliness!

Mortyman wrote:

davidjohnson6 wrote:

Why should this 747 be preserved ? I don't see anything particularly special about it
Maybe one could chop off just the nose and have a walk-in cockpit as an exhibit of when Onassis owned Olympic and the airline was something impressive in a museum in Greece somewhere... but to preserve an entire 747 is a lot to ask

Part of aviation history in Greece ? Might not be special to you, but to aviation entusiasts in Greece it may very well be.

The company that now owns the area and controls the project got the whole area for free.
Even maintaining a whole fleet of 747 would be nothing for them.
It should be no.1 option for the deal to move on but...you know the rest...

Hey, the gear still articulated, so there is still something that works! (I think?)

I visited the Icelandic aviation museum last summer.. I was the only visitor walking around and felt the hangar contained, (even as an avgeek), quite frankly, a lot of detritus. The museum could have been edited down to something half the size, while retaining its interest to a general audience

Aer Lingus used to have 747s, but Ireland did not feel the need for a museum to display one in perpetuity
https://simpleflying.com/aer-lingus-boeing-747/

Why should such a museum be created in Greece ?

I just don't see what is sufficiently special about this aircraft to be worthy of the immense cost of preserving it in its entirety, and to be of interest to anyone who is not a Greek avgeek

davidjohnson6 wrote:

I visited the Icelandic aviation museum last summer.. I was the only visitor walking around and felt the hangar contained, (even as an avgeek), quite frankly, a lot of detritus. The museum could have been edited down to something half the size, while retaining its interest to a general audience

Aer Lingus used to have 747s, but Ireland did not feel the need for a museum to display one in perpetuity
https://simpleflying.com/aer-lingus-boeing-747/

Why should such a museum be created in Greece ?

I just don't see what is sufficiently special about this aircraft to be worthy of the immense cost of preserving it in its entirety, and to be of interest to anyone who is not a Greek avgeek

Because it's a 747 the Queen of the Skies. This type of aircraft has a lot of sentimental value to a lot of people.

It belonged an iconic airline that is now gone.

I've been to many museums and the ones with whole aircraft exhibits are far more engaging than the aircraft that have been dismantled.

davidjohnson6 wrote:

I visited the Icelandic aviation museum last summer.. I was the only visitor walking around and felt the hangar contained, (even as an avgeek), quite frankly, a lot of detritus. The museum could have been edited down to something half the size, while retaining its interest to a general audience

Aer Lingus used to have 747s, but Ireland did not feel the need for a museum to display one in perpetuity
https://simpleflying.com/aer-lingus-boeing-747/

Why should such a museum be created in Greece ?

I just don't see what is sufficiently special about this aircraft to be worthy of the immense cost of preserving it in its entirety, and to be of interest to anyone who is not a Greek avgeek

It sounds to me like you should leave the business of aviation museums and preservation to actual aviation enthusiasts and find somewhere else to go when you visit places. I've honestly never heard such a miserly view on an aviation board before.

JannEejit wrote:

davidjohnson6 wrote:

I visited the Icelandic aviation museum last summer.. I was the only visitor walking around and felt the hangar contained, (even as an avgeek), quite frankly, a lot of detritus. The museum could have been edited down to something half the size, while retaining its interest to a general audience

Aer Lingus used to have 747s, but Ireland did not feel the need for a museum to display one in perpetuity
https://simpleflying.com/aer-lingus-boeing-747/

Why should such a museum be created in Greece ?

I just don't see what is sufficiently special about this aircraft to be worthy of the immense cost of preserving it in its entirety, and to be of interest to anyone who is not a Greek avgeek

It sounds to me like you should leave the business of aviation museums and preservation to actual aviation enthusiasts and find somewhere else to go when you visit places. I've honestly never heard such a miserly view on an aviation board before.

There is a difference between hoarding and a museum. Many museums have lots of out of view spaces, and decide what to put out.

I’d rather have a good representative sample of an era, than just everything.

Tbh, the interesting thing about this plane is the interior, and it’s on the mildly interesting side of things. It really is a good candidate to be presented without wings and empennage.

davidjohnson6 wrote:

I visited the Icelandic aviation museum last summer.. I was the only visitor walking around and felt the hangar contained, (even as an avgeek), quite frankly, a lot of detritus. The museum could have been edited down to something half the size, while retaining its interest to a general audience

Aer Lingus used to have 747s, but Ireland did not feel the need for a museum to display one in perpetuity
https://simpleflying.com/aer-lingus-boeing-747/

Why should such a museum be created in Greece ?

I just don't see what is sufficiently special about this aircraft to be worthy of the immense cost of preserving it in its entirety, and to be of interest to anyone who is not a Greek avgeek

First up, this thread has crept way off topic. Regarding the off topic contribution, nobody anywhere cares what you can or can't see or you're trolling on this one. Nobody. It's utterly irrelevant to Greek heritage and those that preserve it. You don't matter.

In what alternative dimension or delusional mental state, does somebody think taking a day trip to Akureyri, provides superb insight and qualification about the relative merits of mid to late 20th century Greek heritage? Far far superior to say, oh I don't know......... that of Greek aviators and, you know,....... Greek people....... to make decisions about their own heritage.

Should the Greek's bow to the greatness of your insight, you know, that insight you got.... from a day trip to a small hangar in Northern Iceland, once......

At which point did Narnia become such a distant memory?