United N7001U has been undergoing restoration since 2004, having been donated to the Museum of Flight in 1991. It will soon make its first flight in 25 years, traveling from Paine Field (the restoration site) to Boeing Field (the museum). It will join the museum's other aircraft (747, Concorde, 787, etc) under the new pavilion being built.
Aviation Week article: http://aviationweek.com/blog/venerable-boeing-727-prototype-fly-again
Airline Reporter article: http://www.airlinereporter.com/2015/...t-boeing-727-prepares-last-flight/
Today the Museum of Flight unveiled the restored United livery.
Link to images: https://www.facebook.com/museumofflight/posts/10153508842727224
Moderators: jsumali2, richierich, ua900, PanAm_DC10, hOMSaR
RE: #1 727-100 Restoration Nears Completion
Love this! Such a great looking plane. Not so long ago, these were everywhere. Hard to believe how rare they've become so quickly. Glad to see this one being preserved in its home town.
RE: #1 727-100 Restoration Nears Completion
Any news on what will happen to the Museum of Flight's existing AA 727-200? I heard it will be destroyed to make way for the original 727, but there were maybe plans to fly it to MKC to the TWA museum there.
RE: #1 727-100 Restoration Nears Completion
How awesome it would be if they could actually sell tickets on that ferry flight.
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- dfwcre8tive
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- canoecarrier
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RE: #1 727-100 Restoration Nears Completion
| Quoting dfwcre8tive (Reply 4): It has been moved to storage at BFI; latest news is that it will remain there until it can be transferred to another museum. |
When did that happen? As of a few weeks ago I saw it parked on the GA side of BFI. I'm glad the MoF is investing in some of the existing aircraft they have like painting the first 747 and working to put some of the large static displays under cover. It would be nice if they could start restoration of the B-29 they've had parked in front of the museum for a few years now.
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- dfwcre8tive
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RE: #1 727-100 Restoration Nears Completion
| Quoting canoecarrier (Reply 5): When did that happen? As of a few weeks ago I saw it parked on the GA side of BFI. I'm glad the MoF is investing in some of the existing aircraft they have like painting the first 747 and working to put some of the large static displays under cover. It would be nice if they could start restoration of the B-29 they've had parked in front of the museum for a few years now. |
Sorry... that's what I meant. It was moved over to the GA side for storage until a new home is found for it. Here's a social media post the museum made today in response to an inquiry.
The Museum of Flight: Yes, the AA 727 is being stored on BFI. There is some interest from other museums to transfer ownership. The UA 727 will eventually be on display in the Aviation Pavilion with the 737 and 747 prototypes!
I believe that the new roof will be finished in the Spring, and then accompanying exhibits will be installed next to the aircraft later in the year. There is a rendering of how everything will fit together in this article: http://www.businesswire.com/news/hom...m-Flight’s-Aviation#.Vc5F2IvLiA0
RE: #1 727-100 Restoration Nears Completion
Dumb question, but why restore it for a single flight only?
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- Viscount724
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RE: #1 727-100 Restoration Nears Completion
| Quoting n797mx (Reply 7): Dumb question, but why restore it for a single flight only? |
Not easy to move it to the museum at BFI by other means.
The Dash-80 prototype and the first 747 were also returned to airworthy status after years stored in the desert for their flights to their current museum resting places (Dash-80 at the Smithsonian facility at IAD and the 747 at BFI).
RE: #1 727-100 Restoration Nears Completion
Thanks for sharing, I love to read the history see the pictures and realize how complex the work is at restoring airplanes.
RE: #1 727-100 Restoration Nears Completion
With construction going on at the museum can the planes still be viewed? I was planning to make a trip there this fall.
RE: #1 727-100 Restoration Nears Completion
Thanks for sharing!
It looks awesome in that UA livery
I can't wait to see more pics of it from different angles...
It looks awesome in that UA livery
I can't wait to see more pics of it from different angles...
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- 32andBelow
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RE: #1 727-100 Restoration Nears Completion
| Quoting Viscount724 (Reply 8): Not easy to move it to the museum at BFI by other means. |
It's pretty easy if you cut it up...
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- thomasphoto60
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RE: #1 727-100 Restoration Nears Completion
While elated to see these classics being made airworthy again, too bad it is only for a short one time hop. Love to see these beauties make tours around the US, but the cost would likely be too prohibitive
RE: #1 727-100 Restoration Nears Completion
Does anyone know if the AA 72S has an interior with seats and everything? Why aren't they keeping it? And why wasn't it open to look inside? Will the UA 727 be open to the public? The UA 727 in the Museum of Science + Industry (Chicago) has one with the same interior (partial only)...brown/orange coach seats.
http://www.msichicago.org/whats-here...xhibit/united-airlines-boeing-727/
http://www.msichicago.org/whats-here...xhibit/united-airlines-boeing-727/
RE: #1 727-100 Restoration Nears Completion
| Quoting canoecarrier (Reply 5): |
The B-29 is wrapped up waiting to be put in the new roofed section, isn't it? I was pretty sure that was the an after they cleaned her up?
RE: #1 727-100 Restoration Nears Completion
| Quoting dfwcre8tive (Thread starter): It will soon make its first flight in 25 years, traveling from Paine Field (the restoration site) to Boeing Field (the museum). |
Sorry... They restore the aircraft for just ONE flight - to place it in the museum? Are they nuts? Why isn't the a/c used for further flights, e.g. to airshows, sightseeing flights (like LH's Ju52)?
RE: #1 727-100 Restoration Nears Completion
| Quoting pdx (Reply 14): Does anyone know if the AA 72S has an interior with seats and everything? Why aren't they keeping it? And why wasn't it open to look inside? Will the UA 727 be open to the public? The UA 727 in the Museum of Science + Industry (Chicago) has one with the same interior (partial only)...brown/orange coach seats. |
It is probably intact as far as I know. The reason it was not open for tours is to preserve the interior of the aircraft and also I read somewhere people have been stealing parts off the UA 727. I am glad they are going to give the AA 727 to another museum and the UA 727 will be flown there. Reminds me of the Pacific Western 737-200 that was restored to airworthy condition for a ferry flight in Edmonton from one museum to another.
RE: #1 727-100 Restoration Nears Completion
| Quoting debonair (Reply 16): Sorry... They restore the aircraft for just ONE flight - to place it in the museum? Are they nuts? Why isn't the a/c used for further flights, e.g. to airshows, sightseeing flights (like LH's Ju52)? |
It's a museum not an airshow. I'm sure the aircraft is restored just enough for cosmetic reasons and a one time, fair weather, short distance ferry flight. Probably using near time expired parts and without a major maintenance check.
Keep in mind UA robbed N7001U of parts after they donated it to the museum. Major objective of the "restoration" has been to replace those parts for the one time ferry flight vs preparing aircraft to fly airshow circuit.
It's not that kind of restoration.
RE: #1 727-100 Restoration Nears Completion
| Quoting debonair (Reply 16): Sorry... They restore the aircraft for just ONE flight - to place it in the museum? Are they nuts? Why isn't the a/c used for further flights, e.g. to airshows, sightseeing flights (like LH's Ju52)? |
Not unusual. As others mentioned, the dash 80 prototype, also a Pacific Western 732 that was brought into good enough condition to ferry. There's also the Boeing 307 at IAD that had to be restored TWICE after it ended up in the drink.
From a commentor on another site
| Quote: I can answer a bunch of these questions. The 727 we had on display has been ‘excised’ to another museum in the Midwest. It’s supposed to fly out this month, but that is pretty ambitious considering its condition. The Museum of Flight’s Aviation Pavilion - which will double the covered square footage at the MOF- is well under way, and will be completed by July of ‘16. 21 aircraft will go under cover. Finally, about the ‘waste’ of prepping #1 for flight rather than cutting it up, trucking it, and reassembling it: it was thought through long and hard, and after much work with volunteers and donors like FedEx, it was a wash. And the airplane doesn’t get Frankensteined. We’re preserving the aircraft in a fundamentally more authentic way. I’m glad to see so many people interested in the 727! |
Another commentor there mentioned Oct 20 as the day to watch, pending weather.
RE: #1 727-100 Restoration Nears Completion
| Quoting debonair (Reply 16): Sorry... They restore the aircraft for just ONE flight - to place it in the museum? Are they nuts? Why isn't the a/c used for further flights, e.g. to airshows, sightseeing flights (like LH's Ju52)? |
I imagine the FAA has placed restrictions on the airplane in order to issue a ferry permit. At a minimum, I suspect that all ADs issued against the 727 since 1991 will have to be accomplished. I doubt that this airplane has windshear detection/TCAS installed either.
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- 32andBelow
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RE: #1 727-100 Restoration Nears Completion
| Quoting Viscount724 (Reply 8): Not easy to move it to the museum at BFI by other means. |
Cut it an put it back together once at an musme.
RE: #1 727-100 Restoration Nears Completion
| Quoting pdx (Reply 14): Does anyone know if the AA 72S has an interior with seats and everything? Why aren't they keeping it? And why wasn't it open to look inside? Will the UA 727 be open to the public? The UA 727 in the Museum of Science + Industry (Chicago) has one with the same interior (partial only)...brown/orange coach seats. |
The AA 727 does, in fact, have a complete interior, that looks much the same as the day it went out of service.
Photo © A. Kwanten
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- Viscount724
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RE: #1 727-100 Restoration Nears Completion
| Quoting diverted (Reply 20): Not unusual. As others mentioned, the dash 80 prototype, also a Pacific Western 732 that was brought into good enough condition to ferry. |
The ex-PWA 732's final short (13 minutes) flight from Edmonton City Centre Airport (YXD) to Villeneuve Airport (ZVL) on November 29, 2013. ZVL is a general aviation airport northwest of Edmonton that normally doesn't see anything much larger than a Cessna 172.
Had the 732 not been flown out it would have been stranded at YXD for good as the airport closed permanently for redevelopment the next day after almost 90 years. It was Canada's first licensed airport and was Edmonton's main airport until YEG opened in 1960. The 737 hadn't flown for 8 years since AC donated it to the YXD museum after they retired their last ex-Canadian Airlines 732s. PWA (and later Canadian) 732s operated a frequent shuttle service YXD-YYC for many years until YXD closed to scheduled flights using large aircraft in the mid-1990s.
http://globalnews.ca/news/999859/737...-airport-lands-safely-at-new-home/
A Canadian North crew volunteered to operate the ferry flight. The landing gear was left down to avoid having to do much work on it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obZis1TFGVE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4RQKC133LM
RE: #1 727-100 Restoration Nears Completion
| Quoting tb727 (Reply 22): They need a flight crew? |
I know you're serious, but I find myself envisioning the Hollywood version, where someone steps into the room and loudly asks, "Can anyone here fly a Boeing?" ... you stand up and announce, "yessir!" And then, with the help of a plucky 11-year old FE, you fly it to BFI with two engines and fireballs and maybe hitting a church steeple while inverted.
RE: #1 727-100 Restoration Nears Completion
Surely you can't be serious..
RE: #1 727-100 Restoration Nears Completion
I am serious, and don't call me Shirley.
RE: #1 727-100 Restoration Nears Completion
I have the fortune of having worked on 7301 (N7001U). It'll be good to see the "old girl" in a permanent place.
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- United_fan
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RE: #1 727-100 Restoration Nears Completion
| Quoting Viscount724 (Reply 26): A Canadian North crew volunteered to operate the ferry flight. The landing gear was left down to avoid having to do much work on it. |
I'm sure the 727's will be left down,too . Really,when was the last year it was retracted ???
RE: #1 727-100 Restoration Nears Completion
| Quoting tomaheath (Reply 10): With construction going on at the museum can the planes still be viewed? I was planning to make a trip there this fall. |
Yes, they moved a few of the planes across the street to the airfield,
IIRC the 737 and 747 aren't available for viewing right now, they moved them
to a school parking lot next door during construction.
I'm glad they're saving the AA 727-200, I was alarmed when I heard it was
getting chopped up
RE: #1 727-100 Restoration Nears Completion
| Quoting Max Q (Reply 18): Quoting debonair (Reply 16): Sorry... They restore the aircraft for just ONE flight - to place it in the museum? Are they nuts? Why isn't the a/c used for further flights, e.g. to airshows, sightseeing flights (like LH Great idea, who's going to pay for it ? |
You beat me to it! The Ju-52 is much cheaper to keep in the air than a 727. Incidentally, I saw the Ju-52 the other day, she sounds really nice!
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