N777UA - the first 777 to be delivered to customers. Been flying for 30 years and has had 3 livery changes

I want to say that's impressive but have no idea what the actual figures would be for some low cost European carriers like Ryanair where they try to always have them in the air to keep making money.

Maybe impressive for a widebody?

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HardlyThereAtAll@reddit

Widebodies often spend more time in the air than narrowbodies. If you're a 777 flying London to Denver, Chicago, Phoenix, etc. then you're going to be doing 2 x 10 hour flights every day.

The only time when you won't be doing that will be when you're in for maintenance.

Narrowbodies can't get anywhere near that, because they're parked for 10 hours overnight, and then have 5 or 6 stops of a minimum of 45 minutes every day,

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SemiLevel@reddit

Generally correct, and there are some monster hours on some older 747-400s (think KLM and Asiana) approaching 150,000.

But I would just add Ryanair schedules and manages 25 minute turnaround times.

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HardlyThereAtAll@reddit

Yep: Ryan is the undisputed master of turnaround times.

With that said, remember that turnaround times are typically measured gate-to-gate, not wheels down to wheels up, so you need to add taxiing time to that. (Of course, Ryanair's user of secondary and tertiary airports helps there. If you're flying between CDG and LHR, you're going to probably spend more time taxiing than flying.)

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hcornea@reddit

Once flew CDG-LHR. From memory, most of the short trip was taxiing, and holding for nearly 40min into LHR.

Can’t believe I didn’t just take Eurostar.

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Achilles_59@reddit

~~Ten~~ fifteen years (time is flying too apparently) ago we went on a trip from the Netherlands to London. Most of us flew with Easy jet some, due to anxiety, went by train, this was before the direct route by Eurostar. We arrived at the same time at the hotel. Today a direct trip via Eurostar would be the superior choice if time is your only concern. I wouldn’t know if you compare it cost wise. I assume a flight would be cheaper.

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mdp300@reddit

I think that's why you also dont see a lot of old narrow bodies. Cycles are harder on an airframe than hours. IE, ten one hour flights are harder on a plane than one ten hour flight.

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revilohamster@reddit

It will be interesting to see how old the new batch of transatlantic narrow bodies get, with longer routes and red eye deployments. Icelandair’s 757s lasted quite a while due to a more wide body like duty cycle.

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MannerScared6899@reddit

Cycles are more of a strain on airframes than hours, most maintenance items are based on cycles generally

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duuval123@reddit

Where can I find this info on other planes?

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ALA02@reddit

So assuming an average speed of 500mph, that is around 55 million miles, or 2200 earth circumnavigations, or 115 round trips to the moon. Surely thats gotta be up there with the furthest a non-space vehicle has ever travelled in its lifetime?

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turduncan@reddit

I know of a few commercial airliners with ~40k more hours, but it’s certainly up there

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277330128@reddit

Only a little more than twice what Tom Stuker has racked up!

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D-pod@reddit

Here's the hours and cycles count from 3 years ago:
https://www.reddit.com/r/aviation/comments/xnsqfu/comment/ipw60gq/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

Maybe someone here knows the most recent figures.

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MoreDoubt8555@reddit

Would love an update too! ✈️

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flynryan692@reddit

Well, they track flight hours and cycles. I think the flight hours is probably a massive number

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CaptainPonahawai@reddit

Super excited to be on N777UA right now.

Got one of the rear facing J seats too!

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turdman450@reddit

Does it pretty much only operate domestic/Hawaii flights these days

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good_gamer2357@reddit

Yes, all United’s non er 777-200s have a high density economy cabin and the old buisnes class in them for domestic only operations

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Fr00tman@reddit

I flew on that in January from LIH-DEN. It was a bit of a time capsule inside.

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Fr00tman@reddit

I flew on that in January from LIH-DEN. It was a bit of a time capsule inside.

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Fr00tman@reddit

I flew on that in January from LIH-DEN. It was a bit of a time capsule inside.

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AntGroundbreaking298@reddit

I was lucky enough to fly on it July 2022, Newark to Italy. N777UA was swapped in when our original plane had an issue. Was very cool knowing the planes history while flying on it having seen the multipart documentary years before.

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Macklemonster@reddit

How much longer do you reckon before it retires? I don’t know about you but I’d prefer to be flying on a 5 year old plane than a 30 year old one…

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watermonkey910@reddit (OP)

Probably until they have enough 787s to replace the -200 fleet

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njsullyalex@reddit

N641UA is the oldest plane in United’s fleet, a Boeing 767-300ER delivered in 1991.

It has been through 5 livery changes, all the way from the late Friend Ship livery to the modern blue post merger livery.

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SevenandForty@reddit

I don't believe it ever received the Friend Ship livery; the latest that was applied was in 1974 (barring the retro liveries of course) and N641UA was delivered in 1991

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CynGuy@reddit

It’s more than 3 livery changes - five by my count:

1.) Bass tulip

2.) Battleship grey

3.) Blue stripe

4.) United - Continental

5.) United - Continental refresh (shown in pic)

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Far_Breakfast_5808@reddit

Actually it's just 4. It never had the Bass livery, it was delivered in Battleship Grey. There is however an active United 767 (not sure about the registration) that has had all five, however.

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SevenandForty@reddit

N641UA, United's oldest plane, delivered April 1991:

(picked the first image by photo taken date of the aircraft in each livery)

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mdp300@reddit

Yeah, I was going to say, I remember when the first 777 was entering service, and it was gray.

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watermonkey910@reddit (OP)

Forgot about Bass Tulip. Makes it even more of an OG aircraft.

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AceCombat9519@reddit

For moose they'll remember the original paint the battleship colors

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melaflander34@reddit

My father worked flight test on this aircraft at Boeing... I really want to fly on it. Was on N773UA on Saturday.

Just something cool about flying on something in 2025 that you saw as a kid.

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xdr567@reddit

Amazing. You must have seen that long but phenomenal documentary on the development of the 777 under Alan Mullaly.

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melaflander34@reddit

I actually have a converted copy on VHS I found on my late father's stuff.

The 777 has a serious soft spot. I never post in this sub but seeing this and having the experience I did on the plane on Saturday did it for me.

I may or may not been tearing up listening to the engines come to speed and take off. Probably was the only guy giddy about riding a domestic UA 777 that day back in coach, but here we are.

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xdr567@reddit

I remember how even Alan Mullaly teared up when the 777 took off for the first time. He was jumping, smiling and crying at the same time. His child like love for the project, the passion and energy was so evident. He is truly inspiring.

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de_rats_2004_crzy@reddit

Just got to the first flight scene. His reaction … I have no words. Brought a tear to my own eye. I can’t imagine the feeling.

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melaflander34@reddit

I also have a core memory in 95-96 at the Everett plant picket line with my dad heckling the scabs.

It was a strange timeline for sure. All I knew was my dad had more time to hang out! So many adventures after school.

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xdr567@reddit

I detest what the US does to the world but I have to admit that its ability to innovate and harness the passion of workers, engineers, designers and dreamers was unparalleled. However that US is in the rear view mirror by a good 20 years. Now it invests all its energies in surveilling and controlling the world and its own population, all in the service of billionaires and a group that shall not be named. Sad !

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melaflander34@reddit

My dad talked highly of him.

I mean nothing mean towards any Boeing engineers here, but the 777 was the last true Boeing aircraft ever built. They were an engineering company then. A true badge of honor to work at the "Lazy B".

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Klutzy-Residen@reddit

They were proudly talking about how they outsourced the development in this documentary. https://youtu.be/SLgbOhdmK1I

The entire series is a surprisingly good watch as its a pretty decent combination of PR and history.

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melaflander34@reddit

My father worked on the 787 flight test stuff (A&P, not an actual degreed engineer) and noted how much of a cluster it was with how they outsourced EVERYTHING. He hated that plane and product.

He even worked on the ANA lithium battery fix in the field in Japan.

He retired out of the military side working on the P8 program which he loved. I walked on 1001 and 1002 (I think that's the tail numbers). He didn't have to sneak me in under a blanket in his 1986 Honda CRX for that one like he did for my visit on the first 777 when I was a kid 😉. I went in my Navy uniform and they rolled out the red carpet lol.

"Look son, this is a 737 with a bad attitude. Can drop torpedoes and hunt subs!"

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de_rats_2004_crzy@reddit

Wait what documentary? Is it this series or something else? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oyWZjdXxlw

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xdr567@reddit

That's the one.

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de_rats_2004_crzy@reddit

2.5 hours into it. It’s amazing!!!

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melaflander34@reddit

My dad is randomly in there somewhere but intentionally avoided the camera.

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Typical_Address2612@reddit

I was able to get the "walk around" tour of it with the pilots when it while at the gate just after it was flown to DIA (the old ICAO for what is now the recycled "DEN", probably as a result of all the 'DIA' jokes) for the delivery to United. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to get inside, but what stood out the most is how large the engines actually are when you are standing at the base of the engine, which was just about eye level.

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mdp300@reddit

And the engines on newer variants like the777-300ER are even bigger!

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melaflander34@reddit

I saw the 777X flying over Moses Lake when I was driving to Seattle. Beautiful aircraft!

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watermonkey910@reddit (OP)

Yeah me too. Unfortunately it only flies between the United hubs and Honolulu now 😔

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mdp300@reddit

I've been on a 772 of probably similar age from Newark to SFO and back. But that was also...7 years ago.

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DeadEndTimes@reddit

I’ve been on it twice in the last month btwn ORD and DEN. She’s a little long in the tooth but still gets the job done!

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melaflander34@reddit

I would love to book a first class flight on it. Told my wife that this weekend. It may need to happen before it's retired.

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Mikoriad@reddit

In the early 90s I lived on Peterson AFB (which shares runways with the Colorado Springs airport). I remember that aircraft was doing flight testing then. I was about 15 years old and would ride my bike as close as I could to the newly constructed 17R/35L long runway at the time and watch it do circuits. Incidentally, I was also there when they were testing the C-17, landing it on the dirt before that runway was completed.

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Whispercry@reddit

Is it me or does the front look like a 737?

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wood_x_beam@reddit

Haha, how can it be 30 years since it came out. It came out in 1995 and that is only...oh...oh, no. My back hurts.

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RdtRanger6969@reddit

Get it out of the air and in to a museum.

And replace it with something New.

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Snck_Pck@reddit

As another commenter said, it’s at 41% of its life cycle. Plenty left in her

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Exact_Ad_1690@reddit

30 years before 1995 was 1965, just think about that…

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mdp300@reddit

Stop that right now you're making my knees hurt

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CorrectingEverything@reddit

Then take better care of yourself.

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CorrectingEverything@reddit

Okay?

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Lonetrek@reddit

Fun to see the backwards facing seats in business class on UA's older 777s

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livinginspace@reddit

Do they change the tail numbers when they move fleets? Presumably 777UA is not a coincidence

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fresh_like_Oprah@reddit

I remember when the triple 7 was the cool new kid on the ramp. And before that the A-340. And before that the 747-400.

Shit I'm old. Oh well, good times!

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1ThousandDollarBill@reddit

Flew on it from Kona to Denver a couple years ago

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Muchablat@reddit

I got to tour that at SFO after it was delivered before first revenue flight. Celebration ‘95. It was pretty cool for an aviation geek.

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glaciers4@reddit

Flew on that bird from ORD-FRA way back in 2000 when it was fairly new. What an amazing aircraft it was at the time. She was wearing Battleship Grey when I had the privilege of flying on her. I will always have a soft spot for 777s…that was the first long haul flight I ever took. Rode in the back but couldn’t have cared less since I was 23 years old with no money to spare and striking out on my own!

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Electronic_Algae_524@reddit

UAL was a customer of mine back then. They were the launch customer for the 777, and they made a big deal about "The Magnificent 7's". I saw this aircraft shortly after it arrived at ORD. I worked for a company that did the wireless at terminal for UAL and they parked them at gates they told us wouldn't have jumbos. That caused some issues for us at the time.

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Max_Gerber@reddit

The OG. Respect.

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Skycbs@reddit

I remember when you could bid to be on the first revenue flight.