N787RR Took its final flight to Pinal Airpark (MZJ) this morning
Posted by lumbercookie@reddit | aviation | View on Reddit | 38 comments
Posted by lumbercookie@reddit | aviation | View on Reddit | 38 comments
SMH_fortnut@reddit
Far_Breakfast_5808@reddit
For scrapping? That's too far from Pima.
lumbercookie@reddit (OP)
Could be getting stripped at Pinal, then transported by truck to pima, worst case it’ll just be stripped and sit at Pinal like many of the aircraft that go there. The Rolls Royce workers didn’t know (or couldn’t say) what the fate currently is.
Macnsal09@reddit
Now that everything is pretty much official, you won’t see it at Pima. Pima asked for way too much shit. So RR sold it to logistics air. They are going to part it out and then scrap it.
And by way to much I mean you could damn near buy multiple used 747s for what they were asking. It was actually quite embarrassing Pima even had the balls to ask for what they did.
PsychologicalMood479@reddit
That’s a real shame to hear as a local aviation enthusiast. While Pima already has a 747-100 testbed, I feel like RR had a rightful spot in their collection if things went according to plan. Do you have anything else to share about the whole ordeal? Any chance Pima would take the plane once it’s parted out? I just can’t believe I probably won’t be able to see this bird again :(
Macnsal09@reddit
Yea they have a -100 but the idea was GE, RR and PW would all retire their test beds at PIMA that way they would have a plane from all the big 3 there. All different models and configurations etc. As far as PIMA taking it later, no chance. At this point we have removed stuff from the plane where you wouldn't even know it was a test bed. Its interior is gutted, test pylons are in the trash and the paint is covered. Its just solid white now. As far as sharing additional information, not really. RR is still technically our customer until the 31st. It wouldn't be professional but if you had a specific question you can ask and I would probably tell you
PsychologicalMood479@reddit
Having that trio of 747s at Pima would’ve been pretty awesome. I’m just astonished that they fumbled an opportunity to have a plane so relevant to the city in their collection. It seemed like such a layup. Think you could elaborate a bit more on why the deal fell through if you don’t mind? If not, that’s okay. It’s basically impossible to learn anything about the status of this plane online, so I really appreciate all the info you’ve shared.
Also, do you have any idea if RR is still visible from the public road at Pinal? I happened to be in Marana around Halloween and saw her just beyond the fence.
Macnsal09@reddit
A big part of why it fell through was $$. Pima wanted RR to build a $10mil facility and basically restore the plane to a museum quality condition including new paint and livery. At the end of the day it would have probably cost in the ball park of $12-$15million (or more) just to retire it at Pima versus selling it and making a little money. The other big factor is a lot equipment that was on the plane wasn't owned by RR but rather it belongs to Boeing. Granted they probably could have asked to keep it and worked something out because ultimately we just ended up throwing it all in the trash anyways. Credit where its due, RR actually tried pretty hard to get in to Pima. A lot people wanted that plane to stay here because of the history.
As far as seeing it, It was visible from the road as of yesterday. Just passed the Ascent FBO. It's parked right in front of the new gate 3 right next to the 2 new hangars they built but its suppose to be moved before Monday. So they might have already moved it or its about to be moved, I'm not sure. Again, the livery is all covered up. Fuselage and vertical are all white. Tail section is still blue and the you can read the tail number but other than that, you would have no clue what you're looking at.
PsychologicalMood479@reddit
Jeez, that’s quite a big ask from the museum. Just plopping it in the dirt as-is would’ve at least appeased me (and probably most people), but I guess they had other ideas. Can’t really blame them for being ambitious, though. Guess all I can do now is hope a company like Planetags gets their hands on the aircraft to make souvenirs out of the thing.
Icy-Peak-2208@reddit
I worked there for years. Best case scenario is it will just sit there forever like the NWA 747s, P4-FSH and the other SP. it could also end up as a series of fuselage cuts. Most Jets coming here don’t generally RTS but obvious exception after the pandemic and a few after. The only MD-80 we had went to Erikson i think. Best job i ever had!
WildHistory2089@reddit
Don’t Atlas and Kalitta service their 747s there sometimes? Feel like I’ll see them flying in and out every once in a while. Obviously considering the fate of most aircraft at Pinal I’m not super optimistic but I truly hope this one gets brought to Pima for display.
Icy-Peak-2208@reddit
Atlas stopped doing maintenance on their jets during my time there, left for somewhere else. There were still some 747s in storage and 1 in teardown that we worked on sparingly. Never once saw Kalitta.
WildHistory2089@reddit
Yeah I was definitely a little confused when I saw it flying to Pinal yesterday. Figured if it was being donated to Pima they'd ferry it over to DMA, do whatever disassembly they needed to do there, and then haul it across the street into the museum. Then again, I never heard anything official about the aircraft's donation to begin with, just rumors, so perhaps taking it to Pinal really was the plan all along? Idk but I pray this isn't the case because she deserves to be preserved and displayed. RR was probably my favorite aircraft to watch fly.
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The_Ashamed_Boys@reddit
If it's going to Pinal, then I assume scrapping. Puma already has the P&W test bed. Not sure they want another one.
lumbercookie@reddit (OP)
well the GE one was different enough as it was an old -100 but yes I would agree, I wouldn’t count anything out though
FLTDI@reddit
I can't be the only one bothered by a 747 with tail number of 787
Pro-editor-1105@reddit
If you look somewhat closely, you will notice it also has the engines of the 787
fergehtabodit@reddit
All 4, or just the one?
I just saw that plane at TUS near the rental cars a few weeks ago.
747ER@reddit
The plane is in the photo, you can see that only one of the engines is different from the others.
skippythemoonrock@reddit
Used to have a fifth smaller one on the inboard right wing at one point iirc.
EGLLRJTT24@reddit
There was a fifth engine mount on all (or most) 747s, airlines would use it to ship spares around for maintenance. Air India Flight 182 had a "fifth pod" engine fitted.
Macnsal09@reddit
There was a ferry pod on the LH wing but this plane is outfitted with something else already there. So the actual 5th pylon went on the RH side.
Far-Yellow9303@reddit
To add: It was common in that era for planes to have an extra pylon to allow self-shipping of spare engines. Here's a DC-10 and an L1011 with an engine pod
fergehtabodit@reddit
Wow, that's cool thanks
cvnh@reddit
The one that was stung by a bee
Jazzlike_Climate4189@reddit
Engine, singular.
NYC_Bus_Driver@reddit
It was used to test the Trent engine family used on the 787, hence the name.
Nexus772B@reddit
What will the Rolls Royce testbed be going forward?
mikepapafoxtrot@reddit
Planespotters.net shows they acquired an ex-QF 744 registered as N747RR in 2019 with the intention of converting it as a testbed, but it never materialised and the airframe was later scrapped.
Now that there a quite a few lightly-used RR-powered A380s idling around, maybe RR can take a look at those?
oojiflip@reddit
I think there was word recently of a Tarbes A380 being reactivated, could be related to that
75-Marquis-Backfire@reddit
I thought I read somewhere this plane was going to the Pima Air and Space Museum..??
WildHistory2089@reddit
I thought so too. Really hope this is still the case.
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uberklaus15@reddit
Ah, that's too bad. Makes sense though, -200s are obviously getting less and less practical to operate.
Back in 2019, I flew up to VCV one day and was lucky enough to see 787RR on the ramp near the FBO. Got to get up close and take a few photos. There were also an impressively large number of Southwest 737 MAXs (MAXes? MAX's?) parked because it was right in the middle of the MAX grounding period.
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