Posted on 09/18/2022 12:42:03 PM PDT by DFG
Would you feel uneasy flying on a plane built in 1974? Harold Wilson was enjoying his second stint in Number 10, the band Queen was in its pomp, man’s first small step on the surface of the moon was still relatively fresh in the memory. And 1974 was also the year that a Boeing 737-200, with the serial number 20836, made its maiden flight for Transavia Airlines, based in the Netherlands.
Forty-eight years on, Harold Wilson has shuffled off this mortal coil, as has Freddie, while Nasa is hoping to start a colony on Mars. But 20836 is still going strong in the services of Nolinor Aviation, a Canadian charter airline, under the registration C-GNLK.
Its journey from Holland to Quebec has been a circuitous one, covering five continents. After leaving the low-cost Dutch airline in 1977 it went to Saudia, then Aerolineas Argentinas. Next up was the now-defunct Australian Airlines, followed by Air Florida, another former carrier. MarkAir, based in Alaska (also deceased), came next, before a stint as a cargo plane. In 2004, it went to Peru. In 2006, it was bought by the short-lived Italian airline Voliamo. In 2008, CityLine Hungary – which ceased trading in 2015 – snapped up the well travelled 737.
Since 2014, however, it has been in the services of little Nolinor Aviation, based in Mirabel, a suburb of Montreal, which serves a handful of domestic destinations using a fleet of 18 aircraft. At 48 years, it is, according to the database of Airfleets.net, the world’s oldest passenger plane still in service.
So would you feel safe on board? The reliability of elderly aircraft is occasionally raised, such as in 2017 when a 31-year-old Jet2 plane, also a 737, made two emergency landings in as many weeks.
(Excerpt) Read more at yahoo.com ...
“I’d feel safer in a Douglas DC-3”.
Over 50 years ago, I put a lot of miles in on Trans Texas Airlines DC-3’s in NM and Texas.
“I’d feel safer in a Douglas DC-3”.
Over 50 years ago, I put a lot of miles in on Trans Texas Airlines DC-3’s in NM and Texas.
74 years old.
The only B-52s still in the inventory are the B-52H models. The first H model flew in 1961 so they are 61 years old.
They need to bring back Pan Am and TWA
Lying headlines are the norm now. I mean theyve always been overblown. But now straight lies are common.
While sitting at my desk at work some aircraft flew over making an unusual noise. Went outside looked up and it was a B-29 Superfortress. Yes, from WWII.
They’ve had airframes replaced. Also better engines and avionics.
Not sure about this 737.
A guy the next town over had his dream home. He bought the little airport air traffic control building at our tiny airport and turned it into a home for him and his planes.
The government made him give it up when they hardened up the airports after 911
My dad flew the B-47 and the first B-52’s.
We still have WW 2 vintage aircraft flying in Alaska.
I have flown passinger on a c-130, kinda fun.
I don’t know how you define “passenger” but WWII planes still haul passengers. Even old Biplanes take people up on rides.
“They” can skip restarting Eastern Malwarelines.
74 years old.
The first B-52 didn't make its maiden flight until 1952, or 70 years ago. The ones flying now were built in the early 60s, so a little over 60 years old.
> There 18 airworthy Ford Trimotors still around
I got a chance to go up in one a few years ago. Way cool !
Until a few years ago a Trimotor flew a regular passenger route from one of the Lake Erie islands to the mainland.
Built like a tank (which Ford also made) with the same build quality of a Model T.
I flew a Turbine DC3 in the Congo for several years. It was built in 1943 and carried 32 pax. I think it is still flying and flew one in Southern Colombia, SA for a few years just recently.
Boeing 737-200 - serial number 20836:
They have replaced the spars and other main components at least once in their lifetime.
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