maddog52
Line Up and Wait
It's a very sad day at ORD today. United is flying the last revenue flights of the 737 fleet after 41 years of service. Nose number 9931 left IAD this morning for ORD. While it was at gate C-24 in ORD waiting for the flight to DEN, my captain and I took our own nostalgia tour since we had both flown it during our careers. You can track it on flight aware as United 737 from IAD-ORD, ORD-DEN, DEN-LAX, and finally LAX-SFO.
It's hard to put into words the emotions I felt watching it push back. It definitely wasn't a celebratory mood among the pilots there. More like mourning an old friend that passed well ahead of his time. The senior management are calling the ceremonies a celebration instead of the wake it actually is. The 737 is going to be sorely missed along with the loss of 1450 pilot jobs it's retirement represents.
It wasn't as comfortable or as automated as some aircraft, but those who've flown it will universally agree that it was an honest, reliable, "working man's" airplane. It's still the most popular jet airliner ever produced with over 7000 orders. Just don't tell South West that you can't make money with 737s.
I'm attaching some photos I took with my phone of the aircraft today. Captain Bob Russo is making the last three flights as his retirement flight. He's got 17000 hours on the Guppy. Trivia question: can anybody name the official title of the fabric pattern for the coach seats?
Good Bye 737, thanks fo the ride!!
It's hard to put into words the emotions I felt watching it push back. It definitely wasn't a celebratory mood among the pilots there. More like mourning an old friend that passed well ahead of his time. The senior management are calling the ceremonies a celebration instead of the wake it actually is. The 737 is going to be sorely missed along with the loss of 1450 pilot jobs it's retirement represents.
It wasn't as comfortable or as automated as some aircraft, but those who've flown it will universally agree that it was an honest, reliable, "working man's" airplane. It's still the most popular jet airliner ever produced with over 7000 orders. Just don't tell South West that you can't make money with 737s.
I'm attaching some photos I took with my phone of the aircraft today. Captain Bob Russo is making the last three flights as his retirement flight. He's got 17000 hours on the Guppy. Trivia question: can anybody name the official title of the fabric pattern for the coach seats?
Good Bye 737, thanks fo the ride!!