AA 747SP?

[dl764]

Can anyone tell me about AA operating the 747SP. I found a picture at
http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=0995...=A601NN&MgTUQtO
thanks for any info,
dl764

I think Braniff operated them.

 

[eolesen]

None of AA's (or TW's) SP's came from Braniff.

N601AA and N602AA were both leased from TWA (who also did all the heavy maintenance on them) between 1987 and 1992.
Originally known as N57202 and N57203 at TW.

Originally leased to operate DFW-NRT until the MD11's arrived, at which point they moved to JFK-LHR in 1991. They were returned to TWA in July 1992, but were almost immediately sold.

N601AA found its way to a couple different operators. Just weeks after a very hard landing incident at STN in 1999, cracks were discovered in the main landing gear while undergoing a check at LUX, and the owner simply abandoned the aircraft. Two years later, the airport authority seized the hull for non-payment of landing/parking fees, and it was scrapped in 2002.

N602AA wound up in a VIP configuration for Dubai Royal Flight, and was later sold and is still in service with Ernest Angley Ministries (a miracle worker based out of Akron/Cleveland who does stadium tours...) under the name "Star Triple Seven"..

The third 74SP-31 ordered by TW was N57201, which is now a VIP transport for the United Arab Emirites.

 

[QA4Jet-A]

None of AA's (or TW's) SP's came from Braniff.

N601AA and N602AA were both leased from TWA (who also did all the heavy maintenance on them) between 1987 and 1992.
Originally known as N57202 and N57203 at TW.

Originally leased to operate DFW-NRT until the MD11's arrived, at which point they moved to JFK-LHR in 1991. They were returned to TWA in July 1992, but were almost immediately sold.

N601AA found its way to a couple different operators. Just weeks after a very hard landing incident at STN in 1999, cracks were discovered in the main landing gear while undergoing a check at LUX, and the owner simply abandoned the aircraft. Two years later, the airport authority seized the hull for non-payment of landing/parking fees, and it was scrapped in 2002.

N602AA wound up in a VIP configuration for Dubai Royal Flight, and was later sold and is still in service with Ernest Angley Ministries (a miracle worker based out of Akron/Cleveland who does stadium tours...) under the name "Star Triple Seven"..

The third 74SP-31 ordered by TW was N57201, which is now a VIP transport for the United Arab Emirites.

N602AA was in CAK about 4-5 months ago, I got a good chuckle when the FBO told me who owned it.

 

[L1011Ret]

I flew them for TWA. Great performance and range.

 

[jj]

I flew them for TWA. Great performance and range.

I loved flying them toverpowered hot rod and cruising alt.of 45000 wasnt bad either.

 

[Wretched Wrench]

I loved flying them toverpowered hot rod and cruising alt.of 45000 wasnt bad either.

I remember FAs complaining about the uphill climb pushing food carts forward.

 

[flyhigh]

...I had a great opportunity to fly on one from LHR to JFK right as AA was starting their recently acquired LHR service. The seats were a little dingy (I was in business class) and you could tell it had a few miles under it's belt, but boy was it nice to say I was there...

 

[FWAAA]

IIRC, there were more J seats than coach seats - something like 99 in Business Class, a dozen or so in First, and a few dozen in coach.

 

[eolesen]

That was the Japan config -- they were reconfigured to F26/C67/Y124 for the LHR service.

We hated them at JFK... It wasn't at all unusual to have both out of service at departure time, which always made for a long night.

 

[Wretched Wrench]

We hated them at JFK... It wasn't at all unusual to have both out of service at departure time, which always made for a long night.

Were they less reliable than the full size 747?

 

[AMFAMAN]

Were they less reliable than the full size 747?

Compared to the rest of "TWA's" fleet, yes. Reason being, AA wouldn't let one fly with any oil on an engine cowl, we had to find the leak. This would the opposite of the TWA program that this plane was part of. If one of the TWA 747's weren't leaking, you knew you had a problem.

 

[Wretched Wrench]

Compared to the rest of "TWA's" fleet, yes. Reason being, AA wouldn't let one fly with any oil on an engine cowl, we had to find the leak. This would the opposite of the TWA program that this plane was part of. If one of the TWA 747's weren't leaking, you knew you had a problem.

On the line, there was a limit of so many drops per minute for every leak. All leaks were investigated and counted. Not many oil leaks these days. Either a testament to good design or good maintenance.

However, I remember the DC6 and DC7 accumulated oil streaks along the fuselage and went until the eagle's feet got wet. The eagle on the tail, that is.

It was not uncommon for an engine to be on fire in flight but be OK or unnoticed until the airflow stopped on the gate. Then, out came the fire bottle on its big rubber wheels.

 

[eolesen]

Speaking of the DC6/DC7, which one had first class at the back of the cabin?

 

[AMFAMAN]

On the line, there was a limit of so many drops per minute for every leak. All leaks were investigated and counted. Not many oil leaks these days. Either a testament to good design or good maintenance.

With the AA program - yes. The problem I wittnessed from working for both airlines was, you had a TWA plane and a much more lenient maintenance program being leased to an airline whose maintenance program was at the time was much stricter. So theoretically, you could of had a TWA 747, and the AA operated 747SP with the same problem, and the TWA plane flew, while the SP spent the night.

 

[oldiesfan]

Speaking of the DC6/DC7, which one had first class at the back of the cabin?

Not counting a few odd variations or the real early-on
DC-6 sleeper A/C, variants as follows:

DC-6--either 54F or 80T.
DC-6B--62F.

DC-7/7B--either 60F, 85T, or 69F/T.
The split cabin had 37T forward and 32F in the back.

The DC-7 could carry 64 or even 66 in all F, plus the
five-seat rear lounge, but AA gave up a few seats for
coat closets and a bigger galley.