Alberta Aviation Museum Boeing 737

[Tom H]

Transport Canada has just e-mailed that we have received authorization under
the AMOC for the flight to Villeneuve.

With the help of the Canadian Airline team of volunteers and others we
now have to complete the "B" Check in accordance with the conditions and restrictions laid out by Transport Canada.

So provided there are no issues with the "B" Check C-GIPW will see the air
for one more time for about 12 minutes.

Other hurdles underway

- Flight Insurance...in process but a bigger challenge that originally told

- Villeneuve parking site...due to thawing the original site won't work, we
are working with EIA right now.

- Plus numerous other smaller issues

Odds are now starting to turn in our favour

Tom Hinderks
Executive Director
Alberta Aviation Museum Association

[CFR]

Fingers crossed!

[woodchopper]

Thanks for all your work so far, good luck with the remaining hurdles.

I will be at the fence to watch GIPW launch out of YXD for the last time no matter what it takes.

Good luck, take care.

Cheers
MKR

[cyeg66]

Kick the tires, light the fires!

[Skydrvr7]

Outstanding news! I can imagine a great many tears of joy and memory will be shed when she launches into the sky that last time. Congrats to all of you on the hard work and effort to get her out!

[frozen solid]

Yeah. That is cool. When a plane that was never supposed to fly again does fly one last time, you'd have to be pretty hard-hearted not to feel something. Good work, guys!

[Tom H]

Update

The 737 has pretty much cleared it's inspections with flying colours!

Now its on to running checks, taxi tests

If things continue on track we will be in good shape

Tom

[J31]

Great! Make sure some video gets taken and posted!

[1000 HP]

Sounds like fun will it leave the 30th?

[Tom H]

Update

Physical inspections were completed last night and the first "official" ground run.

Everything is looking very positive and with the exception of one very minor snag the aircraft performed flawlessly.

This morning ground tests will continue, then taxi tests and runway tests.

All things continuing as they are we may be able to launch mid afternoon today, failing that it will be prior to Noon on the 30th.

We will confirm by announcing, with as much warning as possible, on the Alberta Aviation Museum facebook page.

Thank you

[dhc#]

Will it at least do a couple of fly-by's over the Muni before heading off to Villenueve

[Tom H]

Final Update

The Alberta Aviation Museum 737 is scheduled to launch at 2:00pm (1400hrs)
today.

Pending final operational tests and weather but problems are not anticipated

Best view points

The viewpoinit off 121 street (bushpilot road)

The "keyhole" first right as you head north on 121 (bushpilot road) and
follow the road around

The Alberta Aviation Museum on Kingsway

Thank you

[MrWings]

Great work Tom and team! All the best!

[Trematode]

Here's some video of the departure. Should be able to view in 1080p once it finishes uploading:




Video Link: http://youtu.be/VvInyrO8BtU

[iflyforpie]

I sure hope somebody got some nice shots of it. A flying 737 in PWA colours.... WOW!

[Prairie Chicken]

I sure hope somebody complained about the noise!

That video warmed my heart at least. Sad day tomorrow though.

[Prairie Chicken]

Out of curiosity, what is the history of that '37? When did the museum get her and why?

[iflyforpie]

It was a WestJet machine... and I believe it started service with PWA and was in Canadian colours after PWA and CP merged.

I wonder what the residents of Edmonton thought, hearing those 8s crackling unabated through the cold air of downtown?

[Check Pilot]

The aircraft C-GIPW is rumoured to have flown it's first flight from Boeing Field in Everett directly to Blatchford field where PWA took delivery. It was flown in PWA livery then Canadian Airlines colours and finally in Air Canada (Tango or Jazz maybe) livery. It had achieved a very high cycle time and was finally retired by Air Canada who then donated it to the Alberta Aviation Museum. It was used by PWA mostly on the old airbus route between CYXD and CYYC and has thousands of landings between those 2 airports.

Watching the takeoff from the museum brought tears to many eyes, including mine, when I heard the crackle of the JT8's from CYXD for the last time. It is really depressing to see the airport basically now shut down with all the support structure now gone.

Final closure is now set for Saturday November 30th 2013 at 16:49 Mountain Standard Time (dusk). What a shame that a city council could destroy something that had potential to become a gem had cooler heads prevailed instead of a mayor and his developer buddies wrecking what could have become a hub for business.

[iflyforpie]

Knew I should have checked facts before posting.

[YBW-Kid]

What a nostalgic occasion. I'm sorry I missed it. I would have drove up from Calgary had it been on Saturday.

I am so very fortunate to have the memories of flying the PWA Airbus in and out of the Muni many times. I always joked about how the flight Attendants used to stand by the exit with an anchor in their hands while the aircraft approached for landing. The departures were a thrill having to look up at the office buildings during climb out. Those were the days.

YXD was a great little airport, as a Pilot I visited her several times a week for many years. Im sorry to see it destroyed like it has been. A soon to be learned lesson...... "We won't know what we had.....until we loose it".

Here's a link to Global News- They covered it well. There is a cockpit video and raw video of the takeoff and landing from the News Chopper.

http://globalnews.ca/news/999859/737-ta ... -new-home/

[slowstream]

I did my very last flight in and out of XD this afternoon, just before my former co-workers flew her out to her new home.

Great job Tom and all the crews from CDN

[slowstream]

A couple more pic's

[single_swine_herder]

What great work folks ...... I'm at a loss for words.

[bizjets101]

Click Here Raw video coverage from two Global Helicopters - departure and entire flight, and arrival.