Last Tours of 737 at Alberta Aviation Museum

[Tom H]

The last tours
Of the Alberta Aviation Museum’s 737

In conjunction with the Official/Unofficial Commemorative Fly In to Blatchford Field…

The Alberta Aviation Museum’s Boeing 737 will be open for
public tours for the last time

…before preparations start to FLY the aircraft out of Blatchford Field/Edmonton City Centre Airport prior to November 30th, 2013.

Arrangements are being made for the 737 to be placed in safe secure storage at an alternate airfield at this time. The 737 has to leave as it will not fit the existing property lines post airport closure and would restrict access to portions of the property if a way could have been found to keep it on site.

This is last opportunity to tour this 737 that started service with PWA at Blatchford Field/ECCA in 1979 and retired here from Air Canada/Jazz service in 2005.

The aircraft will be open to tour from 11am to 2pm this Saturday October 12th, regular Museum admissions apply.

The Fly In to Blatchford Field will be taking place at the same time with aircraft and aviators from around the Province flying in to celebrate the history of Canada’s Oldest licensed airport in the heart of Edmonton.

The Public is invited to join us in what we hope is the first of series of events celebrating Blatchford Field and all that has happened here that has ha affects around the world.

In addition to all the Alberta Aviation Museum has to offer there will also be (2) special temporary exhibits in the history of our airport.

Thomas Hinderks
Executive Director
Alberta Aviation Museum Association

[frozen solid]

Although the reasons are very unfortunate, it would be kind of interesting to be involved with getting an aircraft that was a museum exhibit ready to fly one more time.

[Canoehead]

Hi Tom

I'm certain you meant to say that it retired from Air Canada/ZIP as opposed to Jazz. There is no way on earth that Jazz would have ever been able (read: allowed) to operate B737's in any way, shape, or form... no matter how old those machines were

Kidding aside, best of luck. Sad to see another airport going by the wayside.

[Tom H]

Hi Tom

I'm certain you meant to say that it retired from Air Canada/ZIP as opposed to Jazz. There is no way on earth that Jazz would have ever been able (read: allowed) to operate B737's in any way, shape, or form... no matter how old those machines were

Kidding aside, best of luck. Sad to see another airport going by the wayside.

Ok I did oops.

But she wasn't ZIP, she was Tango.

Thanks for catching me

Tom H

[FICU]

Some of us are still flying what you call museum pieces! Tom, we recently retired GFPW which was probably the highest time 737-200 in operation on the planet.

Looking forward to coming out to the YXD celebration!

[slowstream]

Tom,

Let me know if you need a crew to fly her out, I would make myself available

[Tom H]

frozen solid

Although the reasons are very unfortunate, it would be kind of interesting to be involved with getting an aircraft that was a museum exhibit ready to fly one more time.

While she may have been a museum exhibit she has been maintained the whole time by a crew of ex airline volunteers.

She has had regular systems checks, APU runs, controls exercised and both air starts and yearly +/- engine runs as well as other maintained.

Heck even the coffee makers are in place!

Hopefully we can work through all the Transport requirements to make this happen...the alternative is not one I want to think about.

FICU

Some of us are still flying what you call museum pieces! Tom, we recently retired GFPW which was probably the highest time 737-200 in operation on the planet.

Followed that one close, another ex-PWA bird with a huge history and a Combi, wish circumstances were different as I would have liked to have her beside IPW...man what a story that would have been to tell.

Slowstream

Tom,

Let me know if you need a crew to fly her out, I would make myself available

Keep you in mind, but as you can imagine there is a list of willing candidates...but ya never know.

Tom H

[frozen solid]

I was reading recently about the disposition of the remaining Concordes. Most are static displays with engines removed, but one in France is being maintained by her old crew chief and the systems are regularly connected to ground power and spooled up including the hydraulics. The last I read was a team was preparing to borescope the engines to see if it was safe to fire her up for a taxi demonstration in the future.

Good for you, Tom, keeping the 737 fed and exercised. I hope you guys can get her in the air one more time, or I guess even two more times once you figure out where to exhibit her again.

[Tom H]

frozen solid

Good for you, Tom, keeping the 737 fed and exercised. I hope you guys can get her in the air one more time, or I guess even two more times once you figure out where to exhibit her again.

I can't take any credit...
The volunteers that have kept this bird up (ex-airline personnel) and the folks from a current airline that are assisting us get all the credit.

I just find the way to make it happen and pay for it.

Tom H