Aer Lingus Boeing 747

BrianD3

I was just watching a programme about the Pope's visit yesterday, now I'd have little interest in religion or the Pope however what does interest me is the Aer Lingus Boeing 747 that he travelled in. A very beautiful aircraft in Aer Lingus livery IMO.

Are Lingus had 3 of them with the final flight being in October 1995. Two of the aircraft (EI-ASI and EI-ASJ) were sold to Kabo Air and after a few years were retired to a desert in Arizona. They have probably been scrapped by now. The third one (EI-BED) *has* been scrapped. Here is a photo of it decaying in the desert, this is not a nice sight
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/148851/M/

So does anyone have any thoughts on the 747. I'd also like to hear people's views on the attitudes in this country to transport heritage, of which planes are a part. We have no proper National Transport Museum in this country which I think is a disgrace. I believe we should be preserving examples of planes, trains, buses, cars. lorries, ships and anything else related to transport for future generations to experience.

BrianD3

murphaph

Wow, there is something very sad about that picture. It's not just a decaying airplane.....it represents an Ireland of a different era. Imagine how many emmigrants that plane carried, many probably never returned from America. Ironic that that same fate befell the plane itself.

BrianD3

murphaph wrote:

Wow, there is something very sad about that picture. It's not just a decaying airplane.....it represents an Ireland of a different era. Imagine how many emmigrants that plane carried, many probably never returned from America. Ironic that that same fate befell the plane itself.

I agree completely and had exactly the same thoughts about the plane and how it is a link to an era when emmigration and unemployment were rife in this country

Also, I always find it sad to see any plane scrapped but this is the first time I have seen one in Aer Lingus livery so it is quite distressing.

BrianD3

Hotblack Desiato

BrianD3 wrote:

I always find it sad to see any plane scrapped but this is the first time I have seen one in Aer Lingus livery so it is quite distressing.

Given its size, it would cost a lot of money to preserve / store it though, and it's not as if 747s have any rarity value... no room for sentiment in the modern lean mean Aer Lingus.

If you want really sad, look here...Vulcan XL391 - there's not a single one left in flyable condition

krattapopov

I could/would have lived in that 747 if I was given it!!!!

Ray777

I believe we should be preserving examples of planes, trains, buses, cars. lorries, ships and anything else related to transport for future generations to experience.

Here's an interesting site, with several pictures of preserved Irish buses.

http://www.preservedirishtransport.com

dowlingm

The problem with preserving aircraft in Ireland is that the climate is not conducive. Look at Bertie's G-IV with the rusty tail because the hangar is too small! This is why Mojave Desert is the world's aviation storehouse - dry and warm - not very Irish!

BrianD3

ninja900 wrote:

If you want really sad, look here...Vulcan XL391 - there's not a single one left in flyable condition

That could be about to change though, there is a project called Vulcan to the Sky which is in the process of returning a Vulcan to flight for use at airshows in the UK. Also, there are also numerous aviation museums in the UK which have preserved but non-flyable examples of various jets eg the VC10, Trident and of course Concorde. The 747-100s as used by Aer Lingus may not be regarded as rare and worthy of preservation now but in 20 years time I guarantee that people will have a very different attuitude. In any case, it's already too late to save the Aer Lingus jumbos.

Anyhow, isn't it time that boards.ie had an aviation forum?

BrianD3

Occidental

The two original Aer Lingus 747's(including the one that carried the Pope) are still sitting in storage at Roswell. Not in great nick, but still in one piece.

Various small scale museums have been tried and all have failed. The only collection of any size would be the Air Corps collection at Baldonnell.

Silvera

Correct. The Air Corps have a good collection of some of their earlier aircraft (e.g. Vampire jet, Avro Anson, Miles Magister.....) thanks to the work of a few dedicated airmen and techies over the years.
A new guy has taken charge of the museum in recent times and has put together an impressive array of aircraft, memorabilia, etc.

There is currently a campaign over on www.irishairpics.com (forum) to bring home the Air Corps oldest surviving aircraft - a 1934 Avro Cadet bi-plane (which also happens to be fully airworthy !). See also - www.avrocadet.com


We are fortunate that a group of dedicated people have managed to preserve quite an amount of vehicles over the years which now form our "National Transport Museum" see - www.nationaltransportmuseum.org


However, even they would agree that their premises are nothing but a 'glorified storage shed' and it is high time that we had a purpose-built National Transport Museum - likewise with regard to an aviation museum.


Ireland is the only country in Europe with no dedicated national transport or aviation museum !


............even tiny Malta has a national aviation museum ?!!

the_syco

BrianD3 wrote:

The third one (EI-BED) *has* been scrapped. Here is a photo of it decaying in the desert, this is not a nice sight
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/148851/M/

After 9/11, less people flew, so more planes were put in the airplane graveyard, in the US. The only use of such planes are mock scenario's by the FBI, etc.

Silvera

BTW, for anybody into aviation - the Cavan & Leitrim Railway Society have a few airframes stored in their Dromod compound. Incl ex-Air Corps Vampire jet and Provost trainer.
(They also have many old vehicles there, e.g. fire tender, trucks, buses... They plan to build a museum at some stage).

Victor

Maybe they could get one of the 747s and shelter everything else under it.