Read the forum code of contact
By: - 20th August 2005 at 17:53 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
There is a hulk at Palma
exmpa
By: - 20th August 2005 at 19:22 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Off the top of my head...
990s are very rare:
* One potentially airworthy at El Paso, TX (formerly operated by Ciskei International Airways)
* One stored at Palma Mallorca (former Spantax a/c)
* One at Pinal Air Park / Marana, AZ (former APSA Peru a/c)
* Two at Mojave, CA (one former APSA Peru, one ex-NASA preserved at the gate)
* One preserved at Luscerne, Switzerland (Swissair)
There should also be a nose/foreward fuselage (ex Spantax) preserved at Cuatro Vientos in Madrid
880s:
* One used as a Girlie-bar at Lisbon airport
* One stored in Port au Prince (ex Hiati Air Freight)
* Two at the FAA Test Center in Atlantic City (ex TWA a/c)
* One at Mojave, potential restoration (ex TWA a/c)
* One preserved at Graceland, TN (Elvis Presley's exec jet)
* One stored in ??? (ex Serca Costa Rica a/c)
* ??status of two former US Navy UC-880s at Patuxent River, MD
I think that's about the lot!
Andy
By: - 20th August 2005 at 20:46 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Not great news, but thanks a lot guys! To up the stakes a little, when did the last one fly?
T J
By: - 20th August 2005 at 20:55 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
OK TJ, just guesses as to WHICH were the last to fly (I haven't got the material right here now, which makes dates impossible for me)...
880: Last to fly would have been the US Navy UC-880 based out of Patuxent River (they had one operational, plus one used for spares). Prior to that, the last civil registered 880s to fly were probably the two ex-TWA birds that one-time ferried from Mojave to Atlantic City for the FAA
990: Last to fly was either the ex-Ciskei International bird that ferried back through Ostend to El Paso, OR the NASA a/c when it flew from Edwards into Mojave for storage and preservation - not sure which
Like I say though, without the material at hand (there is an excellent book on the 880 and 990 published by World Transport Press) I don't really know the dates.
Andy
By: - 21st August 2005 at 07:25 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Thanks for the answer. It is not that important really. Seeing as there are so few of them out there I just wanted to see how long ago it's been since they graced the skies! I joined the yahoo group for the one in El Paso as the info page said it was going to be sold for scrap on April 26, 2005. But even though several people have asked questions regarding its fate the group moderator has not replied with info as to its continued survival. Therefore, has anybody been to El Paso lately and seen the a/c in the flesh?
I also found the website for the guys who are hoping to get the Mojave 880 flying again. Hope they can achive this, but it will take a lot of money! The question is; who is willing to sponsor something like this?
T J
By: - 21st August 2005 at 08:41 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I was snooping aroud SR Technics in Zurich this year and they have CV990 engine in thier engine store alll blanked and "Tagged" as servicable. Also they have a wing cross section on display in on of thier workshops.
All of my photographs from this trip were kindly deleted by my five year old!!!!
Rgds Cking
By: - 21st August 2005 at 12:55 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Skymonster wrote:
* One stored at Palma Mallorca (former Spantax a/c)
In this case it's a euphemism for "Put it over there where it'll be out of sight until we can get round to getting rid of it."
It is in pretty poor condition and far from intact. Parked to the east of the military site it can usually only be seen when taxying out for departure on 24R. I'll try to remember to get a photo next time I'm at PMI.
exmpa
By: - 21st August 2005 at 13:17 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Elvis Presley Convair
Seen at Gracelands in August 2003
By: - 21st August 2005 at 15:51 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
880/990's used a large amount of 7075T-6 aluminum. 7075T-6 while very strong is highly susceptible to stress corrosion. A friend of mine that worked at Delta during the 880 days, said that when a 880 came in for a Heavy Maintenance Visit (D-Check), there was a 50/50 chance that it would never fly again. I would be suprized if there are any that are still airworthy. However, they are one of the best looking airliners ever built and they were fast, cruise about .90 mach.
Carl
Posts: 1,274
By: T J Johansen - 20th August 2005 at 14:40
Just browsed some photos at airliners.net, and found some of the Convair jets. That made me wonder, how many of them are still around? And is there a survivor list on the net?
T J