Leeham News and Analysis
There's more to real news than a news release.
Leeham News and Analysis
- Bjorn’s Corner: New engine development. Part 4. Propulsive efficiency April 19, 2024
- Boeing unlikely to meet FAA’s 90-day deadline for new safety program April 18, 2024
- Focus on quality not slowing innovation, says GKN April 18, 2024
- Boeing defends 787, 777 against whistleblower charges April 17, 2024
- Dissecting Boeing CEO’s statement next new airplane will cost $50bn April 15, 2024
Odds and Ends: More on 100-149 seat jet market; aircraft op cost comparisons; Super Guppy
100-149 Seat Market: AirInsight has more on its study of the 100-149 Seat Market analysis and why it will be turbulent in the next five years.
Cost Comparisons: Aspire Aviation has a long article on the Cathay Pacific Airways earnings but to us the most interesting parts are the operating cost comparisons between various CX fleet types. It’s all buried in the article.
Super-Guppy: The Puget Sound Business Journal has a video from inside the NASA Boeing Super Guppy. 
Based on the old Boeing Stratocruiser, the Super Guppy is a specialty airplane originally designed to transport Atlas rockets. Later, Airbus used them to transport fuselage sections around Europe to final assembly in Toulouse. This is probably the last operating variant of any B-377/C-97/KC-97. It’s the last of the Super Guppies. With the retirement of the NASA Shuttle fleet, we wonder what will become of this airplane.
For 75 seater passenger aircraft related information.
No, the Super Guppy is not the last flying example of the C/KC-97/B-377. At least two of which are potentially airworthy: 52-2718 / N117GA Angel of Deliverance operated by the Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation, and N1365N known as Tanker 97 and operated until recently as an aerial firefighting airtanker by Hawkins & Powers.
http://www.spiritoffreedom.org/
“…probably the last operating variant of any B-377/C-97/KC-97 …”
He didn’t say the last airworthy one, but (probably) the last one actually in operation. It sounds like the two examples you mention are retired even if airworthy.
Not anymore. 52-2718 is currently airworthy. It’s last flight was November 7, 2017.
http://Www.spiritoffreedom.org