Not the Usual 2 Engine Removal...

It's been quite a week! The mechanics brought out the heavy equipment and tooling - to REMOVE my engines, all four of them...

I gotta tell you, my wings feel about 70,000 pounds lighter. It feels great - light and airy for the first time ever. Until my neighbor, a wiry 737-300, made some crack about losing weight and being light enough to fly away - not so funny to me. I barely remember my life "in flight". Since they pulled my flight data recorder, I can't remember a darned thing!

It's true - I am here to stay, no engines + lowered flaps. Hydraulics are the next to go, with pressure largely removed. The parts get easier and easier to pull from my frame. Luckily with only A&P mechanics working on me and the other aircraft, almost all of our components can re-enter commercial after FAA approval.

A View from the Top...

Since I'm a good story taller than the rest of the aircraft at the disassembly facility, I've got a great view of all the activities - engine removals, landing gear removals and even the custom crating inside the hangar.

One of the 737-Classics that's been standing tall for a week or so, since its arrival, just had its landing gears removed and is sitting on cross-ties. And now, those mechanics are checking out my gears - I suspect there might be an airline in need of them, maybe even a ship set. Guess that would mean no more standing around, I could kick off my "gears" and relax!

Life After Service... As told by a 747-200F

Retirement from service sure requires a lot of paperwork. There's the IPC and the maintenance manual, along with all my required maintenance checks throughout my years of service. And in the stack of paperwork, I've just realized along with my retirement comes a part-out agreement! Now I thought the agreement stated, "part-out following the day I expire". Apparently, it's "following the day I REtire". What a surprise! I guess that's what all those times & cycles will do to a cargo guy like me - forgetful and mighty worn. I am not sure I’m ready to part with parts.

The good news is... the disassembly fellows seem thrilled with prospect of pulling my avionics and selling 'em for recertification into service. Who knew? So, I've seen some parts go... mostly cockpit instruments, but I’ve had several tracks & ball-bearings and such sent to other 747's over the past week or so. My chess buddy tells me the flaps are next to go...