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Posted by KYLE MASION on 10/26/2008, 6:42 pm
58.174.66.102
I was reading an interesting article publised back in 1977 in the time mag which Juan Trippe commented about the introduction of these extrodanary jumbo jets the 747-100's back then. Featured in this article was about this particular aircraft Clipper Victor which was lost on the runway at Tenerife back in 1977 because of the arogant Dutch captain who caused this horrific crash, Juan Trippe said this particular 747 isn't the same as all the other 747's PAN AM have in there fleet??. What does he mean. He said this jet was plagued with problems from the start when it was delivered as Clipper young America before being renamed Clipper Victor. It was like a ghost ship to the fleet. N736PA VICTOR YANKEE was meant to have being the aircraft to fly around the world non stop but a replacement 747 had taken it's place N733PA another 747-100 jet of PAN AM'S fleet. Juan Trippe said they were sold a lemon or a sucker from Boeing. Later or the month after this article was published Boeing replied back very strongly about the comments saying all 747's were built to FAA standards and airworthy and all interior or painting design work was done by the clients instructions not Boeing. Further more N736PA was no proto type aircraft that Boeing used as a test jet. But every 747-100 sold is tested before delivery to insure high standards and preformance is complete before it leaves the boeing feild to the client. Boeing also indicated this particular 747 when it had problem's was the fault of maintance shedules with the operator being PAN AM as it missed a number of flight maintance including a B check. But PAN AM declined to provide this to the FAA or Boeing. Just before the accident out on the runway at Tenerife that month N736PA was ordered by Boeing to have it brought back to Boeing in Seattle to undergo and preform a complete over haul. Juan Trippe agreed with this yet the sheduled trip was called off as Juan said the aircraft was needed to cope with the ever so popular passenger loadings as they didn't have a preplacement 747 on hand to take over VICTOR YANKEE'S shedules for that month. So getting back to the question why did Juan Trippe say this was a ghost ship or a lemon to the PAN AM fleet. Why didn't he lease it out on long term leases to keep it out of the PAN AM fleet or even store it for a few years like he did with other 747's . Thank you
Kyle Masion
editorial journalist USA TODAY
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