rkkwan

I agree with pptp and disagree with sbm12. The last 3 digits always match. CO probably choose among the available N numbers with those last 3 digital matching.

One website to find all tail numbers for a carrier's fleet is www.planespotters.net.

You'll find that CO have the last 3 digits of its planes match with the N number in this fashion:

735: from Nxx601
733: from Nxx301
73G: from Nxx701
738: from Nxx201, then Nxx501 on.
739: from Nxx401 (739ER from Nxx413)
752: from Nxx101
753: from Nxx851 (ex-ATAs from Nxx861)
762: from Nxx151
764: from Nxx050 (20/236 versions from Nxx062)
772: from Nxx001

Each fleet has their preferred two digits when available. For example, 733/5s are mostly N1____. 73G/8/9s are mostly N2____, N3____, or N76/77___. 753s are mostly N75___ or N57___. 762s are mostly N76___, N67___ or N68___. 772s are mostly N78___ or N77___. Only 752s are all over the place.

sbm12

I'll concede the last 3 digit bit, though I'll keep looking for an exception. That being said, the numbers are all over the place, way more than your scheme lets on. Of the N76* planes, 60% are non-767s (11x 737s and 1x777, compared to 8 767s).

rkkwan

I believe they try to get the preferred numbers. But if that N number is already taken by other aircrafts, then they go with other ones. When that happen, they seem to like the 1x, 2x and 7x numbers the most.

Section 107

do any of the last three numbers ever get repeated? if yes then unless you can tell the 738 from a 739 or other 73x plane then how would one know which "ship" is the one with the in-seat power as CO Insider suggested?

OptionsCLE

rkkwan is correct, all CO fleet numbers are now of a consistent standard which is that their last 3 numbers indicate the ship number. sbm12, in the past there were some oddball numbers, but there haven't been for some time.

When I was going through my onboarding classes at CO, the HR rep mentioned that she thought the first two numbers after the "N" were used to designate the lessor, but I'm not 100% convinced.

rkkwan

No reason to, as CO has under 400 planes right now and they have 1,000 numbers to play with.

You can also find historic fleet N-numbers on planespotters.net.

MD-80s were 8xx, A300s were 97x and 98x, DC-10 were 06x, etc. The 732s were 2xx and are recycled for the 738s.

pptp

Theoretically there could be but I'm sure CO avoids this since the tail numbers are how they track the fleet through their systems including maintenance write-ups, crew schedules, flight info in Sonic etc

CODC10

Years ago, CO had a number of MD-80s leased in with registrations like N***AS, N***NY, and their tail numbers did not correspond with the three digits between the letters. The ships had a unique registration but their tail numbers fit in with the sequence.

Same for a few DC-10s and maybe even some 747s. I recall leased DC-10s with EI-XXX registrations (X's being letters, not numbers), but the aircraft all had tail numbers to fit in with the CO numbering system, which dates back to the days of regulation.

After CO's various mergers through the 1980s (Frontier, PEOPLExpress, Texas International, a few from Eastern, etc.), a number of aircraft had oddball registrations, but AFAIK CO re-registered most of them to fit in with the rest of the fleet.

Presently there are no ships in the fleet with registrations that do not end in their tail numbers. Look it up, there won't be any exceptions.

As far as duplicates, you'll find a number of ERJs, especially ERJ-145XRs, overlap with CO equipment (like 757-200s) but that is not an issue.

The newest 737-800s have begun using 5** series of numbers once the 2** were exhausted, which previously had been DC-9s (IIRC).

Early DC-10-10s ran from 041-059, then DC-10-30s from 060 upward.

I anticipate CO will use the 8** series for the 787, can anyone correct me if I'm wrong?

cstead

EI-AAA through EI-ZZZ are Irish registered aircraft (as are EJ-AAA through EJ-ZZZ). Perhaps leased from Aer Lingus or an Irish leasing co?

CODC10

Yes, the aircraft in question (EI-DLA, ship 076 at CO) I believe was leased in from GECAS, who assumed the assets of Irish lessor Guinness-Peat Aviation. Many GECAS aircraft carry on this legacy, such as the EI-DF_ E-170s of Alitalia Express.

Ysitincoach

I guess it's a little off topic since this turned into an "N" number thread, but does anyone know if any of the 739s have any in-seat power?

Or if more ships have seat power since CO Insider last posted which ships have this very valuable tool for the high revenue business traveler?

sbm12

No 739s yet that I am aware of, though the new ones will have it nose to tail once CO figures out what they are going to do with the IFE on those planes.

And I don't think that any more have been modified this week, as Scott last posted about it on Wednesday

Ysitincoach

My Goof!

I was mistaken thinking the Insider posted this back in April '07, I have to remember to read the fine print in my old age.

Thanks sbm, and for the info on the 739ers

Ysitincoach

It was a great delight having CO Ship 229 Houston to Phoenix, then Phoenix to Cleveland last night.

Thanks to this thread, and the pda info thread I was able to finally catch up with a 738 with 110v power

My seat mate had no idea they had power, and didn't object to me using both ports in our row in F.

Ysitincoach

738 ship 507 had power this morning.

At first the system was off, and I suspected it was a new seat without being connected. I asked the FAs if power worked, and they turned it on from their front entry door control panel.

No IFE drop down monitors, probably waiting for the LiveTV install.