747 at CLE
 

Big mutha....747-400. Has been parked for a couple of days. A colleague has told me that this belongs to a VVIP from the United Arab Emirates, in town for treatment at the Cleveland Clinic.

Any other info on this? It is quite impressive against the backdrop of all of the CO-Expressjets moving around it like gnats!

I saw one at LEX once. Had to practically walk underneath it, it was parked right next to the rental car lots. It was all white, and I believe it may have also had some sort of Middle Eastern country emblem on it, maybe UAE. I figured it was somebody visiting Keeneland to watch his horses race.

If it were in Boston, I would be sure of the plane. There's a princess of the UAE who has a very young, diabetic daughter who makes regular trips to a Boston clinic for treatment...plane sounds like theirs, but Cleveland? I dunno, they may have changed clinics since 1998.

The only markings on this plane that I can see (it's still here...) it "United Arab Emirates", as well as the big flag on the tail.

If it's a 747-400 (with winglets) from the UAE then it's registration A6-YAS, quite a new 747 delivered to the UAE Royal Flight in Abu Dhabi in late 1999, after 12 months of fitting out (takes time to install those gold taps).

The UAE Royal Flight has sufficient aircraft to run an airline with ! No less than four 737-BJ, an A300, a 767, a Boeing 747SP (the one with the short fuselage) and top of the range this 747-400. They're all fitted out ultra-VIP inside. Rather puts Air Force 1 with it's rows of regular seats for accompanying staff to shame !

Yup, it has winglets!

Here is a picture of A6-YAS at LHR: http://www.airliners.net/open.file/445711/L

The only picture of it at a US airport is at IAD: http://www.airliners.net/open.file/238291/L/

They're back
 

This time it's the SP edition....short & stubby.

They must be enjoying Cleveland and all it has to offer!