Offhand, I'd say that would only make sense if N194UA can be returned to service without the D check or other heavy maintenance. The reconfiguration is a sunk cost on the plane to be parked, while it's now a presumably more expensive cash cost (given inflation) for N194UA. If both planes require, say, D checks, where's the benefit in the swap?

Then again, the initial 744 reconfigs were done a long time ago, so it probably figures that some frame in that part of the tribe is fetching up against a heavy overhaul, while maybe park-ee 194 still has time on her clock..........

Are they going to paint the plane while in PUS? That's where UA sends the 747s to get painted. Does anybody know the plane that's getting parked? Since one is getting parked with the new configuration and new paint job my guess is that it will be back later on when they have a dire need to get a D check done on it.

Agree - seems odd to me as well, but that's based on the info I have.

Hehe... UAL awesome, I love ya man, but you're always Mr. Question on this thread. If I know something, I'll post it :)

Inclined to agree with you about bringing it back on-board when needed.

Wow thats pretty amazing that a brand new C+F cabin and trip to Pusan is cheaper than a heavy maintenence check. Its also crazy to think UA will have a 744 with the new interior parked in the desert.

Or could it be they need another plane to accomidate HND, CAN or FCO?

Seems like they would have run the math originally on the one of the planes that would require the heavy check?

Or... ****and this is just a guess**** maybe one of the 9 744's that are "leased" is not going to be renewed?

:D^ Thanks, man. I really appreciate these types of threads and the work you do in them.

BTW, I think 507UA is in new c/s now.

Perhaps, but that's pretty short-sighted of them to reconfigure it and then return it a year later. I was hoping they'd pull out the 747s since the 777s are going to be down being reconfigured and the busy summer season is going to start soon.

So does that mean there is a slight possibility that UA could pull them and put them back in to service ? Or are they really all gone 4life? :p (or at least sell, probably the most likely scenario)

Looks like we're going to have a lot more planes to track.:cool:

I suspect that the painting process (changing from the Gray Battleship livery to the new White & Blue UA livery) will be put on hold pending the merger?

Since the entire UA fleet will need to be repainted AGAIN.

Which I don't plan to do until they are merged under one FAA operating license.

The 737's are likely going on to new owners (I saw one in San Antonio last year getting prepped).

Wirelessly posted (Blackberry 8800 AT&T Wireless: Opera/9.80 (J2ME/MIDP; Opera Mini/4.2.13337/870; U; en) Presto/2.4.15)

Does anyone happen to know what the tail number is for the aircraft that operated UA959 (LHR-ORD) on 13 May?

Apparently it was the same aircraft that operated UA938 (ORD-LHR) on 12 May.

Thanks in advance.

According to ACARSD, has been N655UA for a few days in a row.

Saw A320 N451UA at ORD just now. New paint, except for an old-paint nose! Looks rather clownish with the orange stripe. A photo of it would be good for the "ugliest UA photos" thread. :)

I've made some updates to the United Fleet page on the FlyerGuide Wiki:
http://flyerguide.com/wiki/index.php...Fleet_%28UA%29

Specifically, I'm updating the planes I've found which have leather in F as it seems the 757 prototype (N593UA) does not seem to be rolling out wider.

I encourage others who have recently ridden on narrowbody planes which have leather in F to make the appropriate updates as well - just be cognizant of the paint status (old/new) when making updates so you don't also show a plane has been repainted when it hasn't.