Photos of Boeing 777-236 G-ZZZE/PP-VRD Being Scrapped at ARG

[ChrisW]

The company that owns this airframe (UAM) has been picking at it for years, but I have found the first photos of the scrapping of this airframe and thought I'd share them. The airplane was delivered in 1996 to British Airways and was a JFK regular before being sold to Khalifa Airways (never flew for that airline). It later flew for Varig as PP-VRD and eventually scrapped at Walnut Ridge, Arkansas. This is the first 777 to be parted out (the second being the crashed/written-off G-YMMM at LHR).

http://photobucket.com/ppvrdscrap

[Delta777LR]

that breaks my heart to see that :(

[BDLGUY]

I still don't understand why the Boeing 777-236 N703BA (c/n 27109) is being scrapped but she was only 13 years old. :( So, I really wished that she should be converted to a freighter.

Anyway, thanks for sharing your nice photos of the Boeing 777 at ARG.

John P.
BDL

[Matt Molnar]

I still don't understand why the Boeing 777-236 N703BA (c/n 27109) is being scrapped but she was only 13 years old. :( So, I really wished that she should be converted to a freighter.

Anyway, thanks for sharing your nice photos of the Boeing 777 at ARG.

John P.
BDL
There are not many aircraft types that absolutely no one wants these days, but the non-ER version of the 777-200 seems to be one of them. There's also been some speculation in the past that Varig did not take very good care of their planes.

[ChrisW]

This particular aircraft configuration is non-desirable by other carriers. The non-ER version of the 777-200 with GE-90 engines is by far the least economical version of the 777 produced, and only a handful are in operation, hence the inability to place these planes with other operators. BA only operates three non-ER 777-236s (G-ZZZA/B/C). The only other airline operating GE-90-powered non-ER 777-200s (referred to as "A" market or "vanilla" models) is China Southern.

GE-90-powered "Vanilla" 777-200s:

G-ZZZA - in service British Airways
G-ZZZB - in service British Airways
G-ZZZC - in service British Airways
G-ZZZD - (airframe status unknown, last reported stored at SBA in 2007, rumored to be "flying" for Gabonese government)
G-ZZZE - (scrapped at ARG)
B-2051 - in service China Southern
B-2052 - in service China Southern
B-2053 - in service China Southern
B-2054 - in service China Southern

China Southern recently announced their desire to sell their four "A" market planes but, like Cathay Pacific (who operates RR-powered "A" market planes), are having a hard time trying to market the planes to other operators.

[BDLGUY]

Confirmed: The Government of Gabon is an operator of the Boeing 777-236 (c/n 27108) as N702BA.
See the below link of the Boeing 777 Production List.

http://www.triple7-world.info/777prod.htm

Cheers!
John P.

[ChrisW]

Confirmed: The Government of Gabon is an operator of the Boeing 777-236 (c/n 27108) as N702BA.
See the below link of the Boeing 777 Production List.

http://www.triple7-world.info/777prod.htm

Cheers!
John P.
Right, but no one has seen this aircraft in operation. I was just looking for proof in the form of a photo. The airframe is still on the FAA register.