SFB spotting 4-6-07 (Pics)

[SengaB]

Wow thats pretty cool.
Other than Champion I think the only other operator that flies 727s is PAN Now.

I wonder how long this current Pan Am will last.
Senga

[HPNPilot1200]

Awesome pictures, Senga. Very sharp.

[SengaB]

Rich this is the 727 (Shot at TOL)


You certainly know your Pan Am stuff. I now have someone to go to about any questions I might have about the current operations.
I didn't know they Pan Am had a cap on how many aircraft they could fly.

You are right about PSM having some 727s. They have the bulk of the fleet stored up there. If this current operation cease operations I wondre if someone will start themm again. I hope they don't use the name unless someone really has what it takes to give the name dignity again.

Senga

[INTENSS]

Senga,

So where is that 727 parked? Over on the Pan Am ramp?

About 3 years ago they moved the entire airline (Pan Am) over to the Boston-Maine operating certificate (Pan Am Clipper Connection). This was done to rid the airline of the pilots' union. It suceeded in getting rid of the union, however it backfired when they were then initially restricted with the number of aircraft they could operate.

When they requested to increase the number of a/c to operate, the pilots' union fired back with injunctions stating that the company was not financially viable and had shady accounting/financial record keeping. As the DOT investigated, they discovered that Pan Am's General Counsel had falsly inflated the company's cash and assets in the written requests to the DOT. Pan Am subsequently fired the General Counsel and swore that they had no knowledge of the inaccuracies. The battles continue between Boston-Maine/Pan Am and the government (DOT, General Accounting office). The union has been relentless in its assault on the company for dissolving it through the transfer of operations.

The company stated that because of their inability to operate more a/c and thus increase frequences its then small route system, they would have to drop scheduled service. This was 2 1/2 years ago...since then they've only operated subsidized operations: Tunica-Atlanta and Atlanta-Sanford, which were subsidized by major casinos in Tunica and Vacation Express, respectively.

Since then the airline has begun to increase its J31 operations in the northeast in addition to a very sparse 727 service betweem Elmira and Sanford. The company continues to make decent money on charter operations so there is apparently no hurry with just the 3 727s. I was beginning to think that the airline was going to get rid of all the 727s (many engines, equipment, and Sanford flight sims are all for sale).....but this ex-Miami Air 727 is interesting. If it is indeed Pan Am's plane, then they might actually be rebuilding for future operations.

Your last comment about someone using the name after this company ceases operations is interesting. I'll say this.......there are definitely plans in the works even before the company ceases operations to acquire that name and logo.

-Rich