UA Aviation Career Day at SIUC

[Alex T]

Hey All--

United Airlines flew in for the first time ever an Airbus A320 into Southern Illinois Airport located in Carbondale/Murphysboro, Illinois. Airport Code is KMDH. The point of this program is every April, United donates an aircraft for the day from ORD, and flies in a bunch of junior/senior year high school students who are interested in majoring in aviation and perhaps attending SIU-C of Carbondale, Illinois. This is a joint program with Southern Illinois University, and it does well for both companies usually. American Airlines also does this in the fall.

UA normally sends in a Boeing 737-300, typically N333UA. However due to the retirement of the 737's we had wondered what UA would send in. The obvious choice would be the Airbus, but which type. It was soon confirmed the A320 was chosen and N434UA was the aircraft sent in to do the mission.

I love when UA and AA participate and literally get "hands on" experiment by sending in their own crews to do a Q/A and give tours, ramp access and whatnot. So I along with everyone else was given ramp access at airport, and was able to walk right up to the Airbus and take a tour of it.

I have flown the UA Airbus before, and other Airbus, but never got to get close to it and see it and appreciate it for what it is, a flying machine.

With that said I uploaded some pictures and videos and hopefully you'll get an interest out of them. Any questions or comments feel free to post it here!


Control Tower


Terminal of the MDH Airport


Former United Airlines 737-200, N9009U sitting ramp side


FlightAware is up at the Airport showing the tracking system of United on its way!!!


Getting ready to land

Here is a video clip of the landing at MDH Airport
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Taxing in after landing

Video of the A320 Taxing to the Stand
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Checking the Engine out!




Checking the rear out!


I needed my Hair dried... :-D


Little Flat? :-D


What's up there I wonder???


Nose of the plane!


Broken Engine? Nah, just checking the insides out!


Our Airport


Cargo side


Side view


Cabin View


Ahh F Class...


Looking Aft!


F Class Cabin again


Side view on Ramp

Little Video Tour
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That's it. Hope you enjoyed the pics and video clips!

Alex

[maestra80]

I've heard about this program before, and it was cool to see your report on it and look at your pictures. Very nicely done!!

I had no idea that American does the same thing in the fall! Do they fly a plane in from Chicago as well?

[NLovis]

How do you get sent? I would love to be involved :borat: