Delta’s famous retired jet, the first Boeing 747-400 aircraft manufactured for a commercial airline, began its move from a location near DHL Express to the Delta Flight Museum parking lot. Hundreds of Delta employees and retirees, along with aviation enthusiasts and members of the media, were on hand to view the move firsthand, which was captured in a brief preview video and Flickr album.
The move project required months of planning and coordination in advance and on Saturday by several groups, including the Delta Flight Museum, TechOps, Airport Customer Service, Delta Super Tug Operations, Corporate Security, Corporate Real Estate, OCC Operations and Human Resources, along with ABM Facility Management, the Department of Aviation and Atlanta Police Department.
“It took a lot of people to make this possible,” said Chuck Starcher, TechOps Line Maintenance Technician. “I’m very proud of the TechOps team and all who were involved.”
View the Flickr album below:
If you would like to share your photos of Ship 6301, please email them to maybe44kept@photos.flickr.com. Please limit your submission to five photos.
The Ship 6301 exhibit is expected to launch in early 2017.
“We look forward to opening the exhibit to Delta employees, retirees and visitors from around the world,” said John Boatright, President – Delta Flight Museum. “This special airplane and the people of Delta reflect our proud history and commitment to preserving our unique culture.”
On September 9, 2015, Delta retired Ship 6301 after its final flight from Honolulu to Atlanta. The aircraft took its first flight with Northwest Airlines in December 1989. During its career, Ship 6301 logged more than 61 million miles, enough to make 250 trips from the Earth to the moon.
Stay tuned to Delta News Hub for the full video highlighting the aircraft's final journey, as well as ongoing highlights on the Ship 6301 project. Ship 6301 fans can also visit the Delta Flight Museum's website for the latest updates on the future exhibit.