American Airlines (AA) - Boeing 757-200 - N659AA - Pride of American - Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA), Aruba - Sept. 20, 2009 729 RT CRP WM
American Airlines (AA) - Boeing 757-223(WL) - N659AA (c/n 24617/417) - Pride of American
N659AA, "Pride of American", is somewhat unique in the American Airlines fleet in having a name. The story of the name dates back to the early-1990s and American's internal "IdeAAs In Flight" program, in which employees were encouraged to submit cost-savings ideas to the airline. A number of these ideas were implemented, with at least 194 saving AA an estimated $40 million in 1991 alone. This represented a significant amount of a Boeing 757's $50.3 million price tag.
In celebration of the program, an employee contest was held to name American's 50th 757, soon to roll off of the Boeing production line. Employee Linda Jo Henderson's suggested name "Pride of American" was selected and painted on the aircraft just below the cheatline on either side of the cockpit. A celebration was held when the aircraft was accepted by American for delivery in January 1992. This aircraft still flies with its "Pride of American" titles to this day.
UPDATE (May 2018) - After 23 years of operation, N659AA was withdrawn from operation on September 9, 2015, and placed into storage at Roswell Industrial Air Center (ROW / KROW), in Roswell, New Mexico. The aircraft was then acquired by Texas Aviation Group on May 31, 2017. It would then be ferried to, and placed into storage at Phoenix Goodyear Airport (GYR / KGYR), in Phoenix, Arizona, on February 3, 2018, where it awaits its fate.
UPDATE (July 2019) - N656AA was converted into a 757-200 Precision Conversions Freighter (757-200(PCF)), by AeroTurbine at Goodyear, Arizona. It has been acquired by Cygnus Air and re-registered as EC-NFN, operated on behalf of Swiftair.
American Airlines (AA) - Boeing 757-200 - N659AA - Pride of American - Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA), Aruba - Sept. 20, 2009 729 RT CRP WM
American Airlines (AA) - Boeing 757-223(WL) - N659AA (c/n 24617/417) - Pride of American
N659AA, "Pride of American", is somewhat unique in the American Airlines fleet in having a name. The story of the name dates back to the early-1990s and American's internal "IdeAAs In Flight" program, in which employees were encouraged to submit cost-savings ideas to the airline. A number of these ideas were implemented, with at least 194 saving AA an estimated $40 million in 1991 alone. This represented a significant amount of a Boeing 757's $50.3 million price tag.
In celebration of the program, an employee contest was held to name American's 50th 757, soon to roll off of the Boeing production line. Employee Linda Jo Henderson's suggested name "Pride of American" was selected and painted on the aircraft just below the cheatline on either side of the cockpit. A celebration was held when the aircraft was accepted by American for delivery in January 1992. This aircraft still flies with its "Pride of American" titles to this day.
UPDATE (May 2018) - After 23 years of operation, N659AA was withdrawn from operation on September 9, 2015, and placed into storage at Roswell Industrial Air Center (ROW / KROW), in Roswell, New Mexico. The aircraft was then acquired by Texas Aviation Group on May 31, 2017. It would then be ferried to, and placed into storage at Phoenix Goodyear Airport (GYR / KGYR), in Phoenix, Arizona, on February 3, 2018, where it awaits its fate.
UPDATE (July 2019) - N656AA was converted into a 757-200 Precision Conversions Freighter (757-200(PCF)), by AeroTurbine at Goodyear, Arizona. It has been acquired by Cygnus Air and re-registered as EC-NFN, operated on behalf of Swiftair.