9M-MRC 2 Boeing 777-2H6ER Malaysia Airlines MAN 04APR99
Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version 04-Apr-22 (DeNoise AI).
An early B777-200ER (line No:78), this aircraft was delivered to Malaysia Airlines as 9M-MRC in Jun-97. It was sold to GECAS in Jun-99 and leased back to Malaysia Airlines. It was returned to the lessor as N284CG in Nov-15 and stored at San Bernardino, CA, USA.
It was thought to have been permanently retired (not many ageing aircraft come back out of San Bernardino!) but it was ferried to Shanghai-PVG in Jun-16 for further storage. It was re-registered VP-BDX in Dec-16 to Wells Fargo Bank Northwest (owner trustee) and leased to VIM Airlines (Russia) in Mar-17.
VIM ceased operations in Oct-17. The aircraft was returned to the lessor and stored at Teruel, Spain in Nov-17. In Jan-18 it was re-registered N821JT and remained stored at Teruel until it was moved to Goodyear, AZ, USA in Mar-18.
It was stored at Goodyear until Nov-18 when it was ferried to Kansas City, MO, USA and stored again. The aircraft was sold to Avolon Aerospace in Jan-19 and remained stored. It was sold to Eastern Airlines in Oct-20, still in full VIM livery.
It's now 25 years old and has been in storage for the last 5 years. I can't see it returning to service, although with Eastern Airlines you never know! More likely that it's being used for spares. Updated 04-Apr-22.
9M-MRC 2 Boeing 777-2H6ER Malaysia Airlines MAN 04APR99
Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version 04-Apr-22 (DeNoise AI).
An early B777-200ER (line No:78), this aircraft was delivered to Malaysia Airlines as 9M-MRC in Jun-97. It was sold to GECAS in Jun-99 and leased back to Malaysia Airlines. It was returned to the lessor as N284CG in Nov-15 and stored at San Bernardino, CA, USA.
It was thought to have been permanently retired (not many ageing aircraft come back out of San Bernardino!) but it was ferried to Shanghai-PVG in Jun-16 for further storage. It was re-registered VP-BDX in Dec-16 to Wells Fargo Bank Northwest (owner trustee) and leased to VIM Airlines (Russia) in Mar-17.
VIM ceased operations in Oct-17. The aircraft was returned to the lessor and stored at Teruel, Spain in Nov-17. In Jan-18 it was re-registered N821JT and remained stored at Teruel until it was moved to Goodyear, AZ, USA in Mar-18.
It was stored at Goodyear until Nov-18 when it was ferried to Kansas City, MO, USA and stored again. The aircraft was sold to Avolon Aerospace in Jan-19 and remained stored. It was sold to Eastern Airlines in Oct-20, still in full VIM livery.
It's now 25 years old and has been in storage for the last 5 years. I can't see it returning to service, although with Eastern Airlines you never know! More likely that it's being used for spares. Updated 04-Apr-22.