Talks of scapping N4522V in TIJ
N4522V 747SP c/n: 22805 Global Peace Ambassadors is reaching it’s end of life.
N4522V has operated with Global Peace Ambassadors since 2002 when it was aquired and rescued from it’s 3 year storage in the hot desert of Las Vegas.
This airframe 22805 is also know as the “Dive Queen” after the incident in 1985 with China Airlines where it “fell from the sky” in an uncontrolled descent from 41 000 feet to only 9500 feet.
The aircraft initially operated with China Airlines until it was leased to Mandarin Airlines in 1997. It only operated with Mandarin Airlines for a year until it was returned from lease and stored at LAS – Las Vegas Airport.
The aircraft was purchased by Global Peace Initiative Inc in the end of 2001 and it received it’s Air Worthiness Certificate on April 30, 2002.
After heavy maintenance at MDT – Harrisburg Intl Airport it was ferried to TUS – Tuscon Airport to be upfitted and refurbished by Renegade Venture Corp.
In January 2004 it was seen in full Global Peace Ambassadors colours.
Global Peace Ambassadors is an organization lead by Dr K. A. Paul. And this is what their mission statment says:
Global Peace Initiative seeks to foster world peace by empowering people worldwide to embrace their most vulnerable neighbors like widows and orphans and to change the conditions causing their suffering. GPI endeavors to resolve local conflict by providing direct and immediate humanitarian relief and by instituting innovative and indigenous programming centers on every continent.
GPI has been seen around the world in relief efforts, Earthquake in Iran 2003, Tsunami in Indian Ocean in 2004 to name a few.
GPI was operated with the help of volounteer crews who operated the aircraft.
Evander Holyfield was one of the contributors of the organisation.
Maiden Flight
According to this newsclip it made it’s maiden flight as relief flight on 19 February 2004.
Flight routes from MDT and goes to include ADD–HYD-Afghanistan-THR–AMM.
N4522V in Dallas (Spanish)
Revoked operating certificate
In July 2005 the FAA revoked the operating certificate due to poor maintenance and the aircraft was left parked at YQT – Thunder Bay in Canada.
The ferry flight to TIJ
A flight engineer was flewn into YQT on Dec 3:rd 2005 to prepare the aircraft for flight. Oil levels and hydraulic levels were checked and APU started.
Flight crew arrived for the coming ferry flight.
A FAA Ferry Permit was applied for and preparations continued by performing taxi, braking, and engine run up tests.
Finally on December 13 2005 the aircraft was ferried to TIJ at FL430.
N4522V at TIJUANA
In Tijuana N4522V was planned for a maintenance check at Matrix and was seen taken inside the hangar now and then.
After some time all efforts stopped and it was left parked outside.
View of N4522V on landing at TIJ
These lovely photos of N4522V were taken at TIJ by Jorge Perez. Enjoy!
We cannot display this galleryTime to scrap N4522V ?
As time goes the aircraft is just taking up space at TIJ airport. Nobody wants to pay for the repairs needed and the airport see no other option as to scrap her and sell the parts. At the moment it’s a legal discussion and we will see where it ends up.
Related Images:
The Matrix maintenance facility went bankrupt, the hangars are now a air cargo center. Mexican airline Volaris has a small facility in part of the old structure. There is no FAA facility at the Tijuana airport to work on the 747SP anymore.
Sad but true…. Thanks for the details.
I hope they just make it a static display. I doubt SP parts are worth very much. They could park it at the entrance of the airport. Or make it a display. On my last visit the aircraft is in suuuuuch bad condition. I doubt it would survive being towed anywhere
I wonder if the legal battle the owners, airport and lawyers are fighting is to get it fixed, sold or, destroy for scrap metal. I live in Mexico, this is truly a facinating Boeing 747 SP story.