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Airport seeking tenders for removal of jet

 

The former Iberia Boeing 727 at Shannon Airport – Photo: © Pat Flynn 2017

Have you room in your back garden for a jet?

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Anyone interested in purchasing an old Spanish passenger jet will have the chance to view it at Shannon Airport today.

Airport management have invited tenders for the removal of the former Iberian Airlines Boeing 727 which has been grounded at Shannon for over 16 years.

The 44-year-old plane was previously operated by Spanish carrier Iberia and was one of a number later sold to a US company. The aircraft arrived in Shannon from Madrid in September 2001 although it had been given a new US registration, the jet didn’t continue to the US.

The aircraft was later acquired by airport management and used for training fire crews and for major emergency exercises.

Director of Operations at Shannon Niall Maloney said: “The aircraft continues to this day to be used by the Fire and Rescue service as a training aircraft. The principal exercises/drills include appliances positioning, smoke logging the aircraft and associated BA drills, search drills, external fires and cutting equipment drills.”

Fire crews from Shannon and Ennis during an exercise on board the jet at Shannon – Photo: © Pat Flynn 2017

“The aircraft has on occasions been used as part of our bi-annual major emergency exercises and on other occasions by other state bodies involved in emergency planning,” he added.

With a new fire training ground under development at Shannon, the airport no longer requires the aircraft. The airframe has already been stripped of its main components including the engines.

“A significant investment is now being made by the airport to improve our on-site training infrastructure and in this regard, having previously secured planning permission, we recently completed phase 1 situated to the north of the airfield. The works were principally to carry out the ground preparations work and platform for the siting of an aircraft fire rig.”

“The second phase includes the siting of a gas operated fire rig. The rig has already been purchased and once commissioned will eliminate the requirement for retaining the former Iberia B727,” Mr Maloney added.

Photo: © Pat Flynn 2017
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