White Unmarked 747 at Cargo Terminal In Alaska

I was driving by the airport and frequently there are Chinese and other cargo aircraft positioned by the road. A lot of times they keep the engines running while they unload them.

Today I saw something unusual. There was a solid white, gleaming 747 placed there. I looked closely and there weren't even identification numbers on it. It was literally just white, except for the windows. It was kind of beautiful.

Anyhow, I couldn't even seem to find a picture of one without any markings even out of the factory. This one was functional and had its turbines going.

Has anyone seen anything like this before? I thought that aircraft were somewhat like boats in that they have to have some identifying code on the plane somewhere.

Thanks, and I am going to drive back and see if I can get a photo.

If the plane was transferred between airlines, the airline taking over may paint them white, just to remove the previous airlines markings and to keep it in service. I've seen this done a few times. They'll paint it white, and then the next time it goes in for maintenance they'll repaint it with their colors. It keeps the down time to a minimum. Otherwise they'd have to paint it white, let it dry, tape it up for their markings/logos, repaint it, let it dry, and then put it back into service. The longer it sits on the ground, the less money it makes for them.

reply to post by Zaphod58

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This plane isn't sitting on the ground, it was getting ready to go I think. The engines were warming up when I went to see it again. There isn't so much as a number on this jet, not a word. Just solid white. No identification whatsoever...
image source: http://a363.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/72/l_546fcb8092c0182ee86662ab96f339e2.jpg


It has only been there about 4 hours, and it appears to be leaving.

That's what I said. They paint them white and fly them. If they were to repaint them in their own colors then it WOULD BE sitting on the ground for a long time, and it would cost them money. They paint them white, fly cargo with them, and at their next maintenance period they paint them the proper colors.

reply to post by Zaphod58

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So they function without any identification on them?

It seems all aircraft flying in the US are required to have ID markings...

From FAA identification marking requirements:

4. GENERAL. Under the provisions of the Federal Aviation Act
of 1958 and implementing FAR, except as provided in FAR
section 21.182(b)(2), a civil aircraft must be registered and identified before it may be operated in the United States. Federal Aviation Regulations Part 45 contains provisions concerning display and description of nationality and registration marks on U.S. aircraft. Section 21.182 of the FAR,
requires each applicant for an airworthiness certificate to show that the aircraft is identified as required in FAR section 45.11. Part 45 of the FAR sets forth the requirements for display of nationality and registration marks; display of special airworthiness classification marks; identification plates for aircraft, aircraft engines, propellers; and identification of certain replacement
and critical aircraft parts and components.

www.airweb.faa.gov...$FILE/ATTXRIJR

As Zaphod stated this is nothing big, it is exactly as he explained it. The aircraft has to be taken out of rotation at a maintenance facility that has the ability to repaint the aircraft, and that may not happen for a while after the aircraft is acquired. As to your FAA quote I have a couple of things to state: First, the government does not expect you to have a license plate on your car immediately after you acquire it, and you expect the rules to be more strict for an airlines that costs a ton of money and time to paint their markings on the plane? Secondly, the aircraft most likely has its number painted on the nose wheel door and you just cannot see it from the distance that you are standing from it, but this is just so the ramp crews know what flight it is they are dealing with and don't mix up flights. Third, the airworthiness certificate was already issued to the previous owner. Fourth, airlines often don’t comply with the FAA 100% all the time, either because its not practical, or because of time/money, sometimes they just take the fine.

I worked on an aircraft that was white washed at my airport, it was an Air Europa plane that had just been bought from a defunct airlines. I have also seen many whitewashed planes flown by Braniff (both times they tried to come back) and Evergreen, which were old Eastern Airlines aircraft. Freight companies are more likely to buy used equipment from old airlines as they gut the aircraft, and bang it all to heck and back anyway


[edit on 12/4/2007 by defcon5]

This plane look to be A6-GDP, It's a horse transporter for the Queen of the UAE..

www.airliners.net...

[edit on 4-12-2007 by akmakm]

reply to post by akmakm

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Thank you! That was it! The posters before you claimed it was painted over and used, but this plane was gleaming.... not a dent on it. I inspected it several times and for a few minutes with low power binoculars. Everything seemed to be brand new, even the lining on turbines.

What are the UAE doing in Alaska? Maybe it is a refueling and horse-watering stop... Interesting though. That was definitely the plane. It is an unmistakable white beauty.

If it wasn't this plane, it was very much like it.

[edit on 12/4/2007 by Anubis Kanubis]

Is everyone missing the obvious here?!

[size=5] It's a Ghost Plane!! [/size]

[edit on 4/12/2007 by Now_Then]

reply to post by Now_Then

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I suppose I am unfamiliar with the term "ghost plane". What are you implying?
I was kind of satisfied with this thing being a horse trailer for a sheik.

reply to post by Anubis Kanubis

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A plane that has passed away but not gone towards the light yet - Ths CAA have to perform a seance.. Nah ghost plane don't mean anything that I'm aware of,

www.exposay.com...&start=14&h=132&w=200&sz=5&tbnid=7jAKC78r-1yhTM:&tbnh=69&tbnw=104&hl=en&um= 1" target="_blank" class="postlink">mind you here is one thats really supposed to be haunted


[edit on 4/12/2007 by Now_Then]

Definitely a winner... Maybe there was some very small lettering, you can kind of see something in my photo.

Thanks again, I like all of the quotes on the airliners page about how clean it is. It truly is an amazing sight. I was really drop-jawed over this plane, and that doesn't really ever happen unless I am on a base or at an air show...


image source: http://cdn-www.airliners.net/photos/middle/7/5/8/0471857.jpg


image source: http://a363.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/72/l_546fcb8092c0182ee86662ab96f339e2.jpg

Just because the plane is used doesn't mean that the paintjob is going to look beat up and faded. The PAINTJOB is going to be done brand new.

Here are a few other white 747s that don't look too bad for having been put in service by other airlines/companies and hadn't been painted yet.


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But yah know, you're right. Just because Defcon and I have spent most of our lives around planes and airlines certainly doesn't mean that we have the slightest clue what we're talking about.

Sorry but those are two different aircraft. One COULD BE a 747-400F, the other a 747-200. The blurry picture uses different engines than the clear one from airliners.net. The 747-400F uses ducted turbofans, so the engine cowling goes much farther back on the engines than most earlier models. This provides more power from the engines. Some 747-200Fs also used the ducted turbofans, but A6-GDP does NOT.

Here is a picture of A6-GDP from October of 2007. Notice the standard engines:

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Here is a picture of a 747-200F with the ducted turbofans. Notice the difference. These appear to be the same engines as in the blurry picture:

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Hi Anubis,
I was just fixing to U2U about something and saw this thread...

I want to let you know you are not alone in seeing this craft. It is not the first time I have seen it here. My eyebrows were raised when I saw it myself. I am 100% sure it is government...Who's I don't know though...I actually saw a smaller version, 737, fly into Valdez one day. Guess who was on it?...The Governor and some Senators...This was years back...Check your u2u soon fixing to send you one...


wrangell

There are any number of white 747s flying that are ordinary airline aircraft, with absolutely NO affiliation with any government. I posted three separate ones in an earlier post. Painting them white simply lets the airlines remove any other airlines markings and fly them until they are in a maintenance cycle, and they can be painted. As was stated earlier it would be more costly to take it out of service for the week or more it would require to paint, unless it was going to be out of service anyway, for a maintenance check. You also have to remember that Anchorage does twice as much cargo business as any other airport in the United States.

reply to post by Zaphod58

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Why the attitude?

Yes, they get painted... but ive yet to see one fly without so much as a registration on the aircraft.... don't think that really happens unless its military or ex military.

In the UK Article 5 of The Air Navigation Order 2005 states that aircraft registered in the United Kingdom shall not fly unless they bear the nationality and registration marks allocated by the CAA

The CAA Aircraft Registration section policy is only to exempt aircraft which display historically accurate military liveries and marks.
linky

This is the same for most countries, and for an aircraft to be airworthy, it must display markings, for ATC and ground operations identification.

"FAA 100% all the time, either because its not practical, or because of time/money, sometimes they just take the fine." - thats not true.

reply to post by Anubis Kanubis

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If you have a local plane spotters group, they will be able to tell you exactly who's aircraft it is, theres not much gets past those guys.

You might also be able to check the web for the "movement logs" for the particular airport.

Which airport was it, and did the aircraft arrive today?