US Airways aircraft by the numbers

Diamondbacks2004

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Mar 29, 2004
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This week, the Maintenance operations control group began the task of renumbering aircraft. The renumbering, which is taking place on US Airways metal, is primarily for technology’s sake, because current technology can’t manage duplicates and some numeric duplicates exist between US and AWA aircraft.

The first to be renumbered was a Boeing 737-400, formerly N781AU. As of Tuesday morning, the same aircraft was registered as N456UW.

Strategic Planning Manager Ed Davis said, "The first renumbering visit exceeded expectations, which is a reflection of the hard work of many individuals from multiple departments."

Ed continued, "It sounds like it should be a simple process to stick a new number on an airplane, but it’s actually very involved." Steps include:

• New numbers were chosen and verified as available, then approved by senior staff.

• The new numbers were processed with the Oklahoma City FAA office and the various aircraft owners.

• The maintenance computer systems required testing to ensure the new numbers would be accepted and that the aircraft history would transfer.

• Flight-related systems were tested to ensure no operational disruption.

• Engineering paperwork was written, material ordered, the aircraft scheduled, and the workload planned.

• An extensive communication network was established to notify and communicate the planned and actual accomplishment for each aircraft including coordination with the FAA so that the Ops Spec is updated on the actual day of accomplishment.

Next in line are the remainder of the 737-400s, followed by the –300s. According to the schedule, Maintenance expects to complete the –300s and –400s by early July, with other fleets to follow. Renumbering is planned to be complete by the end of January 2007.

The number, which is registered with the FAA, indicates the country of registration (“Nâ€￾ for the U.S.), the aircraft number (“456â€￾, which is where some duplicates exist), and the airline’s code, (“UWâ€￾).
 
Next in line are the remainder of the 737-400s, followed by the –300s. According to the schedule, Maintenance expects to complete the –300s and –400s by early July, with other fleets to follow. Renumbering is planned to be complete by the end of January 2007.

Does this mean there is an intention to keep the 737's?
 
...some numeric duplicates exist between US and AWA aircraft.

The first to be renumbered was a Boeing 737-400, formerly N781AU. As of Tuesday morning, the same aircraft was registered as N456UW.
Interesting, and possibly a waste of time and materials. IIRC, AWA had no aircraft in the 700 # family, nor the 400 # family (AWA 757's are all 900 numbers, 737's are 100 and 300 numbers, A320 are 600 numbers, and A319 are 800 numbers.) So, why change an aircraft that's not a duplicate? Isn't that a complete waste? Or, is there more to this plan...

And what about things like ACARS and TCAS, etc -- won't those have to be re=numbered, too? It's not just physically renumbering the aircraft, is it? Seems like a horribly expensive, and more complicated than it first looks, project.

Also, IIRC, the AWA technology that is staying in place could accept a 4 digit a/c number -- why not just put another number out there in the system, as a place holder, and not have to change the whole registration? Seems to me like a task that should have been simple, has been made into a complicated, expensive project... I hope that I am wrong in this case.
 
Does this mean there is an intention to keep the 737's?

We will be keeping them at least past the full integration date.

Breath -

MOst all of the re-numbering is being done due to duplicate numbers in the system, but part of it is being done to standardize the series numbers. The old 700 series of 734 airplanes used to be overwater equipped. None of these airplanes are OW equipped. In the East fleet, all 700 series aircraft are A319's except for the 11 734's. This will re-number all 734's to the 400 series and allow for growth of the A319 fleet.

Here is how the fleet numbering will eventually break down. There are 93 airplanes in the fleet that will have to be re-numbered.

100 series - A320 and A321 (GE powered)
200 series - All ETOPS airplanes (757, 767, 330, 350)
300 series - HP 737-300 airplanes (due to differnces with US 733's)
400 series - 737-400 airplanes
500 series - US 737-300 airplanes (due to differences with HP 733's)
600 series - A320 (V2500 powered)
700 series - A319 (GE powered)
800 series - A319 (V2500 powered)
900 series - 757 (non-ETOPS) and EMB190

70 East airplanes will be re-numbered and 23 West to accomodate the new fleet numbering system.

While some AWA technology can handle a 4 digit numbering system, there are othere systems out there that can not, without a huge cost to rewrite the programs. The least expensive solution is to re-number the fleet as stated above. This provide for fleet standardization and potential growth of any fleet type.
 
Does anyone know if all the new regs will end in UW or will US be used when available, I realize NW has many of those in use ?

Thanks

LGA777
 
Thanks for the comprehensive clarification, Mark. Now, it sounds like they've finally thought something all the way through (into the future) and not just come up with a "band-aid" solution.

Like LGA777 asks, would you know what the 2-letter suffixes are going to be? IIRC, NW scooped up many of the "US" suffixes as they could in a registration "war" with USA several years ago and that's when USA started using "UW". Will the AWA metal keep their "AW" suffix? Or will all those be changed, too?

I don't know why this subject holds so much fascination for me...but it does.

Thanks! for all the great info...
 
Breath

I am not really sure about the suffix part. I just remember the info about that numbering part of it. =( sorry.
 
Northwest has been using the US suffix for decades. It is USAir that was doing the scooping up..
 
Also, IIRC, the AWA technology that is staying in place could accept a 4 digit a/c number -- why not just put another number out there in the system, as a place holder, and not have to change the whole registration? Seems to me like a task that should have been simple, has been made into a complicated, expensive project... I hope that I am wrong in this case.
I believe that so far, the only AWA technology that will remain is Shares. We will be going to US East dispatch software, and I also beleive the East version of FliteTrac.
 
I believe that so far, the only AWA technology that will remain is Shares. We will be going to US East dispatch software, and I also beleive the East version of FliteTrac.



The MX system is AWA's SCEPTRE! This is what a lot of the change is about, but like everything else in this business it is more complicated than just that it touched just about every area of the company.
 
The number, which is registered with the FAA, indicates the country of registration (“Nâ€￾ for the U.S.), the aircraft number (“456â€￾, which is where some duplicates exist), and the airline’s code, (“UWâ€￾).

Not exactly.

An FAA Regisration Number does begin with "N" for United States per ICAO convention. It is then followed up with numbers only or numbers and letters not to exceed five characters.

UW is not USAirways code but US is. Northwest Airlines has used "US" in their fleets FAA Registration for many aircraft. USAirways fleet is mostly "US" and some "UW's".

For the Heritage Aircraft, registrations were changed to reflect the livery. There is now N742PS (PSA)a "VJ" for Allegheny "Vista Jet" and a "P" suffix for Piedmont.

When John Travolta bought a Boeing 707 he wanted N707JT for his registration number. It was already assigned to another individual who graciously relinquished it (on TV I think).

Also, the airline fleet number could be a completely different number from the FAA registration. I believe UAL and AA do not always use the same numbers.
 
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These reg numbers are operated by US Airways (EAST only).

Boeing 737-300 series
N334US changes to N501UW (pending)
N335US changes to N502UW (pending)
N340US changes to N503UW (pending)


Boeing 737-400 series
N775AU changes to N450UW (pending)
N776AU changes to N451UW (pending)
N777AU changes to N452UW (pending)
N778AU changes to N453UW (pending)
N779AU changes to N454UW (pending)
N780AU changes to N455UW (pending)
N781AU changes to N456UW COMPLETED!
N782AU changes to N457UW (pending)
N783AU changes to N458UW (pending)
N784AU changes to N459UW (pending)
N785AU changes to N460UW (pending)
 
UPDATE.....as of today.....


These reg numbers are operated by US Airways (EAST only).

Boeing 737-300 series
N334US changes to N501UW (pending)
N335US changes to N502UW (pending)
N340US changes to N503UW (pending)
Boeing 737-400 series
N775AU changes to N450UW (pending)
N776AU changes to N451UW (pending)
N777AU changes to N452UW (pending)
N778AU changes to N453UW (pending)
N779AU changes to N454UW (pending)
N780AU changes to N455UW (pending)
N781AU changes to N456UW COMPLETED!
N782AU changes to N457UW COMPLETED
N783AU changes to N458UW COMPLETED
N784AU changes to N459UW (pending)
N785AU changes to N460UW (pending)
 

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