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First Virgin America plane lands in Memphis!!!

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jersey guy

Member
Joined
May 13, 2005
Posts
22
I watched a brand new A320 (N621VA)with no paint on it, just primer green and composite land in Memphis yesterday afternoon for a fuel stop. Don't know where it was going except that ATC and the crew were saying it was enroute to a paint shop and would be painted red+white. Hurry up and apply!!! They're here!!
 
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USA 3000 has a few a-320's with "AV" tail numbers as in Apple Vacations. also think they have a red and white paint scheme. My .02
 
Sorry guys, it really was n621VA, it's tough to type correctly when I have 2 kids yelling in one ear and the wife in the other asking me if I'm updating my airlines applications!!!

And the plane was unpainted....just primer green...the USA 3000 planes I've seen have an awful lot of blue on their bellies!
 
psysicx said:
Daveman has the best avatar.

Greg Noll rocks!!!! Riding Giants is a great flick. They don't make dudes like him anymore....
 
jersey guy said:
Sorry guys, it really was n621VA, it's tough to type correctly when I have 2 kids yelling in one ear and the wife in the other asking me if I'm updating my airlines applications!!!

And the plane was unpainted....just primer green...the USA 3000 planes I've seen have an awful lot of blue on their bellies!

Not sure why they would have planes coming already. They don't even have a certificate yet.:laugh:
 
They gotta get em sometime. Besides, if it's unpainted, it was probably on it's way to a paint shop. I don't know how long it takes to paint an airplane but I'll bet it's a little while. They are hiring managment pilots right now. I have no urge to go to the west coast and I don't think I'm gutsy enough to try for VA in this environment. Not a great year to start an airline in my opinion.
 
not that this tells you anything other than that plane does exist...

FAA Registry
N-Number Inquiry Results

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N621VA is Assigned


Assigned/Registered Aircraft​
Aircraft Description

Serial Number 2616 Type Registration CorporationManufacturer NameAIRBUS Certificate Issue Date02/23/2006 ModelA320-214 StatusValid Type AircraftFixed Wing Multi-EngineType EngineTurbo-Jet Pending Number ChangeNone DealerNo Date Change AuthorizedNone Mode S Code52015720 MFR YearNone Fractional OwnerNO



Registered Owner

Name JET-1 2616 OWNER TRUST StreetC/O WILMINGTON TRUST CO RODNEY SQ NORTH 1100 N MARKET ST CityWILMINGTON StateDELAWARE Zip Code 19890-0001 CountyNEW CASTLE CountryUNITED STATES
 
Oh, after further research, that is in fact, Virgin's plane. N624VA and other registrations like it N62XVA are reserved to Virgin America.

FAA Registry
N-Number Inquiry Results

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N624VA is Reserved​

Reserved N-Number Type Reservation Fee Paid Mode S Code52023365 Reserved Date07/28/2005 Renewal DateNone Purge Date08/28/2006 Pending Number ChangeNone Date Change AuthorizedNone Reserving Party NameVIRGIN AMERICA Street533 AIRPORT BLVD STE 400 CityBURLINGAME StateCALIFORNIA Zip Code94010-2013 CountySAN MATEO CountryUNITED STATES
 
It might have been a repoed Jet Blue airplane after it was sandblasted. They couldn't pay for the plane much less the paint.

They are following the lead of Independance Air and going with the much more efficient RJ's now. That is about all they can afford.

I hear insurance is eating them alive with the low qualification of their pilots too.
 
It might have been a repoed Jet Blue airplane after it was sandblasted. They couldn't pay for the plane much less the paint.

They are following the lead of Independance Air and going with the much more efficient RJ's now. That is about all they can afford.

I hear insurance is eating them alive with the low qualification of their pilots too.Today 03:28
There you go being sensible again.
Wonder why it was in the primer? If it was new from Airbus, they would have done all the painting for them already. If it was used, why strip the old paint at one location and then paint it at another? Usually they strip and paint during the same process right?
Does seem kind of odd doesn't it. Jersey Guy called me that day when he saw it so I can back up his claim. Maybe strippers cost less in MS then they do in Germany but I thought the industry standard was a buck.
 
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Strange that it stopped in MEM for gas being it is so close to Mississippi...maybe it was enroute to a paint shop in Mexico owned by a certain US regional airline I know of.

I thought it was strange to be in primer colors too-maybe it was reduced for a quick sale or a 2005 leftover!
 
You are right Jersey guy that was the first Virgin America A320 straight out of the factory headed for a paint Job. And you are correct on the Registration.
 
Mr Hat said:
Does seem kind of odd doesn't it. Jersey Guy called me that day when he saw it so I can back up his claim. Maybe strippers cost less in MS then they do in Germany but I thought the industry standard was a buck.

I heard that it is terribly expensive to paint an a/c in Europe, pesky enviromentalists and all. That's why Dassault has a completion center in LIT for their Falcons.
 
Heh, thats why the paint shop owned by a certain regional airline that Jersey Guy mentioned is located in Mexico. Ain't no pesky envioronmentalists down there.
 
Mr Hat said:
Heh, thats why the paint shop owned by a certain regional airline that Jersey Guy mentioned is located in Mexico. Ain't no pesky envioronmentalists down there.


maybe you and i could get hired at VA and offer to be ferry crews to the mexican paint shop since we have such vast knowledge/experience flying there! Just remember I'll always be senior to you!
 

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