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MetroAir Boeing 737-200Adv Retirement Event & Static Display
This is a large announcement combined with an event notice for two separate events. Take a few minutes to read the entire post! It’s worth it, and it’s the only way to be fully informed.

Table of Contents:

1. History of the Boeing 737-200Adv with MetroAir
2. Retirement of the Boeing 737-200Adv
3. MetroAir’s Boeing 737-200Adv Retirement Events
3a. GROUP FLIGHT: KVCV-KROW on Saturday, May 17th 2008 at 2200Z
3b. SOLO STATIC DISPLAY FLIGHT: KVCV-KONT

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"The Boys are Back in Town" by Tom Collins

History of the Boeing 737-200Adv with MetroAir

The Boeing 737-200Adv. Just another plane to some, but to MetroAir the B732A was the plane that started a legacy. Initially flown in 1964, the 737-200 was the medium-haul backbone for many carriers in the USA and abroad. It nearly died in 1970, but was kept alive long enough to improve on the design to the point where the 737 began to achieve mainstream popularity -- the 737-200Adv. With the 732Adv, MetroAir was able to eventually purchase 7 aircraft often pulling 5-6 turns a day and carrying a mean of 90 passengers on each run 365 days a year not including maintenance down time. That's over 180,000 passengers a year on the 732 fleet alone in one year, and places like Tabasco Mexico for humanitarian relief, and Iqaluit Canada for short term cold-weather charter. The 737-200Adv was already on its way out when MetroAir gave it a new lease on life. It wasn't easy, but the 732A fleet got it done.. and they did it with style and class.

Those familiar with MetroAir from a historical perspective will recognize the value this plane held within the overall financial vision the Founders of MetroAir had on day one of MetroAir’s Part 121 operations. When MetroAir was founded, only $50mil USD virtual dollars were available with a line of credit no larger than another $50mil. In economic terms, that’s a challenge. In less-than-economic terms, that’s “chump change.” While tracking MetroAir’s entire financial position has proven to be a challenge, the management of this airline has focused heavily on the financial impact of every single move. On day one of MetroAir’s operations, only a few aircraft types fit within the versatility requirement needed to ensure any reasonable forms of success, and the B732 was just that aircraft.

Just a few years ago saw Boeing 727s and 737s continuing to fight for their continued dominance of America’s skies, but factors resulting from the financial collapse of the airline industry in the post-911 climate meant almost certain untimely death for these legacies of early commercial aviation. However, equipped with powerful JT8D engines, 115 seats, a flight crew of two and a parts commonality with the Boeing 737 line, the Boeing 737-200Adv would soon prove itself capable of launching one last domestic Part 121 carrier. Ultimately seven B732As would be purchased at what could best be called "bargain basement" prices from California’s famous aircraft graveyards, put through heavy C checks, and placed back in service flying passengers from MetroAir’s then-hub at Detroit Metropolitan airport. Eventually, Detroit would suffer from the poor economic conditions facing all of America and the 732A fleet would enter its last line of service flying under the “Shuttle” brand at MetroAir’s west-coast hub airport in Ontario, California.

Retirement of the Boeing 737-200Adv

Times have changed, and MetroAir has grown. The once restrictive financial constraints, which forced MetroAir to seek older and more affordable aircraft, are less present with every day. Modern Airbus A319, A330 and Boeing 757 aircraft have reduced the need for the MetroAir b732A fleet. In April of 2008, MetroAir’s Boeing 737-200Adv fleet was fully replaced and flown into short-term storage at Southern California Logistics Airport in Victorville, CA. While the overall love for the Boeing 737-200Adv remains high within MetroAir ranks, the fleet is no longer cost competitive to operate in full scheduled service and charter opportunities are not prolific enough to retain the fleet for sustained ad-hoc operations.

With the costs of fuel rising everyday, airlines across the United States have been forced to take a closer look at their expenses in an attempt to shed anything not absolutely necessary for flight operations. The expense of storing MetroAir’s fleet of retired 737-200Adv aircraft is high enough in Victorville to force the management of MetroAir to consider other cost-effective storage options. As such, it has been decided that MetroAir’s fleet of 737-200Adv aircraft will be flown one last time for final storage at Roswell International Air Center in Roswell, New Mexico. It is hoped that an interested party will purchase these assets in one group sale, however if a buyer is not sourced by the end of summer these aircraft will be cut up and sold for scrap.

>>>Click HERE for the YouTube Video listed below<<<

"MetroAir Says "Goodbye" to an Old Friend, the Boeing 737-200" by Mark McCoy

Good news! One of the seven MetroAir Boeing 737-200Adv’s has been slated for permanent static display at Los Angeles Ontario International Airport, and approved by the LAWA governing body so long as the aircraft is kept as a local monument and educational resource for generations of people to come. Following the last group flight of MetroAir B732As to Roswell, New Mexico, MetroAir’s first Boeing 737-200Adv (N732MT) will be flown one last time to Los Angeles Ontario International Airport in Ontario, CA for permanent static display. This will be the very last flight of a MetroAir B732A.

MetroAir’s Boeing 737-200 Retirement Events

GROUP FLIGHT: KVCV-KROW

Pilots and MetroAir enthusiasts! Your very last chance to fly the Boeing 737-200Adv in a MetroAir event is upon you! On Saturday, May 17th 2008 at 2200Z the last flight of Boeing 737-200Adv’s will begin their final trek to the Roswell International Air Center in Roswell (KROW), New Mexico from Southern California Logistics Airport (KVCV) in Victorville, CA. All pilots (regardless of CAT) are requested to attend and participate in this last big hurrah of the aircraft that started it all.

MetroAir needs you, so please try to make some time in your calendar for this event. The total flight time is approximately 1.5 hours. If you can’t spare that much time, don’t worry! You don't have to fly in to participate! While it's definitely more fun to arrive inbound on a MetroAir flight, you are more than welcome to join us by simply logging in on VATSIM and joining your fellow MetroAir pilots on the tarmac at Victorville (KVCV) at 2200Z to welcome them out, or the tarmac at Roswell (KROW) at approximately 2330Z to welcome them down. Barring any unforeseen weather and/or traffic congestion, we are planning to have the first aircraft of the group scheduled to arrive at KROW at 2330Z but make allowances for slight delays on the VATSIM network.

NOTE: A special flight dispatch packet will be provided for all pilots, including route, chart and any additional specifics pertaining to the flight in the MetroAir forums.

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SOLO STATIC DISPLAY FLIGHT: KVCV-KONT (screenshot contest)

Thankfully, the Boeing 737-200Adv will still be around for years to come, though she’ll be permanently grounded on an educational static display at Los Angeles Ontario International Airport (KONT) in Ontario, California. Even more fun, the talented creator of the famous freeware Ontario scenery package available on AVSIM Shez Ansari has agreed to release an add-on to this scenery which will model a MetroAir Boeing 737-200Adv on static display for all to see and experience anytime you are flying in and out of Los Angeles Ontario International Airport!

This opportunity will be released as a flight to bid on in the MetroAir schedules after the group flight event to Roswell, and will be the very last Boeing 737-200Adv flight to enter the system. The group event is the last chance to participate in a MetroAir event with the 737-200Adv, while this will be the last flight of a MetroAir 732A ever. While anybody can fly this flight, it’s also going to remain as the subject of a screenshot contest. You will be encouraged to not only fly the flight, but to take snapshots of the flight to enter into the “MetroAir Scrapbook” for the future.

NOTE: A special flight dispatch packet will be provided for all pilots, including route, chart and any additional specifics pertaining to the flight in the MetroAir forums.