Managua, Nicaragua
February 2024
Of course, I visited Managua Augusto Sandino Airport, but there's not much to see as there is no viewing terrasse. On the Air Force ramp, I spotted the wellknown An-2 'FAN-79' and several Russian manufactured helicopters in disrepair. The neighborhood around Sandino Airport is not the most inviting one and wandering around is not advised. In the city itself, I found below mentioned Boeing 737-200. Enjoy!
Boeing 737 at an amusement park set-up by the Sandinista government at the La Fe square in Managua, Nicaragua.
This aircraft was first delivered to Nordair Canada in November 1975. During her lenghtly career she has been operated by Air Florida, America West Airlines, Canadian Airlines, Air South, Vanguard Airlines, Pace Airlines, Tramon, Nationale Regionale Transport and aircraft broker CAS&L. In December 2009 she was export to Nigaragua as N103HA. In November 2010 she was re-registrated TG-REX. During Auguts 2012 she place on display in a amusement park in the center of Managua City.
The aircraft made its last flight in 2009.
The original 737 concept was for a navigation trainer for the USAF.
Boeings finest performed as advertised in the 70's and 80's.
Boeing was considering a T-tail design for the 737, which would have ad aft-mounted engines like the DC-9. It rejected this in favor of the then novel under-wing design because the tail-mounted engines would have created more drag, thus slowing the 737. In addition, the new change reduced the structural weight and complexity of the wing as the weight of the engines provided bending relief by counteracting the upward force on the wing during flight.
Lufthansa launched the 737 with an order for 22 737-100's in 1965 and United Air Lines lent its much-needed weight behind the program in April of the same year by ordering 40 737-200's. Sale were slow, however, for several years and even up to the mid-1970's, Boeing considered cancelling it.
|
|
|
|
Boeing’s Baby Jet, the 737, came close to being cancelled before it even flew and yet it has become the best-selling jetliner in history. Boeing was wary of proceeding with it because the Douglas C-9 and BAC One-Eleven had already been launched and between them had amassed hundreds of orders.
The 737-200 pencil shaped engines were very distinctive for the type.
The airplane of my youth ... extremely loud and a good smoker!
|
|
The 737-200’s JT8D’s were very efficient … in turning kerosene into noise.
The 737 has a good short-field performance thanks to high-lift devices on the wing and bucket-type thrust reversers. When it was first tested, however, the 737 was fitted with 727-style reversers which proved ineffective. The re-design cost $24 million but gave the 737 a dramatically improved short landing runs. This helped promote sales to carriers, who needed a rugged jet to operate from short strips.
|
|
|
|
|
This tired old aircraft has a lot of external doublers and the patching is clearly visible on many places.
|
|
|
|
There are four vortex generators on each side of the rear fuselage above the horizontal stabilizer. The 737-200's also had three vortex generators below each stabilizer. They were probably installed to energize the airflow at the stagnation point at the tail cone, thereby reducing drag and giving a slight performance advantage.
- The End -