737-200

Aimlessly cruising in search of something to photograph, it’s a target sighted. It’s a jet, an old Boeing 737-200, parked on the apron*, a plane in plain sight, just waiting for us to come by and snap a picture or two. We’re at the south end of Calgary International, the pandemic has the streets empty and we’re the only ones about. It’s an easy through the fence shot and so close that no zoom was needed. Click!

By the standards this 737 is a real oldie and while no longer flying, according to Professor Google it belongs to the Art Smith Aero Centre. You want to learn how to be an aircraft tech? It’s there where it happens. Interestingly, where parked here, it’s no where near the campus, which is located way over that way – making a pointy motion to the east side of the airport. I guess it was moved as some point and now sits in front of a helicopter maintenance firm. Why? Who knows. This area is the oldest part of the airport still in use, very near the location of the original air terminal.

The Art Smith Centre is a satellite campus connected to the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology.

We’re looking at a mid-1970s 737-200 that once flew for Calgary’s Westjet (1997-2004 or 2006 depending on the source) and earlier Southwest Airlines in the US (1975-1997). This make of plane is one of the most popular aircraft ever produced and in various incarnations has been in production for over fifty years. Of course, it’s been improved over time**, but in general appearance and role, it’s little changed.

The 737-200 series was built from 1968-1988 and was the second version of this model, with almost eleven hundred made. These could generally seat up to about a hundred and thirty people, but this could vary depending on configuration. They could also be outfitted as freighters or combis, one that could serve both roles. It was very popular for short to medium haul flights and was the backbone of many regional and domestic fleets. That the 200 series can handle unimproved (gravel) runways has a few them still seeing service in Canada’s north country. Otherwise most others have long since been sent to the great scrap yard in the sky.

In the thirty years of service this example must have flown a huge number of cycles.

Once carrying the registration C-GWJU, that’s presently assigned to another Westjet 737, a newer 600 series model. Under Southwest Airlines it carried N26SW. These codes are unique identifiers and every plane, big or small, has one.

Southwest Airlines was founded in the 1960s and present day is the one of the biggest low cost carriers in the US. They are also a large operator of Boeing 737s, with some seven hundred plus in their fleet.

Westjet, once the darling of the airline industry, but looked upon today by most as just another airline, similarly has a love affair for the 737 (they have about a hundred). This carrier was founded in the 1990s and in many ways mimicked the Southwest Airline business model. They are Canada’s second largest operator and Calgary is their base.

We asked around at the Art Smith Campus to see what the future held in store for the old plane, but have heard nothing back. Is it even still theirs? It’s looking a little haggard but appears, on the outside anyway, to be complete.

We stand there and think of all the places C-GWJU/N26SW has flown, be it a short hop up to Edmonton, trips to the West Coast or longer journeys to points East, then earlier all those US destinations. It’s people travelling on business – got to sign that big oil deal – people travelling for pleasure – we’re Vegas bound. Imagine all the places visited, the gazillion passengers carried, the many miles and now here in the quiet of the evening, it’s just us and it.

Yes, we said quiet in the previous paragraph…at Calgary International…and on a weekend too. Normally a hive of activity at this time, that nasty virus has brought the world to a halt. We were witness to not a single plane landing or departing. Repeat, not one in over twenty minutes that we hung around. Normally, it’d be an endless parade.

*Don’t call it tarmac like the media does – it’ll get you in hot water. We slipped up one time and got roasted.

**Well there was that little “Max” problem you might have seen on the news. Planes falling out of the sky for no reason is not good for business. Traced back to a software issue, that’s since been fixed and the model again flying, but we suspect the 737’s reputation is probably forever tarnished on account of this.

Vintage aircraft…
Stuffed & Mounted @ Alberta Aviation Museum – while shooting a Pinball piece.
Old Jack’s Collection (2) – A huge metal yard with an old Cessna.
CF-5 Freedom Fighter. – blast off!

If you wish more information on what you’ve seen here, by all means contact us!

Date: April, 2020.
Location: Calgary, AB.
Article references and thanks: Planespotters.net, Canadian Civil Aircraft Register, Book: Boeing 737-100 and 200 Mike Sharpe & Robbie Shaw.

A through the fence shot.