Middle Eastern carrier Etihad Airlines is parting out two Boeing 777-200LR widebodies, which appear to be the first 777s of a current production model to be retired.
UK parts specialist AJW Group has acquired one of the twinjets for disassembly. The 2007-vintage 777 (registered A6-LRC), powered by GE Aviation GE90-110B engines, arrived at the Cotswold airport in the UK on 12 January, aircraft part-out specialist Air Salvage confirms to Flightglobal.
The jet, which has a Manufacturer Serial Number (MSN) 36302 and shows that Abu Dhabi-based Etihad has in storage a further four 777-200LRs, all built in 2007-8 and one registered A6-LRA (MSN 36300) has also been earmarked for teardown.
Flight Fleets Analyzer indicates that the two 777-200LRs are the first among the twinjet family’s in-production models – which also include the 777-300ER and 777 Freighter – to be retired.
Both the jets were originally delivered to Air India and acquired by Etihad in 2014. With A6-LRC previously registered as VT-ALC, which was nearly 7 years old when Etihad received the aircraft. A6-LRA was previously registered as VT-ALA which was stored by Air India in 2012 before being received by Etihad in 2014.
Both aircraft had a configuration of F8 (First Class), C40 (Business Class) and Y189 (Economy Class) with GE GE90-115B1L engines.
AJW chief investment officer Ian Malin states that its acquisition of an Etihad 777-200LR is part of a strategy to position the UK company as a “go-to source for 777 material for the next decade”.
The company says that a total 976 777s of the 200LR, Freighter or -300ER models were in service in September 2018. Boeing is also nearing its new 777 model, the 777X series which is set to replace older 777 aircraft, with Etihad having 8 -8 models and 17 -9 models on order which were ordered in 2013.
