Featured Map for 25 June 2015:
United Charter N194UA

Tuesday's Featured Map detailed United's Summer 747 Flying but excluded one of United's 24 Boeing 747-400s, N194UA. The past several weeks of that aircraft's flying is the subject of today's Featured Map and a quick comparison of the two maps will reveal why it was singled out. N194UA was retired in August 2009 before receiving the latest cabin upgrades and stored at Victorville, California. It returned to service for the last eight months of 2010, then was stored again. It was then leased to Atlas Air in April 2011 and when the lease ended at the end of 2011 United kept it in service—still with the old cabin configuration—for charter service. It also received a distinctive United Charter livery.

Early this year, it flew a number of sports charters, but most of its flying is military charters, as has been the case this month. Of the 11 airports it visited, only Chicago O'Hare is served by United's other 747-400s.

O'Hare was also where N194UA crossed paths with one of United's 777s last July. More precisely, the wing of a 777 being towed struck the nose of the parked N194UA, causing nearly $4 million in damage to its radome and forward pressure bulkhead.

References and additional information:

• United Airlines
• Planespotters.net
  • United Airlines Fleet
  • United Airlines Fleet - Boeing 747 - Active
  • N194UA United Airlines Boeing 747-400 - cn 26892 / ln 1088
• United Jumbo Jet's Hull Punctured in July Airport Mishap – Bloomberg Business (15 August 2014)
• Featured Map: United's Summer 747 Flying