Where is Walt's plane? UPDATE - Coming to D23 2022

[Goofyernmost]

FTFY
The latest airworthiness date is listed as 1963. I doubt that it'd be considered airworthy without extensive work/inspection/test flights.

That can't be right. They flew it there in the 80's so it had to be airworthy at that point. If indeed it was flown there at that time then the engines would have been worth thousands of dollars for rebuild. The placement on display in DHS means that they had no intent of ever flying it again. The only real value it had was the engines and I'm pretty sure they were removed (and sold) back at that time. This was Disney, they were building monorails not long before that era, faking an engine setup would have been simple. They kept the tail number because by then it was known as a Disney plane and they didn't want others using it for multiple reasons. So airworthy without engines would classify as a glider wouldn't it?

 

[EeyoreFan#24]

The 1963 date is when the cert was issued. There is no expiration, but it can be “invalidated” by missing inspections or airworthiness directives that require certain things to be done on that aircraft. I don’t think the search has all that data.

I’d assume it was up to date when it landed at DHS and then just left to sit there but, let’s assume it was not current when it was landed. Disney could get a “ferry permit” from the faa. Basically it’s a one time thing that allows an aircraft to be flown if it’s physically airworthy enough ( within certain conditions based on any issues), but the paperwork is out of date.

 

[raymusiccity]

I don't know when or why they put the wings back on, but it came out of HS in 3 pieces via a crane. They strapped it on a flatbed and drove off with it. I was lucky enough to see it.

.... and then I saw them drive the entire truck, flatbed and Walt's plane right into the Guppy !!!!

 

[TikibirdLand]

.... and then I saw them drive the entire truck, flatbed and Walt's plane right into the Guppy !!!!
View attachment 614621

When I was a kid, I used to see the Guppy fly into Ellington Airforce Base south of Houston. They unloaded an Apollo command module from it, IIRC. They floated it on a barge across Clear Lake to the back gate of Johnson Space Center (The Manned Space Center back then). It's truly a sight to behold. I believe they said the primary stage of the Saturn V rocket could be held in it's cargo bay. It is MASSIVE.

 

[montyz81]

.... and then I saw them drive the entire truck, flatbed and Walt's plane right into the Guppy !!!!
View attachment 614621

My guess is that the plane will likely go by flatbed across the country.

 

[TikibirdLand]

My guess is that the plane will likely go by flatbed across the country.

I think I liked @raymusiccity 's report better!

 

[JoeCamel]

My guess is that the plane will likely go by flatbed across the country.

Might already be there

 

[montyz81]

Might already be there

Probably, but it shouldn't be there at all—just another example of Chapek and his direct reports not understanding the company's history. Guardians of the Galaxy in the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, I mean just unreal. It's not Experimental Prototype Community of an on-screen/comic book fantasy world.

 

[DCBaker]

 

[JoeCamel]

And bio is ever on it. We are so spoiled.....

 

[TikibirdLand]

Looking forward to seeing when they disassemble it to ship to Anaheim. It's kinda like MMRR; I LOVE the exterior and the original attraction. But, the inside is sad.

 

[montyz81]

Looking forward to seeing when they disassemble it to ship to Anaheim. It's kinda like MMRR; I LOVE the exterior and the original attraction. But, the inside is sad.

The poster that discussed the update and move of the plane to D23 implied that they had been working on it for at least 6 months. This should be enough time for a plane that size to do cosmetic updates inside and out. I bet the inside will look good too.

 

[wdwmagic]

The poster that discussed the update and move of the plane to D23 implied that they had been working on it for at least 6 months. This should be enough time for a plane that size to do cosmetic updates inside and out. I bet the inside will look good too.

I would be surprised if the interior is going to be done. It was in terrible condition and would need a significant restoration job to bring it back. Blacked out windows and new exterior paint is my guess. Hope I am wrong.

 

[montyz81]

I would be surprised if the interior is going to be done. It was in terrible condition and would need a significant restoration job to bring it back. Blacked out windows and new exterior paint is my guess. Hope I am wrong.

Sorry. He said two years. That is more than enough time to restore a plane to complete working condition. Here's hoping.

 

[TikibirdLand]

Sorry. He said two years. That is more than enough time to restore a plane to complete working condition. Here's hoping.

I wish you and others are right. I'd love to see the interior restored. they could do a cosmetic restoration in that time. But, for a real restoration, it would likely need to be moved to a facility that can do that. Sitting outside behind a maintenance area doesn't bode well for even a cosmetic interior update. Hope I'm wrong!

 

[flynnibus]

Here's a thought... maybe when the kid did that video inside the plane... it was during the restoration job and was explicitly stripped to the frame as part of that restoration?

I don't think it was clear where the plane was when that video was made. Am I mistaken?

 

[HauntedPirate]

Sorry. He said two years. That is more than enough time to restore a plane to complete working condition. Here's hoping.

*Looks at Tron and GotG*

 

[Goofyernmost]

Here's a thought... maybe when the kid did that video inside the plane... it was during the restoration job and was explicitly stripped to the frame as part of that restoration?

I don't think it was clear where the plane was when that video was made. Am I mistaken?

Yes, it was where it is pictured above. I think the interior was stripped clean before it was placed in DHS. We shall see though. I think people are expecting way to much. Plus has anyone specifically mention that it is that plane they were talking about. They had more than one from that time. But, like I said, we shall see. It's hard for me to believe that they could have been working on that carcass and no one would have noticed them doing it.

 

[montyz81]

I wish you and others are right. I'd love to see the interior restored. they could do a cosmetic restoration in that time. But, for a real restoration, it would likely need to be moved to a facility that can do that. Sitting outside behind a maintenance area doesn't bode well for even a cosmetic interior update. Hope I'm wrong!

good point.

 

[montyz81]

Yes, it was where it is pictured above. I think the interior was stripped clean before it was placed in DHS. We shall see though. I think people are expecting way to much. Plus has anyone specifically mention that it is that plane they were talking about. They had more than one from that time. But, like I said, we shall see. It's hard for me to believe that they could have been working on that carcass and no one would have noticed them doing it.

They moved the plane from DHS and nobody noticed.