Cayman: CAL retires second aircraft in ongoing Fleet Modernization Plan

 On Monday September 28, 2020, the Board, Management, and Staff of Cayman Airways Limited (CAL), bid farewell to its aircraft with registration marked VP-CAY. It was the second of the airline’s four Boeing 737-300 fleet to be retired as part of CAL’s ongoing Fleet Modernization Plan. 

The122-seat aircraft’s farewell flight was flown by Captain Rex Miller and First Officer Giselah Ebanks to the Southern California Logistics Airport in Victorville, California, where it will be stored pending sale. 

As part of the farewell send-off, Cayman Airways employees, as well as invited aviation partners, got the unique opportunity to write a farewell message and sign their names on the nose of the aircraft. The Cayman Islands Fire Service did an honourary water-cannon salute as the aircraft entered the tarmac at Owen Roberts International Airport for the last time. After take-off, Captain Miller circled the aircraft back around for an approved fly-over, to the cheers of all those in attendance.

Some fast facts about this aircraft include: 

• It is the 26,286^th aircraft manufactured by Boeing overall
• It is the 2,424^th 737 aircraft type manufactured by Boeing
• Its first operator was TACA international Airlines, which operated it until 1998. It was subsequently operated by Color Air, Heliopolis Airlines, ECOAIR International, and Flash Airlines.
• It was delivered to Cayman Airways on November 19, 2004 as the airline transitioned from 737-200 aircraft to 737-300’s.
• The aircraft has accomplished 37,662 flights since new, of which 19,241 were accomplished at Cayman Airways
• It has flown 49,354.8 hours since new, of which 23,666.8 were flown at Cayman Airways
• Throughout its life, the aircraft has transported approximately 3 million passengers, 1.5 million of which were with Cayman Airways 

Cayman Airways President and CEO, Fabian Whorms, said that VP-CAY’s retirement was scheduled for last year as part of the planned transition to CAL’s new Max 8 fleet, but was extended until the industry got closer to the recertification of the new fleet. 

VP-CAY operated its last flight for Cayman Airways on Tuesday September 22, 2020, which was repatriation flight KX3105 from Miami to Grand Cayman.