Oakland International Airport Receives Donated Jet from FedEx Express
Boeing 727 Freighter Will Be Used for Training/Education Purposes
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Cyndy Johnson, Oakland International Airport, (510) 563-2820
Rosemary Barnes, Oakland International Airport, (510) 563-2892
Oakland International Airport After-Hours, (510) 563-3360
Ed Coleman, FedEx Public Relations, 901-434-7784
Oakland, CA, March 14, 2003 — Oakland International Airport today took delivery of a retired Boeing 727-100 freighter donated by FedEx Express at a special ceremony at the airport’s Aircraft Rescue and Fire-Fighting (ARFF) facility.
Also, FedEx Express donated to the aviation maintenance technology program at the College of Alameda an engine, miscellaneous avionics equipment and an auxiliary power unit (APU) at the ceremony. This program instructs students in airframe and powerplant maintenance, fiber optic and avionics maintenance, and aviation operations (includes pilot ground school for fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters).
The airport’s Airside Operations department, Aircraft Rescue and Fire-Fighting (ARFF) unit, and local law enforcement agencies will use the donated aircraft for hands-on safety training. Additionally, Oakland International Airport will use the aircraft for its mandated tri-annual full-scale exercise.
“We appreciate FedEx Express’ generous donation of the 727 freighter to Oakland International Airport,” said Steve Grossman, director of aviation for the Port of Oakland, the owner/operator of Oakland International Airport. “The donation will provide airport personnel with the opportunity to continuously rn hone their skills to ensure traveler safety and security. FedEx Express is not rn only a leader in the express package industry, but a leader in Oakland through its efforts to create jobs and opportunities for the local community.”
Before making its final flight to Oakland, the aircraft (N135FE) provided nearly 23 years of service to FedEx transporting packages to destinations throughout the U.S.
“FedEx Express is proud of its commitment to the communities we serve and in which our employees live and work. The donation of this retired FedEx 727 is just one example of the many ways FedEx supports training and educational endeavors,” said David Sutton, assistant general manager, FedEx Aircraft Acquisitions and Sales. “We are happy to work with Oakland International Airport, to provide training and educational tools for airport safety staff and students at College of Alameda, that is producing outstanding graduates who will soon become the aviation work force of tomorrow.”
FedEx Express, the world’s largest express transportation company, operates a regional Hub at Oakland International Airport. It designated Oakland as its Pacific gateway in 1995. Approximately 1,500 employees work at the Oakland facility.
Oakland International Airport has over 200 flights a day on 14 domestic and international carriers to 37 nonstop destinations, including Atlanta, New York, Washington, D.C., the Hawaiian Islands, Mexico and Costa Rica (service begins rn May 2003). The airport is a revenue division of the Port of Oakland, an independent department of the city of Oakland.
Oakland International consistently has the fewest weather-related flight delays in the Bay Area. It is the only Bay Area airport with a dedicated shuttle bus that meets every Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system train at the nearby Coliseum station. Travelers are reminded that the 98th Avenue corridor is open to both inbound and outbound traffic creating a fast, direct route to and from Interstate 880. For information on ground transportation and parking services, call 1-888-IFLYOAK (435-9625). Visit www.oaklandairport.com for additional information.
