Remembering ‘Shepherd One’ | AirlineGeeks.com

​In September 2015, American Airlines operated a special charter flight for Pope Francis during his first visit to the United States. The plane used, a Boeing 777-200ER with tail quantity N776AN, was designated “Shepherd One” all through the papal tour and stays in service at the moment.

This callsign was formally authorised by the Federal Aviation Administration for the interval of Sept. 21 to Oct. 15, 2015.​ The papal constitution was the seventh time that American, and beforehand TWA, had transported a pope.

The pope’s itinerary included stops in Washington, New York Metropolis, and Philadelphia earlier than he returned to Rome. American’s crew for this mission comprised personnel from numerous places, together with Dallas/Fort Price; Chicago; Los Angeles; Miami; New York; Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina; and Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The staff represented a various array of backgrounds and faiths, the airline mentioned in a news release on the time.

In recognition of this occasion, the Fort Price, Texas-based provider put in a commemorative plaque contained in the plane close to the L2 door. The plaque, manufactured by its groups in Tulsa, reads:​

“This plane served as ‘Shepherd One’ throughout Pope Francis’ first go to to the US from September 24-28, 2015: Washington, D.C., New York, Philadelphia, Rome.”

Papal plaque on American 777 (Picture: American Airways)

The seat utilized by Pope Francis in the course of the flight was eliminated throughout a subsequent retrofit of the plane and is now a part of the gathering on the C.R. Smith Museum in Fort Price, Texas.

The Pope’s Travels

It isn’t unusual for popes to journey all over the world, and Francis was no exception. Italian flag provider Alitalia usually flew the papal entourage.

Nonetheless, ITA Airways took over these missions quickly after the provider started operations in 2021. Pope Francis referred to the airline as “the Pope’s wings that enable me to fly to the ends of the earth bringing the Gospel of hope and peace.”

On Monday, the Vatican introduced that Pope Francis had handed away at 88 years outdated. He was the first Latin American pontiff.

“His dying leaves an immense void in our hearts and in our lives,” an ITA information launch said. “His phrases of peace, gestures of mercy and fixed name for brotherhood amongst peoples will stay a beacon for future generations.”

Ryan based AirlineGeeks.com again in February 2013 and has amassed appreciable expertise within the aviation sector. His work has been featured in a number of publications and information shops, together with CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Enterprise Insider. Throughout his time within the business, he is labored in roles pertaining to airport/airline operations whereas holding a B.S. in Air Transportation Administration from Arizona State College together with an MBA. Ryan has expertise in a number of aspects of the business from behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 to interviewing airline business executives. Ryan works for AirlineGeeks’ proprietor FLYING Media, spearheading protection within the business aviation house.

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