Boeing 727-100 (N466FE)

FDX's B727-225 "Gideon" (N466FE), ex-Eastern, ex-Avianca, may be looking a bit weatherbeaten, but it avoided the aircraft graveyard when it was donated to the Aerospace Museum of California at KMCC where it dazzles the youngsters and jogs the memories of the old timers like me. Gideon may be somewhat tired looking but then again, it IS almost a half century old. There is an entire generation of Americans who will never experience the thrill of being a passenger in Boeing's first, and thus far only, T-tail tri. For me, viewing Gideon flashed me back to my flights on American, United, Braniff, Delta, Eastern, and TWA 727s, and the only regret I had seeing Gideon was that the cabin door at the top of those stairs was closed and locked. It might not look it to some folks, but Gideon is a great exhibit.