Paris, France - June 21, 2007 - FedEx Express, the world’s largest express transportation company, announced today that it has donated a retired Boeing 727 from its fleet to the Air and Space Museum at Le Bourget Airport. The donation took place during the 47th International Paris Air Show, of which FedEx is a major sponsor.
Before its final flight to Paris, the 727-100F provided FedEx with more than 18 years of service, transporting packages to destinations around the world.
Traditionally, all FedEx aircraft are named after the children of FedEx employees. This aircraft is named “Bud,” after the son of Timothy and Aimee McDaniel from Savannah, Georgia.
“Bud” will start a second life in the heart of the Air and Space Museum of Le Bourget, where it will be used as a permanent exhibition of the history of express transport, which will open in 2008.
The donation to Le Bourget marks the completion of the FedEx retirement program for its 727-100F fleet. A total of 35 of these aircraft have been donated to a variety of aviation technical schools, museums and other institutions to help educate and train the next generation of aviation professionals. This is the first international aircraft donation for FedEx.
“This is the first donation of its kind in Europe and the Air and Space Museum is an ideal location, as one of its first missions is to inform a wide audience about the history and culture of the aeronautics sector,” said Robert W. Elliott, president, FedEx Express, Europe, Middle East, Indian Subcontinent and Africa. “I believe this initiative will help students—who are the future of our aeronautics industry—learn and develop.”
In France, FedEx employs about 2,600 employees, 1,800 of which are located at the FedEx hub at Roissy Charles de Gaulle.