Both Northwest and Republic saw the 757 as their new-technology domestic flagship in the 1980s. Implicit to both carriers’ orders was the idea that frequency of service was key to winning market competition, rather than using fewer but larger aircraft.
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Northwest
NWA committed to the 757 with an order on January 31, 1984 in an order for 20 frames, 10 to be delivered that year and 10 in 1985. With an order for five 747s, Northwest was Boeing’s biggest customer in that year of weak demand. Offering 40% lower fuel burn than the 727-200 and a two-person flight deck instead of the 727’s three-crew configuration, the 757 would deliver immediate operating cost savings across domestic trunkline routes. The first frames were actually delivered in February-March 1985, with training and familiarization flights conducted across the system that spring, and first scheduled flights in the June 1985 timetable. NWA would adjust its delivery schedule in the mid-1980s but by decade’s end had increased its order and was operating 33 of the -200 series in the early 1990s. The company was one of the few customers for the stretched -300 series (shown on its own page in this archive), and added winglets to many -200s for even better long-haul efficiency.
Boeing concept artwork. NWAHC collection.N501US pre-handover on the dial at Renton, February 1985. Boeing photo (by Image in Industry), NWAHC collection.N501US pre-handover on the dial at Renton, February 1985. Boeing photo (by Image in Industry), NWAHC collection.N501US pre-handover on the dial at Renton, February 1985. Boeing photo (by Image in Industry), NWAHC collection.N501US pre-handover on the dial at Renton, February 1985. Boeing photo (by Image in Industry), NWAHC collection.N501US pre-handover at Renton, February 1985. Boeing photo, NWAHC collection.Another inflight publicity shot of N501US arranged by NWA, Feb. 1985. From the James Borden Photography Collection.N501US in air-to-air publicity shots, February 1985. Boeing photo for NWA, NWAHC collection.Another inflight publicity shot of N501US arranged by NWA, Feb. 1985. From the James Borden Photography Collection.N501US in air-to-air publicity shots, February 1985. Boeing photo for NWA, NWAHC collection.N501US in air-to-air publicity shots, February 1985. Boeing photo for NWA, NWAHC collection.N501US in air-to-air publicity shots, February 1985. Boeing photo for NWA, NWAHC collection.N501US in air-to-air publicity shots, February 1985. Boeing photo for NWA, NWAHC collection.N502US “City of Minneapolis” at dedication ceremonies in Minneapolis/St. Paul, March 11, 1985. Photo from the Noel Allard collection.Promotional postcard showing N501US, from the NWAHC collection.Company promotional flyer artwork, 1985.Summer 1985 Northwest publicity flight brings N501US “City of St. Paul” over New York City. NWAHC collection.N502US, “City of Minneapolis”, in this September 1985 image.
Slide scan from Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/N504US “City of San Francisco” at Phoenix, Nov. 1985. Slide scan from Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/Pre-delivery N513US on the snowy line at Renton in January 1986, having engine and electronics tests performed. 1986 photo shoot of N505US, “City of Boston.” NWAHC collection.1986 photo shoot of N505US, “City of Boston.” NWAHC collection.1986 photo shoot of N505US, “City of Boston.” NWAHC collection.Northwest promotional photo from 1986 showing N501US overhead Washington’s National Airport. From the NWAHC collection.Post-merger N604RC in January 1987.
Slide scan from Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/Unattributed slide of N603RC in transitional colors passing N606RC, delivered in Northwest colors. From the D. Scott Norris collection.N531US “City of Newark” on its Red Concourse gate at Minneapolis-St. Paul, just after delivery, August 26, 1988. NWAHC collection.N531US “City of Newark” on its Red Concourse gate at Minneapolis-St. Paul, just after delivery, August 26, 1988. NWAHC collection.N531US “City of Newark” on its Red Concourse gate at Minneapolis-St. Paul, just after delivery, August 26, 1988. NWAHC collection.Uh… Boeing had a kerning issue on the paint line? N531US “City of Newark” on its Red Concourse gate at Minneapolis-St. Paul, just after delivery, August 26, 1988. NWAHC collection.Slide from the AeroIcarus collection of N502US at Toronto, August 1989 – still with the grey nacelles. Original photographer unattributed. CC2.0 license, original file at https://www.flickr.com/photos/aero_icarus/52962562251/N532US on final at Miami, November 1992. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/N520US, January 1993. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/Las Vegas arrival for N504US with hybrid logo, April 1993. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/N525US sporting the hybrid logo, on arrival to LAX in February 1994. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/Undated publicity slide featuring N529US. NWAHC collection.N516US seen in May 1995. Slide scan from Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/Great underside view, showing the unpainted areas of N508US at DCA, July 19, 1995. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/MSP hangars behind N531US in this July 1995 view. Slide scan from Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/A twilight takeoff run silhouetted against the Minneapolis-St. Paul tower and the moon from the mid-1990s, courtesy of the Metropolitan Airports Commission.Northwest promotional photo with N503US, date unknown, from the NWAHC collection.Northwest promotional photo with N517US, date unknown, from the NWAHC collection.Northwest promotional photo with N529US, date unknown, from the NWAHC collection.Appropriately snow-covered MSP ramp hosts N536US with a “Toys for Tots” promotional graphic on the vertical tail. NWA used its 757s on Minneapolis-Alaska runs, so a trip to Santa’s Workshop would definitely fit this airframe’s use profile! Photo (C) Jonathan Taylor, used with permission.N525US touching down at a snowy MSP. Northwest advertising slide at the NWAHC.N529US approaches runway at MSP. Mesaba Metroliner visible underneath the forward doors. Northwest promotional photo from the NWAHC collection.Unknown ship at MSP. Northwest promotional photo from the NWAHC collection.N516US taxis at Tampa, Jan. 21, 1996. Photographer unattributed; slide from the Scott Norris collection.N515US begins its liftoff at MSP. Northwest promotional photo from the NWAHC collection.N515US rotates at MSP. Northwest promotional photo from the NWAHC collection.N512US at the gate in DTW, 1997, with a borrowed radome. “Battleship grey” was pretty close, but those United stripes are jarring! Robert DuBert collection.N543US preparing to depart Tampa, Jan. 27, 1998. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/N542US about to touch down at Tampa, Jan. 27, 1998. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/N543US kissing the runway at Tampa, Jan. 27, 1998. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/N533US resting on the ramp at Phoenix, April 22, 1998. Photographer unattributed; slide from the Scott Norris collection.N522US approaching New York LaGuardia, Mar. 18, 2001. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/N555NW caught at Phoenix by Terry Nash, January 2003.N553NW arriving LAS, Apr. 17, 2003. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/N532US arriving over the fence at LGA, Feb. 1, 2004. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/N532US at LaGuardia, Feb. 1, 2004. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/A chilly February 5, 2005 day sees a fueler diligently at work at Minneapolis-St. Paul. From the D. Scott Norris collection.N545US approaching LAS, Mar. 1, 2005. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/N528US at the gate in MSP, July 2005. From the D. Scott Norris collection.Terry Nash photo of N551NW at Phoenix, January 2006.N502US on the taxiway preparing to depart Orlando in March 2006. From the D. Scott Norris collection.N530US at Phoenix, August 2006; photographer unknown. Slide from the Scott Norris collection.N519US on finals at LAX, Sept. 24, 2006. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/N535US sports its new winglets at MSP in January 2007. From the D. Scott Norris collection.N537US finishes its landing at MSP. March 2007, from the D. Scott Norris collection.N527US departs from MSP on June 12, 2007. From the D. Scott Norris collection.
Like many North American carriers, Northwest adapted some of its 757-200 fleet for transatlantic service: the Detroit hub was a bit too far west to allow for 757 operations into eastern Europe, but it was capable of reaching Germany. From the Amsterdam hub, the 757 was ideal for opening smaller nonstop markets in the US.
N546US gracefully touches down at Dusseldorf, Jan. 13, 2008. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/N546US gracefully touches down at Dusseldorf, Jan. 13, 2008. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/N546US at DUS, Feb. 14, 2008. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/N546US at DUS, Jan. 13, 2008. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/Departure from Dusseldorf for wingletted N546US, Jan. 13, 2008. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/N537US is lit at Boston, Feb. 4, 2008. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/An Orlando sunrise is reflected on N508US the morning of March 9, 2008. From the D. Scott Norris collection.N545US at Amsterdam, Apr. 19, 2008. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/N538US at AMS, Apr. 19, 2008. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/N538US at Amsterdam, Apr. 19, 2008. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/N538US at Amsterdam, Apr. 19, 2008. Image by Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/N501US starts its very cold engines outside the main hangars at MSP on Jan. 10, 2009. From the D. Scott Norris collection.N535US taxiing in at Tokyo-Narita, July 2009. D. Scott Norris collection.
Republic
Traffic growth resulting from the company’s reorganization around the Memphis, Detroit, and Twin Cities hubs so greatly improved the carrier’s finances that Boeing 757s were ordered to handle the demand. Six airframes in all were delivered before the Northwest merger, all hung with Rolls-Royce engines. As these did not conform to the Pratt & Whitney-equipped NWA 757 fleet, these six were quickly sold to America West.
Company promotional image of N601RC out over the San Juan islands of Washington. From the Republic Airlines archive.Company promotional photo. NWAHC collection.Company promotional photo. NWAHC collection.Taking delivery of N602RC at Boeing Field. Flight crew, left to right: Andy DeFabo, Lisa Jenkins, Woody Carr, Bob Chirhart, CJ Bowen, and Jeff Gold. NWAHC collection via Jeff Gold.Republic’s flagship N601RC in January 1986.
Slide scan from Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/Pre-merger N605RC was delivered in Northwest polished metal, in this July 1986 image.
Slide scan from Aero Icarus, CC 2.0 license. Full images at https://www.flickr.com/people/aero_icarus/
