Samaritan's Purse welcomes their first B757 freighter

On 1 September 2023, Humanitarian aid company Samaritan's Purse took delivery of their first Boeing 757-225PCF freighter after purchasing the airframe on 11 October 2022. The B757 is registered N783SP (msn 22611/75) and joins the well known classic DC-8-73CF N782SP.

This particular 757 started its career on 5 December 1985 with Eastern Airlines as N522EA and from January 1992 till December 2006 it was operated in Europe by various owners like Air 2000, Air Atlanta Icelandic and Excel Airways.

Between 8 December 2006 and 30 May 2007 the airframe was converted by Precision Aircraft Solutions into the B757-225PCF, owned by Wells Fargo Bank as N315ST. After the conversion was completed a new adventure began in Brazil with VARIG LOG as PR-LGI for just over two years ending on 28 June 2009. Another startup in Brazil failed and the jet was picked up by DHL Aviation International in Bahrain.

The DHL MIddle East network operated the aircraft between October 2007 and June 2017 in the well known yellow colours before a new Pacific adventure started with Australian Pacific Air Express on 14 March 2018 for the duration of three years.

From 30 November 2021 the jet has been waiting in the US for a new owner until Samaritan's Purse came along. After obtaining crews and all other needed requirements they wasted no time with N783SP as the first flight on 1 September was a support mission towards Hawaii. Out of Greensboro (NC) one stop was made in Fresno (CA) and the destination was Kahului (HI), bringing in supplies following the wildfires at Maui last month.

Photo by Paul Brito (via planespotters.net)