N978AN

The airframe bearing tail number N978AN is a Boeing-built narrowbody delivered in 2001, carrying manufacturer serial number 30100. It is a production example of the Boeing 737-823 and is registered in the US. Ownership is vested in MSN 30100 TRUST (c/o Wilmington Trust Co., Trustee), a corporate trustee entity based in Wilmington, DE, US, reflecting a financial trust holding rather than direct airline ownership. The aircraft’s status as a trust-owned airframe suggests common use in leased or third-party operated service and typically entails centralized maintenance recordkeeping and trustee-managed disposition.

The aircraft is outfitted in a 162-seat single-aisle airline configuration (two-class layout in common airline service), matching standard short- to medium-haul passenger operations. With a cruise speed of 444 kts and a maximum operating ceiling of 41,000 ft, it is suited to transcontinental and regional sectors within its 3,115 nm range matrix. Common mission profiles for this configuration include scheduled domestic trunk routes and high-frequency short-haul rotations where single-aisle capacity and turnaround performance are prioritized. Maintenance and operational planning typically account for the airframe’s common CFM56-series powerplant architecture and the recordkeeping practices associated with trust-owned aircraft.

As a member of the Boeing 737 Next Generation family, the 737-823 occupies the medium-capacity single-aisle niche, offering around 162 seats in typical two-class airline service and competitive cruise and range performance for short- and medium-haul markets. Primary competition in its class includes the Airbus A320 family and other 150–180 seat single-aisle types, with buyer and lessor demand driven by fleet commonality, operating economics, and route density. Resale and maintenance considerations for this airframe type emphasize maturity of the CFM56 engine support network, availability of spare parts, and the aircraft’s lifecycle state given a 2001 build year and trust-based ownership structure.