The Canadian company Buffalo Airways recently made a notable purchase. The company has added an old Boeing 737-200 to its fleet.
Buffalo Airways purchased the 42.5-year-old aircraft because it “can get the job done.” The plane is equipped with a so-called “gravel kit,” which is a special set of parts and equipment that enables landings on unpaved runways. The kit prevents dirt and gravel from damaging the aircraft. The 737-200 is the only version of the 737 that can be fitted with a gravel kit.
The kit includes, among other things, a kind of screen that can be placed near the nose wheel to block stones during landing and takeoff. Additionally, a vortex generator can be installed in front of the engines. This small tube creates an air shield for the engine inlets. This windscreen helps prevent stones from being sucked into the engines during landing or takeoff.
737-200
The aircraft, registration C-GTVO, is ideal for use in northern Canada. The specific 737 is a versatile aircraft, as its cabin can be converted from a passenger configuration to a freighter configuration. It is also possible to use a mixed configuration. Although these aircraft are highly suitable for the region due to all the modifications, they are becoming increasingly rare. As the 737-200 is already quite old, it is becoming more difficult and expensive to keep the aircraft airworthy. For this reason, Canadian North replaced its -200 models with newer 737s.