The last U.S.-registered DC-8 in flying service is set for a new role at Lynchburg Regional Airport after Liberty University announced Monday that Boeing will support construction of a public pavilion around the retired aircraft. The DC-8 completed its final flight in December 2025 and was donated to Liberty by Samaritan’s Purse. The university plans to make the aircraft the centerpiece of its DC-8 Overlook at Preston Glenn Field, according to an announcement.
From Relief Flying to Display
The DC-8, manufactured in 1968, accumulated nearly 100,000 flight hours and traveled more than 55 million miles over the course of its service life. Samaritan’s Purse acquired the aircraft in 2015 and used it as a heavy-lift relief aircraft for more than 200 missions. Its final mission carried 9,200 Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts to Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa before the aircraft flew to Lynchburg on Dec. 7, 2025.
“Boeing is proud to support Liberty University’s DC-8 Overlook project, which brings together STEM education, workforce development, and community engagement in a meaningful way,” Lacey Pittman, Boeing vice president of global aerospace safety, said in a release. “By helping preserve this historic aircraft and creating hands-on learning opportunities, this initiative will inspire future aerospace professionals and honor the important role aviation plays in serving communities around the world.”
New Role at Lynchburg
Plans for the pavilion include aircraft tours, aviation exhibits, educational programs and hands-on activities covering careers such as piloting, aircraft maintenance, air traffic control and unmanned aircraft systems. The site is also expected to include an airplane-themed playground and other public-use features.
The DC-8 carried more than 9.2 million pounds of relief supplies during its years with Samaritan’s Purse. After its retirement, the organization replaced the aircraft in its heavy-lift fleet with a Boeing 767. The DC-8 will remain permanently at Lynchburg Regional as part of Liberty’s aviation education programs.
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