BA Airbus A321

[HZ123]

FYI the first A321 (BA) arrives after noon today LHR and will depart on its first commercial service tomorrow morning. Soory no reg or specific times.

[Mark Lewis]

Should be G-EUXC from Finkenwerder.

[Hotel Mode]

Lands at 1715 this afternoon

[AVIACO]

Where is it going to on its first timetabled sched service? Will it be used on shuttle routes?

I guess the end is nearer for my favourite ever machine - the beautiful rocket - 757.

Now that the 321's are a coming.

[TopBunk]

Aviaco

For some reason, BA have decided that they will all operate out of T4 for the winter schedules.

BA operate to CDG, AMS, CPH, GVA, ZRH and errrrr maybe a couple of other destinations ex T4 shorthaul.

[ratarsedagain]

Should be on the BA304 to CDG tomorrow departing 0720 local.

[we_never_change]

arrived at 1658L & to Stand 429 (T4) :8

WNC

[spoilers yellow]

AVIACO, BA has not got any plans to get rid of the 757 anytime soon, the ones we have left are not that old.:)

[HZ123]

As above I am sure we will hang onto them for some time as at least one new route proposal for 05 can only be operated by a 757. They also have an excellent serviceability record and high returns.

[TopBunk]

HZ123

A route that 'can only be operated by a 757' ....... sounds interesting! What could cause a route / destination to be restricted to a certain type?

[fruitbat]

TB

Whilst of a similar seat capacity, the 321 doesn't have the ability to carry a full payload and enough fuel for certain routes. Although not a 'Dusty Bin' flyer, I am pretty sure a 321 couldn't take a full passenger load, freight and enough fuel to make it back to LHR from Larnaca, especially in the August heat! A 757 is right on the limits.

[TopBunk]

fruitbat

I was wondering about which new route referred to by HZ123 could only be operated by 757's.

Re the A321's, the numbers I have are:

Max ZFW 71,500kgs
Max TOW 89,000kgs
Max LDW 75,500kgs

At Max ZFW you can load 17,500kgs fuel, max fuel capacity is 18,605kgs!

So you can have full cabin and hold and almost full fuel. 17,500kgs fuel at about 2,700khs/hr gives about 6h25 to dry tanks - Cyprus is what, 4h45 - shouldn't be a problem.

Furthermore, I beleive the basic weight comes in at about 47,000kgs, call it 49,000 with crew and catering, so still 22,500 kgs oy payload available.

The A321 would appear to be quite a versatile aircraft, but as for runway performance at LCA I couldn't comment!

[edited to correct maths]

[c.r.m what is it]

Fruitbat

Gb Airways operate an A321 from paphos, in the middle of the summer, full of passengers and cargo, and up to now not one of them has failed to make it back to london non-stop, so i am sure BA would have no problem getting back from larnaca.

[Golf Charlie Charlie]

Also, don't British Mediterranean run A321s back to LHR from places like Yerevan, Baku, Beirut etc. ?

They certainly do from Yerevan, since I did it in August this year.

[Mark Lewis]

The longest "BA" route in the A321 is Heathrow - Tehran.

6.5 hours non stop.

[Porky Speedpig]

There are airfields which a 757 can operate through which an Airbus can't due to undercarriage configuration and runway bearing strength issues.

[TopBunk]

Porky

...... care to name some? I'm not saying you are wrong, but would be interested to know of some that BA would consider as possible destinations.

[Porky Speedpig]

..should have added at high take off weights...so it will be dependant on sector length planned etc

[HZ123]

I believe there is also an issue with the length of the flight and the fact that the A321 is containerised which requires much more equipment than the venerable 757.

[Jet A1]

The GB A320/A321 fleet is NOT containerised ! A mod can be done replacing the hold floor !

[HZ123]

All of our Airbuses 319,320 & 321 are containerised a choice from new. It was reasoned at LHR that the distances for the a/c from the baggage drop is such that quicker transfers are made by container use than loose loaded, besides its a good earner for the bin makers.

[TopBunk]

HZ123

Our A319's are definitely NOT containerised! I cannot comment on the A321's, as I haven't flown them yet. The A320's are, however.

Again, I ask you, what routes 'planned for 05' cannot be operated by A321's but only by B757s?