Virgin Atlantic

[JSaeroengineer]

Was unsure which forum to ask this, but here goes.
I have an interview for Virgin Atlantic on Friday (Engineering).
I need to brush up on their a/c.
13 744's- CF6
19 A346's-RR Trent 500
6 A343's- CFM56-5C2/5C4
Can anyone tell me if that is up to date and correct?
Also any other Virgin Atlantic interview ammo would be appreciated and very helpful,
cheers
js

[bjones4]

Your info is corrent re:the fleet,

Active:

13 x B747-400 (CF6-80C2B1F)
06 x A340-300 (CFM56-5C2/4)
19 x A340-600 (TRENT 556-61)

Outstanding:

06 x A340-600 (TRENT 556-61)
15 x B787-9 (TRENT 1000)

[Geezers of Nazareth]

Any idea when the next/subsequent A.340-600s are to be delivered. I have not seen a 'new' one for ages.

[keel beam]

"15 x B787-9 (TRENT 1000) "



That must be the 4 engined version :ok:

[Leezyjet]

Don't forget the 6 A380's on order for delivery from 2013.

For the full fleet info and current orders, have a look here :-

http://www.jethros.dwsitech.com/fleets/fleet_listings/virgin_atlantic.htm

:ok:

[JSaeroengineer]

Thanks a lot everyone, really is helpful.
I think it's a trip to Wikipedia for some brushing up before the interview :ok:
Cheers again everyone

[WHBM]

The A346, the remaining A343, and a number of the B744s are based at Heathrow and configured for the business-oriented market from there.

The remainder of the B744 are based at Gatwick and, although they have the same seating classes, have these in a different proportion to suit the leisure-oriented routes from there.

Occasionally an aircraft from one London base will get sent over to the other to cover maintenance downtime, but due to the different configurations which disrupts the booked loads it is a rare event.

Some B744s have gone backwards and forwards in configuration between the two arrangements over the years but it's quite a major engineerng change to rearrange the seats and normally only done during a major overhaul.

The Manchester to Orlando route shares the Gatwick aircraft.

As you seem to be concentrating on engines, the B744 is the only type in their fleet where they were offered any real choice in engine type. When Virgin started off, their initial secondhand 747-200s came with Pratt & Whitney JT9Ds (which was all that were really available on the 747 secondhand market at the time), and then later they picked up a number of the (relatively few in number) 747-200s which had Rolls Royce RB.211s. The 744s in the early-mid 1990s were their first new-build aircraft and they chose to go for GE, the third 747 engine option.

Virgin changed their policy in the early 1990s, until then they only bought secondhand aircraft, after that time they only bought new ones. Sir RB stated at the time that the costs of retrofitting current-generation IFE (a Virgin trademark) to older/secondhand aircraft was a key reason for the change.