Ryanairs Hushkits - Flight International

[airbourne]

Whilst reading a rather thin copy of flight this week, I noticed a follow up article about the sought after 733/4s by Ryanair. At the end of the article there is the following:

Contrary to a report in Flight International (17-23 July) Ryanair says it has installed hushkits on its entire 21-strong fleet of 737-200s bring them into compliabce with International Civil Aviation Organisation Chapter 3 noise legislation a year ahead of the deadline.


Now if they have put the hushkits on, they have done it (a) within the last 3 days and (b) must be invisible. I was under the impression that some of the latter aircraft EI - CNT/NW/NV had arrived with hushkits already installed. So what number of the '21-strong' fleet has actually been hushkitted? If youre passing by Dublin airport stand out on the back roads of the airport and listen to their engines....... actually stand outside my house and hear the engines roar as they take off!! (and yes I do live a bit away from the airport)

Also if they have already been hushkitted, then why are FR seeking 300/400s, would the process not prolong the life of the 200 for another few years?

[737]

Airbourne,

All of the Ryanair 200's have been hushkitted for at least a year now. If you look closely NT, NV etc have had the large kits removed and replaced by Nordam Light-weight Kits which are fully enclosed within the existing cowling.

Hushkits don't reduce fuel comsumption hence the reason for looking for 300/400's.

73

[airbourne]

737,

Many thanks for that. I did notice that on NT at least when it first arrived. With regard to the noise level, what is the maximum db level allowed for Stage3 noise regs? It just strikes me as all of FRs a/c are extrememly loud.

On a sidenote, with the introduction of the blended winglets for the 738s, are FR not interested in squeezing the extra mileage out of the a/c or does it only become economical on longer flights? Or are they too expensive? Just curious on that one especially when they put 189 pax in at min seat pitch.

[PAXboy]

Very interested to hear that the FR -200s are hushed. I live 11 miles from LTN and I don't have to look up to know that it is -200!!!

[eicjc]

Hey Paxboy if you live 11 miles from Luton then you're probably hearing European's 1-11's departing from Stanstead!!!!!!!!
anyway, what's the big deal, they're classic jet planes the way God and Frank Whittle meant them to be - noise that you can feel in your bones, lots of black smoke and the smell of burnt kerosene!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In my humble opinion it will be a sad day when these classic machines will be confined to the likes of Africa and South America like most of the last remaining 707's. Now there's a real airplane.

[Zulu]

Ahhhh...the BAC 1-11. Constant thrust, variable noise engines.

Set "very loud" for takeoff...

[airbourne]

So with the Nordam light weight kits, what is the noise reduction? because a 732 is still a very loud experience, hushkit or no hushkit. Also how long will they be able to operate the 200s in Europe for with current noise regs?

[eicjc]

They'll be flying untill 2003 with FR, God knows after that. I don't know what the Decibel reduction is but it's Chapter " compliant. Although they are heavy on fuel they're not as expensive as the 800's at the moment because the company owns them outright whereas they are still paying for the 800's. So any money they make is pure profit!(apart from the spares required to keep them going!) So FR's 200's will be burning up the sky and leaving two black trails after them for a while yet. By the way, the oldest plane in the fleet is of 1983 vintage so it's not that old. That said I broke my record of not too marvellous night landings tonight with a sweet one, so I'm off to the pub to celebrate. See y'all later. :cool: :D