Originally Posted by
VH DSJ
Just out of curiosity, would you ever completely fill an A320 on a FIFO run to the mines and back? I know some operators still use turbo-props for this type of work. I would think the A320 would be a bit of an overkill for such ops.
Really it depends on the mine. FMG's Christmas Creek, Solomon and Cloudbreak mines regularly received A320s/737s, but most others were built to take an F100 or 146 at the most. The bigger aircraft come into their own when there is a cyclone evacuation. Most of the mines have strips that will take Fokkers, with even The Granites now being served by F100s. Quite an upgrade for the blokes who used to fly in an F50 from Perth.
A320 Family in most parts of the world are bulk-loaded rather than ULDs, and the only reason JQ have ULDs is because OSH meant they would have to have an extra person on each turn to act as a spotter for the blokes in the hold.
Cobham E-Jets? Maybe. The one they had they sent back a while ago, and they are adamant that the 146/Avro RJ is irreplaceable due to rough field/STOL capability. But they will need to be replaced eventually.