Originally Posted by
Office Update
Interesting about the lessor of the ATR's. I was told there was no lease and PNG Air paid by the hour so long as there was a minimum number of hours flown. ATR were so desperate to have an under performing aircraft in hot and high operations. Having to turn south then overfly POM prior to setting course northbound in a loaded ATR suggests poor planning by management.
I think they have two unairworthy Dash 8-100's which will never fly again.
"Duck Pilot" has been very quiet lately
The ATR is often operating up against its performance limits in PNG, as it does in many other parts of the world. But it gets the job done at a minimal cost. It carries more than a Dash, sips less fuel than a Dash and cruises faster than a Dash and can carry nearly as many people as a F70. But it can be challenging for the pilot who is unaware of its perf limits and who doesn't have an alternative strategy. But then we all do, don't we?
If they go down the gurgler it will not be because of the ATR, they market it very well and it does sell itself with an outstanding paint scheme and smart looking crew. But rather any demise will fall squarely on to the shoulders of bad self serving managers (expatriot and National) who have had their snouts deeply buried into what is (relative to PX) a fairly shallow trough.