Originally Posted by
LASPILOT
Atlas would most likely lease new equipment. Lease payment on a Converted Freighter (-400) would be half of that on a new -8, but you would recoup all but $ 1000,00 per hour on fuel and MX. But given that payload capability of and -8 being 55,000 lbs greater than a -400BCF your cost per kilo/ hour would be less on new equipment being either 777 or -8. So if their client airlines feel comfortable they can fill up a -8 with 295K of revenue payload, 4 times a week (Asia to the US), an -8 would make a lot of sense, both short and long term.
Question you need to answer is where the price of fuel will be in 2009 and further (when you could actually take delivery providing you would get the production slots). New equipment would make sense at current fuel prices, but if fuel would return to below $1.45 per gallon you can dust of your old 747 classic manuals.
$1.45 per gallon??? You're dreaming. We won't be seeing that again. In fact its just going to get worse. If the company allows itself accept those false hopes. It'll be left in the dust for sure. While the competition cruises on with thier brand new fuel sipping birds.
