SAA’s fleet expand
 

Interesting................

In the immediate phase, the board has approved that SAA should lease an additional six aircraft for delivery in 2008-09, three of which should be wide body and three narrow body. These aircraft will be deployed on existing and new profitable routes.

In the medium term, SAA will conduct an aircraft supply competition with suppliers during the course of this year for the acquisition of additional aircraft while the longer term strategic plan will see SAA’s fleet expand in line with forecast network requirements and the restructuring plan. Both the medium and longer term plans will be finalised following discussions with our shareholder.

E

Now I just need another 200 senior to me to resign and I'm in the game. Hooray, command before 2050.

It is already being decided

3 B777
and
3 A320

If this is true. I can understand the A320's with the "family type rating" etc but B777? I love that aerie. But makes more sense if they expand their airbus wide bodies. From a maintence side anyway, try save us taxpayers a few bucks. :rolleyes:

The B777 rumour does seem a little daft considering SAA's large fleet of Airbus widebodies.....but who cares about the financial implications when you have the tax payer to underwrite you:E

SAA’s fleet expand
 

If these rumours are true about the 777's can anyone yet say if these will be 772's or 3's and where will the flightdeck crew come from? My understanding on this is that there is only 1 qualified captain for T7 in ZA.
Please correct me if I am wrong on this.

Thanks
JSP.

Possibly from the Simulator...:E

I am not in the least surprised to hear (read) the rumour of some Boeings and for a very simple reason.

For many, many years, SAA was a Boeing 'house' and there are many still there that mourn the change to Airbus (IGNORING any technical reasons) and so any chance to get an aerie that starts with '7' will be tried.

Had SAA have been a McDonnell-Douglas 'house' they would have been equally upset at the change. It is the change not the direction of the change. For others, of course, it is the direction but the unfamiliarity of a new everything, leaves people wanting what they had before. It's entirely normal. BUT, having made one big switch - SAA cannot afford to make another. For better or worse, stay with aeries that start with '3'.

They cannot get 777 for a few reasons:
1) SA do not have any ETOPS ratings and it would cost a fortune to get ETOPS ratings for only 3 birds!
2) There are no new build 777 available in the short term so they will have to lease older birds!
3) All the older birds are non ER and will have problems from JNB and will operate with load restrictions constantly.

ETPOS
 

SAA has ETOPS for A319's and 738. It hasalso held ratings for B767 in the past .:ok::ok::ok:

And the A330?

Holding ETOPS certificates for 319 and 738 will have no impact on 777 since it is a different aircraft type. SA will have to build up an ETOPS record on the 777 which will take some time and will be difficult to do with only 3 aircrafgt! As far as I am aware SA have ETOPS on the 738 but not the 319 which are not certified for overwater at all - hence why they are not used on JNB-MRU at all! SA never held ETOPS for the 330s since they were operated by BMI and TAM who held ETOPS on them. The ETOPS certification has more to do with maintenance than anything else!

ETOPS
 

ETOPS does not necessarily have to be over water.
The A319 did/does ETOPS between JNB-FIH regularly, 'twas just a matter of getting 2nd HF installed etc. The over water limitation comes about because they weren't fitted with rafts but slides only.

evanb, maybe some research is in order before making claims.......

Even so, I'd still like to hear an answer to points #2 and #3 that he makes, I think they're pretty valid as well.

Re point 2 (and hence point 3): What about the TAAG birds? There were rumours last year about SAA taking their 3 B772ERs since they (TAAG) are banned from flying into the EU.

Don't think the TAAG B772's are an option, because SAA Technical does not have the staff or equipment to facilitate B772 schedule maintenance.
Should TAAG do it on SAA's behalf the TAAG ban will be applicable on SAA(B772).

Think SAA will look for A330, A342/A343 or maybe even A346's. The rumour around is that SAA could not cancel the A320 order and will have to take them.

E

SAA would've had the 330's yesterday (I was told this by the chief pilot himself). But there are just none available (the price of early indecision).

Regarding ETOPS. The only reason the 319 can't do it over water is due to the lack of rafts. But the 320 will easily fit into the ETOPS needs if so required. The company does not need to demonstrate realibility on the 777 to obtain 777 ETOPs. It's based on performance and history using the current and past a/c maintenance, training, etc. in the company. So, theoretically SAA could operate a 777 today, no problem.

Boeing already demonstrated to the pilot group during their presentation at Airways park a couple of months ago, how they would deploy a 777 on direct routes to and from New York/Joburg. I asked the product engineer where these trip7's were coming from, she said "don't worry, where there's a will there's a way, and the SA govt. has a special understanding with Boeing..."

so...who the heck knows what's really going on?

I could be wrong but I'm sure you can order a/c from Boeing or Airbus with ETOPS certification. I think the 777 can come from the factory with 180 min ETOPS. Surely you don't have to fly them around for x amount of time before deploying them on ETOPS routes.

The airline is looking to lease three Boeing 737-800s and three widebodies – either Airbus A340-300s or Boeing 777s - in the short-term. SAA is also about to release an aircraft purchase tender, covering its needs for more than 20 aircraft by 2017.

Ironically it is the same year the Eishkom grid is expected to stabilise - No Jokes. :{

Who do they think will still be here to fly them :confused: