Flybe airbus announcement?...
Join Date: Feb 2003
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I've always thought that the 117-seat Boeing 717 or the 100 seat ERJ-195 would have been a more ideal aircraft replacement for flybe than the larger Airbus & Boeing 737s, because there would not be a huge jump in capacity, and 717s do quite well performance wise on airports with small runways, limited apron space etc.
Have flybe considered these types? Or are they only looking at cerca 140 seaters?
Have flybe considered these types? Or are they only looking at cerca 140 seaters?
Join Date: Oct 2003
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bmibaby,
Flybe have certainly looked at the EMB190 but ruled this out as too small. Smaller than the 146 it would replace with only 108 seats available.
The 717 has been ruled out due to it's size and very few buyers. Remember that Flybe is made up of both the airline and the engineering arm. It is therefore key that whichever aircraft Flybe chooses it will have other users within western Europe.
There would be no point getting the 717 when the nearest other carriers are in the US or Australia......who elses aircraft can you make money from by servicing???
319 and 73G are therefore the most likely options and with Boeing's production line full for the next few years it appears that Airbus may be the favoured option.
Flybe have certainly looked at the EMB190 but ruled this out as too small. Smaller than the 146 it would replace with only 108 seats available.
The 717 has been ruled out due to it's size and very few buyers. Remember that Flybe is made up of both the airline and the engineering arm. It is therefore key that whichever aircraft Flybe chooses it will have other users within western Europe.
There would be no point getting the 717 when the nearest other carriers are in the US or Australia......who elses aircraft can you make money from by servicing???
319 and 73G are therefore the most likely options and with Boeing's production line full for the next few years it appears that Airbus may be the favoured option.
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Did they not cancel the options on the Q400's?
If they go for buses then good luck to them but as I said before..they'd need to pay the wages. Not too many people are gonna take £46k for lhs bus in SOU if they can get £67k up the road. As for lifestyle..well it's no better (or worse) in Flybe than it is in any other UK scheduled operator (except BA). End result = they will have to pay market rate for bus drivers or they won't keep them (which is why I don't think Jimbo will play with buses or boeings!)
If they go for buses then good luck to them but as I said before..they'd need to pay the wages. Not too many people are gonna take £46k for lhs bus in SOU if they can get £67k up the road. As for lifestyle..well it's no better (or worse) in Flybe than it is in any other UK scheduled operator (except BA). End result = they will have to pay market rate for bus drivers or they won't keep them (which is why I don't think Jimbo will play with buses or boeings!)
Pilot of the Airwaves
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JobsaGoodun
"There would be no point in getting the 717, when the nearest other carriers are in the US or Australia"
__________________________________________________
Not true my boy!
There are seven of the craft in Europe, four operated in Spain by AeBal, a subsidiary of Spanair. They hold options on a further 16.
I flew AGP-MAD-MAH on one only two weeks ago and back MAH-MAD, two days later.
Far more comfy from a passenger cabin point of view than an A319 or 73G.
"There would be no point in getting the 717, when the nearest other carriers are in the US or Australia"
__________________________________________________
Not true my boy!
There are seven of the craft in Europe, four operated in Spain by AeBal, a subsidiary of Spanair. They hold options on a further 16.
I flew AGP-MAD-MAH on one only two weeks ago and back MAH-MAD, two days later.
Far more comfy from a passenger cabin point of view than an A319 or 73G.
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IB4138 - I stand corrected however the point I was trying to make was that the potential revenue stream from servicing 717 in Europe is slim with so few of the type sold. Flybe stand a better chance with either 737/319 types.
In response to the wage issue. There is always more money out there if you want to find it, that is a fact of the industry we live in. However i'm pretty sure that there are plenty of people out there who would also love to be earning even £46k each year. For some, the upheaval of moving and setting up home, potentially away from their family, for an extra £15k is simply not attractive enough.
The pay is unlikely to go up significantly but you can bet the type rating will attract a hefty bond and this is how they'll retain the crews once on type!
Wycombe - Flybe got very little for the RJX - they were bleeding cash at the time of the cancellation and BAe knew that. As a result it came as a blessing in disguise and given the current status of the company and path it is trying to tread it would have been wrong to aquire them anyway
In response to the wage issue. There is always more money out there if you want to find it, that is a fact of the industry we live in. However i'm pretty sure that there are plenty of people out there who would also love to be earning even £46k each year. For some, the upheaval of moving and setting up home, potentially away from their family, for an extra £15k is simply not attractive enough.
The pay is unlikely to go up significantly but you can bet the type rating will attract a hefty bond and this is how they'll retain the crews once on type!
Wycombe - Flybe got very little for the RJX - they were bleeding cash at the time of the cancellation and BAe knew that. As a result it came as a blessing in disguise and given the current status of the company and path it is trying to tread it would have been wrong to aquire them anyway
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The 319 and 737 have more powerful engines, GCI has a summer service to Malta I think on a 737. Probably a rated t/o though.
Also there are more stands than two at SOU that can easily accomodate a 73/319: Stands 2-5, 8-10. only 6 and 7 might be a bit too short.
Tri
Also there are more stands than two at SOU that can easily accomodate a 73/319: Stands 2-5, 8-10. only 6 and 7 might be a bit too short.
Tri
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Also there are more stands than two at SOU that can easily accomodate a 73/319: Stands 2-5, 8-10. only 6 and 7 might be a bit too short.
Stands 2, 3 and 4 are the only ones that can take 737/319/320/757. And depending on which of those aircraft it is, there are width restrictions as well... e.g. if a 757 is on 3 or 4, the stands adjacent are restricted to an E145 or D328.
Basically, any operator who wanted to base aircraft of those types at SOU would be severely restricted. There can realistically be no more than 2 on the ground at any one time.
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Apologies, not Malta, Madeira. Maybe it goes via Portugal?
Was not aware of those stand allocation issues, but I have seen on a number of occasions B737's parked on stands 11-12. There were two on those very stands at the same time about 2 or 3 years back.
Tri
Was not aware of those stand allocation issues, but I have seen on a number of occasions B737's parked on stands 11-12. There were two on those very stands at the same time about 2 or 3 years back.
Tri
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We did indeed used to park 737's on stands 9/10/11, but when these were self manoeuvring stands the tail was at the rear of the stand, thus further from the runway and measured to place it under the sideslope.
Now that stands 9-11 have been converted to four nose-in stands, that removes that possibility, and given that we're pretty full anyway, we can't park aircraft like previously, off of the new stand markings.
If only the car park was a little further back... ho hum...
Now that stands 9-11 have been converted to four nose-in stands, that removes that possibility, and given that we're pretty full anyway, we can't park aircraft like previously, off of the new stand markings.
If only the car park was a little further back... ho hum...
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Difficult to say what COULD'VE happened, but yes, planning permission there is very difficult as it's next to a Country Park, and the local council are quite tough to deal with... although supportive generally, they are also very mindful of issues with local residents.
BAA have bought the land in which the SAM VOR currently sits, at the North East corner of the airfield, and although it is earmarked for 'business use', there is the possibility of it being used for aircraft parking in the longer term, but not for a good few years yet.
Basically, it's the current 12 stands for the next few years at least.
BAA have bought the land in which the SAM VOR currently sits, at the North East corner of the airfield, and although it is earmarked for 'business use', there is the possibility of it being used for aircraft parking in the longer term, but not for a good few years yet.
Basically, it's the current 12 stands for the next few years at least.
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Don't think Flybe will get an Airbuses or Boeings for a while yet. Quite a few 146 drivers are being put back on the Dash. More than likely that we might lease one or two a/c for EXT and SOU to do the Spanish routes, but would probably lease the crew as well. Possibly expect a few more Q400's than originally ordered...
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Is it possible there's been a change of plan and they will exercise some of the held options on the Q400 - then they can go for increased frequencies rather than increased capacity given the economic running costs of the Q400. If they do this would there be any requirement for 100+ seater aircraft other than for the longer sectors where the Q400 wouldn't have the range?
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Like said about pilots of 146's, a few guys at Belfast City are being asked to go onto the Dash-8 Q400.We now have 4 of these birds nightstopping with 1 lonely Dash-8 300 which runs back and forth to IOM and LCY.
Still would like to see FlyBe A319's though.
Regards
Still would like to see FlyBe A319's though.
Regards