Cyprus A320s to be scrapped?
 

Hello Guys,

just heard a rumour that Cyprus will get rid of its oldest 320s.

The thing driving me crazy is that these planes are planned to be scrapped AND the first one already arrived @OPF, the rest to follow soon?
This would be pretty unsenseful since still hundreds of B727,
737-1st Gen and much older MD80s are around on the airports of this world.

Can anyone confirm and explain this respectively can correct me if my information is wrong?


Thanks & Regards
Phil

Why should it drive you crazy that older and less efficient machines are being disposed of?

I think he's alluding to the fact that old generation aircraft are still flying whilst "newer" generation are being scrapped.

The first CY A320s are only 17 years old. However, based at LCA, close to the sea, they may have been subjected to higher than average corrosion levels. I don't know, just a guess.

Perhaps it's more likely that the Bus was built to a price ( read 'a subsidised low one' ) and / or that to make it meet the predicted ( read 'sales pitch' ) performance it was built a bit ( how shall I say ) 'on the light side' ( in all senses of the phrase ).

I have for a long time harboured the thought that Bus' will not be as 'robust' ( again, in all senses of the word ) as Boeings & MD's as they move into old age.

dont bother harbouring the fact re which lasts longer....boeing does.....look at one of aer lingus's A330s....so many mods needed to be done they as in airbus put it in the bin....
which would you prefer to fly at 10 yrs of age in a remote area...a 737 or an airbus? give me a 737 any day . I have have 5 yrs experience on airbus so I think I can speak fairly.
Here comes the airbus lovers to the rescue:ouch:

The last 2 posts were sponsored by Boeing, manufacturers of old technology airframes with just a few new wizzy bits in to make them just a little bit less uncompetitive. :ok:

A 17 year old A320 getting scrapped eh... well, you pay peanuts and you get quality to match.
:E

surely not... err, actually not.... I think you'll find that we're simply stating something which us drivers of jets know seems to be true.

Indeed the MD of FLS ( the aerospace engineering / aircraft technical support company ) personally said as much to me at some soiree ( a while back) ... that, basically, Bus' take more looking after then Boeing's - and if it weren't for the subsidised package that Airbus offer they couldn't compete on a genuinely level playing field..... and these are not my words, but his !

I do not think that it is a matter of not being able to match a Boeing engineering standard, though I must say that having flown the 737 it is a hell of an airplane and the airbus is nowhere as strongly built as a 737. But it does not have to be, because it is not meant to be. Big airlines change their aircraft every 7-12 years, after that the airplanes look old and pax do not like them regardless who builds them.... The initial customer and the consumer has to be happy for that period only. No one cares what happened to the aircraft when it moves down the food chain. The airbus is definetely better for passenger comfort (A320/737) and even on the 330/340 a lot easier to operate and still great for the consumer than alot of boeing products. Airbus has caught on to the era of cheap and durable for the waranty period, just like the cars, the electronics and anything else you buy nowdays. It is true that we all look at the marvels of engineering and admire past great cars, airplanes, etc but we all want to fly the newst, and drive the newst. Even Mercedes is not built like it used to be, but then again we do not keep our personal things as long either...

Well, Boeing are now building an aircraft (787) that is even more plastic than the most plastic bus, as 380/350 are using lithium-aluminium since they wouldn't guarantee the result of airbridge vs aircraft banging. Boeing zealots must be getting whiplash from trying to support big iron and whizzbang newtech at the same time.

That said, 17 years is short and there is a case to answer for Airbus here. Airlines generally write off aircraft over 20 years. It would be interesting to know what Cyprus' depreciation policy is, to see whether they anticipated an early write off. The corrosion due proximity to the sea is a good point but if so should we be seeing similar levels of corrosion on Caribbean aircraft?

Back to the original subject of Cyprus Airways disposing of some of their A320's.

On Cypriot TV News a few weeks back, they were reporting that Cyprus Airways were looking to sell one or two of their A320's as the Airline was in a "cashflow crisis" (their words not mine). They had infact sold one of their aircraft for a reasonable sum. The sale of the A320's was possible by Cyprus Airways reducing their network and frequencies.

Can't comment on Boeing Vs Airbus, as a passenger I judge on seat pitch and service.

That's a bit unfounded to say the least that it is less-well built. I think scrapped can be read here for departing from fleet. I would be very surprised if it is to be chopped up as scrap.

Many reasons could be from:

A -100 series aircraft, which is more expensive than leasing a -200 due to fuel or better purchase or leasing deal
Corrosion due to environment as mentioned above
Cashflow freeup

I well recall the wrecking ball being put through some lovely, perfectly serviceable and robustly built aircraft at Heathrow some years ago allegedly at the behest of a certain North American manufacturer. I'm sure those a/c weren't much older than these A320s. (The a/c I'm talking about, incidentally, was the wonderful VC10. The wrecking seemed to have almost been staged so that the public could see it happening, or am I just being paranoid?)

The point is, things aren't necessarily scrapped just because they're unserviceable. Food for thought?

Cheers,
TheOddOne

There is nothing wrong with the specific aircraft. I believe reg was 5BDAT. Only problem is that Cyprus Airways is in very bad financial situation and they needed cash flow immediately. Plane sold for $11.000.000.

Very bad decisions taken from managers-directors, as they have no clue how to run an airline. They continue the leasing of 2 very expensive A330 and 4 B737NG for Subsidiary company Eurocypria and at the same time getting rid of company own A320 well maintain with overhaul engines.

OK,I'm going to throw a spanner into the workings of this Boeing Fan Club,by telling you that pictured on March 31 parked in front of this 320 on Airliners Net at Opa Locka , is N926UA,a Boeing 735,built THREE years AFTER the 'Bus,and is ALSO to be scrapped,along with three others of the breed!

My Bus is better than your pig!

Re-Heat & pilot001 ,

I can assure you that the area where 5B-DAT is parked at OPF is owned by a company specialising in scrapping a/c.

I've been told the same thing.

Kidding aside, the real reason this planes getting chopped is that its worth more in parts than it is as a whole.

Think about it, not many third party parts avaiable for Airbus A320s... if you want any you have to speak to airbus. But now you can get em cheaper from these guys :ok:

I flew on -DAT a few years ago and am not shocked to read this. It was a shambles inside, nothing worked. Lights, crew call buttons, ovens..you name it, it was broke.

However, I will say it looked ok from the outside.

Just to confirm the facts with a picture:

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/815726/L/

1 Cyprus Airways A320 and as Oshkosh George rightly said, 1 United 737-500 behind.

Airbus 1-1 Boeing :p

The bus does look far too modern to be chopped though. I suspect it is hiding more problems than meet the eye.

It had the reportedly rare -A1 engines,perhaps they are hard to come by,and somebody wants them?

Jet2
Hang on ,there were FOUR Boeings. Make that
Airbus-- minus 1 Boeing-- minus 4!