B757 Freighters from Melbourne

[gameboy1971]

A couple of months back there was some speculation that there would be an operator setting up a freighter operation with something like 5 x B757 aircraft out of Melbourne.

Does anyone have any details or links? I have done a search and can't find it.

Many thanks

[wessex19]

From what I am told, there is a major Australian freight company which has been expanding with leaps and bounds over the last few years and have had trouble getting all there freight on AAE and QF flights (probably because they are the opposition). Some nights they are trying to lodge over a tonne of freight "loose" on DJ flights to Perth as a last resort and it aint always working well. Word is that they have been looking at subcontracting exclusive usage of aircraft around the B757 size to do Syd/mel across to the west. This company is a major player and looks like it will keep expanding if current trends continue. T**L has purchased part ownership in Bankstown airport, and is about to construct a major operations base there.

[woftam]

Yes B757 freighters are on the way.
Can't say much more at this stage.
;)

[rescue 1]

Have heard the same thing - believe its not far off from getting final approval.

Some ex AN people involved in flight ops

[23 Metros In a Row]

Little is a smart cookie, but somehow not smart enough to get a 757 into his airport at Bankstown, and definitely not good enough to get one out.......even empty.

There are much better options than a 757 for such a bold task

[Wingnuts]

Toll requested tenders early in June for supply of 757x2, 737x1 and 146x5, based in Newcastle.

Challenge Airways have done alot of work and have secured 2 757s should they win contract.

Also, National Jet have put bid in for 146s.

Successful tender to be announced shortly.

[bitter balance]

Have a look around for how many 757Fs are available in the market place. I think there is a conversion slot mid next year - bring your own airframe. Have a look at how many 146QTs are available in the market. There is 1 in Melbourne (scary thought) and that is it. A conversion program will be available for pax to freight in about 30 months - money down now!

[topend3]

if this rumour were to be true it could have serious consequences for dj freight into perth as i believe they rely heavily on t**l as a major customer...

[23 Metros In a Row]

And I don't think that 757F are the right gear for this job

I also would question why they would be interested in a bid from NJS, as they are the current service provider to their NOW very large competitor AAe/Startrack.

I would think that their intention is to build their own network rather than be another shop front for AAe, which is in a way what the current situation is................

My mail is that there are other operators who are also proposing services, who are more likely to get the nod than a startup operation.

[Z Force]

Metro's why don't you consider a 757 suitable?

[Lurk R]

Doesn't Luke Butler have a 747 free??? :D

[bitter balance]

The 757 is by all accounts a fantastic machine. Apparently extremely reliable with excellent performance. The problem is when it comes to paying for them. High capital cost (Over $US200K a month), fairly high operating cost plus low utilisation in Oz night freight = :( I also hear (but can't vouch for) that the RB11 is not a cheap engine when it comes to low cycles and flight hours. They like 3000 hrs plus p.a. not 1500

If Challenge has cracked the utlisation conundrum that every Oz night freight operator faces - then they may be on to a winner. Seafood into asia on the cards again?

[apacau]

757s aren't the only machine being looked at. Nor is the base yet determined

[wessex19]

23 Metros In a Row; nobody said anything about operating B757 aircraft out of bankstown, just that T**L is in the process of constructing its major Sydney hub there. The main point is that T**L are struggleing to get the tonnage they require to be carried from the established operators and it has come to a crunch point. At one stage they were going to close down their Erskinville base and had even notified employees about entitlements etc regarding the move of Sydney ops to BK. A little birdie has told me that senior management are reconsidering there options and have extended their inner city lease by a few years with employees being told to forget the relocation process for the time being. Their growth has really taken them by suprise!! My mail is that there will be news within the next 12 months about a restructure of their arrangement regarding turbo-props also. Stand-by to Stand- by.

[23 Metros In a Row]

Yep, not even I am so naive to think we would see 757 kit at BK. However, they are only any good in SYD before ugly o'clock, as after 1030 only the hush puppies can stroll the hallowed turf of SYD.

And why can't we just call the TOLL. They are big enough

[apacau]

One day someone will realise that to get overnight freight into Sydney, you don't need to operate into YSSY. I can think of 2 major 24-hr airports close enough to handle larger a/c and close enough to have the freight well and truly in Sydney city by beginning business day. Both are willing and realise the opportunities they can offer.

On a seperate note, do Toll operate their Bankstown metros themselves or are they run by someone else on behalf of Toll?

[23 Metros In a Row]

Toll contract their turbine requirements to Jetcr@ft, who have about 10 machines in work for them at any one time. Rest of the piston work is done by a gaggle of despirates or des-"pirates", some of which I had the pleasure of working for at one time.

The logistics and cost of trucking from either NTL or anywhere else to the distribution centres in Sydney suburbs really does not help the economics of looking at these alternate airports as real freight options.

[Wingnuts]

The drum is that NJ has also tendered for the Toll 757. Just what they do not need; another aircraft type. Their pommy parentage may be clouding their judgement. ‘If it is Rolls Royce powered, it must be jolly good’. You’re behind the eight ball to operate one or two of anything. Economy of scale dictates at least a fleet of four and with six, you are kicking goals.

But does the 757 stack up in the context of Australian airfreight?

It first flew in 1982 and, as good as an aircraft as it is, the airlines never took to it, did not want to know about it. BA was forced to buy it by the British Government as a lifeline to RR. Otherwise, it may have never found a launch customer. Later the Pratt became an option to attract American airlines but sales always remained slow and spasmodic. Only about 700 were built.

Boeing marketed it as a 727,707, DC8 replacement but now it is joining their ranks as early examples are rapidly being flicked passed by the airlines and rebirthed as a freighter in high density, noise sensitive America and Europe. Its Achilles heel is what makes it so attractive to naive operators; a glass, digital cockpit. It is 1st generation, old 70s technology. Works well when it is working but when intermittent, ‘unable to fault’ gremlins kick in, it is very, very expensive. Unfortunately, its on board troubleshooting is also 1st generation and is basic compared to modern day diagnostic facility.

I understand the plan is to operate it PER-MEL, PER-SYD return, which will deliver about 4 nights x 8 hours flying weekly per aircraft. Not enough. Though Singapore is a possible daytime destination and would also provide maintenance.

Capacity wise, it takes 14 pallets (Boeing built freighters have 15), 2 more than the 727. Can that justify the additional capital investment and operational cost? After all, you can almost buy a 727 for the monthly leasing cost of the 757.

Then the details. Like where do you find an up- to- speed 757 LAME? Like where’s the sim? Ask Alliance about the costs associated with their sim in Seoul. CASA in the past would not wear commonality with the 767 and if they are true to form that will not change.

But then again, our cousins across the pond have seen fit to choose it for their VIP fleet….!

[Borneo Wild Man]

Wingnut what dribble,
my type rating clearly states 757/767 (Aust ATPL) and as for LAMEs (757/RR)there are alot of very experienced ones(incl Aust nationals)sitting 3 hrs north of DRW including a sim.

[Patriot One]

Wingnuts - that has got to be the most uninformed, uneducated piece of rubbish I have ever read. The 757 was indeed an extremely popular aircraft and around 1,000 were built. To date it remains one of the most reliable jets ever built, but only in the RR configuration (it was also offered with an appalling P&W engine). The RB211-535E4 stands as one of the most reliable engines ever built, often referred to as bulletproof, even though some of the earlier models (when the 757 was first introduced) were not as good as the subsequent mod.

BA, AA, UA, DL, USA, UPS, among many others operated huge fleets of these aircraft (AA had over 150) and most still do. Further, despite reportage to the contrary followng 9/11 by industry commentators that she would forever be consigned to the desert, every single operator has rushed this aircraft type back into service due to her magnificent range/payload characteristics, ability to operate into and out of "tight" airports without payload compromise, that restrict smaller aircraft, her low operating costs and her pax capacity (200+ in all economy). Just have a look on any of the "aircraft for sale" websites and you will see there are prescious few 757/RR aircraft for sale.

Outside of the high-capacity domestic RPT operations in which she found massive deployment, the aircraft is the absolute stand-out amongst the charter airline operators in Europe and the UK, because of her ability to operate to the hot, marginal airports in the med with full payloads.

Finally, as a freighter she is without a challenger. A 39 tonne capacity on all but the most restrictive of routes, and range, with this payload, the same as the 767-200. Her operating costs are less than the 737/A320 and by far and away much better than the 727. Her high-bypass engines also make her one of the quietest jets in the world and in this regard she even challenges the Bae146 on 2 of the 3 noise criteria as defined by ICAO chapter 3.

By the way, the new conversions being offered by Precision & BF Goodrich, Boeing, STAero & Alcoa, both offer the freighter in a 15 pallet configuration, and these conversions are available now.

Oh, and by the way, CASA recognises the 757/767 as a common endorsement, and as the aircraft has been on the Australian register for many, many years (via AWAS) it is not considered as "first of type".

I think that about updates you on your view of this aircraft.

[Spotlight]

Wow.

Difference of opinion or what!

[BAE146]

Any Operator considering the 757 had better have VERY DEEP POCKETS ! .....................just ask anyone from DHL Bahrain.

[DomeAir]

Patriot One just about said it all.

Although it did get off to a slow start, the B757-200 has been a winner for Boeing and continues to offer a unique payload/range combination. The B737NG and A320 family have eaten into the B757 market but it still fills a niche for certain operators and remains integral at AA, UA and others.

As a freighter, the -200PF offers up to 39t but the conversions are around the 29-33t mark, depending on ZFW options and OEW. Apart from that, they are pretty much identical.

It will be interesting to see which way freight operators go given there is no similar replacement to the 727-200F. For the next few years, they either go lower with the 737-300/-400 or increase up to the 757-200, until A320 conversions begin. As pointed out though, the ownership costs on the 757 are substantially higher than the 727...and the RRs can be expensive on short sectors!

[Towerman]

There are very few readily available B757 Freighters. DHL took about 25 ex BA ones and they arent on the market. There are a few conversions - AWAS the leasing company are doing a couple and Boullioun have completed one to order for a Client. Alcoa are doing one for Babock & Brown - again to order.

GECAS have a conversion program at Bedek Israel but mainly for B737-300's.

The turnaround must be at least 6 months so that gives a 2-3 year lead time.

On the other hand there should be loads of 146QT's - aren't Korda Mentha still draggimg their heels over selling the ex Ansett ones??