Qantas Freighters

[737 guru]

Rumour doing the rounds that the white rat is getting ready to wet lease two 747 - 300 freighters from polar-air for the growing market in and out of oz. Possibly coming online once the FAA issues are sorted.

[Buster Hyman]

FAA or FAAA?

10 posts in 4 years!...Lift your game young man!:p

[737 guru]

yeah, ok point taken, i prefer to read rather throw my life away on these pages such as yourself buster.......;) ;) ;) ;)

[Buster Hyman]

Is it that obvious?...:( :sad: :{ :{ :{

Don't let the 3k posts fool you...remember they rewound them back to zero a few months back! :bored:

[Going Boeing]

The big US freight operators make good money carrying freight from Asia to the US with not much going in the other direction, so Qantas is able to negotiate a very good discount on using these freighters from the US to Oz and Oz to Asia. The acquisition of an additional two services is just in response to increased demand.

I'm surprised that they are using -300s as the extra weight of the longer upper deck (as compared to the -200 & -400F) means less payload can be carried, unless the freight is bulky in which case the upper deck provides more space.

[18-Wheeler]

I'm surprised that they are using -300s as the extra weight of the longer upper deck (as compared to the -200 & -400F) means less payload can be carried, unless the freight is bulky in which case the upper deck provides more space.

The -300 upper deck provides no extra space over a -200, as there's no way to get taller pallets into that area.
They're slightly heavier, though slightly more fuel efficient and 0.01 mach faster, that's all.

[74world]

For info the first flight should operate in August, from Europe to OZ via china..................it won't be a classic but a 400, possibly 2!:p

Cheers....:ok:

[wessex19]

So I assume Polar-air will be crewing them. I think its unfortunate that the Qantas board has a mindset of "just say no to freighters"!! While we are on this topic. I remember a number of years ago Qantas had B747-combis. Does any operator anywhere operate them anymore and if so, are there any based on the B747-400's.:cool:

[slice]

18-Wheeler. Is the fuel efficency and cruise speed improvement due to improved aerodynamic characteristics of the extended upper deck or did Boeing make some other improvements ?

[18-Wheeler]

AFAIK it's mainly the extra length of the upper deck, which reduces the drag a little.
I think some of the -300's might also have the later versions of the wing root fairings, which also reduce drag a touch. They are the type used on (at least the early) -400's.

[74world]

G'day,

No, it won't be Polar air but Atlas Air (parent company),but things could change), the first flight was due to leave Amsterdam on August 3rd, aircraft N418MC (744), but there is a slight delay (paerwork)...

Cheers.:p

[Hippolite]

KLM still operates 400 Combis from AMS to HOU daily, arriving HOU at around 2pm local time.

HH:cool:

[Capt Claret]

Nothing to do with 74 freighters with QF but

my only flight with QF prior to its acquisition of Australian Airlines was in '72, London to Melbourne on a 707 combi. Fowrard fuse - freight, aft - pax.