Virgin Blue selects Embaer 190 for Future Growth

[Wirraway]

This turned up on my news alerts, can anybody confirm?

Wirraway

Luchtzac Aviation
Posted on Friday, December 31, 2004 @ 9:12 AM CET by sn26567

Virgin Blue selects Embaer 190 for Future Growth

KLMCityhopper writes "This week, the Virgin Group announced that the chance of selecting the Embraer aircraft is greater than before. Virgin Blue selected this aircraft, since it believes that future growth is vital for the airline to survive in the future, yet instead of flying the more populare routes, the 190 will fly the less dense routes, thus feeding the larger 737 aircraft. It is doubtable if this will work, since the main low cost sector is point to point, instead of the hub-and-spoke system used by larger airlines. Virgin`s choice is not that shocking, since jetBlue announced earlier this year that they too would select this aircraft. Virgin Blue will be one of the fwe low cost airlines flying with a duel fleet."

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[Capn Bloggs]

Bloody great. Competing against a brand new Jungle Jet -190 with a clapped out third-hand DC-9ski. PMO!:D

[Airspeed Ambassador]

From Flight International 9 November 2004

Boeing operator could require up to 20 regional jets
Australian low-cost carrier Virgin Blue has been assessing Embraer 170/190 regional jets and may be close to making a business case for an order.
Industry sources say the Boeing 737-700/800 operator has been assessing the large regional jets for some time and could potentially be interested in between 10 and 20 aircraft. In early April the manufacturer demonstrated its 70-seat 170 to the airline at its Brisbane base.
A regional jet order would represent a departure for the four-year-old carrier from most low-cost carriers' age-old strategy of operating a single type of aircraft. There is a precedent, however, as last year US-based JetBlue Airways broke from tradition and ordered 100 Embraer 190s to operate alongside its Airbus A320-family aircraft.
The sources say Virgin Blue's business development unit has looked at several different types of aircraft seating fewer passengers than its 737-700/800s and may be close to making a business case that could result in a future Embraer order. The key concern is that introducing a second aircraft type would increase maintenance and pilot training costs, however, and the sources stress that the airline may ultimately decide against it.
But if acquired, regional jets would be used to increase frequencies on some of Virgin Blue's thin routes to secondary destinations, and enable it to open new services to small points that either cannot be served with 737s or where demand is not enough to justify operations with larger aircraft.
No Embraer regional jets are currently flying in Australia, although several of the manufacturer's customers in the country operate its older turboprops. Embraer declines to comment on discussions with Virgin Blue and the airline insists it is "not looking at any other aircraft type at this time other than the 737s currently on order that have been approved by the board". It adds that it has four 737-700/800s due for delivery next year.
NICHOLAS IONIDES / SINGAPORE

[pullock]

Hey Bloggs - who is operating an aircraft that goes by that description?

FWIW have u been in the embraer - it's no substitute for a real airliner........

[Kaptin M]

it's no substitute for a real airlinerThe way pax cabins are configured these days, what aircraft is?!! :(

[OZBUSDRIVER]

Kaptin M Here Here!

[Buster Hyman]

I find the Air Ambulances quite comfortable as a passenger....

[ROKAPE]

I was told last night by a Virgin Blue CS, that a senior Captain she was flying with said "Looks certain that we're getting the jungle jet"... although this was just cockpit talk not a VB board meeting..:hmm:

[Chris Higgins]

The aircraft is fantastic. I've seen it, and it will completely revolutionise air travel. The costs are really low and the pax love it!

I've flown as a pax on the EMB-170 and it is just as comfortable as any other mainline narrow body aircraft. Do not consider this as another cramped RJ...it's not.:ok:

[Icarus2001]

I've seen it, and it will completely revolutionise air travel. That is a very big call. Would you care to explain what will occur during this "revolution"?

[Capn Bloggs]

Pullock,
who is operating an aircraft that goes by that description?
Not us..yet!;)

[mootyman]

Word has it that Embraer are pulling there head office out of Aus. due to the fact that they can not seem to sell or support any RJS. In that light it would not seem likely that the 190 would appear on our shores in the near future.

[Capt Claret]

I'd heard, from a refueller somewhere, that the machine was not considered robust enough for Australian conditions.

[Chris Higgins]

Robust enough for Australian conditions?! Are you landing them in some farmer's paddock?

To allow me to digress, Icarus 2001 , I woulld like you to do some research on your own for a change. www.embraer.com

Go to financials and also highlights. You'll see that Embraer has a backlog of orders that are now in excess of US$10 billion. Next , go to media releases and see that one of the customers is, in fact, Air Canada. Next , go do a Google search about Aviation International News. In it, you'll find a recent article about Bombardier suing Embraer in World Court, believing that their airframes must be subsidised by WTO loans, because they're selling so many and so cheap.

Quite frankly, I don't have time to deal with your myopic views of the industry, nor your unsolicited attacks. Go educate yourself.

The Embraer 170 has nearly 23% savings per seat mile of the 737-700 based on typical US fuel pricing. I suspect the savings are a higher percentage of total operating costs in Australia, where fuel is more expensive.

No, I don't fly them, prbably never will, and quite frankly don't give a sh!t if they end up in Australia or not.

I've got a week off from having flown VIPs around The Carribean. I'm off to the gym to work out and then back home to relax in front of a fire in my 5,000 square foot brick home, situated next to a ski resort!

So Icarus, if you weren't pissed off at me before...now I've given you a reason.

Enjoy teaching your "students" how to work with ATC at the tower. I'm sure you find it gratifying to be told how great you are by people who don't know any different.:p

[Pete Conrad]

Pullock, whats a real airliner? A 717? The 190 is a real airliner.

[druglord]

robust enough for australian conditions? they're made in the freakin jungle near the equator and are good for ISA+35 to
-54C. so unless you're taking 'em out to Balgo on a regular basis
i think they should cut the mustard.

[Icarus2001]

All very interesting Mr Higgins but you still did not answer my question. I am actually researching the aircraft as we type but your claim that it would "revolutionise" air travel is typical US hyperbole. Perhaps you have been living in the land of the free and home of the brave too long and some has rubbed off?

It may well lower costs but in what way does that constitute a "revolution"? Direct aircraft operating costs have been steadily falling for the last twenty years as better technology provides incremental fuel efficiency gains. If Embraer have managed to ratchet up the size of the increment that still falls a long way short of a "revolution".

Sorry I must have missed something. Is where you live and who you fly around as passengers for your employer in some way relevant to your statement?

[Chris Higgins]

Icarus 2001 When you have done your assigned homework and made some valid comparisons, I will then entertain your questions. Until then....

and by the way the way, if as many people are concerned about the quality of training in Australia, I don\'t see it as a stretch to see that you are part of the problem.