QF 744 doing circle work over Penty? [Archive]

Leatherdog

2nd Apr 2006, 03:59

I live in Greensborough just north of the Penty Locator (Melbourne) and at 1345 EST I couldn't not notice a QF 744 with a large amount of flap and its gear extended doing visual orbits at round 2500-3500 feet. The amount of thrust required to maintain altitude sounded very expensive!

Does anybody know what up with that?

Could it have something to do with the Grand Prix?

In wait with interest

Leatherdog:ok:

UnderneathTheRadar

2nd Apr 2006, 04:24

Yep, grand prix - did flyovers about 10mins before the race started.

UTR

Ronnie Honker

2nd Apr 2006, 05:23

The question that has to be asked, when Dixon is counting the number of crumbs wasted on each bread roll, is
WHY?

A lead car sponsored by QANTAS would have achieved more, and cost less.

Who was on board for that wasteful little junket?

Kiwiconehead

2nd Apr 2006, 05:34

A lead car sponsored by QANTAS would have achieved more, and cost less.
You're kidding right?
How much to tool around a 747 for 30min?
Compared to the telephone number figure you'd need to get QANTAS down the side of a Renault, Maclaren or Ferrari.

Added to that is it's all out of the marketing budget, not operational. You can be dead broke on the brink of bankruptcy and the marketing tools still get the caviar and champagne and megabucks for some stupid ad camapaign.

Ronnie Honker

2nd Apr 2006, 07:12

"A lead car "...a pole car.

How much to tool around a 747 for 30min?How much indeed?!
They would have burned close to 8 or 10 tonnes (8,000 to 10,000 kgs) of gas for a start, add to that air nav charges, actual aircraft operating time -for a 30 minute flight, add 15 minutes either end for taxi time (so total operating time is now at least 1 hour).

It's a no brainer in my opinion.
Dixon is frivilous with the money when HE wants to be, putting his claims of wanting to run as efficiently as possible in a wastebasket.
This will be added to QANTAS' other debts, to prove that it is not being as efficiently run as Jet*.

Elroy Jettson

2nd Apr 2006, 07:23

Deep pockets, short arms. The tinny b@stard is probably writing it off on tax as a delivery flight to the "new" maintenance base in Avalon! :ok:

Blown Seal

2nd Apr 2006, 07:40

By no means defending gd, but I have just watched the GP in HK and the plane did get a fair bit of airtime on the Star Sports coverage. So whilst it probably cost a lot of money, the huge international exposure gained would far outweigh it. Seems like pretty good sense to me.:cool:

*Lancer*

2nd Apr 2006, 07:53

How low was the flyby? I'll bet there wasn't a CASA dispensation to break 1000' (probably didn't get that low anyway) :E

Kiwiconehead

2nd Apr 2006, 07:54

The tinny b@stard is probably writing it off on tax as a delivery flight to the "new" maintenance base in Avalon! :ok:
No, it will be part of the marketing budget approved last year.

You guys really don't have a clue do you. Marketing money is inviolate, there is always money for advertising or promotion, no matter what penny pinching is going on elsewhere, even Jetstar advertise.

"A lead car "...a pole car.

F1 safety cars don't carry sponsorship, just the F1 logo.

And as an idea of the money we are talking, it cost Emirates around US$20-25 million to get "Fly Emirates" on Kimi and Juan Pablo's rear wings for this year.

Still think tooling a 747 around for 30min is expensive?

evyjet

2nd Apr 2006, 07:58

I can't beleive some of you fellow aviators think this is a waste of money.

This is BASIC business sense.... smart advertising at low cost! .. and yes it will be a tax deduction, but that's almost irrelevant. Every person at the Grand Prix would have seen that Qantas Logo, along with most of Melbourne, and most of the world........ Millions and Millions of people. What AWESOME advertising and brand recognition.

Now go find out how much the one hour of operating a very light 747 is, then ring up for prime advertising during the Grand Prix!!! Bloody great move, hence why they keep doing it.

You few fellow Pilots that think no further than your own little world of WIIFM, need to get in the real world.

Start your own business, then never advertise, to keep your employees happy, then see how you do!

And I'm not management, and I do think most fellow Pilots are being treated like crap, but this is just a no brainer!:bored:

Habster

2nd Apr 2006, 08:39

Well said evyjet.

Woomera

2nd Apr 2006, 09:25

Thanks evyjet.

C'mon folks, prime time world wide TV audience, several billion revheads, all with a bit of money for travel. :ok:

Conservatively several millions of free exposure. As the man said a no brainer.

Murray Walker said the Melbourne GP is the best and has the most non F1 entertainment of all the GPs. Mostly they are just the race, period.

Mon son is going to Europe next month will be near Monaco when its on there, he's going with his mate, cost AUD $850 ea. for a grandstand seat near the exit of the tunnel, they get ferried to and from. Have to stay in Nice and commute no biggy but when the GP is on so are the prices for accom etc. And they are not the most expensive seats and there is only the race. :{ $566ph for the entertainment. :}

Enema Bandit's Dad

2nd Apr 2006, 09:53

They should have had the F18 and Roulettes formate on it. Now that would be a sight!

Ronnie Honker

2nd Apr 2006, 10:06

If it was such a brilliant marketing coup, then why didn't we see Jet*, Virgin Blue, Australian, and Emirates circling the place as well?

Too easy.

Because regardless of what Woomera's son pays for a ticket to enter Monaco. he'll still look for the CHEAPEST deal on the net to fly him there.
Unless he's using Dad's FF points (or his own).

A needless waste of shareholders' money - a banner tow with QANTAS tagged behind would have achieved the same exposure for 1/50th of the price!

Elroy Jettson

2nd Apr 2006, 10:31

Hate to question the moderator, but Woomera, do you honestly think M Walker thinks Melbourne is the best? He used to say that about Adelaide, when he used to commentate at Brands Hatch, do you think he used to say, "This is nice, but not a patch on Melbourne!"

This grand prix in (insert current location) is obviously the best on the circuit!"

Cmon! "Nobody rocks like Springfield!"

OhForSure

2nd Apr 2006, 10:32

a banner tow with QANTAS tagged behind would have achieved the same exposure for 1/50th of the price!

Yeah, and I'm sure it would have had the same effect. Everybody around the world watching a bugsmasher pulling a banner behind it. PaaaLease!!! Now a QF 744 towing a banner that reads "Let's fly Jetstar"... that'd get some looks!

king oath

2nd Apr 2006, 10:41

Evyjet is spot on re advertising budget and tax deductions.

Also if its the same 747 parked at the domestic terminal later in the arvo it probably did a syd-mel in the morning loaded with petrol heads coming down for the day followed by a return to syd late arvo with same petrol heads aboard.

Nothing turns heads more than wall to wall, block of flats, 747 at 1500ft over the suburbs of Melbourne showing the corporate flag. And the taxpayers are refunding 30 cents in the dollar corporate tax rate. Ripper maaaaaate!

Ronnie Honker

2nd Apr 2006, 11:29

Nothing turns heads more than wall to wall, block of flats, 747 at 1500ft over the suburbs of Melbourne showing the corporate flag. And the taxpayers are refunding 30 cents in the dollar corporate tax rate. Ripper maaaaaate!And achieves what? Other than turned heads.

My guess is the effect on sales of QANTAS, achieved by this flyover is a big ZER0

it probably did a syd-mel in the morning loaded with petrol heads coming down for the day followed by a return to syd late arvo with same petrol heads aboard. Only if they couldn't get cheaper fares.
After all, isn't THAT why Dixon is trying to screw everyone?
If flying Jumbos over public events is likely to have a marked effect on sales, why not recommend THAT to God, in place of his slash and burn policies.

More than likely though, it's BECAUSE of these obscenely flagrant, unaccountable, and wilful wastes of money, such as today's flyover, that QANTAS is in the position Darth says it is, and why QF staff are being subjected to threats of replacement by cheap o/s labour.

"Nero fiddles, while Rome burns"

UnusualAttitudes

2nd Apr 2006, 12:08

'INTERNATIONAL EXPOSURE". More people would watch the GP in Europe (even in the middle of the night) than our total population.

Sure it cost a s#*tload but not a patch on the $25+ Million Emirates spent.

Buster Hyman

2nd Apr 2006, 13:09

Look what advertising on the cars did for OzJet...I'd stick with a flyover.:(

Sunfish

2nd Apr 2006, 21:16

Lord Leverhulme (lever & Kitchen - Lux Soap) once famously said " I know 50% of my advertising budget is wasted. The trouble is that no one can tell me which half".

Evy is right. It's a legitimate marketing expense.

The flypast by the Jumbo was not directly connected to sales in the form of "Gee, there is an airline called Qantas, I think I'll go and buy a ticket"

Its connected to whats called "Brand Recognition" - which is to actually get the name "Qantas" connected to the word "Australia" and the word "Airline" and the notion "Good" and have that concept inserted into the heads of millions of motorsport enthusiasts.

Then hopefully when they enter a travel agency in Leeds or Dusseldorf to enquire about their next holiday destination, they might see a Qantas brochure, know what it is, and pick it up.

Ronnie Honker

2nd Apr 2006, 22:21

Then hopefully when they enter a travel agency in Leeds or Dusseldorf to enquire about their next holiday destination, they might see a Qantas brochure, know what it is, and pick it up.And then ask the T.A., "Who has the cheapest airfares to Australia?"

As it's such a great marketing coup, I expect from now on at EVERY GP anywhere in the world to see airlines doing flyovers.

Hmm, I wonder if QF would be game to do the same at a Thai G.P.?:ouch:

lowerlobe

2nd Apr 2006, 22:30

Sunfish...you could not be more wrong ...of course it is directly related to sales..

Do you think that they do it just to show that qantas is an airline and not a hubcap manufacturer.

It is about brand and that next time you want to fly you think about qantas.. advertising.....pure ,simple and effective..how many billboards do you see with Fosters at GP's around the world that do not sell Fosters but people watching in countries that do.

Ronnie Honker.....If they did have an aircraft in the vicinity at any other GP and they could get permission they would..other airlines do the same at other shows eg in the uk at Duxford and Gulf Air in the Bahrain GP

Jetsbest

2nd Apr 2006, 23:21

Ronnie,
It's the Qantas Aust F1 GP; one of those 'preferred partner airline' thingies. For anyone else to attempt to flyby the track would be ambush marketing and therefore NOT approved I'm sure. I'll bet QF wouldn't get a look in at the Dubai GP either unless it paid $25M for a logo on a wing etc. I'm with Sunfish, Elroy, Evy, King, UAs...... Haven't you ever wondered why marketers get paid bigger bucks and have bigger budgets than most of us put together?:ok:

Dogimed

2nd Apr 2006, 23:51

Jaysus....

What a bunch of wet blankets. It was a great show to see the big jet flying around melbourne. Not many people get to see the aircraft so low and slow.

Who gives a flying fig how much it costs. The exposure is fantastic. Everyone remember SAA flying around the test matches.

(Why do pilots think they can run a company). Guys & Girls, your employed to fly the damn thing, thats all.. nothing more, nothing less.

RENURPP

3rd Apr 2006, 00:40

Cheap is not every thing!

If all you guys practised what you are preaching, Virgin and Jetstar would be the majot airlines in Australia.

Whilst cost plays an important role for me, as it does for 99% of the population, actually enjoying the experience and feeling comfortable play an equal role.

When I purchase a ticket I compare price, times and the company.

Then I generally fly QANTAS. Why? The price is normally not significantly higher, in fact regualrly cheaper than Virgin.
The product, although going down hill to some degree, is still superior to virgin, and Jetstar, well they don't even rate.
Availability again QF wins most of the time.

If you are worried about wasting $$$$ how many of you have written to your respective companies with cost saving ideas, rather than tell us how you could run the company better than Dixon on prune??

Just to clarify I hope he rotts in hell myself, but he is just one of millions of management types selling the country down the tiolet.

separator

3rd Apr 2006, 00:52

I've managed to create a few low level flybys by QANTAS B744s, just by saying "Go round'.

They were generally much more spectacular than the GP effort.

Perhaps I should seek recompense from QF marketing for my assistance?

sep

Frank Burden

3rd Apr 2006, 01:44

sep,

maybe you should be working on commission for the fuel companies :ok:

Ascent

3rd Apr 2006, 02:41

Ronnie,

Its true most clients will ask "whats the best fare to..." but the surprising thing is its usually followed with "and whats Qantas/Emirates". Its quite funny the number of people who will pay the 2500 QF fare to LAX when TN have a 1200 fare (with seats available). Same goes with the LX/AY vs BA/QF on the Kangaroo.

Actually had a client looking for fares to LAX ask about emirates - had no clue about the airline/where it was based/service ect just asked because they sponsored the footy or something. So it does work

OzR

3rd Apr 2006, 05:28

If it was such a brilliant marketing coup, then why didn't we see Jet*, Virgin Blue, Australian, and Emirates circling the place as well?

Too easy.

Dead right Too Easy - QANTAS were one of the event sponsors. Hardly expect the organisers to allow non sponsors to get a look in to the televsision space.

kiwiman

3rd Apr 2006, 06:06

Honker .....you're a plonker.

Huge exposure for Qantas. No, you are not going to be able to say that 1000 tickets were sold as a direct result of the flyover, but the flyover wasn't that type of advertising. It was all about maintaining the brand and a big plane flying low over corporate Australia and a global tv audience would have achieved that quite nicely.

Merlins Magic

3rd Apr 2006, 07:08

TruBlu351

3rd Apr 2006, 08:03

Lighten up people.
How is it that nothing is ever said about the the F-111 'Dump and Burn' or the squadron of F-18's doing displays at events such as this. If you think about it, we are paying for the military display and what does it achieve? It is hardly an appropriate simulation of a bombing run so it is definately not a training flight nor does it scare other counties from attacking us, so what purpose do they serve.
MM

ADF displays such as the Hornet and Roulettes is all about PR and advertising - just the same as Qantas - Brand exposure. It also gives great pleasure to the THOUSANDS of tax payer spectators to get some great entertainment. If you sent a survey around to all spectators it would be almost be a unanimous vote - KEEP IT COMING!

Q gets on the world TV stage and the ADF gets to show thousands of young people (potential recruits) something very action packed and dynamic.....which they look at and say, "I want to be apart of that". The more you have to chose from, the better quality recruits you get.

A real bombing pass is IN and OUT flat chat.....not good for spectator enjoyment. Multiple reattacks (as in a 10 min display) aren't very tactical - hence a formalised display to show off some of their handling characteristics.

Ron & Edna Johns

3rd Apr 2006, 11:16

Well, despite all of the above discussion, the TV coverage was stuffed up! Channel 10 had gone to an ad break. Upon return there was a commentator saying "there goes the Qantas 747...." and there is a fleeting glimpse of some aeroplane in the distance.... So whilst I acknowledge there were other broadcasters there, the Australian free-to-air viewers saw virtually nothing of the QF fly-past.