B737 Operation out of BNE

[an-124]

Hey Guys, I have heard that there is a new start up freight outfit operating B737's out of BNE. Anyone have any more info?

[Grivation]

Is this Express Freighters Australia that advertised in the Australian today?

[Warped Wings]

www.expressfreightersaustralia.com

Seeking the AAE contract perhaps?

[Guppy Driver]

quote: "Seeking the AAE contract perhaps?"

I don't believe that would be required - This gig belonged to them (QF aka expressfreightersaustralia.com) to begin with, and they're only taking it back after bringing home 4 x -300's from Jetconnect NZ.

[alidad]

http://www.search.asic.gov.au/cgi-bin/gns030c?acn=57954189&juris=9&hdtext=RSVN&srchsrc=1

Don't get too excited chaps- it is only a reserved name at this point.:(

[vagabond 47]

Bit dodgy giving Comprehensive Passport details to some email address that provides no solid evidence of Positions available.......Screw them?

[Dehavillanddriver]

They would have to be up for false advertising wouldn't they?

from their website...

We use the most advanced technology, the latest equipment

I fail to see how a bunch of clapped out -300's converted into freighters meets the criteria of "the most advanced technology"!

[Led Zep]

Maybe they have the latest, most advanced belt loaders and tow tractors? :}:E

[hoss]

I've applied:) . For more information try Qantas news.

[Arctaurus]

Qantas to Provide Freighter Aircraft to Australian air Express Latest News
Sydney, 27 March 2006
Qantas announced today that it would convert four Boeing 737-300 aircraft to freighters for domestic freight operator Australian air Express (AaE).
The Chief Executive Officer of Qantas, Mr Geoff Dixon, said this was the first jet freighter conversion work ever to be undertaken in Australia.
"We will establish a new operation to undertake the work at our facility in Avalon, Victoria, creating 60 jobs.
"This new operation will convert four Boeing 737-300 aircraft into freighters and then wet lease this capacity to AaE," Mr Dixon said.
"We are pleased that the work will be undertaken in Australia. The engineering skills and facilities we have available at Qantas Engineering's Avalon base make an onshore option viable for this project."
Mr Dixon said that third party work such as this would give the Avalon base good growth prospects into the future.
The B737-300 aircraft are currently being utilised by the Qantas Group's New Zealand operation. They will be replaced in New Zealand by four Qantas B737-400s.
The conversion work will commence in April 2006 and be completed by January 2007, with the aircraft entering AaE service as they are completed from August this year. It will utilise conversion kits developed by Israel Aircraft Industries' Bedek Aviation division.
"Once in operation, the converted aircraft will deliver efficiency and reliability benefits to AaE and replace three of the company's fleet of Boeing 727 freighters," Mr Dixon said.
Australian air Express is owned jointly by Qantas and Australia Post.
As the news report says, it will be a wet lease (crews and aircraft). I don't understand why AaE wouldn't crew this, and why the separate company (and I am assuming Express Freighters is in reality QF here) . -Any ideas ?

[ComeByChance]

It's easy to work who this company really is.

The reason behind the new company, simple terms and conditions.

[Howard Hughes]

This website looks a lot like the National Jet website.....(both powered by StaffCV)

If you do not have a B737 Type Rating, are you willing to to obtain one at your own cost?
Correct answer = NO:ok:

[Capn Bloggs]

I don't think it's NJS: even they can put up a website that has proper english on it. Either that or their proof-readers are "by the seaside".

[Wingnuts]

This appears to be a fishing expedition, most likely by AAE. Having rejected NJ’s bid to crew their 73s, they now have a problem, who is going to drive them?
Jetconnect was a pretend contender, they do not have the resources to operate both sides of the pond and a mainland freighter does not fit their LCC template.
That leaves QF. Their pilots, inorder to minimise redundancies, are very keen to get the flying, which could be considerable, up to 15 aircraft. But they are too expensive and their maintenance does not come cheap either. In addition, if the two industrial grass fires, maintenance and pilots, QF is dealing with at the moment should flare up into bush fires, AAE would be badly burnt collateral damage. They have contracts with the likes of TNT, Toll, DHL etc and face hefty penalties if delivery is not overnight. This makes them the soft underbelly of QF strategy and would be the logical target of the unions if they were to crank up the ante in negotiations. And there would be no disruption to the travelling public.
AAE-Australia Post can see the train coming. They need to distance themselves from QF and come up with a plan ‘B’. As punters, we can only speculate that Express Freighters Australia is it.

[Dashim]

Quote "Jetconnect was a pretend contender, they do not have the resources to operate both sides of the pond and a mainland freighter does not fit their LCC template."
Wingnuts... Need to do some homework. Jetconnect is a serious contender. They Fly the aircraft currently, they have an Australian IAOC and there are alot of ex Ansett pilots within their ranks. They are considerably cheaper than QF mailnline and they are part of the QF Group. Need there be more...?

[BAE146]

Howard Hughs it is not NJS, they lost the contract to AAE because of the poor maintenance on the 727s. Last I heard (2 months ago) Jetconnect were the successful bidders for the 737s.

[Capn Bloggs]

146,
they lost the contract to AAE because of the poor maintenance on the 727s
Oh really? Stay on Fantasy Island and/or keep breathing those fumes.:ok:

[Chocks Away]

The Townsville Refueller tells me it was due to fussy/inflexible crews, that they lost it to Jetcon...:confused:

[RENURPP]

they lost the contract to AAE because of the poor maintenance on the 727s

BAE146, I understand you had your mental problems well before any "fumes
"got to you.

Get over it mate, get a life.

As pilots we can specualate as to why they lost it, BUT, we do not know, and I suspect you know less than most.

[JetPack]

According to my info Jetconnect was told 2 weeks ago they will not get the flying.

Whoever it is they must have an Australian HAOC, as the first aircraft is due in June and we all know it takes more than 3 months to get an AOC.

So who could do the flying?

Qantas mainline; yes but their costs would be to high.

Jetconnect; Yes but rumours say they will not get it as Jetconnect, but what if Jetconnect were to set up a lower cost:hmm: operation (aka Express Freighters Australia) and operate under that name, but use the Jetconnect AOC.

NJS; My understanding is they have only lost the B727 flying, but will still keep the 146 flying. So they could still operate the B737 plus they did operate a B737QC for QF 8 years go. The crews employed to fly the B737 would be under different (read lower) conditions than the current B727 and 146 pilots.

J*tcr@ft or Pelair; Both are outsiders, but you just don't know these days. Pelair does have substantial jet night freight experience with their Westwind ops.

OzJet; They have an AOC with the B737(-200) on it but I think we can rule them out.

A New Operator; Unless they have been working on an AOC for the last 6-12 months, then we can rule them out, but who knows maybe it is a new (read lower cost).

[Dashim]

Guys...
The first aeroplane is still sitting at Christchurch Airport... waiting to be put back togehter...then exported back to aus
Sources within Jetconnect say they have the flying but maybe under a differente company name... it's not too hard for them to get a Aus AOC.
Get with the program.... It's all about reducing the costs of crewing the aircraft..

[gas-chamber]

JetPack, why would you rule Ozjet out? They have the AOC and presumably still have the drivers and ops structure, as they still advertise on their website that they are available for charter. The only problem they might have is no maintenance if AAES was sold to a hostile party or the receiver shuts it down. But who would do Jet Connect's maintenance anyway?

[JetPack]

The only reason I rule out OzJet is timing. Qantas and AAe have been planning this for 12 months or more and up until last month OzJet were a competitor to Qantas. They may still be the dark horse if Qantas really wanted to rattle the cage. If Paul was smart he would be knocking on Dixon’s door offering his AOC.

[BAE146]

Don't shoot the messenger boys. I am only reporting what I have heard from the horses mouth - sorry old backward ppruner (old buddy !)

Despatch reliability before NJS 98%, in the past two years has been as low as 87% >>>> go figure.

Chocks Away nothing fussy/inflexible when it comes to writing defects in the maintenance log. It's either serviceable or it ain't !!! Telling fibs about defects is unlawful and carrying them is darn right dangerous.
Remwmber safety is everyones business.:p :p

[gas-chamber]

Qantas now have a spare AOC of their own with the shut down of pax operations by Australian Airlines. Not too much work to write the 733 freighters into it, maybe? Of course with a D pay scale. About $105000 for a capt and F/O on 65% of that. Sadly, pilots will flock to it just to be home and flying a Boeing.

[Guppy Driver]

Interesting little video from Israel - in comes AN 733 pax -out goes Channel Express 733 freighter.

http://www.iai.co.il/sip_storage/files/5/33905.wmv

Note - this wmv-file resides on veeery slow server.

Guppy

[Led Zep]

Interesting little video from Israel - in comes AN 733 pax -out goes Channel Express 733 freighter.

http://www.iai.co.il/sip_storage/files/5/33905.wmv

Note - this wmv-file resides on veeery slow server.

Guppy

****e...0.2KB/s. :bored:

[Guppy Driver]

Yeah - I know, if you're interested though, it's actually worth the wait.

[Led Zep]

Ah Ansett, how I miss you.

Certainly was worth the wait. :ok:
Would not want to have a blunt pencil doing that kind of work. :}