757s in Oz?

[Alex 009]

Just a thought, how come the 757 (200 or 300) never really 'took off' downunder (excuse the pun). Surely the range/payload would of been great benefit, and a familiar flight deck with the 767 would of made conversions cheaper. Not to sure about it any more, but BA were able to use them on short runs (LHR-MAN) and now (granted with winglets attached) are going to be doing Transatlantic with their 'Openskies' airline with up to three classes on board. Surely the 75s could of been of benefit on the Sydney/Melbourne-Perth run, as well as Perth to Singapore?

[Buster Hyman]

I can tell you why Ansett didn't want them. A single, loooooong aisle means a very slow boarding & disembarking period. Sure, it was no problem for other carriers, but AN didn't want that to be a factor in turnarounds...IIRC.

[Taildragger67]

Maybe there wasn't the need; QF brought in 767s when it was only international (you wouldn't remember, sonny) and AN and TN still had 727s. By the time TN became Australian became QF domestic, larger 737s were becoming available; so no need for a small number of a new type (even where there is some commonality). Likewise AN still had 727s then got 320s. Then went bust. :{

Freedom Air flew them into Aus for a while. And don't think that a 75 can only get across the pond with mostly J-class loads or winglets added; Boeing designed them for point-to-point transatlantics, for thinner routes (eg. runs like Cincinnatti - Brussels). they are a oft-used ETOPS performer. They are pretty versatile, BA have used them on routes ranging from shuttles, to transatlantics (767s likewise are also used by BA on everything from short European hops to 10-hour ETOPS runs to the Caribbean).

[Gresley Pacific]

The 757s a great a/c. Used to fly it for a large UK charter airline both shorthaul around Europe, and also longhaul across the Atlantic sometimes with 233 pax. Similar cockpit to the 767 with a few differences in the hydraulics and pneumatics, etc, but nothing major which allowed pilots to be dual-rated. We also alternated every 6 months in the sim between the 757 & 767 without any probs.
I would love to see some 757s operating in Oz, but I seem to remember a discussion on pprune a few years ago where some folk reckoned the lack of room for pallets in the holds with the subsequent need to load bags by hand wouldn't work well here for quickish turnrounds. Ok, it's not great.......but if baggage handlers in the Greek islands can manage a 50min turnround, surely the Aussies ones can do better..........but then again!!

[airsupport]

B757s were operated quite efficiently on domestic flights in Australia, during the troubles of the late 1980s, not by Australian Operators though.

[chimbu warrior]

Taildragger 67, maybe I am misunderstanding your post, however it infers that QF had 767's before AN. This was not the case; AN introduced 767-200's in 1982, whereas QF did not get their first 767-200 until 1985.

An interesting scenario would have been if AN did get 757's instead of 767's (and A320's), as they would have been capable of operating to many more places and would have IMHO been a more suitable aircraft for Australia.

Yes, single-aisle is slower to board, however the aircaft offers many other efficiencies. Hopefully someday an Australian freight operator will recognise what a great machine the 757 is. :8

[Mach E Avelli]

It would also be a great charter aeroplane, where the single aisle and slow loading of holds doesn't matter so much. It has relatively low pavement strength requirements and good runway performance. And it looks horn.

[AxelPNG]

Apart from PX with their leased 757 are there any other operators flying into Oz using 75's?

[Buster Hyman]

Royal Brunei did...not sure if they still are though. RNZAF too.

[vortsa]

I can remember AN flying 757's in '87 from perth to east coast using scabs....

[Stationair8]

Wasn't Impulse's grand plan to operate B757's to Perth from Melbourne and Sydney?

[training wheels]

Yes, single-aisle is slower to board, ..

If only the airlines of the 80's and 90's had the vision to use the rear exit like they do today to speed up turn-around times. ;)

[Taildragger67]

Chimbu Warrior,

No I wasn't saying that QF got their 762s before AN; rather just that when AN got their 76s, they still had 727s (and so did not need 757s to fill that capacity gap). Indeed IIRC when AN ordered its first 76s, it also placed an order for 4 additional 72s (IIRC they were -277ERs or something along those lines?).

And I meant that QF ordered its first 762s when it was still only doing int'l ops, ie. prior to merger with TN.

Mach E Avelli,

It is a great charter aeroplane. Lots go through EGKK. Monarch, Astraeus (Bruce Dickson from Iron Maiden is a captain), the airlines formerly known as Condor and Britannia etc., Air2000/First Choice... have all run them at one time or another.

Just not much charter traffic ex-Oz.

[airsupport]

Indeed IIRC when AN ordered its first 76s, it also placed an order for 4 additional 72s (IIRC they were -277ERs or something along those lines?).


Close, LRs. ;)

Yes, the glory days at Ansett, "GOING BOEING"...........

[THE-BOOB]

A totally obsolete aircraft that was never suited to the Australian market. The 767 was chosen due to the wide body aisles and the long range versatility. The 737 chosen because it doesn't require pallets and specialized loading equipment at out ports, as well as the "agricultural" reliable nature of the aircraft.

The Australian charter market is nowhere near ready for a large aircraft charter operator. If it was, it would have happened. Oh yes, it has been looked at.

[Mach E Avelli]

Strategic is a large aeroplane charter operator and doing OK, it seems. And they don't even have Ozzie registration, so there's a lot of internal work they can not bid for. If someone could actually afford the lease or purchase, a B757 does not cost much more to run than a B737-400. 10 years ago, who would have even contemplated somebody like Alliance or Network or Ozjet flying 100 seat jets in this parochial land? Never say never.

[THE-BOOB]

When you say a 757 doesnt cost much more to run than a 737, it is obvious you have flown neither type.

[Mach E Avelli]

Is it indeed...?

[ithinkso]

Yes my good man...indeed it is