Merged: QF to receive first A380 Sept 19

[Pedota]

From Airline Transport World . . .

Qantas said yesterday that it will take delivery of its first A380 on Sept. 19 in Toulouse. It will fly the aircraft to Singapore and then to Sydney, where it is scheduled to arrive on Sept. 21. GM John Borghetti said QF will operate its first A380 commercial flight from Melbourne to Los Angeles on Oct. 20 and will operate a Sydney-LAX flight on Oct. 24. It plans to take delivery of three A380s by year end and has a total of 20 on order. It plans to launch Sydney-Singapore-London Heathrow in early 2009.

by Geoffrey Thomas

[aulglarse]

Great news for Qantas. Why bother going via Singers , they have had the upper hand for a while now. Why not go via Dubai? Too many hornets in the UAE?

[VH-Cheer Up]

Wow. How come Melbourne scored the first commercial departure of a QF A380?

[Capt Fathom]

How come Melbourne scored the first commercial departure of a QF A380?

In order to keep Sunfish quiet!

[Wod]

Must be Sunfish.

Couldn't be payload related to the MEL-LAX sector. That would represent a sensible plan.:rolleyes:


P.S. Anyone know relative payloads MEL-LAX-MEL 747-400 Heavy v. A380?

[Going Boeing]

I believe that the A380 range is about the same as the B744ER so it will not be payload restricted on the MEL-LAX sector but will not be able to carry full pax plus full freight on the LAX-MEL sector.

[rammel]

The mix of cargo carried on the MEL-LAX sector, is no where near the amount carried on the MEL-SIN sector of QF9. On the LAX flight we are hardly ever near MZFW, but on the SIN sector it is quite often up near MZFW. So with what we are carrying at the moment ex MEL i'm not expecting too many, if any payload restrictions. I guess we'll find out soon as we receive more info on the A380.

[Taildragger67]

Out of interest, has anyone converted to the 380 from the 744, or has everyone on the 380 come off the 330?

[Hardworker]

what has happened to QF's fourth & fifth A380?
Apparently Airbus accidently backed an A320 into the tail carbon fibre horizontal stabiliser box section causing a lot of damage! Doh!
Nbr 5 was parked outside and it has been damaged by hail extensively! Doh!

[captaindejavu]

Of those already finished the A380 course, none (as far as I know) have come from the B744 and all have come from the A330. Most of the A330 guys have, of course, previous B744 time. :ok:

B744/B743 converts start in a month or so and will be available to crew aircraft #3 onwards.

[Jet_A_Knight]

For those interested....painted in QF colours.

Photos: Airbus A380-841 Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net (http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1382240/L)

[SilverSleuth]

Its still the worlds ugliest Aircraft

[Selfloading]

Looks magnificent :ok:

[Taildragger67]

aulglarse,

Great news for Qantas. Why bother going via Singers , they have had the upper hand for a while now. Why not go via Dubai? Too many hornets in the UAE?

Maybe because Dubai isn't a QF market and Singapore is. Even if SQ has had them for a while, QF will be keen to show off the new toy in one of its major markets. Who would QF be showing it off to in Dubai (given that Dubai is not currently a QF market)? Whether or not QF should be operating to Dubai is clearly a topic for another thread.

One suspects QF will have the press and other hangers-on crawl all over it during its stopover.

Also Dubai will not be an operational station, whereas Singapore is - so it might be better to get as much experience into one of the main stations as possible.

Also, whilst SQ have been the only kids with the new toy for a while now, going through WSSS is an opportunity to make it public that their solo run's now over.

The Great Circle track for Toulouse-Sydney is also shorter via Singapore than via Dubai so you're saving gas on a non-revenue flight (Airbus fill the tanks prior to departure but you may as well try to save as much of that as you can).

What does surprise me, is that QF is not trying another record-breaker delivery a la VH-OJA back in 1989.

[airtags]

bugger the route - Singapore or Dubai for that matter
happy to do the endorsement and even happier to do the ferry from Toulouse

[RodH]

Who cares what the A380 looks like from the outside.
It's what it looks like from the inside that matters.
Those extremely large cruise ships don't look very flattering from the outside but boy! is the inside a bit swish.
When the pax are sitting inside enjoying the extra room and great facilities do you really think they would give a damn about how the outside looks .
It's not necessarily designed to look good it's designed to be very functional .
As Mae West once said " good looks certainly help but good , big , well functioning bits are better "
:E:E:E:E:E

[lowerlobe]

Who cares what the A380 looks like from the outside.
It's what it looks like from the inside that matters.
....Very true RodH but what does the QF 380 look like on the inside compared to SIA's and others?

The comments about the interior pics shown so far have certainly been unambiguous:ooh:

[Peter Fanelli]

Who cares what the A380 looks like from the outside.
It's what it looks like from the inside that matters.


The QF A380 looks like ****e inside as well.

[Buster Hyman]

http://images.theage.com.au/ftage/ffximage/2008/08/21/QantasA380FirstFlightHamburg2_wideweb__470x295,0.jpg

Well, the font on the fuselage looks new, but gee that looks like the old Roo!

[Ken Borough]

I don't know which is the uglier: the A380 or the 747SP. The A380 would certainly be more attractive if it were a few metres longer.

[Buster Hyman]

Indeed, they fixed the 747SP by stretching it.....

[Ken Borough]

No they didn't Buster! The SP was spawned some years after the initial B747-100's. Are you're thinking 'domestically' in that Boeing 'fixed' the look of the -100 series of the B727 by inventing the -200 series?

[Syd eng]

Have to say I loved the SP it was like a coupe model off the 747-100/200.

[Capt Kremin]

I think Buster was having one of his little jokes. Hey Buster, we haven't seen your sister Misty yet in the Olympics. Is she well?

In other news, one of the QF pilots getting route experience on one of the A380 prototypes (not the QF ones) had the first engine failure recorded on the type, which is a little bit of a worry for such a new aircraft. The A380 and the QF guys, apparently handled it well though.

[Ken Borough]

it was like a coupe model

...and flew like a hot rod! Power to weight was just amazing.

[gameboy1971]

it is the new roo - the easiest way i have found to tell is that the 'chest' part is straight, rather than curved.

[Keg]

.....the easiest way i have found to tell is that the 'chest' part is straight, rather than curved.

The easiest way I've found is to look for the red elephants head. Trust me, once you 'see' it you never see a white kangaroo ever again! :{ :E

[Buster Hyman]

Thanks Kremin. Misty couldn't go...all that smog...bad for anyone called Misty......and whaddya mean "little"???:suspect:

"Caught me a Ken I did today!...It was thiiiiiis big!":}

EDIT: Ahh yes, I stand corrected. I'm used to looking at the legs to determine the new tail logo & it's obscured in that photo. Cheers!:ok:

[Mr. Hat]

Call it what you want but i'd give my left nut to fly one.

[Taildragger67]

it is the new roo - the easiest way i have found to tell is that the 'chest' part is straight, rather than curved.

Well the easiest way I've found is that it's on a brand new aircraft!

Buster,

As for 'first flight' - mate it flew up from Toulouse to Finkenwerder to get fitted out & painted.

(Note to self: maybe he means first flight in full Rat colours... ??)

[Buster Hyman]

Just whipped it out of the Age website TD. Have NFI what it's been up to...first piccy I've seen of it airborne....in those colours...

[airtags]

it looks good - for the fare paying punters in flight service initiatives and changes also are good news - especially in J & P. Interior config is better than Singapore's.

Might just be the thing to redeem some of disgruntled & jaded corp accounts.

(just a shame that the 744 P class will be left to deteriorate further:{)

[gameboy1971]

funnily enough they painted the 1st QF a380 tail first with the old livery, then stripped and painted the new when that came out.

my observation was more for the older a/c than the new :)

[Taildragger67]

Buster,

No worries, saw the same thing myself this morning on the SMH website - an AAP story, standard lack of research on their behalf. I'd be interested to know how they think it got from Blagnac to Finkenwerder if not having flown. But their thinking does not appear to go that deep. :hmm: :ugh:

Then again to be ultra-pedantic, it is not yet Qantas's first A380 as it's still owned by the manufacturer. :8

[TIMMEEEE]

I agree with others......it is an ugly aircraft!
Is it just me or does this monstrosity look like a beluga whale?

In the words of the late, great Donald Douglas, "if it looks right it'll fly right".

Also its just a big bloody aircraft....nothing truly innovative about it really.

Its engines aren't innovative (compared with the 787 with bleedless engines), its structure isnt exactly innovative compared with other alloy airframes (compared to the composite frame of the B787) and the much criticised production line is hardly innovative either (compared to the B787 which has a radically new assembly procedure).

About the only thing it has in common with the B787 is its late delivery!

[gettin' there]

Is it just me or does this monstrosity look like a beluga whale?



I tend to think a "Dugong" is closer to the mark :}

http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:oHoAUA8SL6uBgM:http://www.dkimages.com/discover/previews/851/20118365.JPG (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.dkimages.com/discover/previews/851/20118365.JPG&imgrefurl=http://www.dkimages.com/discover/Home/Animals/Mammals/Dugong-and-Manatees/Dugong/Dugong-4.html&h=349&w=768&sz=16&hl=en&start=35&um=1&usg=__O1lHvUnY6KY8WBfYWu_8H1TOPDU=&tbnid=oHoAUA8SL6uBgM:&tbnh=65&tbnw=142&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ddugong%26start%3D18%26ndsp%3D18%26um%3D1%26hl%3 Den%26rlz%3D1T4WZPA_enAU231AU231%26sa%3DN)

Still anything THAT big that can actually fly is still impressive.

[captaindejavu]

...Also its just a big bloody aircraft....nothing truly innovative about it really....

Do you have an A380 endorsement on your licence? Have you actually handled the aircraft? (and the QF SIM is even better than the one in Toulouse in some respects). Have you any experience on it?

Some of us posting here have, and all you have done is prove that you haven't and that you're a prize :mad: 'n goat!

Grow up.

[Buster Hyman]

Well, considering gettin' there's dugong piccy...maybe we should start calling the A380 Colin?:confused:

[7378FE]

Expect Virgin Blue / V Australia to celebrate the A380's arrival in their usual style :}

[zlin77]

We can only hope that the introduction of "The Pig" in QANTAS is not fraught with the recurring nosewheel steering and fuel pump problems that have been a serious issue in SQ.

[Eastwest Loco]

I concur that the A380 is the 21st Century BUFF on the ground, but after following the maiden flight on the Web filmed from a chase aeroplane, I changed my mind.

The girl looks brilliant cleaned up and motoring along.

It scares me a little as it is so large.

Chuck Yeager once said "Never fly the A model of anything."

One should give his words credence to a degree I suppose.

Best all

EWL:E

[StallBoy]

TIMMEEEE wrote,

Its engines aren't innovative (compared with the 787 with bleedless engines), its structure isnt exactly innovative compared with other alloy airframes (compared to the composite frame of the B787) and the much criticised production line is hardly innovative either (compared to the B787 which has a radically new assembly procedure).

About the only thing it has in common with the B787 is its late delivery

AND THE 787 HASN'T FLOWN YET OR IS IN AIRLINE SERVICE YET

WILL THE 787 BE CALLED THE 787 Spruce Goose??????

[Mr.Buzzy]

Fuel tanks are too big.......

A long time to be listening to "his excellency's" opinions on stocks, the little Irishman's next move, bluddy Rudd, Costello's comeback, the new X5 and how he can't wait to go spill beer in Dicko's pub.

Yaaaaaawn... tell me more captain 5 bars.

Anyhoo skip..... I'm off to check the door locks in the crew rest.... :O

bbbbbbbbbbzzzzzzzzzzzzzbbbbbbbbbbbbzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[Selfloading]

Hilarious, all these people trying to start a nickname for the A380 :p

[Keg]

Yes, the Dugong only has one real nickname! :ok:

[B772]

Now that EK have been advised their second A380 will be delayed there are rumblings that the early aircraft are 5 tonnes heavier than contracted for. Also reports of the endurance being just over 13 hours. Just as well EK do not plan to ops trans pacific with their A380.

[woftam]

EK's one and only A380 is U/S in DBX as we speak I believe! ;)

[Taildragger67]

Just as long as they have one ready for me at DXB on 27 Feb 09 (touch wood... ) they can be as late as they want!

[B772]

A380-800 Driver

I have found some info on the B747-8I from Boeing that will be of interest to you.

The MZFW is planned to be 288 tonnes

The EOW is estimated to be 212 tonnes

DOW will vary by operator

Your A380 payload of 66 tonnes looks a bit "sick"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

The 747-8F numbers are as follows.

MZFW 321.6 tonnes

EOW 187.6 tonnes
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ps. I have access to a Boeing document that makes some comparisons between the A380 and the B747-8I. I could post it if it was of interst to you.

[Jabawocky]

And so far only Lufthansa have ordered the Intercontinental, unless anyone has ordered one lately.

You would think QF would be smart to sell off some of their later A380 slots and go the 747-8.

If the 777 to 747-8 is a simple transition as promoted it would make some sense.

Maybe thats the plan and it will make some $$$ for QF down the track with more efficient newer Boeings and the rest are heavily tied to the A380 fleet.:hmm:

J

[Bolty McBolt]

Now that EK have been advised their second A380 will be delayed there are rumblings that the early aircraft are 5 tonnes heavier than contracted for. Also reports of the endurance being just over 13 hours. Just as well EK do not plan to ops trans pacific with their A380.

EK have a diff engine option to SQ and QF. I have heard a rumour that the EK engine variant has a HOT and HIGH thrust penalty that reduces T.O. weight up to 15 tonne... The rumour also has it that the short fall was not discovered until on wing test.

Anybody heard same or can confirm? or see the irony?

[Taildragger67]

Right...

Now that the 747-8 has been mentioned, I toss this grenade in for the delectation and consideration of PPRuNers:

QF to be offered some of those puppies as part of the 787 delay compensation package?

This is just a thought, not based on any inside info, just like a 'Discuss' essay question.

Good-o, I'll just unfold my deck-chair and crack open a VB...

[aiming point]

Wonder if the QF380 delivery will be delayed now whilst waiting for the findings from the recent EK380 "incident" :eek: .

Bet management are waiting with bated breath.

[blow.n.gasket]

Heard a good one the other day.
Instead of the Dugong a few of the lads have taken to calling it
"The A-3 Latey" :}

[Alex 009]

And so far only Lufthansa have ordered the Intercontinental, unless anyone has ordered one lately.

You would think QF would be smart to sell off some of their later A380 slots and go the 747-8.

As massive blow to Boeing was BA not ordering the 747-8 (I think I remember at the time BA said that no Roller engine options had something to do for it. I know a few people who are still suspicious about flying on the A380, especially with the 747 being such a proven product (9th Feb 1967 I think???).

[Pedota]

Does anyone know if the A380 is still due tomorrow – and if so, what time?

[Taildragger67]

Pedota,

SMH reports (http://http://www.smh.com.au/news/news/qantas-a380-ready-for-takeoff/2008/09/17/1221330893943.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1) the A3Latey will be delivered in Toulouse on 19 Sep and reach YSSY at approx 0900 AEDT 21 Sep.

It's good that it's fun to fly (so I'm told), it doesn't get any better looking no matter how many times I look at it...

[Keg]

Instead of the Dugong a few of the lads have taken to calling it
"The A-3 Latey"

The Airbus blokes I've spoken to recently have taken to referring to the two Airbus types in mainline as 'the 30' and 'the 80'. They don't look real thrilled when you say something like 'The 80? Oh, you mean the dugong!' :E :ok:

[Tankengine]

And it seems the 330 may be the "minibus!":ouch:

[what about 320?]

[Selfloading]

If the A380 is the Dugong the 747 must be the Humpback I suppose.:}

[Wod]

It's a Double Decker Bus.

That's what it is.

And from some angles it is well proportioned. But if front quarter to head-on.... it's a dugong.


(Mind you, dugongs are cute )

[sthaussiepilot]

Latest Airlines.net photo has the VH-XXX tail number on the A/C

May need to go have a little mosy around SYD tomorrow :ok:

(sorry if this is all old info)

[Ka.Boom]

So Far who has the Dugong and what are the reliability figures?
By that I mean how many times have they broken down?

[Jet_A_Knight]

For those interested, they can view the delivery ceremony here:

A380 Delivery (http://www.a380delivery.com/qantas/)

Friday 19th September,2008 8:15PM GMT+2

[Taildragger67]

The Airbus blokes I've spoken to recently have taken to referring to the two Airbus types in mainline as 'the 30' and 'the 80'.

oh that's just a bit too cool...

Boeing drivers should confuse them by just referring to everything as 'the 7'...

Then again I s'pose we get '73', '76', '74', 'Tripler', etc...

Could always be very chi-chi and do the full French pronunciation:

"A trois-cent quatre-vingt" :ok:

[Andu]

Have any of the airlines already operating the whale (SQ?) come out with any figures for pax/seat/km costs against the B773?

[packrat]

New Technology
Experienced Pilots
The Cheapest and most inexperienced Cabin Crew.
Bing Bong...excuse me Captain how do I turn the Cabin Lights off?
Never volunteer to work on the "A" version of anything..paricularly French technology(an Oxymoron?)

[Sunstar320]

Anyone know the YSSY movements of the QFA380 for next Thursday???

If you do;), please PM me

[sthaussiepilot]

Didnt It take off today and land on sunday? (well thats whats supposed to happen according to "the australian" story

[Back Seat Driver]

sthaussiepilot,
Remembering today in Toulouse, happens about 8 hours after it does here in Aus. (not allowing for that South Aus time difference thingy). :ok:

[UDP]

Packrat.

Not all the crew are inexperienced. Yes some are young (I can only assume everyone was young once) and have never flown before but there are still a big number for crew with 10-20+ years experience with both Qantas and external airlines who will be flying on the A380.

Even crew with years of experience still can't turn the lights off. I had a CSS on my flight kept going to L2 on the A330 to turn the main cabin lights on/dim/off til I advised him you can do it from L4.

Cheapest crew! Current crew voted for it, so no one who accepted the conditions of QCCA should be outcast or made to feel any less of a human being for wanting to do a job that for years was not available to them until QCCA was established. On the same token if current QCCA don't like the pay, conditions or destinations, should think of another career option.

I am happy to be flying on it once MEL crews are trained and will do a very good job of it.

We are all 1 team. Some get paid double to do it.

[sthaussiepilot]

Ah I thought Airbus might have been nice enough to convert for us...

Cheers :)

(And I herd it (380) was touring, so I'd imagine, SYD-MEL-ADL-PTH-DWN-BNE-SYD ?)

(I dont live in South Australia anymore either (just figured the screen name as its where I started)... moved to the east coast :cool::cool:)

[watch your6]

A number of onboard managers use the panel at L2 to switch the lights off on an Airbus....reason being that the panel at L4 hardly ever bloody works.
BTW....we are not all one team and will never be

[UDP]

"BTW....we are not all one team and will never be"

I am all too aware of that.
I can't for the life of me understand why QF wants to inject new life into a sad sad bitter product.

[UPPERLOBE]

Err, don't mean to be a party pooper, but isn't the hyphen in the wrong spot.

Photos: Airbus A380-842 Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net (http://www.airliners.net/photo/Qantas/Airbus-A380-842/1392726/L/&width=1500&height=1010&sok=keyword_%28%27+%22014%22%27_IN_BOOLEAN_MODE%29%29_&sort=_order_by_photo_id_DESC_&photo_nr=6&prev_id=1393343&next_id=1391569)

Just imagine NB-W saying to Darth "who is Nancy-Bird?"

Should I vent my spleen here or just understand that history is completely lost on the "individuals" who now run a once proud airline?

[speedbirdhouse]

UPD,

having worked with many of the "new life" I can categorically say that a fair percentage are sub par. Which is of course to be expected.

QF aren't so much injecting "new life" but rather "cheap life" and one does more often than not, get what one pays for.

Can't wait for the A380 to roll out

Oh, BTW, "uniforms" are issuing shiny new jackboots for the shiny new "uber managers" on Monday :ok:

Curiously and of course by design, the level of experience, maturity and good judgement possessed by the "selected" A380 Onboard Managers will mirror that of the flight attendants.

Ideology counts for nought in the operational environment but then again what would those running cabin services know of the concept??

Think the white stocking obsessed Kiwi fruit loop with the double barrel name and you'll know what I mean.

It promises to be quite a "show" :} :E

[Ken Borough]

The juveniles that have flooded Qantas have delivered a monumental insult to a grand lady of Australia's aviation history. Was the painting etc. supervised by Qantas staff? Even Qantas's latest press release gets Ms Bird-Walton's name wrong. :sad::sad:

The first Qantas A380, named after Australian pioneer aviatrix Nancy-Bird Walton, aged 92, will depart Toulouse at 2355 and operate via Singapore to touch down in Sydney at 0900 on Sunday, 21 September. Nancy-Bird Walton will attend the official naming ceremony for the aircraft in Sydney on 30 September.

Does Qantas have another lady in mind?

[Pedota]

I am willing to bet that the hyphen is moved to right spot on the aircraft by the time it arrives in Sydney . . . a little bit of hand painting required in Singapore?

[Wod]

What a monumental PR embarasssment.:uhoh:

As a friend said after I e-mailed the picture


Just as well her name wasn’t Nancy Boy-Walton

[moneytalk001]

Check this out

VIDEO & PICTURES: Qantas talking to Airbus on A350s, more A380s (http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/09/19/316209/video.html)

[Flight Detent]

I watched the channel 9 news that showed the handover etc in france, with the speel that told us how this huge white elephant will be more fuel efficient than a B747.
Well, that may be so, but only when it's completely FULL of pax, and it's a very big machine to fill on any specific flight!

Whereas the B744 is somewhat smaller, and much easier to fill on any specific flight.

So, after all the initial hype has passed, Q will have it's work cut out to fill this beast every flight, otherwise it will continue to be a very expensive white elephant!

..I'm one that will never see the inside of one!

Cheers...FD...;)

[whatever6719]

What are u talking about? The aircraft doesnt carry that many more than a 747 ( im guessing maybe 100 or so at most ) and from where im standing, QF 744s are packed to the rafters anyway.
Bring it on!!!!!

[Qantas 787]

What a stuff up - I am sure someone will blame Airbus for it. At least the naming ceremony is on the 30th so they have time to fix it up. Fairly embarassing regardless of who is responsible.

[Wod]

Flight Detent

I think you miss the point with this aircraft.

Roughly 25% capacity increase for negligible extra fuel burn into ports with severe slot constraints like SYD and LHR represents a profit improvement with capacity growth.

Sound business.

But it would help if you had half competent people on the PR side.:O

[overwinger]

Here is a link to the Qantas A380 interiors
http://www.a380delivery.com/qantas/panos/tour/tour/index

[overwinger]

Here is the latest photo's of the Qantas A380.....360 deg views
:p
http://www.a380delivery.com/qantas/panos/tour/tour/index





Working QF A380 link HERE (http://www.a380delivery.com/qantas/).

Tail Wheel

[NIGELINOZ]

There is a helicopter circling over London at the moment (4pm London Time,Saturday 20/9) with a giant Qantas flag in tow.
Sounds like a novel way to promote the new plane!:ok:

[Age]

More A380 hating garbage from FD ..

The MEL-LAX route alone is begging for this plane - currently fully loaded & serviced by weight restricted 744ER's (which themselves were custom ordered by QF to replace 744's) that can barely make the trip back ..

The fact that QF are deploying the 2nd & 3rd planes to SYD-LHR despite this demand is proof those routes need it as well ..

Anyway - kudos to Airbus & QF for the launch in Toulouse - that light show on the plane was absolute quality !

EDIT: Touchdown in Sydney just shown live on Ch.7 - approx 9am AEST

[Autobrakes4]

speedbird (or any other cabin crew),

Why would any current Qantas Onboard managers (non QCCA) want to go to the 380, and take the pay cut? Or are the "selected" ones (as you put it) going over on their current pay/conditions?? Are the "selected" ones Company favorites ie yes people??

[capt.cynical]

Any body know the CC compliment on this big mother ?
zone by zone if poss.:ok:

[flying-spike]

Maybe by post code would be more appropriate!

[QF A330]

OneCustomer Service Manager,
One Customer Service Supervisor,
11 First and Business Flight Attendants and
Nine Flight Attendants

[ditzyboy]

A friend of mine, who just finished is A380 training, said 22.

1 CSM
First 3 F/As
Business 8 F/As
Premium Economy 2 F/As
Economy 1 CSS 7 F/As

[UPPERLOBE]

A lot of talk in the media this morning about Qantas' B747 first arrival in SYD in 1971.
Good 'ol VH-EBA still lives and fly's.


Photos: Boeing 747-238B Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net (http://www.airliners.net/photo/Kallat-Elsaker-Air/Boeing-747-238B/1205332&tbl=photo_info&photo_nr=5&sok=keyword_%28%5C%27%2B%5C%2220009%5C%22%5C%27_IN_BOOLEAN_M ODE%29%29_&sort=_order_by_photo_id_DESC_&prev_id=1222534&next_id=1157302)


:ok:

[NSEU]

Any truth to the rumour that QF got this one cheap... because it was one of the test aircraft (which was riddled with wiring defects).

:E

[capt.cynical]

:) Thanks, 330 & ditz. :ok:

Getting on & off buses will be fun, not to mention checking in & out of Hotels. The CSM will need a calculator and checklist. :eek::{:uhoh:

Maybe a cattle dog and whip as well. :E:rolleyes:

[Capt Fathom]

And today's paper is still referring to Nancy-Bird Walton.

Like most reporting these days, there is no attempt to check the facts. Near enough is good enough! :ugh:

[Keg]

Any truth to the rumour that QF got this one cheap... because it was one of the test aircraft (which was riddled with wiring defects).

No. One of the reasons why QF has their aircraft so long behind SQ was specifically because we didn't want any of the early models. I think ours is MSN 13. I think SQ's first aircraft was involved in the test program. Whether or not it's full of defects due to that program is another question entirely.

[2b2]

And today's paper is still referring to Nancy-Bird Walton.


Sunday Mail in Brisbane has done even better -

Nancy-Bird Watson. :ugh:

[tinpis]

Curious...what age the youngest skipper and how old the oldest?

[Green gorilla]

I would assume how it works in Q that top of the pile had first pick.

[Sunstar320]

Whilst on talk about the media and their mistakes, this is from THE AGE this morning:
The aircraft was greeted by Qantas chief executive general manager John Brought
Now who the hell is this fella, heh?
:D:D:D:D

[VH-Cheer Up]

Search me. Thought it might be the spell checker's version of Borghetti, but mine suggests brochette, Bugatti, Birgitta or beget. So maybe it's just the Sunday sub-editor's personal spelling preference.

Who was the tech crew for Sydney arrival?

[Maggott17]

Qantas&squo;s first A380 has a happy landing | Herald Sun (http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24379202-5005961,00.html)

According to this Herald-Sun article Capt was Probert, FO was Kramer.

[Fris B. Fairing]

And today's paper is still referring to Nancy-Bird Walton

It seems to me that this is how it's painted on the aeroplane. I've never previously seen the lady's name with a hyphen anywhere.

Regards

[tinpis]

There would a been a few Nancies in the cabin no doubt and none of them birds :rolleyes:

[Qantas 787]

I will put my hand up now - I was wrong.

After speaking to some of the A380 people at the ceremony, it appears they have the name right. Apparently Nancy changed her name abotu 12 months ago and moved the hypthen. Shame the media were not informed of it. So it appears the name is correct, as per her own wishes.

[Keg]

...FO was Kramer.

Excellent. Trent got his name in the paper. His shout now! :E :ok:

[Capt Kremin]

Tinpis, at the moment there are a couple of senior line captains on the list (55 plus) but the aircraft is not super senior at the moment. There are captains with a seniority of around 450 in the pipeline.
Whether it becomes a senior fleet will depend on a few things, mainly the pay rate which was going to be the same as a 744 in EBA 8, (but that is on hold for now) in which case it won't be very senior very soon. Once some of the older -400's start to go, then guys will start to shift over.

[Wod]

Re Qantas 787 post

I also will put my hand up, I found the story credible and passed it on.

Perhaps we are too readily believing our own propoganda.

Time for a reality check.

[Pedota]

Mia culpa!

[Autobrakes4]

Please Cabin Crew - why would you want to go to the 380 if yr non qcca and take a pay cut?

Are the onboard managers that are going hand picked or are they the normal office stooges (crawlers)

[UPPERLOBE]

Well I started this yesterday with the observation, but only went on record after Googling her as well as checking her name out with other media outlets, did go as far as possible.

Only as of today has the media put the hypen where it is on the a/c.

Can't find a news story re her changing her name, so I will not hold my hand up just yet.

Non mia culpa, but hoping to be shown otherwise.

[speedbirdhouse]

Autobrakes4,

not only a pay cut for existing CC but reduced minimum based turn around, higher hours AND no ability to bid for trips.

Many [most?] of the junior onboard managers who were "selected" to go across saw the fact that they were "hands off" onboard, as rather appealing :rolleyes:

They are all except for maybe one or two, pathological "yes men"[ and women] who have ingratiated themselves with the management regime by working in the office.

I can confidently say that many will be useless to the point of being almost counterproductive in the operational environment as their personality types can't, but, foster disharmony. [The irony being lost on management of course that these sycophants wheedled themselves into the office for a reason. :rolleyes:]

Picture the type who obsess about inconsequential details like the "correct" placement of name badges on uniforms, the size of earrings and pony tail length as if this nonsense has some bearing on customer satisfaction.

Don't get me wrong. We ARE directed to obsess about meaningless detail as per our bi-monthly "ask Audry" publications. It's just that most of those "selected" lack the maturity, common sense and good judgement to focus on meaningful, big picture stuff.

More puppets [muppets??] than leaders. In short, the type, who can't see the wood for the trees.

Those CC working on the A380 will have to have eyes in the back of their heads and wear a chain mail vest under their uniforms to survive.

[Bankstown]

Her husband used to affectionally call her 'Nancy-Bird' so that is how it is written on the aircraft.....at Nancy's request!

The aircraft is nothing if not impressive....the internet is filling up with shots of it.
http://images2.jetphotos.net/img/1/3/3/5/59038_1221969533_tb.jpg (http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=6363083)

[AWB_Clerk]

All the staff that attended the ceremony had been given a raffle ticket for a chance at some prize (no one would say what it was when they handed them out).

Did anyone win the prize? And what was it?:)


AWBC
(still holding his ticket in the vain hope that he might of won something...)

[Bankstown]

A trip to LA on the A380 for five families apparently.

[AWB_Clerk]

Struth! maybe I should of stuck around:)

[A_B_P]

The current QF crew that have gone across to A380 haven't taken a pay cut at all. They are signed up for 2 years, with the right of return, and their wages are subsidised so they don't lose money. They are however subject to higher roster duty hours, but as we all know the frequency of scheduled trips will keep the hours down anyway.

Time will tell the management style on board, but the fact that the crew will work more regularly together will hopefully be a positive influence on the whole team.

[speedbirdhouse]

ABP,

Quote-
"but the fact that the crew will work more regularly together will hopefully be a positive influence on the whole team."
_____________

Mmmm. I'm guessing you've never flown with "The Dysfunctionals" out of Melbourne :ok:
____________

Wasn't the "top up" pay calculated to compensate for the pay cut going across NOT the low pay experienced by those doing low hours during the initial start up phase??

Your argument sounds counter intuitive to me??

[lowerlobe]

A_B_P...Is it true that the current cabin crew that have chosen to work on the 380 cannot bid for trips?

That is not a huge problem while it's only doing LA's it still means that you cannot plan much of your life.No planning for things like Christmas,birthdays or anything...

Then when it starts doing other destinations after new aircraft arrive you will get less money compared to crews doing LA's and New Yorks.

So if this is true then in effect you have chosen to take a pay cut....plus more hours..etc....

[UPPERLOBE]

Things With Wings (http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/commercial_aviation/ThingsWithWings/index.jsp?plckController=Blog&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&plckPostId=Blog%3a7a78f54e-b3dd-4fa6-ae6e-dff2ffd7bdbbPost%3a1a2f343d-9dce-4686-9b1a-145c75a2c5f9)

[Ultralights]

it is ugly already, but with that new livery, it looks like a plastic, almost comical toy.

[satos]

All the staff that attended the ceremony had been given a raffle ticket for a chance at some prize (no one would say what it was when they handed them out).

A trip around the world with Kevin Rudd.
lol.

[PattyStacker]

Current Crew that transfered over to fly the A380 knew the conditions. Its in the EBA which current crew voted YES to.

[lowerlobe]

A trip around the world with Kevin Rudd.
Could be worse.....might have been a Christmas BQQ at Darths place.Which would mean bring your own food,drink,plates and ..everything.
urrent Crew that transfered over to fly the A380 knew the conditions. Its in the EBA which current crew voted YES to.
Pattystacker....this is old news yes they did but then again what choice were they given and what would the alternative have been?

Still what would make you give up the 400 and a roster for the 380?

I guess some people will always want to play with the latest toy....

[PattyStacker]

According to Fairfax newspaper reports, a ceremony will occur in Sydney (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney) on 30 September (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_30) 2008 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008), where the first Airbus A380 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbus_A380) delivered to Australian national airline Qantas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qantas) will be named in her honour.[1] (http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/09/19/1221331204410.html?page=2) As her preference is to adopt the hyphenation that her late husband used (between her first name and the first word of her last name), Qantas has honoured that wish and the aircraft shows her name in the form "Nancy-Bird Walton", despite her strictly correct name being with the hyphenated last name as used in Wikipedia entry.

[capt.cynical]

Does anybody know of a link to a seat plan of the QF 380 ?

How many and where are the CC horizontal Crew rest bunks ?

:)

[A_B_P]

speedbirdhouse no I haven't had the pleasure of working with MEL based crew yet, not sure if I will either being based in SYD. As for the top up pay my point was the hours worked won't be the maximum therefore they will be doing pretty much the same hours as they do in general pool for the same pay. So really nothing lost for them. However the QCCA people will be on the lesser pay no matter what they do and will have to stay A380 without the right of return.

Lowerlobe it is true that the crew on the A380 cannot bid for trips. The only bidding we get to do is buddy bidding. If you need a special day off then it has to be requested leave through your manager. There is always trip swapping if we get desperate for time off which is already working pretty well amongst QCCA crew.

QCCA crew get paid the same no matter what we do. Yes we have overtime on LAX ( same as JNB ) etc but we don't get long range allowances like QF do. I understand what you mean by various trips in the future will mean less take home pay but that happens now in general pool for QCCA anyway. A lot of us took the job on the base pay and everything else is a bonus. For some of us the choice to go A380 is to hopefully have more time off initially, shorter trips eventually, and also to be in an equal work environment where seniority doesn't assign our work position, time off, trips away etc. It would be nice to have all that but we don't so we go where we think it will work better for us individually. A lot of QCCA people don't want A380, they have their own reasons to stay.

Hope that clears a few things up for you boys, happy to help out if you need more info. :)

[Wod]

Seat map is on the QF website under "Flying With Us"

Flying with Us - In the Air - Seat Maps - Airbus A380 (http://www.qantas.com.au/info/flying/inTheAir/ourAircraft/seatMap380)


I have no knowlege of horizontal rest.

[Ken Borough]

I three will add my mea culpa! Isn't it a good thing that she was not called 'Fancy-Nancy'???

Does anyone know what the balance of the A380 fleet is being named? If QF stick to people, I would have thought and hoped that the names Hudson Fysh, Paul McGinness, Fergus McMaster and Arthur Baird would be high on the list.

[skylarker]

Crew rest on the A380, but not sure if the QF config is the same.
All under floor of the main deck.

Picasa Web Albums - 013 - A380 (http://picasaweb.google.com/Ethanlynch013/A380#5107892988165546402)

[speedbirdhouse]

Interesting that the link you provided skylarker suggests that CC will have access to IFE in their bunks.

This is certainly the case with Emirates CC on their long range A340s and our pilots on the A330s

I find it hard to believe that the drop down box for this feature wasn't deselected by QF management when the order was originally made.

Does anyone know?

[UPPERLOBE]

I humbly withdraw my query re the HYPEN.

[teresa green]

Looks like a whale with flatulance, but hey, I wouldn't mind taking her around the block! Congratulations to Nancy Bird, one hell of a lady!

[Pegasus747]

There are 12 bunks for a crew of 22.

Under floor in the centre section of the aircraft.

Alas no IFE in the bunks

there are also an additional 4 seats on the rear of the upper deck for meals etc however no IFE in those seats either.

Of course the good news is that the Pilots will get Full IFE in the Flight Crew Rest area :)

I guess they are fully optioned.

To be honest i dont think that the CC will have time to watch movies as the service is likely to go on forever lol

[cart_elevator]

Was told by my manager that all direct LAX from SYD & MEL will be done by A380 crew by mid next year. Also that all QCCA will be sent to A380 within the next few months, which sends me straight back to the bottom of the pile.

I thought QCCA was sposed to be some relief for those of us at the bottom of the seniority system. Like many others around my date (and even above me) I am thinking of going over to A380 now. Would rather no choice and just LAX trips than no choice and just JNB trips. Lord help those in the middle of the pile, they are about to become the juniors all over again.

[Autobrakes4]

Thanks for the answers guys about how the onboard managers were "chosen". Seems they have hand selected the typical "yes" men and women! You know the crawlers who will do anything and everything, and have hung around the office doing "special projects."

I know a few of the people going over as CSS's and CSM's, and they fit the above bill perfectly. But I would hate to be crew on their flights! The ones I know are fairly junior in their rank and wouldn't know a Jumbo from an Airbus!! Experience goes a long way, and all the training in the world won't substitute for that.

[Buster Hyman]

Does anybody know of a link to a seat plan of the QF 380 ?

http://www.slaughterphoto.com/Artists/4891/Mediums/Medium_619200661131PM_Olympics,%20Los%20Angeles,%201984,%20C oliseum%20Crowd.jpg

[Torque Motor Lockout]

But Its Still a Fugley :{ Do Real Captains Cry at a launch or only after a sim check!!!

[Taildragger67]

Any truth to the rumour that QF got this one cheap... because it was one of the test aircraft (which was riddled with wiring defects).

The first 25 airframes are 'wave one' and have basically been hand-(re)wired.

From C/N 26 on, the industrial processes are supposed to have been fixed so that full 'industrial' production kicks in.

And you're saying that none of the other 7 airframes so far delivered were involved in the test programme? Other than C/N's 001 (Airbus airframe) and 002 (Prince al-Waleed's bit of P-envy), all airframes - whether involved in testing or not - will be eventually delivered to airlines.

That's little different from other programmes - I seem to recall that 777 #001 is now plying Asian skies after being zero-timed.

[jaded boiler]

The title "onboard manager", a rather grandiose moniker, seems to be bandied about a tad here. Surely this refers to the aircraft's captain, no? Can't for the life of me imagine any other bod on an aircraft legitimately entitled to refer to oneself as such...

Or is this an exercise in self-stimulation and over-inflated delusions of self-importance?

[Taildragger67]

a rather grandiose moniker

what, moreso than 'Flight Service Director'? :ok:


I don't think there's any confusion:

Captain = aircraft commander

Anything else = aircraft commander

:confused:

And I still hate being referred to as a 'customer' when I am actually aboard any form of transport. If I am travelling from point A to point B, then whilst I am aboard the conveyance, I am a 'passenger' and not a 'customer'. I am a 'customer' of my local kebab shop, a 'client' of my lawyer and my accountant, a 'patient' of my doctor and a 'passenger' of my transport provider.

[lowerlobe]

Arrrr...Ego's are such a delicate thing!!!!

If you worked in any business and you were in charge of 21 staff and had roughly 450 customers at the same time for say 12 hours at least then you would be called a manager....

When you do the same job but on an aircraft then you are no less a manager dealing with 21 staff,around 450 customers and others which are part of the work environment you deal with...pilots,engineers,ground staff,catering and not to forget office staff.

This is not an attempt to dilute the responsibility and job that the aircraft commander does but recognises that because of the size of the situation another person is employed and delegated as a manager to deal with the things that are of no consequence to the PIC.

However,there are those with small and fragile ego's who can't handle any Cabin Crew being called a manager....sad and pathetic really.

[Fris B. Fairing]

Taildragger67

You forgot "Guest"

Like you didn't pay to be there.

[Keg]

Hey LL, haven't you and I discussed this before? :}

I agree that the CSM is a manager but doesn't the term 'Customer Service Manager' include the the term? Given that their title already has 'manager' part covered I'm still mystified as to why so many refer to themselves or others as the 'Onboard Manager'. It doesn't appear in the FAM, I can't recall it in the AEPM, I've never read it in Memos to Flight Crew or FSOs. The only time I've heard of the term is when CSMs use it to refer to themselves.

Anyway, good luck to them. Herding 21 crew to be aboard on time, etc is going to be like herding kittens. :}