More 747's for European

[Jobs-a-Goodun]

Heard a rumour that European Aviation Air Charter at BOH have bought 6 more 747's in addition to the 5 they bought from BA earlier this year. Anyone got any more info?

Travelled on one of the ex-BA aircraft to Seychelles, chartered by Air Seychelles whilst their 767 was in maintenance - can't say they were in the best condition, but what can you expect for £1 million each!!

Cabin crew onboard our flight advised that constantly flying and loads of work for them at the moment all over the place.

:D :D :D

[Send Clowns]

Actually more like £300,000 each. The offer for £1 million from BA included pre-sale servicing work that was turned down. 5 747s for £1,500,000! If you had a big enough plot of land you could live in one :D

[Jobs-a-Goodun]

£300,000 seems cheap but believable...ours had trim hanging off interior and oxygen masks that seemed to have a habit of dropping on landing in FCO and LGW on our flight....

the funny thing is that the in-flight movie soundtracks were in English and Italian due to uplifting pax in FCO, but you had to move seat rows to get the right language!!

[Send Clowns]

Hahahahahahahaha

[basil fawlty]

great stuff.:)

[jetblues]

Pauls threatening to pull the F1 team out of the season if they do not get more cash soon. He might be looking at cranking up the 747 ops instead ?

[Jobs-a-Goodun]

Cabin crew I spoke to said that Mr Stoddart had closed down Minardi's main operating base in Italy in a bid to finance the additional 747's that they have aquired.

Think you may be right Jetblue!:)

[yotter]

Seer, I believe they are only taking type rated people at the moment, as they have very limited training capacity. A 747 course would include about 14 sim details as well as ground school, whilst type rated pilots would only need 3 or 4 . I have heard that they plan to move the BA sim at the end of June, and it should be ready by August ( at Hurn ). As the supply of ex Virgin/ BA/ Cathay 747 pilots dries up,and IF more than the 20 crews are authorised by Mr Stoddart, they MAY take unrated people.
With all those hulls, flying some longhaul routes, they should be looking at 5 to 7 crews per aircraft unless the idea is to use some for spares etc.
Good luck, anyway.
Y

[Trislander]

Interesting. Saw one of the EAC 747's takeoff at EGHH a couple of days ago. Must of been empty because it only used half the runway! But what I want to know is what are they going to do with all those BAC 1-11's they've got on the ground at EGHH? The last airworthy 1-11 flew its last flight earlier this year.

[Patagonia]

Canada Air Charter? Unfortunate acronym! :D :D :D

[126.9]

A lot of our flights out of BOH are empty. They're usually aircraft positioning flights to another field where the charter begins. That's the nature of our business.

As far as it goes here: we're all learning! Our AOC was issued in around 6 weeks (for the B747 operation) and that's with HUGE THANKS to 2 gentlemen (JB & AE) that worked their butts off for it and continue to do so in all other fields of the operation. By saying that I do not at all undermine the efforts of all the other people at European that did likewise. The fleet consists mainly of ex BA/Cathay/Virgin/SAA types. That's to be expected at this stage of the game. If you want the UK CAA on your side you have to start off with these types of pilots and flight engineers. Not only that, but there is an enormous amount that these people can offer a new long-haul operator.

As someone mentioned; our Operations department is not up to scratch in as far as the B747 goes. But hell; give them a chance! They're fully up to speed on the short/medium haul fleet and I've no doubt that the learning curve is as steep for them as it is for us. It will mature.

This is a new UK long-haul operator. Let's look for some positive input here. I believe that given the chance: we can create a fantastic company that keeps the jobs at home and makes enough money to stay around longer than UK companiies traditionaly do. Don't forget that the work we're doing now traditionally went to companies based further north that (certainly in my experienced opinion) operate to a different standard.

I look forward to our prosperity here. I'm sure you do to...

[Jobs-a-Goodun]

Couldn't agree more 126.9.

European must be one of the few ad-hoc charter companies still expanding their operation with such ferosity. After we see what happended to the likes of British World, I think it is a huge credit to all the staff at BOH and around the European network that the operation was up and running so quickly.

The deal for the 747's was a great one and I hear that chartering one of these beasties shows that European are untouchable on price. It's no wonder that they are getting so much business, and good on them... they seem to have taken a chance and captured the market.

All the best and continued success!!

:D :D :D

[The Investigator]

Good to hear so many of you praising EAC. Do however cast your minds back to last winter when they screwed many of the BAC 1-11 pilots. Interesting to know what has happened to these guys. I did hear they had taken some of them back by cherry picking from the list of pilots they got rid of, anyone care to comment.

[Non Iron Chippy]

I have a mate who was on the BAC1-11 with EAC, he had to do domestic night stop for while but is now on the 73.

I wish him and all at EAC all the very best, everyone at BOH seems to be trying very hard to make things work.

[MR WIBBLE]

Hello Boys and Girls and citizens of Wibble

It is very nice to see you all being nice and positive about European. It makes a good change and long may it continue. The company has its ups and downs just like any other airline but this bunch know you by name rather than number which is the all important thing in this day and age.

The deal for the simulator has been done already and will be delivered shortly and will be up and running soon afterwards. I think from what has been said that they will be converting some of the 737 guys onto the 747 in the long term. Part of the reason that this operation was up and running as quick as it was is because the CAA insisted on European hiring experienced crew and pilots.

Not heard of the Minardi base being closed down although there were rumours that they were struggling financially but if that was the case then where did they get the money to buy more 747's? I can't see any changes to Minardi yet but what this space.

Apparently all the 1-11's are up for sale exept one which will be re-configured, re-engined and generally improved so as to become the bosses own plane, once again this has been talked about for a while but we shall wait and see whether this happens or not.

I guess nobody actually knows how much the 747's were brought for, I've heard varied prices rangein from £300,000 to $1million to £1million up to £1.5million per aircraft. My guess is nobody actually know exept the Boss and whoever is in charge of the accounts at european and the people concerned at BA. It is all speculation and gossip on that front, but hey, what else do you get in this industry!!

thats about it for now.

[Anti Skid On]

If the figures are near the mark (e.g. £300K to £1million) for a 742, then what is the going rate for a similar time cycle narrow body. Been on a couple of sites but can't find anything - how much would a mid 90's MD83 go for?

[LGW Vulture]

Anti Skid.......More than a 742....

Now lets get back to the subject matter.....


----------------------------------------------------------

............If life were only Bizjets.................

[pulse1]

I would be interested to know what European pay to park these 747's on 17/35 at EGHH. Since they have been there, EGHH has effectively been a one runway airport and, inspite of that, the landing fees have increased by 40%.

[Send Clowns]

But pulse1 with the sultan's 747-SP there most of the the time I've only ever landed on 17 once anyway!

[doomsday]

126.9
'As someone mentioned; our Operations department is not up to scratch in as far as the B747 goes. But hell; give them a chance! They're fully up to speed on the short/medium haul fleet and I've no doubt that the learning curve is as steep for them as it is for us. It will mature.'

FUNNY

[Enter after the Virgin]

Noticed one of the 74's off to CYMX last Tuesday out of EGHH, taking the F1 crew out for the Grand Prix.

Minardi might be the smallest team in the F1 paddock, but has the largest Private jet on the Apron !!

Have they picked up any World Cup flights to the land of the rising sun ?

[MR WIBBLE]

Hello Boys and Girls and fellow citizens of Wibble,

There was rumours about some world cup flights but nothing has come of it.

[Awakevortice]

heard today that EAC may not be doing so well afterall. With the potential demise of the F1 team, ( Minardi) there is no cash reserves to move over anyway. Perhaps they have stretched themselves a little thin and it is not going to work out. They may have a bit of work now, but operating below cost is not a good way to run a business, and their lack of experience in the 74 market leaves a lot of room for improvement.
We shall see

[Monkey_Breath]

Minardi is only part of the European Organisation which has at last count around 6 other companies. So if one is not doing well it is usually off set by another. Air Charter seems to be doing as well asever 5 x 747s in operation at moment all planned to be flying in the future. 737s working non-stop at moment, actually not enough aircraft to operate programme. Minardi situation seems to be an internal argument within F1. Eaac has gone through a massive change over past months (747 operational within 6 weeks of purchase). This of course will cause strain for a shorthaul operator. As for the operating below cost Easyjet epitomises Low cost and they seem to be doing ok!

:D

may the force be with you

[HODGY]

GOOD LUCK EAC

:D :D :D :D :D

[126.9]

Anonymity - the ability to be an undercover a*rsehole!:D Do us all a favour mate? Wind your neck in and get on with it! If you don't like it there, you can always go to... uh... to... ummm on.. AH THE DOLE!!!

[Lapsus linguae]

Followed a EAC 742 into AMS a few days back, it was using a Malaysian callsign, and then headed toward the freight apron. Do you guys operate freighters too?

[newswatcher]

I understand that UK company Travel City will be using EAC 747s for their Florida Flights, instead of ATA. They are planning to fly returns on Thu, Fri and Sat. They will be offering free meals and drinks to all classes, and a flight upgrade for the chosen few.

[jmc757]

I had also heard the flights were Travel City, and travel city have been advertising "Jumbo jet fly drives" on their teletext pages here.

free drinks hey?? Well that does beat other operators, Britannia, Monarch, Air2000 , MyTravel etc. Be interestting to see how the operations go, and if they get the contract next year. good luck to them!!

My friends flew MAN-SFB last summer with travelCity/ ATA ans said they had good flights on the old L1011s. If EAL are honouring the contract this year, then are ATA no longer flying to the UK?? Anyone have any info??

[rnobson]

I'd also like to know if ATA ( ot any other US Charter airline) is flying into UK this summer season

[JB007]

Is it true BOH are wavering the parking charges for the B747's cos they are just happy to have EAAC based there...?

Best of luck to all - hope to see them succeed.