Virgin fixing glitches in maintenance record system
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Bean counting was not one of my fortes at school so I'm a little confused as to how a company orders aircraft and factors storage because of a systems failure into their costs? 
As an after thought, I can just imagine the sparks that must be emanating from Corrigan!!!!
As an after thought, I can just imagine the sparks that must be emanating from Corrigan!!!!
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Correct me if I'm mistaken but this little ditty was reported deep within one of the national rags a couple of months ago and what some scribes fail to recognise was the fact that it was VB who "reported " the failings in the first place so that they could be fixed asap.Yes , it is not real good, I admit, but there has not been and continues to not be any safety concern whatsoever.
I cannot help but wonder about those among us who decry the media when they do a beat up on "go arounds " etc.,but who get some sort of anal pleasure out of todays media beat up.
Lets grow up people and act like the type of "professionals" we all claim to be.
Off for a Beam.
I cannot help but wonder about those among us who decry the media when they do a beat up on "go arounds " etc.,but who get some sort of anal pleasure out of todays media beat up.
Lets grow up people and act like the type of "professionals" we all claim to be.
Off for a Beam.
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So this is how to keep the air fair???? Cut corners on maintenance, which also happens to include impeccable and inscrutable record keeping for the most obvious reasons. It makes omne wonder what else is being omitted and then rationalesd on the basis of 'it's OK, we have new aircraft'. What a load of bollocks!
When will Misters Godfrey and Huttner learn that there's much more to running an airlines than cheap publicity stunts and attempts to sheet the blame fall all of their many shortcomings onto others when they should be having a bloody good look at themselves and their systems. They need to get their house in order before they start to throw stones at others and make unfounded insinuations.
When will Misters Godfrey and Huttner learn that there's much more to running an airlines than cheap publicity stunts and attempts to sheet the blame fall all of their many shortcomings onto others when they should be having a bloody good look at themselves and their systems. They need to get their house in order before they start to throw stones at others and make unfounded insinuations.
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Buster I am certainly NOT suggesting anything about spying.
What AN LAME did was raise a name that rang a few bells in the back of my head. I then remembered another name from the same era that followed roughly the route noted in my post. That name would have recent inside info on any strengths/weakness' and the 'personalities' of the organisation being discussed here.
Nothing sinister inferred, just an observation from a 'outsider'
ding
What AN LAME did was raise a name that rang a few bells in the back of my head. I then remembered another name from the same era that followed roughly the route noted in my post. That name would have recent inside info on any strengths/weakness' and the 'personalities' of the organisation being discussed here.
Nothing sinister inferred, just an observation from a 'outsider'
ding
Evertonian
No worries Ding! Love to chat, but I'm off to my local Conspiracies Anonymous meeting...we're looking at Alien Infiltration tonight.
Nunc est bibendum
Buster,
DJ are pretty good aren't they. It's a very old journo's trick where you attribute something to someone even though they may not have done it. All of a sudden, it becomes THEIR problem and not yours. From an abstract point of view, it's a nicely done thing. IE 'It's no big deal and QF are the baddies because they're publicising it because it's to their advantage'. Even if QF aren't advertising it (and I've seen nothing to indicate they are?!?!?!), the suggestion is now on the table that QF is pushing the 'vendetta' or 'witch hunt' because it has something to gain.
I don't know if QF have publicised it or not. I DO know that a lot of techies are very peeved when QF do advertise on the basis of 'safety'. We're all flying in our respective 'glass houses' and shouldn't cast stones!!
I couldn't give a stuff about the allegations either way but it does reaffirm for me the sort of person Mr Godfrey is!
DJ are pretty good aren't they. It's a very old journo's trick where you attribute something to someone even though they may not have done it. All of a sudden, it becomes THEIR problem and not yours. From an abstract point of view, it's a nicely done thing. IE 'It's no big deal and QF are the baddies because they're publicising it because it's to their advantage'. Even if QF aren't advertising it (and I've seen nothing to indicate they are?!?!?!), the suggestion is now on the table that QF is pushing the 'vendetta' or 'witch hunt' because it has something to gain.
I don't know if QF have publicised it or not. I DO know that a lot of techies are very peeved when QF do advertise on the basis of 'safety'. We're all flying in our respective 'glass houses' and shouldn't cast stones!!
I couldn't give a stuff about the allegations either way but it does reaffirm for me the sort of person Mr Godfrey is!
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Did anyone else read the version of the article in The Age today? Huttner makes the comment "if we thought there was an issue we would have simply added the planes to the NZ register".
Does anyone else see the issue with that comment? Also Gibson from CASA says "it's an issue caused by growing too quickly for their infrastructure". On the other hand Huttner responds "It's not an issue over growing too qucikly for our infrastructure - our infrastructure is designed to support 60-70 aircraft".
So how come there's a problem then?
Sure does smell up there in BNE. I predict we wont see RB down here for a loooong while.
Does anyone else see the issue with that comment? Also Gibson from CASA says "it's an issue caused by growing too quickly for their infrastructure". On the other hand Huttner responds "It's not an issue over growing too qucikly for our infrastructure - our infrastructure is designed to support 60-70 aircraft".
So how come there's a problem then?
Sure does smell up there in BNE. I predict we wont see RB down here for a loooong while.
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I hope your meeting went well last night Buster.
Have you noticed the No1 DJ Bleater claiming that "Industry insiders are trying to bring DJ down" on this mornings CH7 news?
I guess he musta got the idea from Patriot One & Kegs posts above this one.
ding
Have you noticed the No1 DJ Bleater claiming that "Industry insiders are trying to bring DJ down" on this mornings CH7 news?
I guess he musta got the idea from Patriot One & Kegs posts above this one.
ding
Evertonian
Thanks Ding, it was a good meeting. We're about to "out" some grinning pommie as an alien!!! 
If Bratt was working at Ansett in the years leading up to it's demise, he would've been on the telly 24/7 bleating about how unfair the world is. Thankfully, he wasn't.
The measure of a man, for me, is how he dignifies himself in a crisis. Bleating like this speaks volumes.
Acknowledge the issue, work the problem, and get things back to normal for the sake of all the DJ staff Bratt, forget the whingeing for a change!
If Bratt was working at Ansett in the years leading up to it's demise, he would've been on the telly 24/7 bleating about how unfair the world is.
Thankfully, he wasn't.The measure of a man, for me, is how he dignifies himself in a crisis. Bleating like this speaks volumes.
Acknowledge the issue, work the problem, and get things back to normal for the sake of all the DJ staff Bratt, forget the whingeing for a change!
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When Ansett Fessed up to problems in the maintenance of its 767 records CASA, and in particular, Peter Gibson launched. At times the comments from Gibson verged on vitriolic.
At no stage were they given the benefit of 'soft' 'reassuring' statements to the effect of '...this is not an immediate safety issue'.
Why should Virgin (or Qantas) be treated any differently?
As for Gibson himself, I can only hope that what goes around comes around.
At no stage were they given the benefit of 'soft' 'reassuring' statements to the effect of '...this is not an immediate safety issue'.
Why should Virgin (or Qantas) be treated any differently?
As for Gibson himself, I can only hope that what goes around comes around.
At no stage were they given the benefit of 'soft' 'reassuring' statements to the effect of '...this is not an immediate safety issue'.
Persona non grata
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This problem with their paper work and records must be quite serious, more than just a few minor problems. 
I have just been approached this morning, about going in there and sorting out their records etc.
Now it must be serious and urgent, as they wanted me to start Monday, and there must be major problems, as they expect the contract to last for between 3 and 5 months.
After giving it serious thought, I have declined, as I do not want to become mixed up in such a dangerous situation, created by others.
I just cannot understand how they are allowed to continue to operate like this, especially if it is going to take months to rectify it?
Any other Operator would have had their AOC pulled by now.
I have just been approached this morning, about going in there and sorting out their records etc.
Now it must be serious and urgent, as they wanted me to start Monday, and there must be major problems, as they expect the contract to last for between 3 and 5 months.
After giving it serious thought, I have declined, as I do not want to become mixed up in such a dangerous situation, created by others.
I just cannot understand how they are allowed to continue to operate like this, especially if it is going to take months to rectify it?
Any other Operator would have had their AOC pulled by now.
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lame - the problem as related to me by our engineers (who use the same TRAX system) is apparently that they didn't set up a template of the aircraft in the system. So the computer system doesn't know how many of each part should be fitted to the aircraft - this also means that multiple parts can show fitted to the same position .
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IF that is the ONLY problem, although serious, why would they be willing to pay an outsider to come in for some 3-5 months to sort it out?
I fear that there is a lot more wrong than just that.
I fear that there is a lot more wrong than just that.
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1a Please said
Gibson is purely a mouth for CASA, he doesn't have to think, he recites what he is told as the official CASA spokesman.
If he happens to overstep the mark, they can cut him loose and hire another mouth.
It is his managers (delegates), the board and perhaps the minister (not that the minister would ever consider in interfering with the day to day operation of CASA) that decide what he says
This seems to be because Gibson has bought the incredibly dubious DJ line
Gibson is purely a mouth for CASA, he doesn't have to think, he recites what he is told as the official CASA spokesman.
If he happens to overstep the mark, they can cut him loose and hire another mouth.
It is his managers (delegates), the board and perhaps the minister (not that the minister would ever consider in interfering with the day to day operation of CASA) that decide what he says
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Criterion
Thurs "The Australian"
Criterion
Virgin Blue (VBA): $2.51 VIRGIN Blue's growing pains were on show yesterday thanks to tabloid TV headlines that conjured up images that the airline's planes are only ever an hour away from falling out of the sky. Rather than not fly Virgin Blue, or sell the airline's shares, simply consider that the news about Virgin's maintenance record has been a very effective PR campaign for Qantas.
Qantas will be chuffed at the wall-to-wall negative publicity Virgin Blue is receiving over a matter that poses no risk to passengers. Well timed too, coming just ahead of the launch of Jetstar, Qantas's low-cost airline.
Virgin Blue boss Brett Godfrey nailed his public relations predicament yesterday when he said: "My major competitor obviously has something to gain from something like this. "
While he refused to blame Qantas for publicising the airline's maintenance record problems, it didn't stop others -- aviation analysts at stockbroking houses pointed the finger squarely at Qantas for conducting a dirty-tricks campaign.
Godfrey will be kicking himself that he gave his competitors a window of opportunity, because of some poor planning. A more charitable interpretation might be that Godfrey is landing some good punches, and Qantas chief Geoff Dixon has resorted to throwing a few low blows in return.
One thing is for sure -- when stuff like this is going on, it indicates competition is alive and well in Australia's aviation scene. There's even talk this week of a third low-cost carrier entering the market. And that's why investors should remain cautious on the outlook for both Qantas and Virgin Blue in the year ahead -- not because of tardy record-keeping on maintenance schedules.
Since Virgin joined the Australian aviation scene five years ago, it has embarked on a rapid increase in its fleet and lifted market share to about 30 per cent. It's been a runaway success. The company was founded with about $8 million and floated on the Australian Stock Exchange in December worth $2 billion. Clearly, Richard Branson, the head of the Virgin group, had some luck too -- Ansett's demise gave Virgin Blue a dream run.
Growing so fast causes problems and the maintenance record-keeping is clearly one.
Lost in the noise yesterday was that Virgin Blue's maintenance problem had been self-diagnosed two months ago and the airline alerted CASA. It's worth highlighting exactly what this maintenance issue is -- it's not about parts falling off a plane but the fact that Virgin Blue transferred data from an older IT system to a new system. "That cost us somewhere in excess of $US3 million and that system was put into play because when we started we had two aeroplanes and we didn't need the type of system that we have in play today," Godfrey said yesterday.
"The transfer took place and there were some glitches in terms of the transference of that data. We've satisfied ourself and CASA that there is no issue with regards to the aircraft, or else they wouldn't be flying. "
The issue caused barely a murmur in Virgin's share price yesterday. Instead, on most measures professional investors look at when valuing airlines, Virgin Blue is doing well. The load factors -- referring to how many of a plane's seats are filled by paying passengers -- are running above prospectus forecasts of 81.7 per cent. Its "on-time" performance is good too, though on this punctuality measure Virgin Blue suffered in January because some of its operational spare planes were unavailable because of modifications.
Virgin will probably be buying up to six new aircraft a year through the financial years of 2005 to 2007. While that is expected by the market, with another 34 aircraft remaining under operating lease, that is expected to hit the company's free cash flow line. It means a company like Virgin Blue is vulnerable. The launch of Jetstar is, for now, the big unknown in its forecasts. Most analysts say there's room enough for two low-cost carriers -- certainly not three. Criterion recommended Qantas shares as a hold on February 20 and says the same for Virgin Blue. HOLD.
===========================================
Criterion
Virgin Blue (VBA): $2.51 VIRGIN Blue's growing pains were on show yesterday thanks to tabloid TV headlines that conjured up images that the airline's planes are only ever an hour away from falling out of the sky. Rather than not fly Virgin Blue, or sell the airline's shares, simply consider that the news about Virgin's maintenance record has been a very effective PR campaign for Qantas.
Qantas will be chuffed at the wall-to-wall negative publicity Virgin Blue is receiving over a matter that poses no risk to passengers. Well timed too, coming just ahead of the launch of Jetstar, Qantas's low-cost airline.
Virgin Blue boss Brett Godfrey nailed his public relations predicament yesterday when he said: "My major competitor obviously has something to gain from something like this. "
While he refused to blame Qantas for publicising the airline's maintenance record problems, it didn't stop others -- aviation analysts at stockbroking houses pointed the finger squarely at Qantas for conducting a dirty-tricks campaign.
Godfrey will be kicking himself that he gave his competitors a window of opportunity, because of some poor planning. A more charitable interpretation might be that Godfrey is landing some good punches, and Qantas chief Geoff Dixon has resorted to throwing a few low blows in return.
One thing is for sure -- when stuff like this is going on, it indicates competition is alive and well in Australia's aviation scene. There's even talk this week of a third low-cost carrier entering the market. And that's why investors should remain cautious on the outlook for both Qantas and Virgin Blue in the year ahead -- not because of tardy record-keeping on maintenance schedules.
Since Virgin joined the Australian aviation scene five years ago, it has embarked on a rapid increase in its fleet and lifted market share to about 30 per cent. It's been a runaway success. The company was founded with about $8 million and floated on the Australian Stock Exchange in December worth $2 billion. Clearly, Richard Branson, the head of the Virgin group, had some luck too -- Ansett's demise gave Virgin Blue a dream run.
Growing so fast causes problems and the maintenance record-keeping is clearly one.
Lost in the noise yesterday was that Virgin Blue's maintenance problem had been self-diagnosed two months ago and the airline alerted CASA. It's worth highlighting exactly what this maintenance issue is -- it's not about parts falling off a plane but the fact that Virgin Blue transferred data from an older IT system to a new system. "That cost us somewhere in excess of $US3 million and that system was put into play because when we started we had two aeroplanes and we didn't need the type of system that we have in play today," Godfrey said yesterday.
"The transfer took place and there were some glitches in terms of the transference of that data. We've satisfied ourself and CASA that there is no issue with regards to the aircraft, or else they wouldn't be flying. "
The issue caused barely a murmur in Virgin's share price yesterday. Instead, on most measures professional investors look at when valuing airlines, Virgin Blue is doing well. The load factors -- referring to how many of a plane's seats are filled by paying passengers -- are running above prospectus forecasts of 81.7 per cent. Its "on-time" performance is good too, though on this punctuality measure Virgin Blue suffered in January because some of its operational spare planes were unavailable because of modifications.
Virgin will probably be buying up to six new aircraft a year through the financial years of 2005 to 2007. While that is expected by the market, with another 34 aircraft remaining under operating lease, that is expected to hit the company's free cash flow line. It means a company like Virgin Blue is vulnerable. The launch of Jetstar is, for now, the big unknown in its forecasts. Most analysts say there's room enough for two low-cost carriers -- certainly not three. Criterion recommended Qantas shares as a hold on February 20 and says the same for Virgin Blue. HOLD.
===========================================
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These guys Huttner and Godfrey are unbelievable!
I haven't seen QF blaming VB for any of their (plenty of) negative publicity.
Talk about bloody cry babies!
If it's too hot buddy,get out of the bloody kitchen.
Don't whinge and whine and blame everybody else for YOUR problems!
Sheesh!
I haven't seen QF blaming VB for any of their (plenty of) negative publicity.
Talk about bloody cry babies!
If it's too hot buddy,get out of the bloody kitchen.
Don't whinge and whine and blame everybody else for YOUR problems!
Sheesh!
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negative publicity Virgin Blue is receiving over a matter that poses no risk to passengers
They may or may not.....but how dare some dumb journo claim to know?