747-300...more problems
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Just wait to here the punters whining when they get put on the LAX run!!!!
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In the meantime,
Another one of these clapped out dinosaurs had some sort of issue on its way into Perth yesterday (Hydraulic, possibly?) as it held over Rottnest Island for ages and the crew advised that the landing roll would be 'longer than usual'.
Funny how these sorts of things happen when the runway has a reduced length due to MAE/Rwy works....
520.
Funny how these sorts of things happen when the runway has a reduced length due to MAE/Rwy works....
520.
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Yet another fantastic decision by the "Management" to spend a fortune tarting up these once great machines instead of investing in a few "old technology" B777's. 
As long as the bonuses keep rolling in who cares what's really happening at the coalface!!!
As long as the bonuses keep rolling in who cares what's really happening at the coalface!!!
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.....And in the end it is the customer who has to pay for those decisions...
No wonder they are worried about SIA and others .....
No wonder they are worried about SIA and others .....
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Sogi, not four departures in a few hours out of PH. Four per day only with gaps of 10 or so hours. Subsequently found out that one of them had a flap fault. That would account for an extra departure and fuel dumping off Rottnest.
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Ok smart arse time.
4 departures per day 10 or so hours apart, ferk I thought days seemed long, the new 40 hour day. Now that would make for some intereseting duty time issues?
.
4 departures per day 10 or so hours apart, ferk I thought days seemed long, the new 40 hour day. Now that would make for some intereseting duty time issues?
.
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Ref + 10 said : Sogi, not four departures in a few hours out of PH. Four per day only with gaps of 10 or so hours. Subsequently found out that one of them had a flap fault. That would account for an extra departure and fuel dumping off Rottnest.
Yes, 4 departures in the space of about 4-5 hours on some days. Syd-1145, Mel-1300, Sin-1540, Syd-1615. That would make it 6 departures on some days with the 2 red eye flights.
Yes, 4 departures in the space of about 4-5 hours on some days. Syd-1145, Mel-1300, Sin-1540, Syd-1615. That would make it 6 departures on some days with the 2 red eye flights.
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I cannot understand all the bad-faith talk about the -300s, as far as I am concerned, they are the best configuration 747 ever produced.
I for one would prefer to fly to LA or back in a 747-300, assuming, and this is where the problem is, that the airplane is properly maintained.
As for the quote of "clapped-out", that person has obviously has not flown for an overseas operator that keeps its airplanes, shall we say, "on the edge of reasonable serviceability".
I am, and will continue to be, a person whom enjoys the additional comfort of knowing there is less computing and more people (read Flight Engineer), on board my airplane, and I mean anytime I fly!
Unfortunately, the -300 didn't get into full production numbers and the -400 model arrived with all that talk about costing less to run (incl. less crew!) and more reliability, and at that time everybody believed it.
But it wasn't long before, after paying out huge replacement costs, they found that the -300 was, in fact, a better overall package.
And as far as I'm concerned, from the point I mentioned earlier, it still is!
Having flown quite a lot of Classic 747 hours, (-100, -200, -300, SP) I don't feel all that comfortable not being able to see what's going on up the front, with only the two pilots taking care of things!
That's my experience...
Cheers...FD...
I for one would prefer to fly to LA or back in a 747-300, assuming, and this is where the problem is, that the airplane is properly maintained.
As for the quote of "clapped-out", that person has obviously has not flown for an overseas operator that keeps its airplanes, shall we say, "on the edge of reasonable serviceability".
I am, and will continue to be, a person whom enjoys the additional comfort of knowing there is less computing and more people (read Flight Engineer), on board my airplane, and I mean anytime I fly!
Unfortunately, the -300 didn't get into full production numbers and the -400 model arrived with all that talk about costing less to run (incl. less crew!) and more reliability, and at that time everybody believed it.
But it wasn't long before, after paying out huge replacement costs, they found that the -300 was, in fact, a better overall package.
And as far as I'm concerned, from the point I mentioned earlier, it still is!
Having flown quite a lot of Classic 747 hours, (-100, -200, -300, SP) I don't feel all that comfortable not being able to see what's going on up the front, with only the two pilots taking care of things!
That's my experience...
Cheers...FD...
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Buster mate
Nah found that's a superb waste of time, just vote with your feet. I'm currently using an all 777 carrier for the long haul and fortunately dont have to use the Pacific route to the US.
I used to think the 744 was pretty good but how old are the current ones in QF service? Step off a 777 J class and onto a 744 J class and then tell me why Boing went that way, they are a world apart.
Mind you for $999 return across the Pacific, if thats what it means, how dare they complain.
Across Oz, they might be a bit quicker but the large numbers of pax make it less friendly if that was possible, and the intreriors are daggy beyond belief. On balance 737-800 or the A330-300 is the preference. We did have the luxury of the A330 out of Perth for a while which was a treat.
Having said that the American MD80 I had the pleasure of across most of the US the other night was older than methuseleh and I'm sure that whilst the 1st Class seats were leather they came as original issue. They still go like a rocket. American have over 400 of them and they have carried that airline through thick and thin. They always were a Douglas airline and these are the last of the Mohicans.
Just wait to here the punters whining when they get put on the LAX run!!!!
I used to think the 744 was pretty good but how old are the current ones in QF service? Step off a 777 J class and onto a 744 J class and then tell me why Boing went that way, they are a world apart.
Mind you for $999 return across the Pacific, if thats what it means, how dare they complain.
Across Oz, they might be a bit quicker but the large numbers of pax make it less friendly if that was possible, and the intreriors are daggy beyond belief. On balance 737-800 or the A330-300 is the preference. We did have the luxury of the A330 out of Perth for a while which was a treat.
Having said that the American MD80 I had the pleasure of across most of the US the other night was older than methuseleh and I'm sure that whilst the 1st Class seats were leather they came as original issue. They still go like a rocket. American have over 400 of them and they have carried that airline through thick and thin. They always were a Douglas airline and these are the last of the Mohicans.
Evertonian
Gaunty. Didn't QF get a bunch of new build 400's, LR versions perhaps? I thought they were using them on the MEL-LAX run because of the longer legs...
Happy to be corrected (I was wrong once before)
Happy to be corrected (I was wrong once before)
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Buster,
The ERs have been spotted at EGLL from time to time so they are clearly not solely restricted to trans-Pacs.
According to the QF website fleet page, there are currently 8 (
) 744 configs (including the ERs) - two being due to the addition of Premium Economy. I pity the poor F/As having to study EPs...
Anyway... -OJA was delivered in August 1989. The seat maps would suggest -OJA-D, F I and J are 2-class so might be doing mainly Saffie runs (where there's no competition).
In any case an airframe is just that - a frame. (As long as the floor will take it
) you can put anything you like inside so a 20-year-old 744 can look damn near as good inside as a straight-off-the-line 777. There might be a few architectural differences (eg. how the OHBs & PSUs look) but in terms of seating, as long as it fits the tracks & doesn't overload the electrics, away you go. BA were running relatively modern P-cls on their Classics into 2003; their original 777s are still going strong and getting updated (less two airframes)
The ERs have been spotted at EGLL from time to time so they are clearly not solely restricted to trans-Pacs.
According to the QF website fleet page, there are currently 8 (
) 744 configs (including the ERs) - two being due to the addition of Premium Economy. I pity the poor F/As having to study EPs...Anyway... -OJA was delivered in August 1989. The seat maps would suggest -OJA-D, F I and J are 2-class so might be doing mainly Saffie runs (where there's no competition).
In any case an airframe is just that - a frame. (As long as the floor will take it
) you can put anything you like inside so a 20-year-old 744 can look damn near as good inside as a straight-off-the-line 777. There might be a few architectural differences (eg. how the OHBs & PSUs look) but in terms of seating, as long as it fits the tracks & doesn't overload the electrics, away you go. BA were running relatively modern P-cls on their Classics into 2003; their original 777s are still going strong and getting updated (less two airframes)
Evertonian
Which would stand to reason TD, as the MEL-LAX direct service was dropped IIRC. 
(Not suggesting that was the sole reason for their purchase of course!)
(Not suggesting that was the sole reason for their purchase of course!)
Buster,
MEL-LAX-MEL direct still operates daily, and the -400ER is the only aircraft that does them. It's a bloody long way, especially westbound. I think there's 6 of the ERs, built from about 2002 onwards.
Taildragger,
The 2 class aircraft mainly do Frankfurt and LAX-Brisbane and LAX-Auckland. Joburg is operated by 3-class RR aircraft (generally speaking). Always subject to change of course, the way things are with QF maintenance (management not the ginger beers)!!!
Hope it clears some of it up for you.
MEL-LAX-MEL direct still operates daily, and the -400ER is the only aircraft that does them. It's a bloody long way, especially westbound. I think there's 6 of the ERs, built from about 2002 onwards.
Taildragger,
The 2 class aircraft mainly do Frankfurt and LAX-Brisbane and LAX-Auckland. Joburg is operated by 3-class RR aircraft (generally speaking). Always subject to change of course, the way things are with QF maintenance (management not the ginger beers)!!!
Hope it clears some of it up for you.
(That's twice now I think...)