VAustralia New Routes

[chicken or fish 2]

V Australia

V Australia have applied to the USA to operate services to:


Los Angeles International Airport
San Francisco International Airport
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
McCarran International Airport (Las Vegas)
New York JFK International Airport.

[weasil]

Originally Posted by Glen Tilton (UAL CEO) this week

In addition, we are electing to retire six Boeing 747-400 aircraft, reducing our international capacity by 3.5 to 4.5 percent year over year in the fourth quarter of 2008 and 4 to 5 percent year over year in 2009. This change recognizes that, while the vast majority of our international markets are performing quite well, there are a few markets that simply can’t be profitable at today’s fuel prices.

These are the ones used mainly for Australia and Asia, they will be gone from the fleet by the end of this year. No word yet as to whether we will continue flying to Australia.

[Tankengine]

Ralph's been smoking again!

Longhaul : typically 300-350 kg/hr for each extra tonne.
Shorthaul : typically 50-80 kg/hr for each extra tonne.

Carry weight for a longer time burns more! Duh!

[Timber]

Depending on the aircraft you burn 3-5% per hour of the extra weight carried (3% for the most modern engines and 5% for the gas guzzlers) . So, 2 hour flight = 60-100 kgs extra burnoff per ton extra weight; 4 hour leg = 120-200 kgs extra burnoff per ton extra weight, etc etc.

[qantel]

Perhaps a new route to seize.... Cns-Nrt, Cns-Ngo? If they did how long would it be before we see one up north?

[alangirvan]

Long haul versus Short Haul: When Qantas and TAA were separate airlines, Qantas wanted to do SYD-PER and MEL-PER with 747s, which it said would be much more efficient than the domestic 727-200s which were used at the time. 2000 is a short distance, even for 747-200s. So, was Qantas right to say that in 1980? The ideal plane for SYD-PER was the A300-600 as operated by Compass - a better plane for the distance than current A330-200s.

On short domestic distances, like SYD-MEL, you could say that less than 500 miles is too short to have a meaningful fuel saving operating a 737-400 versus a 727-200 since the cruise is a short part of the flight. For the distance, the MD-80, as operated by Compass II was the ideal plane.

The two planes that should have been the best for Australia were operated by airlines who failed.

[7378FE]

There is unused capacity in the Australia-UAE bilateral on the Australian side, the UAE side of the bilateral is fully utilised and you cannot get a seat on Emirates or Etihad to the Gulf without paying thru the nose.

QANTAS seems unwilling to use this capacity, so watch this space

[404 Titan]

Tankengine

You said:

Longhaul : typically 300-350 kg/hr for each extra tonne.
Shorthaul : typically 50-80 kg/hr for each extra tonne.

I think you meant to say:
Longhaul: typically 300-350 kg/tonne/sector
Shorthaul: typically 50-80 kg/tonne/sector

Ralph the Bong

While Tankengine was incorrect in his use of kg/hr, he is infact right when he says:

Carry weight for a longer time burns more!

I have just done a comparison of three different aircraft types in our fleet and compared the differences of carrying an extra tonne of payload on a shorthaul sector and a longhaul sector. The results even supprised me.

A330-300
Shaulhaul: 0.053 kg/tonne/nm
Longhaul: 0.067 kg/tonne/nm

B777-300ER
Shorthaul: 0.053 kg/tonne/nm
Longhaul: 0.065 kg/tonne/nm

B747-400
Shorthaul: 0.066 kg/tonne/nm
Longhaul: 0.089 kg/tonne/nm

[Tankengine]

404 Titan,

Thank you, I was wrong with that, typed it quickly in the HKG lounge as my flight was being called.

Ralph,
I was agreeing with SkySurfin, it is simply weight carriage over time if you compare long[>8hrs] and short [<3hrs]

If you compare for eg 3hrs and 4 hrs then your longer winded climb/cruise comparison is valid. Not really long/short though.

[chicken or fish 2]

The Australian Report.

I just read in The Australian Newspaper......

"Meanwhile, Merrill Lynch aviation gurus suggest Virgin can avoid the need for an equity raising if it defers or cancels plane orders. It raises the prospect of Virgin cancelling some, or all, of the Boeing 777s on order. The planes -- estimated to be worth $115 million apiece -- are pivotal to the launch of the offshore arm, V Australia, in December;"

Doesn't sound too good...but my gut feeling says it will go ahead......they have already invested so much money!

[Muizenberg]

BA to lease B777-300

Hate to rain on anyones parade...if VA are defering the remaining B777-300's is this where BA are getting them from???

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=330801

[wirgin blew]

Could still start with 3, sell the next 12 orders that they have from Boeing to raise some cash and put themselves at the bottom of the queue for some more later on perhaps???

Its hardly a positive move for the direction of the company but it couldn't hurt the bottom line.

Discuss.

[strobes_on]

If you don't see 3 aircraft you probably won't see the operation start.

I would have thought 3 aircraft is the minimum number that this operation would require given sector times and maintenance requirements etc.etc.

Finance wise, would 3 aircraft give VA critical mass ? I guess only time will tell.

[chicken or fish 2]

The Australian Newspaper

From the Australian Newspaper...

"V Australia - the international arm of Virgin Australia - selected the 777-300ER last year and will take delivery of its first of 15 in November to launch services to the US."

So they still have 5 months!

[insert_name]

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=330801

Post #18

CC trainers mentioned the figure 4 yesterday and added that these a/c would not have any 'First' as added to all the other issues that class is not looking to encouraging for the future. That said the a/c must go to LHR so which routes might have 'first' reduced or withdrawn.

Hmmmm sounds like V A aircraft indeed.

One reason could be is they decided to start with 3 777-3ER, cancel some of the orders or options on the 777 and possibly swap for 787 slots or cash, then grow the business with other types such as 787-9?? Even though the 777 is lean on fuel from my limited knowledge the 787 will be better. There are a few slots available now for the A380 as a few operators are rumored to be delaying delivery, could they be getting them?? Is an A380 90% full cheaper on fuel per person compared to the 777-3ER 90% full?

Just a thought

[PLJ]

As an F/O flying these routes how much flight time do you log if crews are Capt, F/O, 2 x S/O? Does all of the flight time go towards the 1000hr per year.

Also how is rest usually managed? One spell of about six hours or is it swapping every two or three hours? (Think the sectors are about 14-15 hours)

[KRUSTY 34]

From the AFAP,

"VA has 4000 applicants and in their opinion no pilot shortage exists....Despite this recruiting suitable First Officers seems to be a problem"

• VB pilots who are frozen and offered a VA spot will have to pay out their VB bond
• The training salary will be paid untill line training commences
• Passport costs ASIC etc will not be covered by VA

Richard Tanner (HR) states..."advancement would be merit based for VA and that was his position for VB in the future..."

So what can we draw from this?

VA will have snowballs chance in hell of recruiting enough qualified 777 drivers for the window seats. Current DJ pilots will be willing to jump ship without adequate protection for their positions (NOT!!)

Best to sack Mr Tanner now, and get with the real world. VA's start up problems will be bad enough without d!ckheads like this bloke calling the shots!

[chicken or fish 2]

Brisbane to LA Direct!

I've just been told there is a huge billboard in Brisbane advertising V Australia Brisbane to LA direct starting in February 2009.

I also heard a new Sydney to NY route for late 2009.

And new rumoured destinations include Vancouver, India, China, Paris and London Via Singapore.

Very interesting!!

[Wizofoz]

also heard a new Sydney to NY route for late 2009.

Well it won't be direct unless they find some 777-200LRs!!

[Animalclub]

In my airline days "direct" did not necessarily mean "non-stop". Has that changed?