Skywest - F100 for Argyle?
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"And also disappointed and angry are Skywest's F-50 pilots, who like many in the industry are not clear what the wet-lease from Alliance means to their career paths. "
I've spoken to afew of the lads, and as far as they are concerned, they are excited and happy about the news. They are well aware of the work and effort involved in phasing in a new type, and at the same time looking after the client. If that means having to use Alliance for afew months while they get set up properly etc and Alliance are used during this transitional period, then I'm sure the guys would more than understand that. I don't see what the complication seems to be about the arrangement. One 6 month block out of six (i.e 16-17%) of the contract done buy Alliance? big deal...
I've spoken to afew of the lads, and as far as they are concerned, they are excited and happy about the news. They are well aware of the work and effort involved in phasing in a new type, and at the same time looking after the client. If that means having to use Alliance for afew months while they get set up properly etc and Alliance are used during this transitional period, then I'm sure the guys would more than understand that. I don't see what the complication seems to be about the arrangement. One 6 month block out of six (i.e 16-17%) of the contract done buy Alliance? big deal...
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Gaunty, IFF was commenting on GTs seeming inability to get the facts straight not about whether pilots have management skills in addition to their flying skills. Perhaps GT should check his facts before making comments and statements that suppossedly come from the pilot group. GT you directly quoted "one pilot", did you think to ask this pilot if his view was that of the majority? I think not! In fact I know you didn't. It would pay in future Mr Thomas to check your facts with more than one person before making statements that supposedly represent an entire group. Your statements send incorrect signals to other staff, clients and the travelling public, they are damaging to morale and are untrue!
BTW - GT did manage to get the seating correct, Skywest fly the F50 with 46 seats but GT what does RPT stand for?
BTW - GT did manage to get the seating correct, Skywest fly the F50 with 46 seats but GT what does RPT stand for?
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Dodgy, your point is valid, but the same could be said for almost every port in WA. Everyone screamed for competition in WA after ANs total monopoly for decades, but there was no assistance for Airlink and to some point, no support from the public. Port Hedland was a good example, they whinged about no competition but when Airlink came along they did'nt support them so eventually airlink pulled out, they whinged about that too. What they wanted was someone to run an A/C in and out empty just to keep AN honest, yeh, that was going to happen.
The figures regarding the the RJ70 are incorrect, it is not a 70 seater and from memory NJS had it configured at around 80 odd.
Also NJS has 2 x 300 series A/C, which are 87 seaters including 8 J class, so I don't think that argument hold alot of water.
If Skywest has 30% of woodside, I don't think that will warrant 2 return trips a day to KA.
The contingency plan for the inevitable breakdown is an interesting one, for sure NJS and/or QF will be doing Skywest no favours in that department, but more importantly, unless something has changed drastically, NJS had enough trouble covering their own breakdowns ( not that there was that many ) yet alone the oppositions.
I sincerely hope this contract does'nt have a negative effect on Skywest, it's the last thing they need at the moment.
The figures regarding the the RJ70 are incorrect, it is not a 70 seater and from memory NJS had it configured at around 80 odd.
Also NJS has 2 x 300 series A/C, which are 87 seaters including 8 J class, so I don't think that argument hold alot of water.
If Skywest has 30% of woodside, I don't think that will warrant 2 return trips a day to KA.
The contingency plan for the inevitable breakdown is an interesting one, for sure NJS and/or QF will be doing Skywest no favours in that department, but more importantly, unless something has changed drastically, NJS had enough trouble covering their own breakdowns ( not that there was that many ) yet alone the oppositions.
I sincerely hope this contract does'nt have a negative effect on Skywest, it's the last thing they need at the moment.
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Name your source thanks
And also disappointed and angry are Skywest's F-50 pilots, who like many in the industry are not clear what the wet-lease from Alliance means to their career paths.
"Management are going to have to give us some assurances real fast or there will be industrial strife," said one.
Gaunty,
You're off the mark old chap. It wasn't the mines that chose to go FIFO: it was the government of the day (can't remember which ones were in power at the time, the communists or the facists) that introduced FBT that stuffed the local communities, since subsidised housing and the rest was deemed a FB and so evrybody pulled the pin back to the big smoke (or so an old mate of mine says).
Likewise, Skippers shouldn't cop any blame for the RPT dilemma Skywets is in. Look at their flight line: 3Braz, 2D8, 5?death pencils and a whole squadron of turbo cesspits, none of which are RPT (as far as I know). Both companies deserve a go, but I don't think you can blame Skippers for the demise of remote communities: they have merely responded to the current market, just as Skywest have just done.
Just got my Flight mag with a colour pic of Alliances' F100: what a fantastic-looking jet! It'll really annoy the hell out of me to see them outside TCAS range above and going at .75! Mongrels!
You're off the mark old chap. It wasn't the mines that chose to go FIFO: it was the government of the day (can't remember which ones were in power at the time, the communists or the facists) that introduced FBT that stuffed the local communities, since subsidised housing and the rest was deemed a FB and so evrybody pulled the pin back to the big smoke (or so an old mate of mine says).
Likewise, Skippers shouldn't cop any blame for the RPT dilemma Skywets is in. Look at their flight line: 3Braz, 2D8, 5?death pencils and a whole squadron of turbo cesspits, none of which are RPT (as far as I know). Both companies deserve a go, but I don't think you can blame Skippers for the demise of remote communities: they have merely responded to the current market, just as Skywest have just done.
Just got my Flight mag with a colour pic of Alliances' F100: what a fantastic-looking jet! It'll really annoy the hell out of me to see them outside TCAS range above and going at .75! Mongrels!
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A work colleague and I were discussing this topic a few days ago and I think he may have it the "nail on the head" on how Alliance will get more than 20 hours per week out of the F100.
His suggestion was, Alliance could start a BNE-CNS route and then added CNS - ASP - PER. If they operated this return flight a few days a week it would give them better usage of the F100 plus it would allow the aircraft to return to BNE for maintenance/crew changes etc.
In last Thursdays Courier Mail (15th Aug), Alliance Airlines GM confirmed the Northern Territory "would be considered". So could flights via the NT be the way to go? Maybe Alliance could operate BNE-ASP-PER, BNE-DRW-BME-PER, BNE-TVL-CNS-DRW-BRM-PER, BNE-TVL-CNS-ASP-KGI-PER or BNE-ASP-KGI-PER.
His suggestion was, Alliance could start a BNE-CNS route and then added CNS - ASP - PER. If they operated this return flight a few days a week it would give them better usage of the F100 plus it would allow the aircraft to return to BNE for maintenance/crew changes etc.
In last Thursdays Courier Mail (15th Aug), Alliance Airlines GM confirmed the Northern Territory "would be considered". So could flights via the NT be the way to go? Maybe Alliance could operate BNE-ASP-PER, BNE-DRW-BME-PER, BNE-TVL-CNS-DRW-BRM-PER, BNE-TVL-CNS-ASP-KGI-PER or BNE-ASP-KGI-PER.
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I am sorry that I have not been able to respond to the various comments about my story earlier.
However I spoke to several Skywest pilots who rang me. Naturally they are not going to admit to colleagues that they have rung me BUT they did. There are in fact by all the contrasting comments on this post very different views on this wet-lease and its effects.
And for those who think I am "Skywest bashing" the facts do not support the asertion.
1. I knew about the boardroom brawl in April.
2. Did not report it till BM was dumped and you may be interested to know that other directors/shareholders arranged for the Financial Review and ABC to actually attend the shareholder meeting when he was axed and I was barred....wonder why??
3. We could have painted Skywest management as idiots over the comments made by GM David Fletcher last week to our reporter which appeared in Friday's West relating to the F-50 problem out of Geraldton. (And yes we have it on tape)
"We blow hydraulic hoses quite regularly" and "We can't determine the life of a hydraulic hose".
I discussed the issue with the Skywest pilot's union rep and CASA and did nothing. (In fact Skywest have had three such failures in eight years...excellent record in fact).
Best Geoffrey T
However I spoke to several Skywest pilots who rang me. Naturally they are not going to admit to colleagues that they have rung me BUT they did. There are in fact by all the contrasting comments on this post very different views on this wet-lease and its effects.
And for those who think I am "Skywest bashing" the facts do not support the asertion.
1. I knew about the boardroom brawl in April.
2. Did not report it till BM was dumped and you may be interested to know that other directors/shareholders arranged for the Financial Review and ABC to actually attend the shareholder meeting when he was axed and I was barred....wonder why??
3. We could have painted Skywest management as idiots over the comments made by GM David Fletcher last week to our reporter which appeared in Friday's West relating to the F-50 problem out of Geraldton. (And yes we have it on tape)
"We blow hydraulic hoses quite regularly" and "We can't determine the life of a hydraulic hose".
I discussed the issue with the Skywest pilot's union rep and CASA and did nothing. (In fact Skywest have had three such failures in eight years...excellent record in fact).
Best Geoffrey T
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Does anyone have any update on CEO posting at Skywest, as advertised vacant a few weeks ago?
Also interested to know if all is on track for the F100 to arrive in state to take up the Argyle contract?
Also interested to know if all is on track for the F100 to arrive in state to take up the Argyle contract?
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slowly the acorn grew
Effective immediately Skywest are to fly 80-100 bums per week in and out of Exmouth(Learmonth) for Woodside. Offshore project and drilling has been brought forward 12-18 months. F-100 lurking, Geoff Thomas hiding, the fat lady hasn't even got the sheet music out yet. (she still in the car on the way to the concert!
)La La Laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.......
)La La Laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.......
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Not in hiding just a little busy at the moment. QantasLink has just retained the WMC contract which they picked up from Skywest after Sept 14 last year. The contract is for three years. Skywest are now looking to sub lease one of its F-50s, possibly to Alliance BUT they didn't mention anything yestreday about the Woodside business....great news if its true.
Best GT
Best GT
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From todays article re Skywest,
"we have a number of lease opportunities for one aircraft"..Translation : we have no work for at least one aircraft?
."...WMC business was not part of our business plan". Wht not -
does this mean that they are intentionally winding back the turboprop work? The WMC work must surely be highly coveted, particularly for Skywest.
"we have a number of lease opportunities for one aircraft"..Translation : we have no work for at least one aircraft?
."...WMC business was not part of our business plan". Wht not -
does this mean that they are intentionally winding back the turboprop work? The WMC work must surely be highly coveted, particularly for Skywest.
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For those who missed the West article it is under.
With regard to Woodside/Exmouth/Skywest, the situation is as follows: Woodside are drilling one Appraisal Well Enfield no 5. It will last a month only and involve 70 seats a week. They have not brought forward any aspect of the operation in this region--it is still slated for 2006.
They will drill another Appraisal Well at Laverda No 2, which is in the same area, later in the year. Again one month and 70 seats a week.
GT
WMC contract further blow to Skywest hopes
By Geoffrey Thomas
QANTASLINK has retained the $21 million, three-year lucrative WMC contract for fly-in, fly-out to its mining operations at Mt Keith and Leinster.
Before Ansett's collapse, its regional subsidiary, Skywest Airlines, had the contract but lost it when it was also grounded in September last year.
QantasLink was given the contract in the interim and Skywest has been lobbying to regain the business.
While no official announcement has been made by WMC, Skywest chairman Pat Ryan confirmed yesterday the contract had gone to QantasLink.
"QantasLink has retained it and while we would have liked to regain it, the WMC business was not part of our business plan," he said.
The WMC contract was held by Skywest Airlines for a number of years and the airline carried at least 1100 passengers a week, which underpinned the fleet of five 46-seat Fokker F-50s turbo-prop aircraft.
QantasLink has used 75-seat BAe 146 jets to fly to Leinster and National Jet Systems (NJS) 36-seat Dash 8 turbo-props to service Mt Keith, which does not have a sealed runway.
In an effort to sway WMC to return the contract, Skywest has continued to operate to these two destinations, although triangulated with Kalgoorlie.
However, WMC has been impressed with the BAe 146 and will now seal Mt Keith's runway to allow jet operations.
The contract calls for up to two flights a day to both centres in an expansion of the operation.
Skywest, which is leasing a Fokker 100 jet for the Rio Tinto Argyle operation to start in November, was not able to offer that aircraft for the WMC contract because of timetable commitments to Argyle. The service was essentially a daylight operation.
The Argyle contract was held by Ansett using a 120-seat 737 jet and Qantas has been providing a 737 since Ansett's collapse but the service has been a "red-eye" because of schedule commitments for the aircraft.
The awarding of the WMC contract to QantasLink comes on top of the recent win by Qantas of the $70 million Woodside contract for the next three years.
The loss of the WMC contract leaves Skywest with excess capacity with its Fokker 50 fleet.
While the airline is serving Karratha, which it did not do before the Ansett collapse, the traffic is mainly low yield VFR (visiting friends and relatives), not mining company related.
In another development late last week, executives from Brisbane-based Alliance Airlines, which is leasing Skywest the Fokker 100 jet, were in Perth inspecting some of Skywest's Fokker 50s for a possible lease.
Mr Ryan confirmed that the airline was looking at leasing out one aircraft on a short-term basis to Alliance but other longer term leases were also possible to other operators.
"We have a number of lease opportunities for one aircraft," he said.
According to analysts, it is possible that a win-win arrangement may be forged with Alliance Airlines for a series of cross leases to satisfy varying requirements for both revenue passenger transport services and charter contracts.
Talks also continue with Qantas over a marketing alliance to feed passengers on to each others flights and provide a seamless service with baggage and ticketing.
Before its collapse, Ansett would feed Eastern States passengers on to Skywest flights.
With regard to Woodside/Exmouth/Skywest, the situation is as follows: Woodside are drilling one Appraisal Well Enfield no 5. It will last a month only and involve 70 seats a week. They have not brought forward any aspect of the operation in this region--it is still slated for 2006.
They will drill another Appraisal Well at Laverda No 2, which is in the same area, later in the year. Again one month and 70 seats a week.
GT
WMC contract further blow to Skywest hopes
By Geoffrey Thomas
QANTASLINK has retained the $21 million, three-year lucrative WMC contract for fly-in, fly-out to its mining operations at Mt Keith and Leinster.
Before Ansett's collapse, its regional subsidiary, Skywest Airlines, had the contract but lost it when it was also grounded in September last year.
QantasLink was given the contract in the interim and Skywest has been lobbying to regain the business.
While no official announcement has been made by WMC, Skywest chairman Pat Ryan confirmed yesterday the contract had gone to QantasLink.
"QantasLink has retained it and while we would have liked to regain it, the WMC business was not part of our business plan," he said.
The WMC contract was held by Skywest Airlines for a number of years and the airline carried at least 1100 passengers a week, which underpinned the fleet of five 46-seat Fokker F-50s turbo-prop aircraft.
QantasLink has used 75-seat BAe 146 jets to fly to Leinster and National Jet Systems (NJS) 36-seat Dash 8 turbo-props to service Mt Keith, which does not have a sealed runway.
In an effort to sway WMC to return the contract, Skywest has continued to operate to these two destinations, although triangulated with Kalgoorlie.
However, WMC has been impressed with the BAe 146 and will now seal Mt Keith's runway to allow jet operations.
The contract calls for up to two flights a day to both centres in an expansion of the operation.
Skywest, which is leasing a Fokker 100 jet for the Rio Tinto Argyle operation to start in November, was not able to offer that aircraft for the WMC contract because of timetable commitments to Argyle. The service was essentially a daylight operation.
The Argyle contract was held by Ansett using a 120-seat 737 jet and Qantas has been providing a 737 since Ansett's collapse but the service has been a "red-eye" because of schedule commitments for the aircraft.
The awarding of the WMC contract to QantasLink comes on top of the recent win by Qantas of the $70 million Woodside contract for the next three years.
The loss of the WMC contract leaves Skywest with excess capacity with its Fokker 50 fleet.
While the airline is serving Karratha, which it did not do before the Ansett collapse, the traffic is mainly low yield VFR (visiting friends and relatives), not mining company related.
In another development late last week, executives from Brisbane-based Alliance Airlines, which is leasing Skywest the Fokker 100 jet, were in Perth inspecting some of Skywest's Fokker 50s for a possible lease.
Mr Ryan confirmed that the airline was looking at leasing out one aircraft on a short-term basis to Alliance but other longer term leases were also possible to other operators.
"We have a number of lease opportunities for one aircraft," he said.
According to analysts, it is possible that a win-win arrangement may be forged with Alliance Airlines for a series of cross leases to satisfy varying requirements for both revenue passenger transport services and charter contracts.
Talks also continue with Qantas over a marketing alliance to feed passengers on to each others flights and provide a seamless service with baggage and ticketing.
Before its collapse, Ansett would feed Eastern States passengers on to Skywest flights.
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Flight West wet-leased 1 F50 from Ansett about 7 years ago to cover a short fall in capacity. Flight West were very pleased with the F50 and wanted to lease/purchase at least 2 from Ansett, but Ansett wouldn't come to the party. So now 7 years on the F50 may become a regular sight in QLD skies.
In other Alliance news the first Bras, VH-XFZ is now flying in full Alliance colours.
In other Alliance news the first Bras, VH-XFZ is now flying in full Alliance colours.