It's Official - Virgin Blue to Get Jungle Jets
 

From the VB website...

November 2006

Virgin Blue Orders 20 Embraer 'E-Jets' - New Fleet strategy for Australia's 'New World Carrier'
Thursday 2 November 2006: Virgin Blue Holdings today announced a major new investment with an
AUD$950 million list price order for 20 aircraft from the Embraer E-Jet family.

With deliveries commencing in 2007, the order includes firm commitments for 11 EMBRAER 190 and 3 EMBRAER 170 jet aircraft and options for 6 additional E-Jets.

The Brazilian jets – the first of their type to operate scheduled services in the Australasian region will give the Virgin Blue Group significant additional operating flexibility, while increasing efficiency through lower fuel burn.

Both aircraft types will be fitted with leather Elite seats, the widest economy seat offered worldwide on a single aisle aircraft. Virgin Blue will configure its jets in a single class, 2 x 2 seat layout.

“This acquisition is a key step-change for Virgin Blue under our New World Carrier strategy announced last year,” said the airline’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Brett Godfrey.

“Our current fleet of Boeing 737-700 and 737-800 aircraft provides sufficient capacity to serve key routes in the Australian, trans-Tasman and Pacific Island markets, however it is not optimal on all markets,” said Mr Godfrey.

“This new jet will enhance our ability to serve the corporate market by more accurately matching seat capacity and frequency to passenger demand.

“We believe the Embraer E-jet family provides jets with large capabilities, which will enable us to operate the right sized aircraft, not only for specific routes, but for specific days and even particular times of the day and night.”

“Virgin Blue will have the ability to complement and “right size” our operations and we are currently considering a range of operating possibilities which are yet to be confirmed," added Mr Godfrey.

Coinciding with Virgin Blue's order, Embraer will bring an EMBRAER 190 aircraft to Australia later this month for a national demonstration tour, including a roadshow for Virgin Blue staff throughout the country.

As of September 30, 2006, Embraer had delivered 184 E-Jets to customers in Canada, United States, United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Finland, Poland, India, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, Ecuador and Panama.

“We are delighted that Virgin Blue has selected our E-Jets,” said Frederico Fleury Curado, Embraer Executive Vice-President, Airline Market.

“It is particularly satisfying to know that our technologically advanced and fuel efficient E-Jets fit the bill for this ‘New World Carrier’ who is once again poised to change the airline landscape in Australia and the South Pacific. “

The EMBRAER 190s ordered by the Virgin Blue Holdings group have a maximum range of 2,300 nautical miles, or 4,260 kilometres, enabling them to fly with a full payload from Sydney to anywhere in Australia, or beyond to New Zealand and a range of destinations throughout the Pacific. The EMBRAER 190 seating configuration can range from 98 to 114 seats.

The smaller EMBRAER 170s can fly 2,000 nautical miles, or 3,706 kilometres, enabling them to operate from Sydney to anywhere on Australia’s eastern seaboard, as far north as Darwin, or from Adelaide or central Australia to Perth, as well as from eastern Australia to New Zealand and parts of the Pacific. The EMBRAER 170 seating configuration can range from 70 to 80 seats.

Virgin Blue's E-Jets also will include extensive use of new weight-saving materials, fly-by-wire electronic control and new-technology fuel efficient engines reducing both fuel burn and exhaust emissions – a vital consideration in Virgin Blue’s selection of new aircraft.

In addition, the E-Jets meet the most stringent restrictions on aircraft noise, reducing noise around airports and beneath flight paths, as well as minimising cabin noise levels for passengers.

For more information about the Embraer E-Jets, visit www.embraer.com.

At last!!!!!!!!!!!!

Been a long time coming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D

Congratulations VB ..............................This is really BAD NEWS for Qantas and JetStar.:D

Jack Red,

Why, QF could rekit the B717 and undercut their grass :)

I don't think the 717 has the same mission capabilty. The 190 will be a good machine.

I guess VB will start recruiting soon then eh?

AUssie

The 717, operated properly, could give the E-Jet a run for its money, literally. There are 6 still sitting in BNE ........... bang 'em back on line I say!

There are people out there that would sell their eldest child into slavery for another go at the diesel. (God bless her!)

How much is an embraer endorsement? :E := :hmm:

Rumours of a bonding system have been floating around recently.... who knows! :confused: :}

Well let that rumour perpetuate, it sounds promising! :ok:

...disco

anyone know what destinations they are targeting initially? It will be interesting to see if/how Qantas respond!

:)

Let us hope they start a Perth base. There is a HUGE untapped resources market that would feed nicely into the VB terminal. By-passing an overloaded QF infrastructure.

Qantas will need to act quickly, especially if DJ deploys the E-Jets on the Q400 routes (SYD-CBR, BNE-CBR, BNE-ROK, BNE-MKY, BNE-GLD and BNE-EMD). Up until a few years ago more than half of the above routes were operated by jets (NJS with the 146 and FWA with the F28/100).

As topgun007 said, Qantas could get put the B717’s back on these routes or make use of the 146 again (short term) or have Skywest and/or Alliance operate their Fokker’s on behalf of Qantas.

If there’s a jet and a turboprop operating the same route, Joe public will always go for the jet (no matter how old it is).

Perhaps for QFlink, can't see how it would affect the * or mainline Q, they'll be put on different routes. The 170s might give rex a little shake up, but at the end of the day 'joe public' also want to go cheap cheap cheap, and turboprops are just that on the shorter sectors...

I doubt the fares will be more than the prop fares where they compete.

Hmmm...Embraer or 146? :hmm: I know which one I'd choose, and it AINT the 146! The Embraer is a really good counter to the Q400s - good move DJ. :ok:
Magoo

Magoodotcom

Do people really choose an aircraft type to travel on?

Whilst it was many years ago, when I worked in TAA res, no one phoned and said, "I wanna book on the 727 flight to Sydney".

People book to get from A to B, and the vast majority just take what they get without asking what type.

Unless you're a plane spotter. There seems to be quite a few here nowadays:ugh::rolleyes:
What's prune coming to?

People didn't ask for the 727? On hot days in Canberra airline staff were begging head office for 727s rather than DC-9s because the DC-9s had to leave half the passengers behind.


When turboprops did start to re appear on Canberra-Sydney (Ansett Fokker 50s, then Dash 8s for Australian Airlines) some people did ask if there was a jet two hours either side of the prop departure. Nowadays if you want a jet you will have a very long wait.

717s verses Jungle Jets? Like swatting flies. Bring em on! :}
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...17-and-190.jpg

If there is a 146/F100 on the ramp and a Dash 8-400, Joe public will take the jet over a turboprop. The jet could be 20 years old, the fact is the public see jets as being safer and more modern than propeller aircraft. Qantas dropped the ball by replacing the 146 with the Q-400, their replacment should have been a jet (B717 or E-Jet)

The E-Jets will allow DJ to operate the same frequency (with all jets) to smaller cities/towns that current receive only a turboprop service or 1-2 jet flights a day and the rest of the flights are turboprops.

15-20 years ago places such as Tamworth and Albury had jet connections from Sydney, now they only have turboprops. With the E-Jets coming there is a very good chance they will once again have a jet service.

Remember when Richard launched Virgin Blue, he stated he wanted to fly to towns that had a population of 100000, with the E-Jets this may finally happen.

.....sort of hard to argue the #,s on the 170,s and 190,S.........We have a few 170,s around the fleet and have a Huge# of 190,s ordered............talked to the the blokes that fly-em......... their only complaint....the $$$$$$$ they are being paid to fly them.......

A Capt on one of the 190,s will make about $80k/annum US....most senior F/O,,s(on the A320) make way more than that,so going back from F/0 to capt and earning less has become a major issue.....would be interesred to hear Virgins payscales????....

havent been in the 190 flightdeck but have jumpseated the 170...and men...its a tidy little piece of wahine for sure,well laid out....except for that stupid steering wheel yoke thing(bring it on CC).....all in all a nice way to spend a day in the office........ PB

Reminds me of my Concorde test flying days! :} :ok:

Capn Bloggs...your right mate....managed to get a couple of tiki tours in the Concorde as we used the same gates in KJFK..1-8.....brownosed those "junior pommy" boys for a look-see....and yes,the yokes are similar....beauty mate!!!!...PB

This will be the place to start, But I believe they are doing an up-grade on the software so it may be a week or so before you can submit.

Good luck :ok:

Shags

your employer will be loving your work! :hmm: Thanks for the endo I'm off to VB

Anybody else remember "VH-XFI" ???
Motor Bike handlebar, and no controls at all on the right !!!!!

Well Shags, IF VB are looking for loyalty your in for a challenge to prove it.

Anyway, hope it all works out:) .

Shags, It's bit like the chicken or the egg or story??

I'm not sure what came first - pay your own type rating, or reduced T&C's.

What I do know though is Pilots taking advantage of business's that pay for type ratings, and then nick off without any return of service, are not doing the rest of us any favour!

Sir ....... I didn't know that you had flown "Concorde"......... I'll salute next time I see you :rolleyes:

Skippers on the jungle jet to get 129K and F/O's 65%.

ANCaptain, no need for the "sir". Just "captain" will do! :D

Virgins with Brazilians...

Sounds like a PORN site!!!!:eek:

Apparently a "Brazilian Party" is being held later this month for staff. Am I the only one who's thinking that to keep in the spirit of the event, there should be some special "entry requirements" for all the hotties attending? I am willing to donate my services free of charge to man the door.

On the other hand, at QF I guess I can look forward to when the A380 arrives and they throw a dugong party - plenty of the old boilers would do a pretty good impression I reckon!

:} TL

Ummm no-one seems to have mentioned the security side of things at such ports as Tamworth, Albury etc. Do they have the requrired security measures that allow jet traffic? If not the who what and where comes into play. The pax will obviously pay for all for of this, prop or jet, but regional communities want frequency more so than jets.

In Saturday's Advertiser it was reported that Port Lincoln might see one VB jet a week. Hmmm. The council which has about 1500 ratepayers going to cough up the $10 - $15 mill for airport expansion? Don't think so. Rannbo's Government? Well they've just cut $20 mill from Education so also unlikely.

But VB might go after the BHP gig at Roxby which will have a jet capable runway soon.

Agree that jets are all so much more sexier than props, face value really.
And also agree that QF should have looked at the 170/190 series given that they all went for a fly in it, when it toured a couple of years ago.

Rex must be somewhat concerned depending on the routes chosen, but they seem to have a loyal following in many parts.

Airnorth? Will they continue down the jet path, or is the SP correct in that they are really after the charter bizness.

Interesting times ahead.

Rock On!

Capn Bloggs,

I hope you called yourself "THE Speedbird...":}

DJ, the security measures are exactly the same for props as they are for jets. If the outport has no screening, then PAX will have to be screened at the first port that has screening facilities. For VB, that will probably be the capital city. Otherwise it means all get off, go through the screening and re-board.

Aircraft over a certain no of seats must be screened no matter what. Is it 72 or 100?

Nope,
If you go into somewhere that has a sterile area, like Sydney, you must be screened no matter what. If screening is not available at the outport then the pax must be screened prior to entry of any of the terminals - even if they're just getting off, because they are required to transit the sterile area.

Aircraft capacity is irrelevant.

Anybody able to provide details on the delivery schedule?

All press releases to date have been very scant on detail??:confused: