Ill take that in the positive spinout. As for pulse being sold, well thats a good one.

Lets see, FRA an English company with a strong focus on special missions is going to expand on an RPT holding that it does no want.

I think not, FRA I understand would love to divest themselves of the Airlink contract side of NJS not purchase another.

For the seniority list issue I only have one question why would the big Q endorse any merge of lists between their (arguably) most militant group af pilots and their (arguably) least militant.

But I digress, the Pulse will get more B717's and the Airlink 146 ops wil contract it will just be a matter of time.

TopGun
 

I'd be interested to have some idea why you believe FRA keen to divest themselves of Airlink.

My information, from possibly the highest source, is that FRA as an aviation company is interested in ...... aviation. The Airlink contract meets this criteria.

I've yet to hear of or see anything factual to indicate that FRA are only interested in miltary or para military style flying.

Hey Top gun, before you get too smug, have a chat with a couple of Southern Pilots.
The " pulse " will get or lose what they are given, depending on what suits good old employee friendly Geoff at the time.

Remember, todays Rooster, tommorows feather duster.

IWS

Not being smug, far from it in fact several friends of mine are with both Southern and NJS and I really feel for anyone in that situation.

It does not directly affcet me in any way what happens with any of the operators, but for runs on the board, fiscally the B717 makes to much sense to ignore.

If you care to listen to the bean counters who have now had time to get a real picture of what the aircraft costs to operate then the seven seventeen has a long future in this country.

No aircraft is ideal for all the routes it will eventually operate but like most things the best compromise is usually the way to go.

How many operators large and small have fallen victim to running too many types just to meet perceived market needs.

I dont know how my previous post could have been construed as smug, but if it did I apologise.

This is only my third post I think in 3 odd years of reading prune so its not very often I get on my high horse and I certainly dont enter into any debate without sound information behind me.

As I am led to believe, possibly the only thing that will stall the progress of the B717 is lack of available units.

Has anyone in the know heard anything about the intergration of Impulse Sunstate and Eastern?

Cheers Doug.

I've been on sick leave for a couple 'o weeks so haven't heard anything Douglas.

There has been a vote on SAA-EAA but have heard zero as to the result. I imagine that will have to be sorted out as a priority. The EAA rep is up to his elbows in alligators with his regular job (workload wise), so progress on the whole issue will probably be slow for a while.

Hopefully I'll be back in the saddle next week and might know a little more then......;)

EAA-SAA intergration vote was yes.. it is happening:)

717,146,737
 

Just back to the topic of a/c selection. Was at a corporate powow after the QF board meeting and Geof was asked about rumours of 717 replacing the146.

He stated QF inherited the 717 it was not QFs choice of a/c however he confirmed the 146 needed replacing.

In the West 717 may struggle on hot days to the smaller mining towns, strips being only 1500m or so. As stated previously the major regional a/p inWA are 733 &734 serviced already. At these ports possible VB action has to be considered and QF would not want to be caught flying 146 against VB 738 or 7s.

QF direct flights MEL BME on 738 is the first example of this.

The telling factor is what a/c could Link fly without upsetting any pilot eng or cabin agreements. Anyone know??:rolleyes:

DASH 8 400....:rolleyes:

WALLEY
 

[list=1][*]The Jungle Jet - Embraer 170/190 family[*]The Avro RJ - a renamed 146 but the second generation.[/list=1]

MKY base
 

QF seem to have begun displaying a new schedule for the B717s effective early March 2003. They are basing a 717 in MKY overnight, replacing the existing146. Is this when the NJS MKY base is closing?

Lst J class?
 

Read a letter in the Mercury newspaper today from Dr John Ward, claiming that he had told by QF that J class was coming to LST within 2 months. Is it the 142s or a windup?

:confused:

The return of the 146s to LTN has been a recurring rumour over the past twelve months. One can only hope....

Doctor John Ward...

Why can't he just do some doctoring and stop whining about the type of plane / class he sits in for a 50 minute sector? Also is he going to drive from HBA to LST just to use J class?

To quote one of this guy's statements re. the 717s. "The cramped seating leaves one arriving feeling dishevled and tired..." What? After an hour? What's he up to then? Mile High Club? Never mind the fact that the seats on the 717 are wider and there is more seat pitch.... The dude also stated the 717s are smaller than the 146s. How so?

QF did make all these promises to him when AN scrapped J class to Tassie but if this man can't see the business sense for dropping J class then he shouldn't be allowed out in public alone. I spoke with a QF sales manager on one of my flights who said the company was dissapointed with J class bookings when they were toying with the idea to bring it back. It obviously just doesn't work for them. If J class did work for them do you not think they would bring it back?

My apologies.... That got completely off topic ;)

I recall another of his letters some time ago, where he said something like "some of us just don't fit into a standard seat"!!!

:D

Dr John sound like he needs 2 seats to allow for his 2 heads.

DM

the Boeing website has 717 variants in study and proposal stages, seating range if goes ahead 75-130 may answer the question about the need for an Embraer???

I think if a smaller regional jet was viable it would already be here. More seats does not always mean more public want to travell. Especially out of already marginal ports within the network. I cant see a need for a jet such as the embraer and RJ.