Qantas A330 Introduction.
 

There was a post here yesterday, that seems to have been deleted? :confused: about Qantas getting more A330s.

Anyway, I asked a question on it before it was deleted, re the date of entry into service.

I was told some time ago by an Airbus Rep that the EIS was in mid November, that is only 3-4 weeks time. Have not seen any publicity yet about it, does anyone know the date now?

airsupport,

Beleive that they may not be due out here until early December due to delays in the fit-out of the cabin as Airbus are running a few weeks behind schedule.

OzFlight

Oz-flight beat me to it.

I read something a week ago saying the first couple of aircraft have been delayed a few weeks due fit out taking longer than expected (due to french workers??). Now expected in Dec. Cant remember the source though.

Thank you both. :)

As I said, was told mid November ages ago, and hadn't seen any news about them lately.

ahem eeerm ..........Guilty yer 'onor.:o :(

Sorry chaps, I used one of those Moderator thingys that was supposed to merge the "A330" post with the "Perth Citylink" news.

I thought there was something odd when it reposted and I can only suppose that the server through my own incompetence spat it into cyberspace, which by the way must be getting a bit crowded given the amount of internet stuff that goes missing.:eek:

Maybe Wirraway can repare the news bit.

I heard the first A330 was due to arrive Dec 4th. Online taking pax first week of January.

Thank you. :)

And my advice to those who travel, avoid booking on short haul domestic A330 flights (e.g. Sydney-Melbourne) for the first 6 months as typically new aircraft into a fleet have problems as the crews get used to them (slow taxi, longer than normal pushbacks, and in the case of Sydney, the crews requiring 16R/34L).

Missy,

I would have to disagree with you there. The pilots don't just turn up and find the A330 at the gate and think "oh damn, we better learn how to fly this thing!". Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe QF A330 pilots have been flying with Dragonair on their 'buses.

What is the reason for this? The crew are familiar with the airports and familiar with the plane. I don't understand why they would taxi at a slower speed than normal. I'm sure they couldn't taxi any slower than the SQ or TJ pilots at Sydney.

You think so? For what reason? It's all marked on the tarmac, what do they have to do that's different? And i'm sure all the ground engineers are sufficiently trained.

Minimal delay. It's just as bad as landing 16L or t/o 34R.

You must be either a very paranoid flyer or just ill-informed.

SP :mad:

....wondered why my A330 post got renamed...thought it was MY fingertrouble.... lol

Why do the A330s need 16R/34L?

They're not that sluggish, and at domestic weights, they wouldn't be struggling to get out of 2400m of tarmac?

I'm sure they'll be using 09/27 at MEL, considering bigger things already use that. Or am I missing something about ground clearence/climb gradient (which I still can't see)?

Me too!
 

hi all!

I did have a post in another section about Qantas and new aircraft and it seems to have disapeared or either I lost it! :(

:confused:

The first aircraft has been test flying for a couple of weeks. 1st fligth was 11/10/02. It was on a test flight last week for 7.5 hrs. So mid November delivery, providing there are no ATC strikes could be a goer.

Skypark,

I stand by what I said as I was comparing an A330 with other aircraft in the QFA fleet e.g. B737 or B767 and not with other A330 operators (e.g. Cathay). The pushbacks I were referring to are not the physical length of them but the time. Just compare the time for a B737 to pushback and request taxi to a Classic B747.

As for the A330 regularly landing 16L, I think you are dreaming, a A330 departing RWY 34R on a MARUB, I'd like to see that but probably won't.

Missy,

You have such a juxtaposed argument, you initially said:
Indicating a temporary delay (to which I've already replied, there will be minimal early on delay with the A330). Now you say:
Is the time length of a pushback going to decrease over a 6 months period? And yes, ofcourse there will be a time difference in the situation you described (albeit a matter of minutes)! But it has nothing to do with your argument! I don't see what your point is by warning people to NOT fly a new aircraft type in a fleet, it's absurdist.

Pfft I'm over it now....

don't think you will see them into cs mate, think they are planning them to use on routes like sydney-brisbane and sydney-melbourne and then to gradually supplement existing 767 services into places like perth.

as for your criticism re qf being similar to ansett in their aircraft aquisitions you are a little off the mark there i think, the 717s were inherited from the impulse operation and are doing fine things, well thats what i read anyway.

the a330s were aquired to run some short-medium haul domestic and intl ops, replacing the ageing 767-238ers in the qf fleet.

an entirely different situation to ansett who had the SAME kind of aircraft doing the SAME job, for example the 737 and the A320, the 146 and the F28s to regional OZ, and the 74's and 76's both deployed on intl ops.

quite different and i think each aircraft in the qantas fleet has been aquired to do a different job.

Topend3,

Couldn't the argument be made that the AN A320s 'supplemented' the 737s?

As for the A330s 'replacing' the 762s... well, they're bigger than the 763s they're 'supplementing'!!

Can't see how it's such a different situation to AN. If QF had wanted to replace the old 762s, they could have got new 762s, more 763s or even 739s - meaning sod-all new crew & engo training. Instead, they've gone for an entirely new airframe/engine combo. In fact a strategy around 738, 763 and 777 would have had commonality benefits.

So... whilst not privy to the analysis, it would seem on the face that someone was possibly pretty keen to get a deal done and maybe offered to absorb some costs/give some guarantees.

Sounds a bit like a more recent deal... ???

The latest information, is that the first Qantas A330 Ferry Flight should arrive "Dunnunda" at the end of the first week of December. :D

Regarding the training with Dragonair ... I heard that a couple of the QF boys after arrival in HK have been redirected to train with Malaysian ..... due to '89 issues????

Missy,
You probably didn't see the impressive flight display airbus did with all their fleet at farnborough this year nor have you witnessed what the aircraft can do when they're chockers on some of the european charter operator routes.
Syd-Mel, or Syd-Per will be a walk in the park. Any runway and any sid. SO mate, get out there and have a look. You'll be suprised.