KD puts off 50 pilots???
 

Well chaps, rumours are rumours, but that was the one I heard last night, along with the intention to push a number of machines up against the fence.

No, it wasn't a typical Friday night pub rumour either, so let's just get that squared away first.

Now tell me this is not true, or likely to be true.

View, comments, insults, objections, and abuse all welcome, just make it constructive.

Bob Hawke:- That's a little different to the word I hear. My info is that one leased SAAB from ADL is to go as the lease expires, and eight SAAB Captains face a dilemma. That is: 1.Do they accept the offered Metro command and remain in ADL, or
2.Do they remain as SAAB Captains, but in ADL
3.If they accept Metro command, will they also retain SAAB command pay.

Intriguing, is it not?

Regards,

TheNightOwl.

Sorry, all, slight case of finger trouble in previous post. Item #2 should read, "Do they remain as SAAB Captains, but in SYD".

TheNightOwl.

Ta, Nightowl, we don't want pilots wandering the streets of Australia, with no place to go.

Before you know it, they'll be here in ships demanding refugee status.

Keep them in the air, and off the streets, I say.

[ 01 September 2001: Message edited by: Bob Hawke ]

Believe that KD have just appointed half dozen new training pilots to the CRJ fleet. Doesn't seem like a contraction in operations to me.

As I hear it, AN subsidiaries KD and ZL have stopped ALL training effective immediately. I also heard that recruit(s) due to start within the last week were told "sorry, no job". Tough since they already left other flying jobs and are now out of work.
It looks very serious - can't depend on the owner for a loan these days.

Musta, you must have talking to the same refueller I was, 'cause that is what I heard, and the scary bit is about pushing machines up against the fence, if it happens at all.

RJ'S against the fence, or are the about to head across the Tasman to NZ.
That is a strong chance from what I have heard.

Perhaps the RJ drivers should hed fo the Island of the long white cloud an S---p.

This may also be a contributing factor !

What's Richard Branson doing in Launceston today with his B737, has he gone to Launy for a Sunday picnic or what? I don't think so. I believe he may be there to ruffle a few CRJ winglets, Tassie needs an operator like Virgin to start up there to move the the tourism industry up a couple of gears, nopulse started and lasted about a week, as they jumped into bed with the white rat.

If Branson did operate into Launy, with discounted airfares, I recon it would severly affect the loadings of the 2 other operators, if not force one out. I can't really see Southerns moving out considering the money they have invested in office space and a new hangar. :confused:

Check Virgin Blue's home page http://www.virginblue.com.au/

So Launy is the go for the boys in the Red Terror from December 1. That is really putting the cat among the pigeons to speak. Its sure going to more pressure on AN.

We live in interesting times, and its going to be interesting to watch the responce from the big boys!

Try this for size,

SQ to buy DJ and fund AN thru NZ.
AN to be the longhaul carrier of choice plus business market and high yield domestic.

DJ to fly loss making routes for AN (of which there are many)as commercial partner (similar to QF and Impulse). These will include LST and HBA.

KD to return to mainly turboprop aircraft with only a few RJ's flying the AN system.

QF starts a low cost international operation to fly the routes about to be flown by AN with leased aircraft from the good doctor.

Bob H,
It's more than a rumour re no new pilots. Not only do we know names, we know one personally. Bummer to leave for a "better job" after all the time and effort just to fall through the cracks. :(
Don't know yet about parking a/c, but I would be uneasy were I flying a Metro.

Re the CRJ's, here is a quote from Gary Toomey "The CRJs have not been as successful as people might have anticipated. I wasn't here when they were purchased so I have therefore only read and heard hearsay on what the expectations were, but certainly they haven't been as successful as anticipated"
What do you expect when you replace a big jet with a small jet that should replace a 30 seat turboprop.

Interesting to note that British European are dropping their CRJ's for the Dash 400! The allmighty dollar wins again.

[ 02 September 2001: Message edited by: Pferdsheise ]

That damn Confusiusnism strikes again. Then there will be more surprises to come.

Flight West (or whatever its new name will be), to end up with 6 F100s and operate from BN to RK MK CB as well as their current routes. Now theirs a rumour for you!!!!!!!!!! :eek:

Oops! That should have been "Now there's a rumour for you." The spelling police would have had a field day!! :o

Well, speaking purely as Self Loading Freight, I have flown on the CBR BNE sector several times in the last year.

For a two hour flight I was NOT impressed with the CRJ at all! :(

Very cramped and I hit my head twice on the overhead baggage bin - much to the amusement of the Asian PAX sitting behind me! :D

However, I have flown many sectors on the Quadropuff over the years - QF, AN, NJ and Southern and find it a comfortable and quiet aircraft! :)

Last time was with AN to BNE, good flight except the beakfast resembled and tasted like dog vomit on toast! Mmmm....maybe it WAS!

I think KD made a BIG mistake using them on sectors over one hour! :confused:

Well, that's my two bobs worth! :D

Zarg
Concur.
CRJs, coming from a country where most average blokes are built like front row forwards you'da thought they'd have got the pitch, seat width etc right. But then we're only SLF.
Aussies are generally a little smaller but not this 'little' black duck. I can't even get the tray table down on the Ansett B737/A3whatsis and the CRJ is torture.

Guess who I use.

Gaunty and Zarg, hey fellas :)
This is a genuine question to you both, and more to satisfy my curiosity, more than anything else....
You have both identified, what seems to be a large portion of the problem with that particular Aircraft, and the mistake that was made by the purchase of these aircraft, and you both have very valid comments, so, my question is....what do they do now? What would you do if you had the ability to make the necessary changes? As I said, honest, genuine question/s, no underlying meaning, just interested in what both of you might have to suggest, as I actually enjoy hearing your opinions, and respect you both....to a degree :p

Anyone else who wishes to respond, please do so.

Cheers
GG :)

[ 02 September 2001: Message edited by: GoGirl ]