Fleet Question
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Fleet Question
Hi everyone, just a couple questions regarding Cathay's fleet in prep for an interview.
(My fleet information was taken off of airfleets.net)
First for the A330,
1. B-HLK and HLJ are shown as 330-301's which I believe our GE CF6-80E1A2 powered birds, however looking at pictures of the aircraft on airliners.net, they appear to have the RR Trents on them. Whats happening there?
2. I understand the "X" in 343X stands for some sort of aircraft upgrade ie. cockpit or the ability to carry special cargo containers. What is the case for CX's 330s?
As for the 747's
Im slightly confused about the different engines on the aircraft. From what I have found at this time the 747s ending in 467 have the RB211-524D4/-524H. Am I missing any other RB211 varients there, and which engine varient of the RB211 is preferred on the 467's? From what I have found the H's have more thrust (60,600) and 24 burners vice 18. I know BA has the G's on their 744s so I was hoping I was not missing any other engines used on the 467's. The source I was also using did not specify which a/c have the D4's and the H's.
The 747's ending in 412 are the SQ birds that come with the PW4062's. (-HKE, -HKF, -etc.) From what I read, CX has been fairly pleased with the PW as at some weights it allows the aircraft to reach its optimum altitude earlier which helps reduce fuel burn. Is there any other benifits that I am missing?
Any clarification on that would be awesome, thank you!
(My fleet information was taken off of airfleets.net)
First for the A330,
1. B-HLK and HLJ are shown as 330-301's which I believe our GE CF6-80E1A2 powered birds, however looking at pictures of the aircraft on airliners.net, they appear to have the RR Trents on them. Whats happening there?
2. I understand the "X" in 343X stands for some sort of aircraft upgrade ie. cockpit or the ability to carry special cargo containers. What is the case for CX's 330s?
As for the 747's
Im slightly confused about the different engines on the aircraft. From what I have found at this time the 747s ending in 467 have the RB211-524D4/-524H. Am I missing any other RB211 varients there, and which engine varient of the RB211 is preferred on the 467's? From what I have found the H's have more thrust (60,600) and 24 burners vice 18. I know BA has the G's on their 744s so I was hoping I was not missing any other engines used on the 467's. The source I was also using did not specify which a/c have the D4's and the H's.
The 747's ending in 412 are the SQ birds that come with the PW4062's. (-HKE, -HKF, -etc.) From what I read, CX has been fairly pleased with the PW as at some weights it allows the aircraft to reach its optimum altitude earlier which helps reduce fuel burn. Is there any other benifits that I am missing?
Any clarification on that would be awesome, thank you!
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AP - to answer the engine questions:
1. All CX and KA A330's are Trent 700 powered (772 on lightweight gear a/c and 772B on heavyweight gear a/c)
2. 747-467/444 Are all powered by RB211-524HT engines (Trent Core 24 FSN's, but using the G thrust rating of I think 57,000lbs)
3. EX SQ a/c 747-412 are all PW4056 powered. Only the new 747-400 ERF's are powered by the PW4062 engines (altought they are interchangeable)
As for the A340x question, over to the people at the pointy end.
Brgd's
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1. All CX and KA A330's are Trent 700 powered (772 on lightweight gear a/c and 772B on heavyweight gear a/c)
2. 747-467/444 Are all powered by RB211-524HT engines (Trent Core 24 FSN's, but using the G thrust rating of I think 57,000lbs)
3. EX SQ a/c 747-412 are all PW4056 powered. Only the new 747-400 ERF's are powered by the PW4062 engines (altought they are interchangeable)
As for the A340x question, over to the people at the pointy end.
Brgd's
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FYI: The code "467" is a Boeing designation for -400 aircraft built for Cathay Pacific to the company required specifications.
All "original" CX aircraft had RB211's as standard - that was a company choice.
The SQ 412 aircraft are exactly that - aircraft built for SQ by Boeing (These were ordered with the PW engines)
The new CX -8 aircraft will have the company designation "867F" with the "F" being the freighter variant.
All "original" CX aircraft had RB211's as standard - that was a company choice.
The SQ 412 aircraft are exactly that - aircraft built for SQ by Boeing (These were ordered with the PW engines)
The new CX -8 aircraft will have the company designation "867F" with the "F" being the freighter variant.
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PW's are not interchangeable. One has 56000 pounds of available thrust and the other has 62000. fyi.
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I'm on the triple, so what do I know. How can you put a 4056 on a 4062 airplane? can't do it and comply with performance specs. In fact, you probably can't do it either way; in one instance you have too much power, and the other, too little. I'm pretty sure that the EEC's won't handle this type of swap.
airplanerides , i think you'll find it's fairly common for the newer generation of turbine engines to be able to change their thrust/hp ratings to suit a particular application, up or down. Sometimes as easy as changing the data plug on the engine computer, it's like 'dial a thrust rating' as long as you've paid the engine maker the appropriate fee of course! 
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those in the know re performance its called chipping lots of engines a made as a base model they are then rated increased or decreased with add-ons normally these days controlled by a chip.
Autopilot,
B-HLJ and HLK are msn 12 and 17 respectively being the first and second A330's built and were used for the A330 flight test program. Both were originally GE powered. After Airbus had finished their A330/340 flight testing they retained only msn 001, an A340 and put the rest of the development airframes into storage or up for sale.
CX bought the 2 flight test A330's which were refurbished by Airbus. HLK was re-engined with Trent's during the refurbishment. HLJ had already been converted to RR engines by Airbus for the Trent 700 certification effort. One of them (I forget which now) actually had both GE and PW engines on it while owned by Airbus so has been powered by all 3 engines.
Current COO John Slosar was head of Airline Planning at the time and negotiated the deal with Airbus.
With regard to swapping PW4056 and 4062 engines airlines (eg. United) that operate PW4062 powered 767's and 4056 powered 747-400 do indeed swap engines between the two fleets. The PW4056 is a derated 4062.
B-HLJ and HLK are msn 12 and 17 respectively being the first and second A330's built and were used for the A330 flight test program. Both were originally GE powered. After Airbus had finished their A330/340 flight testing they retained only msn 001, an A340 and put the rest of the development airframes into storage or up for sale.
CX bought the 2 flight test A330's which were refurbished by Airbus. HLK was re-engined with Trent's during the refurbishment. HLJ had already been converted to RR engines by Airbus for the Trent 700 certification effort. One of them (I forget which now) actually had both GE and PW engines on it while owned by Airbus so has been powered by all 3 engines.
Current COO John Slosar was head of Airline Planning at the time and negotiated the deal with Airbus.
With regard to swapping PW4056 and 4062 engines airlines (eg. United) that operate PW4062 powered 767's and 4056 powered 747-400 do indeed swap engines between the two fleets. The PW4056 is a derated 4062.
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Interview
Thanks guys, this is really helping me out. Im prepping for a cadet interview in a month from now. I have some experience in the industry so im prepping for the worst!
CV880, do you know what version of the Trents are currently on HLK/J?
CV880, do you know what version of the Trents are currently on HLK/J?
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airplanerider,
if you are on the CX 777 fleet then you either have a Trent 892 or 884B under the wing (92,000 capable and 84,000 capable), but the GE powered 777ER only has the 115B (115,000lb thrust) fitted, at the moment there are no other 777ER thrust ratings, not sure if there will be any different thrust ratings in the future.
The Trent engines are 'rechipped' to give the required thrust for the airframe type 777-200 or 777-300 via the Data Entry Plug on the EEC, though it's not actually a chip, the avionics team just swap 2 wires around. You can even have 2 different thrust 'capable' engines fitted, but 'chipped' to produce the same thrust. The a/c systems don't know any different.
Brgd's
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PS - A--P Good Luck!
if you are on the CX 777 fleet then you either have a Trent 892 or 884B under the wing (92,000 capable and 84,000 capable), but the GE powered 777ER only has the 115B (115,000lb thrust) fitted, at the moment there are no other 777ER thrust ratings, not sure if there will be any different thrust ratings in the future.
The Trent engines are 'rechipped' to give the required thrust for the airframe type 777-200 or 777-300 via the Data Entry Plug on the EEC, though it's not actually a chip, the avionics team just swap 2 wires around. You can even have 2 different thrust 'capable' engines fitted, but 'chipped' to produce the same thrust. The a/c systems don't know any different.
Brgd's
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PS - A--P Good Luck!
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You can even have 2 different thrust 'capable' engines fitted, but 'chipped' to produce the same thrust. The a/c systems don't know any different.
Interesting that the 524HT on the 744's have been derated to 57,000 lbs of thrust, presumably to prolong engine life. Rite now the GE90 115B's are the most straight forward engine type for me to study, the rest of the fleet seems like a bit of a quagmire to remember all of the different variations.
Thanks Again
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Hi A-P..More trivia..If my memory serves me correctly (tempis fugit) we did operate both GT and HT rb211 versions on the -400, (the -H being used primarily to LHR/LAX etc out of Kai Tak)..As you alluded to, the ht variants had an increased maintenance cost vs the g's;;they basically had to come off the wing and go back to the shop more often..We haven't operated the rb -211's as an h variant for some time now...
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GT and HT rb211 versions on the -400, (the -H being used primarily to LHR/LAX etc out of Kai Tak)
On the 777-200 the Trent 877 is rated at 76 900lbs thrust. In RR terminology the 877 designation stands for series 800 and rating approximately 77k, ie 877. For the 777-300 the Trent 892 is de-rated from 92 000lbs to 84 000lbs, hence confusion as to it being an 884B or 892. From the pilots point of view the CX 772 climbs quite nicely, with my record being 17 minutes to FL430 (empty). The 773 with the derate is a dog, especially when heavy in the summer etc.
As a pilot all I care about is the fact that when my sweaty trembling hand is pushing those thrust levers to the firewall, I can actually get all 92k lbs.
The 77A just has the GE90-115B which is rated at takeoff thrust to 115lbs thrust.
I didn't know any of this sort of stuff when I turned up for my CX "inquisition" years ago. Dress smartly, be polite and respectful. Let your enthusiasm for flying and desire to fly for CX speak for itself. Failing that if you can fly the simulator like an ace, then you will probably get the job anyway.
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A--P,
no need for confusion, as far as you need to know when you are pushing the TL with your 'sweaty hand', as Jonathon puts it. You only need to know that the 2 donks will be producing the same thrust, at the correct rating for the a/c type. The a/c does know if you have put the wrong thrust rating plug onto one engine and won't let you start the engine.
For the 524H vs 524HT comment on Temperature, assuming we are talking EGT. The probes are in exactly the same place on both types. The core is 80% Trent 700 technology. And it does genuinely run at least 35degC lower than the pre-T version.
As mentioned above, no need for such detailed knowledge of thrust rating and 'capability'. Unless that is of course you are interviewing for my job
Brgd's
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no need for confusion, as far as you need to know when you are pushing the TL with your 'sweaty hand', as Jonathon puts it. You only need to know that the 2 donks will be producing the same thrust, at the correct rating for the a/c type. The a/c does know if you have put the wrong thrust rating plug onto one engine and won't let you start the engine.
For the 524H vs 524HT comment on Temperature, assuming we are talking EGT. The probes are in exactly the same place on both types. The core is 80% Trent 700 technology. And it does genuinely run at least 35degC lower than the pre-T version.
As mentioned above, no need for such detailed knowledge of thrust rating and 'capability'. Unless that is of course you are interviewing for my job
Brgd's
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Holy crap! I don't even know a lot of this stuff and I fly them. Should I know this? I don't see how it will help me make the bunk any better, maybe need to tuck it in a bit more on the higher powered aircraft. You should know that the red cup is never yours and always put a sheet then another sheet and finally the blanket, can sometimes get away with just sheet and blanket without the one between the bed and the blanket but trust me, do it long enough like that and it will bite you eventually, worrying if I will be passed over for upgrade when the time comes in 6 years due to my lazy bunk making with the wrong guy.
