Wide body rumours (CX)
 

Let the speculating begin....





Cathay Pacific Evaluating Widebody Needs

Well the 747-8 looks the coolest.....but the accountants will go with A380.

It's down to how much money we can consistantly make with a reliable Airframe.

Boeing 747-8i is the clear winner on both counts.....

Not if they know anything about Crit Points, Mandatory Fuel, RFF Category; so, yeah we'll probably get them :ok:

Pax comfort wise..380 knocks the socks off the 8i....

Serious question - have you travelled as a passenger on both?

STP

Indeed I have questioning one...380 is both very quiet, at least in EY and pressurisation seems to be less noticeable. One has to ask..why is the 380 so popular?...and its not just a matter of accounting.

CX already operates the 747-8.

No pilot cross training.
No new mechanic quals.
Already own all the servicing equipment.

Of course the accountants will want the 380. Hopefully someone with a schmick of operatonal knowledge will actually be at the table.

If we get either, I would have thought it'll come down to the whole package - engineering support, whether there's a simulator thrown in, engineering and aircrew courses and so on. Oh, and obviously the price. If the A380 package is more competitive, we'll get the A380. If it's the other way, then we'll get the 747-8i. Then again, I'm not an accountant.

If the decision were to be based solely on looks then the 747-8i would win hands down. The A380, sadly, has created a new category; the VUA - Very Ugly Aircraft :(

Pucka, thanks for the answer.

STP

Who'll fly them?
 

It's down to the accountants for sure.

The buzz is that another operator canceled/delayed an -8i order, so CX was straight in there with an ultra low offer.

More to the point, regardless of which type we get, considering the current crew shortage, who the f&%k is going to fly them????

That's east circuit boy
 

CX is looking into a cross-crew-fleet MFFCCQ
whereby you can operate the supers only, but either type.

Just like current 330/340

And 3 crew ops as well. So with 3 pilots with both ratings each, it effectively means 6 pilots, so the crew shortage is solved straight away.

Simple maths.

I figure the Supermen will put their hands up.

Ass

Is that trim tank fuel being unusable on the 8i still an issue? I'd assume that any operator considering a choice between the two types are looking for range and passenger numbers. I'd say the 380 beats the 8i by a long shot. Not to mention that ride comfort out of pilot and passenger point of view is unbeatable.

The financial numbers will win.

For me the great relief of not transitting PX terminals may be clouding my fast receding memory BUT the 8 is a winner.

Commercially I have a flown the 707, Tristar, 747-200/400, 777, 330/340 and the 747-800.

And the winner is 747/8

If Slosar doesn't go with Lufthansa and choose this as the next heavy lifter then he should stop pretending to be a Brit.

Subsonic,

What is the full fuel of an A380 and 747-8 without a stab tank?

What is the still air range of each starting at MTOW?

Honest questions. Thanks.

But why is Lufthansa the only carrier to order the -8 when every one else has gone for the 380, then look at SIA, if the aircraft was so bad why have they just ordered 20 more, I agree with the comment about airframes at the end of their life, the numbers stack up for the 380 even now when you are comparing the -8 with its new generation engines when the 380 is still running old generation engines, imagine the savings when they put the gen x engines onto the 380, which I'm sure will happen once they have got the 350 launched.

Good evening everyone,

I have seen a forecast from Boeing to activate the 747-8i tail tank late in 2013 / early 2014 (connect some plumbing, adjust flight control software, and - if I am not mistaken - some rework of the outboard pylons / pylon fairings at least on the older aircraft).

Stay tuned... :-)

Regards, J.V.

Question 1. : Of all the A380 operators (current A380 operators Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Qantas, Air France, Lufthansa, Korean Air, China Southern, Malaysia Airlines and Thai Airways.) who operates the a/c exclusivelyon ULH sectors?
As far as I know only QF and as a result of Crit points, mand fuel and RFF enroute (as white none correctly alluded) they land in LAX with approx 50 T sloshing around in the tanks.

Question 2: What is the cost of 50T of "dead weight" in fuel burn for the next 20 years of projected operation, or for that matter 50T loss of payload?

Question 3: If to be used on HKG NAM routes, on an eastbound sector what is the next airport after Chitose that could be filed as a Critical point pair?

Question 4: If it is to be used on EUR route structure, on a west bound sector what is the next critical point pair after Hong Kong?

Question 5: Is CX looking for an ULH a/c ?

I call BS on the 50T landing fuel into LAX. The 380 is a Cat F aircraft, the same as the 748. Any Cat F airfield will do. But don't let facts get in the way of a good argument.

The Don

Don, I agree the 50T issue has become a bit of folk law.
Will ring a QF buddy and see if he can advise.

744F - 163T
744 - 173T
748 - 184T without stab, 194T with.

A380 - 252T