EK A330's
 

Hi all, does anyone have any info on when EK's A330's will start to be withdrawn from service? And when they'll all be gone?

I've just been offered a course date with EK on the A330 and was surprised because I thought the size of the fleet was reducing and was wondering why they would be recruiting on a dying fleet.

Thanks.

Hi there and congratulations on getting the new job,

It's probably not my place to answer but as far as I'm aware, Emirates recruit onto the 777 and A330/340 families simultaneously. New recruits onto the Airbus initially fly solely the A330 whilst getting to grips with all of the changes associated with moving to Dubai and starting in a new company. MFF begins fairly quickly though (I'm sure Emirates employees here can correct). I'm sure you know this having just been employed.

The reasoning behind recruiting onto a dying fleet is so that the company can train pilots for the A380 and fill positions on that type as more of them arrive. Emirates do not recruit straight onto the A380 meaning that all Airbus new-joiners fly on the A330/340. The idea is that these pilots progress to the A380 once they're senior enough.

Please correct me if I'm wrong,

Cheers

EK's manpower requirements change, literally, on a weekly basis. The last I heard (about a month ago) was that the last of the "Classic" Airbuses will depart in 2017, with the 330's departing from this year onwards.

However, anybody who was around when the 310s were phased out won't be surprised to see the 330/340 in Emirates colors well into the next decade.

Hello
Regarding the A330 what is the typical roster ?
Thank s

Off topic I was recently paxing on one of Ek's twin eng bus :rolleyes: .. and everytime the brake was applied a loud thud was first heard followed by deceleration.. No it was not the PTU Barking noise but this was much louder and very significant in the cabin.. could be something to do with the hydraulics (apologies if I am wrong , I dont fly french planes ) Any explanation would be appreciated !! Cheers :ok:

Most probably a sticky brake. There is no PTU on the 330.

There is no PTU on the 330.
 

Out of curiosity, what is a PTU, Thanks

"Power Transfer Unit" transfers hydraulic power between systems to ensure they are all operating at the proper pressure. It mitigates the threat of a single hydraulic pump loss.

Regarding the longevity of the 330/340's - a quick search on the internet tells me that the 340-300's will have all gone by the end of 2013, the 340-500's by later this decade and likewise with the 330's. As BigGeordie said, that could mean anytime between 2014 and and 2020 onward. They've got roughly 30 330's at the moment and a total of about (just under) 20 340's. Point is, they can't replace the fleet overnight and are limited by the development speed and status of the 350.

Expect to be on the Airbus long enough to get your command.:ok:

Cheers

I doubt you're very much in the KNOW at all... Roughly???

27 330s including one "whitetail' and 18 340s...

Who knows when they'll be gone:{:{

...I heard that the present A332/A343/A345 might be replaced by new A333s in some kind of a sugarcoated arrangement by Airbus if the A350 will be further delayed (or in case that EK cancels the A350 deal altogether). So my guess a classic Airbus fleet will be in EK for quite some time.

at 45-50 hours per month average flying time for SFO's - do you want them to go..?

Is 45-50 hour blocks due to bidding min time or just really low productivity? I can't imagine working many days a month to get 50hrs...

Yes i would like to join EK if the Life could be better with my familly of course !

Firstly a caveat...everything at EK changes almost daily so we have no idea for certain what will happen..

BBJ the 330s have already started to leave, you are from OZ, take a look at Virgin Oz's 330s, they were once ours. At current plan of two weeks ago, the last bus would be the 345s until late 2017 early 2018. At that time the 343s and 332s will be gone (plan only remember). With the 350 delay making their earliest arrival around 2019 there will be a gap, so if the plan stays then every bus driver will be 380 or 777 at that time. My guess is if you join now you will probably end up on the whale and others behind you at some stage will be locked into the death on the 345.

But that was two weeks ago.....and I am just a pilot so what do I know?

For the guy asking about noisy brakes, it's a shuttle valve, some are noisier than others but normal.

Are many people progressing from 330-340 and then from 340-380 or are the guys on the 340 pretty much stagnant? I'm guessing a few of them must be moving on to the whale as the 340 fleet is shrinking.

You don't go 330 to 340, you go 330 to MFF 330 AND 340.

Previously FO recruits onto the 380 have come both from 330 only and 330/340 Guys.

Thanks for the info guys. I knew about the MFF, but I was under the impression most people tended to be one or the other.

Do the guys doing their command on the 330 then have to do the conversion all over again from the LHS, or do they go straight in on both?

Are guys still going to have a chance to upgrade on the Airbus' or with a mon-expanding fleet are the full compliment of skippers there?

Upgrades still required on the 330 despite shrinking (?) fleet as current Capts move to 380, if they fix the cracks..... Latest rumour is the supply of FOs meeting the criteria on the bus for upgrade will run out in about 2 months. My guess then is accelerated commands....

...or DECs will save the day....:(
About 90 commands on the Airbus this year...I hear..

I’ve asked a few maintenance engineers which Airbus A330 hulls they are decommissioning and all of them I spoke with said none whatsoever. I think the A330 will hang around to stink up the joint for another 5 to 7 years until the A350 takes over as the India Express doing those coveted 3:30am turnarounds.

As for upgrade on the shortbus, I heard 8 of 8 failed upgrade in the last batch. All failed in the sim so it doesn’t even count all the guys who were not even allowed to try because they didn’t make it through the upgrade interview & psych eval.

On top of that, I heard the A380 will have some sort of special command review board or some such thing, so I doubt the “lucky” FOs who go to the squarebus will have any better odds of getting that 4th stripe. My guess is the senior 777 skippers will transfer into the left seat of the blunderbus and leave most of the 380 FOs stuck in the right seat or maybe back for a shot at the left seat on the shortbus.

In my opinion, taking an A330 new hire slot is a really bad idea. Just tell Recruiting no, you’ll wait for a 777 class. Boeing & Airbus main fleets at Emirates are like 2 completely different airlines.

380,

Do the A380 FOs have the CHOICE to go LHS on the 330/340?

That has been recently rescinded, wiz, so we are stuck where we are. My own situation is that with the 2500 hrs on type required, my upgrade chance will not be before 8 years in this company on present rules. This does mean that there are chaps out there who haven't even joined EK yet who will get the 777 and will upgrade before me - and I have already been here for 5 years! Factor in the rate at which I am flying these days and that 8 years is actually looking conservative...

Time to change to firstofficersmiffy perhaps?:D

DECs may well "save the day" Payscale but not in a hurry. If they have only just interviewed and guessing most would need to give current employer up to 3 months notice, plus training here they would not hit the streets for at least Aug or Sep which might be abit late to "save the day". So CaptSmithy will have more guys jumping him to the left seat albeit on the small bus. You just can't tell what will happen when you make those fleet choices eh?

I doubt it

Millerscourt......sad, but probably true!!

I think Sittingidly is right about quality of life on Airbus vs 777 main fleets at Emirates. Yes, he sometimes employs fiery rhetoric -for a while I thought he might have actually been Kim Jong Il writing under a pseudonym, but that theory went down the crapper when the Dear Leader kicked the bucket last December.

Regardless, I think he’s right about quality of life on Airbus vs 777 main fleets at Emirates. Wannabees,... think really hard before you believe the handful of Airbus guys who can’t seem to admit they got the short end of the stick and keep pushing the line that Airbus main fleet is peachy. Hold out for the Boeing in your interview. EK 777 life is waaaaayyy better than Airbus on the main fleet. Geez, even the hosties know that.

Magic I don't think anyone is deluded to the point of thinking Airbus life is 'peachy'. It sucks in comparison, but nowhere near as bad as made out to be, once you get some seniority of course....

Since Nov I havnt worked over 50 hours in a month. And in that same period I've had 5 night flights including a reserve month and second bottom bid month. That to me is good compared to what I was doing when I joined, and Yes I still get envious when I see mates on 777 globetrotting. But 330 is hardly a death sentence especially if you want to be home for the wife n kids (quality time.....?)

So anyway what I'm saying is if and when the 380 ccqs get running again, your seniority will move up in a rapid pace on the fleet & as new hires join behind you. So look at it as short term pain for potentially long term gain (lifestyle wise on 380).

Emirates Plans Final A340-300 Service on 28FEB13: Update 1
by JL

Update at 1540GMT 29MAR12

As per 29MAR12 GDS timetable and inventory display, Emirates’ initial plan for final Airbus A340-300 flight is currently scheduled on 28FEB13, Venice – Dubai EK138. In Feb 2013, the remaining A340-300 routes include Venice and Hyderabad. The airline introduced Airbus A340-300 aircraft to its scheduled operation on 10MAR04.

Based on current schedule planning, the airline would be operating a total of 61915 scheduled flights between 2004 and 2013, according to OAG Schedules iNet.

Planned Emirates A340-300 schedule on 28FEB13 as follows. Note that the final Emirates Airbus A340-300 remains subject to change, pending on further route network development.

EK526 DXB0345 – 0840HYD 343
EK527 HYD1015 – 1245DXB 343

EK137 DXB1545 – 1915VCE 343
EK138 VCE2055 – 0545+1DXB 343

Give me the turns, would rather be in my own bed than down route anytime, each to his own. Also, give it a rest.

spot on!

just managed to swap my only layover in may for day turns. second bottom bid and only one night flight... 55 hrs + 5 days reserve!!

snug as a bug.

tz

sittingidly you are a genius!

my post was just a question and yes, 2 yrs. ago, when i wrote it, i was flying about 90 hrs. a month and didn't like it

so what.

now? much much better...:ok:

tz

maybe, but he's very funny too.

he even has the time to check people's old posts.

can't be working that hard...:E

tz

It is shocking indeed that a certain supposed pilot here thinks that Cochin's code is COC:ugh::{

Funny thread this one:ok:

I read it during my 54 hour bottom bid month. It's been hell... Ok, maybe not:rolleyes:

PS - I would most definitely not want to do those nine day trips to CHC.

Sittingidly is spot on in this thread. The 330/340 is a brutal slog most months, without sufficient productivity to make up the bid window hours. Just give me one BNE or MEL back each month. The 777 for the most part has enough productivity to make up the 85-90 hours. Airbus is a short medium haul fleet with too many night flights without enough credit and without enough days off to recover. End of story. Night night.

Calling the moderator...

Just laying out the facts Ex 380, but thanks for the heartfelt remarks. You seem like a real level headed guy...:O

All I know is that we all work for the same group and we all need each other in order to make money. Unfortunately I am on the 330 at the moment and life is a bit rough. Luckily I know this can only get better!

It is a cycle at EK. Once apon a time the 330 used to be the fleet!