Go Back  PPRuNe Forums > PPRuNe Worldwide > The Pacific: General Aviation & Questions
Reload this Page >

Westwing Aviation Getting Saab 340's?

The Pacific: General Aviation & Questions The place for students, instructors and charter guys in Oz, NZ and the rest of Oceania.

Westwing Aviation Getting Saab 340's?

Old 16th Jan 2015, 06:12
  #1 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: PPrune nominee 2011!
Posts: 1,561
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Westwing Aviation Getting Saab 340's?

With the recent press release stating that Westwing Aviation are securing two 36 seaters.

I'm putting two and two together and coming up with those ex Vincent Aviation SF340's in Townsville.

Anyone confirm?
Skystar320 is offline  
Old 16th Jan 2015, 06:38
  #2 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: In God's Country
Posts: 193
Likes: 0
Received 44 Likes on 5 Posts
From the QLD papers, they were taking on at least two ex-skytrans DH8-100s.

Makes a bit more sense, as I understand they have picked up a couple of the former skytrans pilots.
Flying Bear is offline  
Old 16th Jan 2015, 06:39
  #3 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Australia
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Pretty sure they are 34 seaters.... A few different sources say they will be leasing two of Skytrans old dash 8s
Beech58 is offline  
Old 16th Jan 2015, 11:00
  #4 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Australia
Age: 74
Posts: 1,381
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
I think REX has picked up at least one of the ex Vincent 340's
Arnold E is offline  
Old 16th Jan 2015, 11:49
  #5 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: NSW Australia
Posts: 2,453
Received 29 Likes on 13 Posts
Pete Collings himself has said - on this very topic - "Nothing that you read on PPRuNe is true"
Horatio Leafblower is offline  
Old 16th Jan 2015, 12:29
  #6 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Brisbane, Qld
Posts: 1,370
Received 29 Likes on 15 Posts
Soooo....he DIDN'T say that then Horatio?
Ixixly is offline  
Old 16th Jan 2015, 12:53
  #7 (permalink)  
BPA
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Australia
Posts: 622
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
And their press release;

http://www.westwing.com.au/wp-conten...ia-Release.pdf

Another 19 seat aircraft (2nd 1900?) and two 36 seat (Dash 8?)next month.

Last edited by BPA; 16th Jan 2015 at 21:53.
BPA is offline  
Old 16th Jan 2015, 21:39
  #8 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
A SAAB 340 isn't 36 seats anyway.
evolved is offline  
Old 16th Jan 2015, 22:13
  #9 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: FL370
Posts: 42
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Two months just doesn't seem long enough to add a new type to their AOC, especially a Dash 8. Check & Training, maintenance, cabin crew, ground handling etc are all a big step up from a 1900.

What about a current Dash 8 operator flying a couple on behalf of West Wing?

My guess would be Maroomba, given there's a couple aircraft sitting in Cairns now that we're probabily on their AOC only six months ago. That would make the two month timeframe a lot more achievable.
gretzky99 is offline  
Old 16th Jan 2015, 22:29
  #10 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Aus
Posts: 2,761
Received 404 Likes on 222 Posts
A SAAB 340 isn't 36 seats anyway.
SAAB 340 standard config is various layouts of 34 seats, there are also 36 seat configs (37 with one in the jump).
43Inches is online now  
Old 17th Jan 2015, 09:17
  #11 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: New Zealand
Age: 71
Posts: 1,475
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Two months just doesn't seem long enough to add a new type to their AOC, especially a Dash 8. Check & Training, maintenance, cabin crew, ground handling etc are all a big step up from a 1900.
Absolutely correct. It will take at least 12 months to get a Dash 8 on their AOC. Don't listen to anything that their 'spokesman' says. He is a used car salesman ex Skytrans, his disdain towards regulatory requirements and his disdain towards compliance is immeasurable. Sorry, as much as I wish it were true as there are a lot of good unemployed pilots out there, the Dash onto the AOC won't happen in 8 weeks. No chance.
Paragraph377 is offline  
Old 17th Jan 2015, 10:12
  #12 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The biggest operator of the 340 in aus lists Max seats as 34 on their website. Most are 33 (11 rows of 3).
evolved is offline  
Old 17th Jan 2015, 10:35
  #13 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Aus
Posts: 2,761
Received 404 Likes on 222 Posts
Japan Air Commuter has SAAB 340 with a row 12, 3 seats in an alcove where the rear toilet usually goes, galley reduced and toilet moved to front, 36 seats. Not sure how many other operators used this option and how many have found their way here, I think there is at least one 36 seater in Australia.
43Inches is online now  
Old 17th Jan 2015, 22:37
  #14 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: NQLD
Age: 37
Posts: 279
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 1 Post
It won't be a SAAB

It won't be a Saab 340 purely because it doesn't have the required performance to operate out of all the ports Skytrans served. If you read the Rex press releases there is no mention of Coen or Lockhart River for this reason. Why would West Wing choose an aircraft type that can't serve these places?

Besides, as others have stated the Saab standard config is 33/34 seats, so it's not going to be a Saab!!
aviation_enthus is offline  
Old 17th Jan 2015, 22:50
  #15 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: 3rd rock from the sun
Posts: 2,462
Received 290 Likes on 112 Posts
Here's hoping West Wing doesn't venture down the same path as Skytrans though, and rid of their GA down the track. Time and time again in that part of the world, it's been proven that it doesn't work.

The saving grace perhaps though, is Pete has been around for a long time and know's what he's doing. Nice guy to work for when I was there.

morno
morno is online now  
Old 17th Jan 2015, 23:25
  #16 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Here and there.
Posts: 447
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I'm not a betting man though I'd bet the house that WWA don't go bigger than the B1900. The set up costs and ongoing operational costs wouldn't add up to a profit on such marginal routes. And there's no guarantee, as history has shown on more than one occasion, that coming to the rescue in the short term will give any company any priority during the tender process.

D
Defenestrator is offline  
Old 18th Jan 2015, 10:23
  #17 (permalink)  
BPA
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Australia
Posts: 622
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Playing around with Flight aware tonight and discovered Awesome Aviation (B1900 lease company based in Perth) Beech 1900C VH-EMK flew from Perth to Cairns (including a night stop in Townsville) mid last week. The aircraft is still in Cairns according to Flight Aware.

Very good chance this is the extra 19 seat aircraft mentioned in the press release.
BPA is offline  
Old 20th Jan 2015, 23:23
  #18 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: BNE
Posts: 0
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
one of the ex Vincent Saab 304B's parked at TSV is 36 seats.
BNEA320 is offline  
Old 20th Jan 2015, 23:28
  #19 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: BNE
Posts: 0
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
yes but who says that if WWA gets bigger aircraft that they will only do marginal routes. Plenty of routes out there that require something like a Saab 340/Dash 8/Atr 42 that are not operated at present (at least not operated nonstop)
BNEA320 is offline  
Old 20th Jan 2015, 23:30
  #20 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: BNE
Posts: 0
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
didn't Macair have at least one ATR42 ?
BNEA320 is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.