G-VIIL is under ten years old.......the oldest of the G-ZZZs is a 1995 build machine. Considering that BA flew the classics B747-100s from 1970 almost through to the Millenium, so what I wonder has changed? Were theold Jumbos really quite bad at the end or have the Triples not been getting enough TLC from the Hangar Jockeys? Also, the LGW ( second hand LHR ) based B737-400 fleet dates from 1992 ( AD not BC )which ain't that old in my book.
Mind you I am trying to arrange a flight on an A320-100 on the Shuttle quite soon and I understand that one of them has already gone to the great airport in the sky.
Er.... ground surely.
..........Lasham for "parting out", which sounds uncomfortably close to "putting down" somehow......

Paddy

So, where in posts #62 and #64 are the tongue-in-cheek emoticons?:confused:

I was simply wondering whether you might be more likely to get answers in Questions or Spectators Balcony - which is where I see it's now landed.

G-VIIL
 

Understand the problem with G-VIIL is corrosion in the tracks that support the slats, a problem that neither BA or Boeing has encountered before and therefore neither has a fix.

Will probably need to be worked by hand as there are no capable machine programmes to rectify the problem.

Could be the parking space will be occupied for some time.

Cheers

Southender

Latest Air India Express 737-800
 

Just arrived on stand 21 @ BHX 2245z 15/02 with a rather fetching design - VT-AXP

New B747 and BA
 

Rumour at EGLL that BA are looking into this aircraft since it can fly from London to Sydney non-stop :ooh:

"apparently" (professional pilots RUMOUR network), because it can cruise much higher than the current -400, and in a sense, glide down, thus saving fuel.

Bit far fetched to me, but if anyone has some banter about this, it would be appreciated.

Regards

Just buy the A340-500, A350 or A380... Problemo solved - I think... :E

(Make sure you get cheap leases, range guarentees, as well as crew training, fuel subsidies and a second-to-none spares deal first though) :ok:

May be EK might do that on the A380 with 2 pilots ,4 cabin crew, 1 crew meal, 650 pax and min rest. Sounds about right to me

9200 nm is the great circle distance.

Does anyone know what the air distance is? Downwind on London-Sydney. And eastward across Americas Sydney-London, still downwind...

BA Aircraft order
 

Just seen on Teletext that BA have confirmed an order for 4 more 777s, "after a contest between Boeing and Airbus" in which 30-40 aircraft were being considered. Reason given was standardisation.

Is this new news?:confused:

As I understand it these aircraft that were ordered today that consist of 4 orders and 4 options are 'bridging' aircraft to enable some limited network expansion whilst the main bulk order is sorted. Management said to us a few months ago when this aircraft competition was announced that the main fleet replacement would eventually be an order totalling 40ish aircraft made up of either a mix of 777/787/747-800 or A330/A350/A380. As part of this process it was also announced that an initial small order of up to 10 aircraft would be completed to enable immediate expansion on the move to T5. As part of the announcment this morning it was also announced that the main order would be announced later in the year. Signs are good for BA, this means an expansion of the longhaul timetable and with 14 airbus confirmed orders for A320's yet to be filled it will require a number of new pilots over the next 18 months. Soin summary this order today is minor in the grand scheme of things but clearly shows the initial timetable to be on track and a much bigger order should be expected in around 6 months.

BA Airbus A320 Order
Also seems that they have another 4 A320 on the way as well.

The four new 777s are for delivery from 2009; what is the position with the 8 777s they apparently had on option, for delivery in/from 2008?

BA aircraft order
 

I vote for G-NAPS as the reg for the first aircraft :eek:

Or, G WILY, G WLSH :ugh:

G-MONB - Monarch 757
 

Bit of a spotter's question here: I worked on G-MONB the day it arrived in the UK and then at various times over the next 14 years. I remember a Boeing working team commenting on the hours/cycles the aircraft had accrued when they came over to work on it a year or so after its entry into service.
What hours/cycles has G-MONB accrued to date?

Last figures I heard of, back in January were 29667 cycles and 80496 hours!!

Thanks, Fuel Crossfeed.

There are 10-15 year A320s and B737s gone to the scrappers - it's how hard they are used rather than anno domini is the criterion, especially if the parts are worth more than the net value of the airframe coming up to heavy check.

As for the ZZZs - as nonER they are an orphan fleet and being BA aircraft they are probably customer modded up the wazoo. I think the Varig ex BA ZZZ is up for scrapping as no-one wanted it?

SAP= Sod All Parts..:eek:

Does one really need emoticons when trying a bit of tongue in cheek? Mods help me our here? Have I missed something!!!

As for the V regs, it has come to my attention in a rather round about way that a number of them indeed are on leases that will expire in the coming years. Namely the aircraft which contain the GMIS (I hope I got that right) IFE system. Well at least the reason the company are giving for not upgrading these aircraft with AVOD is simply because they will not be with the company long enough to justify forking out the conversion from the GMIS system to the Rockwell Collins one!!!
Make of that what you will!

Just to cool this down a tad:

Topbunk - 'paddy' is probably better qualified than the 'pointy end' to comment on those issues.

'Paddy' - yes, use them! Not only does cynicism/sarcasm/wacky humour often pass folk by, but it can annoy. Always play safe.

On with the game: new stadium:)

GMIS IFE system
 

Paddy,

From what I understand by talking to the engineers on the GMIS aircraft, is that the system is too incompatable with the new AVOD system to make it cost effective to change.

Don't know anything about the leases however. G-VIIS(GMIS) is only eight years old and surely wouldn't need replacing for years yet.

From what I understand the new B777 are gonna be used to exand the LH ops from LHR and eventually to replace the older B747 on some routes.

Hopefully we'll all get the new ClubWorld refit though.

YD

Virgin Nigeria A330
 

I saw a Virgin Nigeria A330 in LGW the other day.Is it new or pre-owned?What has happened to the A340?

Virgin Nigeria have an A330 on lease from bmi. I expect this was the one you saw, unless they have also leased others.

I saw it the other morning and I could not see the registration.Are they BM crews operating it or VK?

It's the Star Alliance BMI A330, G-WWBD.

Thank you all for your replies,so where has the 340 gone then?

Virgin Nigeria 340 has just been repainted into Air Comet colours at Filton by Air Livery

Believe that the repainted aircraft is the ex G-VBUS.

G-VSUN will return to Virgin Atlantic after being refitted with the Upper Class Suite

I think Virgin Nigeria will be getting B767s in due course

Judging by the check-in queue the load always looks quite healthy.Why the switch to Boeing?

Flyglobespan 757 Delivered!
 

Hi,

Saw Globepsan's new B757-200 (G-CEJM) at Glasgow yesterday, had just been delivered at 0200 hrs from Keflavik and was away at 1030 hrs to Sanford via Bangor but made it back to Glasgow direct!

Here is a picture of her at the following link.

http://www.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!/open.file/1191629/M/

Shame it doesnt have the winglets or the G's on the tail, the winglets would be a good idea for them given the long sectors they are planning to do!

Cheers
Skytrax2

And fitted only with Business class equivalent and economy seats ( not with premium economy as suggested elsewhere)

Quote:

---

---

Quote:

---

http://www.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!/open.file/1191629/M/

---

on my computer screen I can see it in red :confused: , and it should be in pink, right ?

"it should be in pink, right ?"
Wrong. Red is correct.

Mothballed B747-400
 

I know that Virgin bought Alitalia's 747-400's back in 2001 but rumour has it that they have a few more mothballed somewhere in the desert, can anyone verify this?

Durango :cool:

A spotters thread methinks.

Virgin did buy the delivery slots for the Alitalia 747-400s some years back but this was before, before the aircraft had even been manufactured.

There are still some 747-400s stored in the US (but not as many as there used to be) but none are Virgin's, all of which are in daily use.

I believe that the last three stored 744s, all ex-UAL, have now been sold and are to be converted into freighters - allegedly for World Airways.

You may be thinking of the 747-200s that Virgin has in the boneyard.

If they are still there, that is. The ones which came from the likes of Saudi Arabian and Air New Zealand, in fairly recent VS colours.

You will find that most if not all of the ex Virgin ex ANZ 747-200s are now with Transaero in Russia...