Aviation Thread [Part 5]

[annman]

Originally Posted by waltjie

Sorry man...

FAJS = OR Tambo
FAWB = Wonderboom
Pianokeys = White lines at the very end of the runway (most runways have them)
Fluffies = Nickname for B732 aircraft
Summer = Hottest time of the year ;-)

Thanks... I needed a mini-Glossary.

[Cigar]

Just read (http://airlineroute.net/2009/11/19/w3-losjnb-738/) that Arik (W3) will switch equipment to JNB from their supremely comfortable A340-500 to a B737-800 as of 24/11/2009. This coincides with the introduction of W3's new JFK service which has to operate with the Airbus.

Good news for SAA I guess.

[Durbsboi]

Just wana know, to those that travel on planes with laptops, does the plane offer a free wireless internet service? I check this 1 oke next to me on a plan pull out a netbook & he connected to a wireless network and was browsing websites and checking mail

[joburg]

Some airlines do on some aircraft (like Emirates on A345), and it requires you to sign up for their services but at highly inflated prices of course.

Big downgrade for Arik on JNB route!

[grjplanes]

Big downgrade for Arik on JNB route

I guess it's just temporary, because they need the A345 to start the JFK flights, and the A345 would probably be more economically ineffecient to JNB than to JFK and LHR...afterall it is an ineffecient aircraft. If a 737-800 can do the job, then why not, especially for an airline still finding it's a feet in a new market. Rather have a 738 operating at 90-100% full, than A345 at 60-70%.
But I believe when they receive A330s, they'll probably use these on the route. Also with the new bilateral, they're very likely to add Abuja-JNB service in the short-term...and maybe even LOS-CPT...and these can also be done with 738s.

[GetDownAdam]

Originally Posted by Durbsboi

Just wana know, to those that travel on planes with laptops, does the plane offer a free wireless internet service? I check this 1 oke next to me on a plan pull out a netbook & he connected to a wireless network and was browsing websites and checking mail

Don't know about wireless, but Emirates rocked my socks off the last time I flew with them when they said we could use our cell phones at international roaming rates. Not that it worked or anything, but it was cool to know that things are heading in that direction.

[ZATUGA]

First Air France A380 reaches New York

An Airbus A380 operated by Air France lands for the first time on a commercial Paris-New York route at … 26 mins ago
NEW YORK (AFP) – The world's largest airliner, an Air France A380, touched down in New York on Friday after completing the superjumbo jet's first Atlantic crossing from Europe to the United States.

The Airbus plane, carrying 538 passengers, left Paris earlier in the day and landed at 1:07 pm (1807 GMT) at J.F. Kennedy Airport, several minutes ahead of schedule, under crisp blue skies.

Two fire engines met the plane with a watery salute from their hosepipes as it taxied to its gate.

Air France is the first European airline to put the giant aircraft into service, but the fourth worldwide after Singapore Airlines, Gulf-based Emirates and Qantas of Australia.

Passengers included 380 people who bought their tickets in an Air France auction to benefit disadvantaged children.

Air France will launch regular A380 flights across the Atlantic on November 23. The fleet of 12 huge planes will also serve Johannesburg, starting in February, and then Tokyo.

But major production and delivery delays mean the commercial success of the A380, the pride of Airbus and parent company EADS, has yet to be secured.

On board, passengers were treated to free champagne and, for the inaugural flight, a three-member jazz band.

"A fantastic flight," said one passenger, Bernard Boluvi, 39. "It's a very quiet and stable plane. You hardly feel the takeoff and landing."

Michel Schmitt, 45, also praised the lack of noise aboard and said the double-decker felt more roomy than other jumbos. "It doesn't feel like one big cinema, because the plane is well divided into different sectors," he said.

But Gerard Jouany, 64, a journalist specializing in aviation, said he found the plane rather cramped and emphasizing the bus aspect of Airbus. "Air France chose the most dense configuration," he said.

[evanb]

Originally Posted by grjplanes

I guess it's just temporary, because they need the A345 to start the JFK flights, and the A345 would probably be more economically ineffecient to JNB than to JFK and LHR...afterall it is an ineffecient aircraft. If a 737-800 can do the job, then why not, especially for an airline still finding it's a feet in a new market. Rather have a 738 operating at 90-100% full, than A345 at 60-70%.
But I believe when they receive A330s, they'll probably use these on the route. Also with the new bilateral, they're very likely to add Abuja-JNB service in the short-term...and maybe even LOS-CPT...and these can also be done with 738s.

Given hot and high conditions in JNB its likely that a 738 will take a very significant weight penalty on the route. It will probably only be able to operate at 60% capacity!

[SA BOY]

Originally Posted by Durbsboi

Just wana know, to those that travel on planes with laptops, does the plane offer a free wireless internet service? I check this 1 oke next to me on a plan pull out a netbook & he connected to a wireless network and was browsing websites and checking mail

did San Fran to NYC recently on Continental and had full wireless for full flight, no additioanl charge

[Lost Cosmonaut]

Woonderboom Airport will receive regular flights again?

[Durbsboi]

Originally Posted by GetDownAdam

Don't know about wireless, but Emirates rocked my socks off the last time I flew with them when they said we could use our cell phones at international roaming rates. Not that it worked or anything, but it was cool to know that things are heading in that direction.

I thought those things screwed with the planes communications systems

Originally Posted by SA BOY

did San Fran to NYC recently on Continental and had full wireless for full flight, no additioanl charge

thats pretty cool, hope all airlines do this in the future, need to get a netbook!

[pta_pta]

Was on the Interlink flight from Wonderboom to Cape Town. Onboard service was excellent and flying from Wonderboom was very convenient.
Wonderboom airport is very small and it took us 5min from the plane into our car.
The flight was not that full, 28 passengers from Pta to CT Friday afternoon and on the return flight this morning was 12 passengers.

Was nice seeing the Voortrekker Monument, Freedom Park, Unisa, Loftus and the city centre as the plane approached Wonderboom.

The new CT terminal is also nice, just a pity that it feels like Joburg Airport, ACSA could do a bit more to differentiate the airports. The departure halls also need small shops where one can buy water and sweets; and a place where one can get coffee fast. Vida?

[Cigar]

Originally Posted by pta_pta

Was on the Interlink flight from Wonderboom to Cape Town. Onboard service was excellent and flying from Wonderboom was very convenient.
Wonderboom airport is very small and it took us 5min from the plane into our car.
The flight was not that full, 28 passengers from Pta to CT Friday afternoon and on the return flight this morning was 12 passengers.

Was nice seeing the Voortrekker Monument, Freedom Park, Unisa, Loftus and the city centre as the plane approached Wonderboom.

Due to the length of the runway at Wonderboom Interlink can only carry 34 pax to CPT. If/when they get the BAe146s that number should increase drastically. Glad to hear the service was good though! Any chance of some photos?

[Switch]

Plane spotting at CTIA







I think this is a SAA plane (Should be painted) Reg: ZS-SBS




Fire Truck




And a Light aircraft crash..this is for real!

[grjplanes]

It seems like the first of two leased 738s for Kulula is on it's way, being leased from Transavia again, ferried yesterday from AMS to LBV and probably onwards to JNB. It is suspected that this two aircraft is on long-lease till about 2011 when brand-new 738s is expected.

from planespotters.net:

ZS-ZWO Boeing 737-8K2(WL) Comair 2x CFMI CFM56-7B27 22-11-2009 ferried AMS-LBV 22-11-2009 on delivery.

[waltjie]

Originally Posted by evanb

Given hot and high conditions in JNB its likely that a 738 will take a very significant weight penalty on the route. It will probably only be able to operate at 60% capacity!

Uninformed remark. FAIL.

The vast majority of domestic flights in South Africa are operated using this aircraft with god knows how many aircraft movements every day out of JNB.

[grjplanes]

He was refering to that specific route...JNB-LOS...big difference between that and domestic/regional flights from JNB. The longest 738 flights from JNB at the moment is probably JNB-Nairobi, JNB-Douala, JNB-MRU.
Still, I do agree though that there will probably not be restrictions for a 738 on the route, if any it would be very minimal...not just 60% load.

[Cigar]

Great CPT pics, the viewing deck looks fantastic.

Some more news on Interlink's Wonderboom flights c/o their facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Interl...&topic=10413):

We do have a limit but it is set at 74 passengers ont he Cape Town flight and 95 on the Durban flight. We plan to introduce the correct aircraft as soon as possible with plans for other destinations still to come on line before the World Cup!

[pta_pta]

On the Interlink flight they talked about flights to Mombasa. Anyone knows about this? Would be great to be able to fly to Kenya's coast direct again.

[evanb]

Originally Posted by grjplanes

He was refering to that specific route...JNB-LOS...big difference between that and domestic/regional flights from JNB. The longest 738 flights from JNB at the moment is probably JNB-Nairobi, JNB-Douala, JNB-MRU.
Still, I do agree though that there will probably not be restrictions for a 738 on the route, if any it would be very minimal...not just 60% load.

Regional and even domestic flights on 737-800s out of JNB do operate with some load restriction from time-to-time, usually its not a problem on domestic flights since you just drop cargo and place them on dedicated freighters. Arik already operate the 737-800 on Abuja-Heathrow which is 2571nm with a load restriction. Given that Johannesburg-Lagos is 2436nm I would suspect that once the altitude of Johannesburg is taken into account there would be a significant penalty. By the way, the fully laden range for the 737-800 is 3060nm (15C and MSL).