Airlines in the Philippines

[Arianespace]

So it can't fly straight.

I thought it can manage the 6000nm range at full loads. It seems I am wrong too. Now I wonder how far does it really go? Could Jeddah be beyond its range?

Or Could there be problems along the way considering that they stayed entire morning there?

As i look at its flight it seems that it just departed DWC.

[romantic_guy08]

Arianespace wrote

By the way, the first 744 departure will be at 2AM and the second 744 at 4AM Malta time. Arrival in Manila will be around 8pm and 10pm respectively tomorrow. Strangely, the third flight just departed now. PR9006 so the remaining 250 passengers will ride the A330.

Good thing the new ones appear in FR24. Here it is
http://www.flightradar24.com/PAL9006/413f7f8

The number 6 code refers to government department, i.e. DFA

Was wondering why PR sent a 744 and A333E to Malta, instead maybe of two 744s or 2 A333Es? Seems, those on the 744s are lucky to have better on-board product than on the all-Y A333s.

77Ws have been doing both LAX and SFO, and the A333s are under utilized so I presume they'll be both available and both does sit 400 pax...

[Arianespace]

For one, the 744 sits at LTP almost all the time while the 77W sits there practically whole day until about 2 pm when one is pulled for YVR rotation while another is pulled around 6pm.

The point is they will return 36 hours later. That is a very long time. 4 of them does already LAX and SFO rotations while the other two takes care of YVR. Getting two of them is already a disruption while there is a sitting pretty pair of 747 and a spare 330. I did look up the flightplan of others and it seems they all flew.

As to why a 744 and a 333, I really have no idea. I can only speculate that both 744 could be more than what is needed or that there is only 333 that is available. From the talks I have with a DFA rep, they contracted 3 planes for rescue flight as they were expecting 1100 who made confirmations earlier, but few managed to ride the boat. And the passenger numbers were made basis for the dispatch. I heard the road to the port was very dangerous. That could explain the low turnouts of evacuees.

Now, I know that the 235t variant of the A330 can do 5600/5700nm straight but considering they were twenty passengers short and carried more or less 30kg of baggage, they could perhaps make it at 6000nm on the way to MNL. Of course that is purely speculation on my part. Their half-day stay at DWC is very unusual considering that it only take at least an hour to do refill.

Here's another thought. Could they be all eating lunch at DWC and maybe bought some meal provisions on the way back home?

[Arianespace]

I just been told that the 5600nm range of the 235t variant apply only to the typical 301's weight, not the 414's. That means they really have to refuel going back. A quick glimpse from my codigo said that a 400 pax 330 can barely fly 4000nm and that is within the range of DXB-MNL. I just answered my own question. My bad.

[romantic_guy08]

Arianespace wrote

So it can't fly straight.

I thought it can manage the 6000nm range at full loads. It seems I am wrong too. Now I wonder how far does it really go? Could Jeddah be beyond its range?

Or Could there be problems along the way considering that they stayed entire morning there?

As i look at its flight it seems that it just departed DWC.

Apparently they were delayed due to an OFW that didn't make the flight... he was checked-in, but never boarded...

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/109481/one-filipino-evacuee-fails-to-board-rescue-plane-in-malta

[Eurest]

You are correct, RSA is saving on cycles & flight hours. That's why 7775, the oldest of the "owned" B77W was parked at CRK for some time before the FAA gave PR clearance to use the B77W so that 7775 actually does some meaningful, revenue generating hours & cycles before undergoing an expensive C-check.
RSA likened using the low density configured B77W as using a Ferrari to go to the grocery, the grocery being regional routes.
The bigger carriers like CX who have a lot of flight crew, need to fly regional routes because some of their flight crew need certification hours for either manual or night time ops. I believe CX was actually sad that NAIA fixed the ILS on was that 6 that had been broken for years?
The 876* series of A330s are meant for regional routes though, with AUH being the longest route they operate on because of the unique requirements of needing J for the codeshare, as well as using a higher density config to maintain a cost advantage against the state subsidized ME3.

But the B77Ws don't always stay the day at LTP. During the LHR rotations, some would actually fly as early as that 8am LHR flight after arriving at around 3am and having done some daily checks.
It's a testament to the reliability of the B77W and GE90-115, despite being as huge as a 737 fuselage and outputting 115,000lbs of thrust, they can fly for 5 years before needing to be replaced. And they're are so ridiculously reliable that even CX, EK, SQ have no qualms sending them out after just 1-2hrs for a 14 hr sector despite having just finished a regional route.

[romantic_guy08]

Eurest wrote

You are correct, RSA is saving on cycles & flight hours. That's why 7775, the oldest of the "owned" B77W was parked at CRK for some time before the FAA gave PR clearance to use the B77W so that 7775 actually does some meaningful, revenue generating hours & cycles before undergoing an expensive C-check.
RSA likened using the low density configured B77W as using a Ferrari to go to the grocery, the grocery being regional routes.
The bigger carriers like CX who have a lot of flight crew, need to fly regional routes because some of their flight crew need certification hours for either manual or night time ops. I believe CX was actually sad that NAIA fixed the ILS on was that 6 that had been broken for years?
The 876* series of A330s are meant for regional routes though, with AUH being the longest route they operate on because of the unique requirements of needing J for the codeshare, as well as using a higher density config to maintain a cost advantage against the state subsidized ME3.

But the B77Ws don't always stay the day at LTP. During the LHR rotations, some would actually fly as early as that 8am LHR flight after arriving at around 3am and having done some daily checks.
It's a testament to the reliability of the B77W and GE90-115, despite being as huge as a 737 fuselage and outputting 115,000lbs of thrust, they can fly for 5 years before needing to be replaced. And they're are so ridiculously reliable that even CX, EK, SQ have no qualms sending them out after just 1-2hrs for a 14 hr sector despite having just finished a regional route.

I understand RSA saving on cycles, and I think this was the first order of business when he took over, rationalizing of utilization of aircrafts... was just thinking that, with the pull-out of the 77W from LHR, maybe, just maybe, they can be utilized and earn in between North American deployments rather than just sitting in LTP...

[Arianespace]

That was quick. It however answers the delay in Malta posted earlier, not the almost 4 hours stop at DWC.

[romantic_guy08]

Arianespace wrote

That was quick. It however answers the delay in Malta posted earlier, not the almost 4 hours stop at DWC.

I'll hazard a guess... probably aside from refueling and servicing... they had to allow the reporters on that flight to interview OFWs and send in their reports...

Noticed that a lot of online reports from the media on board are now coming in...

[Arianespace]

The GE90 engine always remind me of the failures of the A340 CFM engines. Its amazing how one manufacturers failure can become a guide post for future powerful engine designs.

[Arianespace]

Probably it will come out soon. Well just have to wait then.

[Eurest]

The problem now is that the 876* series becomes more efficient operating the regional routes because it has fewer J seats; has a lower MTOW = lower landing fees, etc; and probably has better economics having similar pax numbers. The only advantage for the 77W would be for cargo.
Restoring Europe, getting around 5 more B77W, and timing them to around 8-10am departures could work for better utilization. I think FRA and AMS can justify the B77W based on cargo potential alone.
Coincidentally, the previous approved slots at AMS & CDG are all timed for morning Manila departures. I wonder if they're still available
Or instead of Europe, more US frequencies timed like PR 112's 10am ETD to utilize the B77W arriving at 3:30am.

[romantic_guy08]

Eurest wrote

The problem now is that the 876* series becomes more efficient operating the regional routes because it has fewer J seats; has a lower MTOW = lower landing fees, etc; and probably has better economics having similar pax numbers. The only advantage for the 77W would be for cargo.
Restoring Europe, getting around 5 more B77W, and timing them to around 8-10am departures could work for better utilization. I think FRA and AMS can justify the B77W based on cargo potential alone.
Coincidentally, the previous approved slots at AMS & CDG are all timed for morning Manila departures. I wonder if they're still available
Or instead of Europe, more US frequencies timed like PR 112's 10am ETD to utilize the B77W arriving at 3:30am.

And maybe also because the 77W consumes more fuel for routes under 4000nm compared to even an A340...

I wonder if we'll see another route in the U.S. before the year ends or early next year...

[romantic_guy08]

BTW, those who are in Manila might want to check PRs Grand Travel Fair in Glorietta...

Got good deals yesterday afternoon (Saturday)... they'll be there until Sunday evening, 9:00 P.M.

[romantic_guy08]

Arianespace wrote

By the way, the first 744 departure will be at 2AM and the second 744 at 4AM Malta time. Arrival in Manila will be around 8pm and 10pm respectively tomorrow. Strangely, the third flight just departed now. PR9006 so the remaining 250 passengers will ride the A330.

Good thing the new ones appear in FR24. Here it is
http://www.flightradar24.com/PAL9006/413f7f8

The number 6 code refers to government department, i.e. DFA

RP-C7471 in MLA...





http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/42351/800_filipino_workers_return_home_daewoo_orders_second_evacuation

RP-C8786 in MLA

[seven13]

I'm guessing it could have been for the crew too why they needed to stop in DWC. A set of crew deadheaded to DWC last 12/13, the crew o/b 7471 and 8786 flew MNL-MLA-DWC straight. Upon arrival in DWC, those who deadheaded will take over to fly DWC-MNL. I guess those who are left behind in Dubai will deadhead back to MNL via 2P flight.

[airboy007]

We brought home 424 passengers including infants back to Manila. It was a little bumpy 12+30 hours flight back. :)

You would have loved it seven. The 13 hour flight to Malta was a utility flight so we have the aircraft all to ourselves. hahha. But yeah, we were inside RP=C7471 for more than 30 hours.

[seven13]

So the 747 flew MNLMLA vv without stopping at DWC? I guess it's one experience you as a cabin crew!
I'll ask my friends who flew the HGW regarding their experience.

[airboy007]

The stop via DWC was really more because of food provisioning. We served a bit more food for the repatriates. The problem with the monoclass is that the galley in by DR2 has been removed and was just replaced by seats, so everything needs to fit in the galley in the front and at the back. For the 744 it was not a problem because for almost the same number of passengers, 6 galleys are provided because this plane was really made for long haul flights. Of course, since they are stopping in DWC, crew change would be better too because after 14 hours, the pay rate for the cabin crew increases 600% per hour, Plus the flying time limitations of the pilots too. :)

[airboy007]

I think you were still right about the range of the aircraft, but again maybe its because of the food provisioning. The bi-class A330 the one being eyed for the european flights have the galley by DR2 installed, though still smaller.