End of the nonstops to LAX & EWR on the A345

[eminere™]

Nice picture of a 747 tail in that AusBT article. Must drive Airbus PR crazy when this sort of thing happens.

As an avgeek it drives me crazy! AusBT is especially lazy when it comes to recycling old stock imagery.

[Jumbojet Lover]

My impression has always been that while they were technically possible, it wasn't profitable to do so.

Might have been the availability. The A340-500 was available a few years before the 777-200LR. I don't think the 777-200LR would have been any more uneconomical than the A340-500 to operate.

Seems like history might repeat itself with the supposed modified A350-900 available in 2018, a few years before Boeing's 777-8. Hopefully it works out better for SQ this time.

On a separate note, does anyone think it's a bit of a coincidence that right after news of what would be the world's longest route broke (EK's DXB-PTY), Airbus reports that it is working with SQ on A350 modifications to serve SIN-USA non-stop again, thereby allowing Airbus to reclaim the title of "manufacturer of aircraft serving the world's longest route" back from Boeing?

[Metropolitan Airlines]

This is possible, and further I wonder whether this announcement has any relation to the reduction of A350 order happened recently.

Would that 7 withdrawn aircraft orders be the consideration to the development of A350-900R? Or perhaps we might see those 7 (more or less) orders come back with A350-900R variant instead of the 900 standard aircraft at a lower price?

Finally I speculate the new 900R aircraft would be the one with same body as 900, but have -1000 wings installed, add a few tanks or even use Trent XWB-97 engines? There will be significant portion during this 18 hour flight where it will be flying above ocean, perhaps 330 ETOPS will be required as well.

[leops1984]

Might have been the availability. The A340-500 was available a few years before the 777-200LR. I don't think the 777-200LR would have been any more uneconomical than the A340-500 to operate.

Ah, sorry, I was referring to the idea of using a 77L right now.

Seems like history might repeat itself with the supposed modified A350-900 available in 2018, a few years before Boeing's 777-8. Hopefully it works out better for SQ this time.

Well, the difference is not going to be as large as it was either way. To SQ, though, that early EIS matters a lot. Airbus is probably in the lead, unless Boeing gets desperate and offers 77Ls as interim lift until the 777-8? Crazier things have happened, and you could always use them for converted freighters (although it's a little trickier for the 777).

[FN-GM]

Ah, sorry, I was referring to the idea of using a 77L right now.



Well, the difference is not going to be as large as it was either way. To SQ, though, that early EIS matters a lot. Airbus is probably in the lead, unless Boeing gets desperate and offers 77Ls as interim lift until the 777-8? Crazier things have happened, and you could always use them for converted freighters (although it's a little trickier for the 777).

For the long term the 77L doesn't make sense. Probably best waiting until a more modern aircraft is ready.

[MAN Flyer]

People really don't seem to know what to do with the few remaining A345's it seems.

I watched an 'unmarked' one get towed to T3 at MAN last week when I was flying KL to AMS. Wondering who it was for I go to the Escape Lounge and see that that back corner is sectioned off with about 30-40 of Man City's party heading to Germany. I spotted Mike Summerbee first before all the tottering floozies who reside at most Premier League clubs these days.

30-40 pax flying from the UK to Germany on an aircraft that can fly for 19 hours tells it's own story. I am sure the aircraft had taken the team out earlier and was probably all but full after the match but even still...

[FN-GM]

There is an all white A340-500 (might be a -300 I can't tell) parked at BNE and has been since 2011 at least. I think it is being used, I am not sure though. I don't travel to BNE enough to notice if it has moved. Every time I have looked for it I have spotted it.

Airbus owns 11 A340-500's and are trying to sell them. 3 of them are ex SQ. - http://www.airbus.com/company/market...aft-available/

[eminere™]

There is an all white A340-500 (might be a -300 I can't tell) parked at BNE and has been since 2011 at least. I think it is being used, I am not sure though. I don't travel to BNE enough to notice if it has moved. Every time I have looked for it I have spotted it.

I think that's an A343 belonging to HiFly. Have seen it a few times on FR24.

[qantas_flyer]

I think that's an A343 belonging to HiFly. Have seen it a few times on FR24.

Is usually chartered by Australian Defence Force for military purposes. Is sometimes seen in Townsville and Darwin going direct to Al Minhad, UAE

[eminere™]

Is usually chartered by Australian Defence Force for military purposes. Is sometimes seen in Townsville and Darwin going direct to Al Minhad, UAE

That must be it. Have seen it a couple of times in SYD as well. The A343 is a beautiful bird as it is, but is quite the vision in all-white.

[MAN Flyer]

There is an all white A340-500 (might be a -300 I can't tell) parked at BNE and has been since 2011 at least.

You can tell the difference in them from miles away as one as four engines under the wings and the other has four hairdryers...

I have seen the one you refer to a couple of times in BNE, parked right down the far southern end of the airfield near to where the new freight forwarders industrial park has been built.

[SQ22]

Probably the only folks who don't mind using these gas-guzzlers are those high-rolling companies. Read: The likes of Las Vegas Sands.

[MAN Flyer]

I watched an 'unmarked' one get towed to T3 at MAN last week when I was flying KL to AMS. Wondering who it was for I go to the Escape Lounge and see that that back corner is sectioned off with about 30-40 of Man City's party heading to Germany. I spotted Mike Summerbee first before all the tottering floozies who reside at most Premier League clubs these days.

This thing seems to be following me as I saw (what I presume is) it getting towed to the same gate again today in the midst of all the foggy mayhem of MAN's fabulous T3 earlier today.

Presume it is taking City abroad again as they have Seville away in the CL this week.