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Post by corsair67 on May 9, 2006 16:07:02 GMT 12
Fantastic picture from Boeing of a beautiful Air New Zealand 'plastic-fantastic'.   |
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Post by corsair67 on May 15, 2006 9:38:45 GMT 12
Just saw this article on 'stuff.co.nz'.
I'd love to see the 747-800 in Air NZ colours too; but that maybe a wee way down the track I'm thinking.
Air NZ to switch to longer-haul 787s
15 May 2006
By ROELAND van den BERGH
Air New Zealand is swapping its order for four of the revolutionary Boeing 787-8 for the larger and longer-distance 787-9 model.
The airline will be the launch customer for the -9 and will take delivery of the first aircraft in December 2010.
General manager of international airlines Ed Sims said the larger 787 with 280 seats, up to 50 more than the -8, would be more efficient on proposed non-stop long-haul routes to Beijing, Vancouver, Buenos Aires and Mumbai.
The airline was still considering introducing the 787-8 in 2009 in the meantime.
The 787 is the first commercial airliner to feature a carbon fibre fuselage and replaces the medium-sized wide-body 767 range.
It will be up to 20 per cent more fuel-efficient and carry up to 50 per cent more cargo.
Air New Zealand was also considering adding another large-capacity jet late next year which could include a Boeing 777-300ER or the latest version of the classic jumbo jet, the Boeing 747-8, which was under development, Mr Sims said.
"We are certainly not going to wait till we introduce the 787-9 to look to add new routes."
However, the future price of fuel would be a factor, he said.
Meanwhile, the cabins of the remaining five Boeing 767-300ERs were being given a facelift rather than being refitted with the new long-haul seats and entertainment system.
The aircraft would leave the fleet in four years, which did not give enough time to recoup the cost of a full refit, he said.
The aircraft would be used on Los Angeles services that made Pacific island stops and some trans-Tasman routes.
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Post by turboNZ on May 15, 2006 10:16:57 GMT 12
She's a nice looking jet.
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Post by Bruce on May 15, 2006 10:36:48 GMT 12
The DH comet is a nice looking jet....(IMO) most modern jets are just passenger tubes, although I have to admit this one is better than most - with the shallow - angled winglets and a noticeable flex, the wing appears to be gently curved!. (Bruce ducks as airliner enthusiasts throw their "pacific flyer" mags at him........)  |
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Post by turboNZ on May 15, 2006 11:01:46 GMT 12
I also reckon that the original Boeing 367-80 (the Prototype 707) in it's corporate yellow/red colours was a great looking aircraft.
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 15, 2006 19:39:29 GMT 12
I assume this is not a photo, and is a computer mock up. Nice though.
I have to agree that many modern airliners look the same to me, I found it hard to distinguish between Air New Zealand's 737's and Airbus sitting at Wellington when i tramsitted through there, and this 787 looks just like a 767 to me. So long as they work I don't mind though, after all, most buses also look the same as the last one.
I think it's a shame however how airliners have lost one huge chunk of their character nowadays, in that they're never christened with a name now. A-340, ATR-72, 737-400, etc is all so clinical and meaningless compared to the romantic names such as the Brittania, Hercules, Solent, Comet, Rapide, Express etc of yesteryear. Do you agree?
I wish Air New Zealand would chiristen our own planes with a name at least to be used in NZ service, like the RNZAF did in 1991 when they realised the Aermacchi 339-CB had no name, and so entitled ours officially as the Maachi, which was partly in tribute to the New Zealanders who fought the Italian fighters in the Med arena in WWII I was told.
What names with a Kiwi feel would you dub the fleets in Air NZ service?
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Post by corsair67 on May 15, 2006 20:27:06 GMT 12
Dave, it's a computer illustration from Boeing, hence what appears to be over-emphasised wing flex. Dave, you can't be serious?  As to names for aircraft in Air NZ service, here's my suggestion for the ATR-72: Fugly. ;D |
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Post by turboNZ on May 15, 2006 21:00:01 GMT 12
The ATR's are that bad looking.
The Airbus's always look like they have a bent nose-strut to me.
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Post by corsair67 on May 15, 2006 21:19:51 GMT 12
The ATR-72 is an aircraft that looks like a bus with wings added as an afterthought! ;D
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Post by Bruce on May 15, 2006 22:31:54 GMT 12
The 787 actually breaks recent Boeing tradition by having a name - "Dreamliner" I dont think thats too bad really. Yeah I cant say an ATR-72 is much of a looker - especially with its narrow undercarriage and those big bent Scimitar prop blades and excessive fins here and there - The Beech 1900 seems to have more than its fair share of fin things as well. NZ flavoured names could be "Matariki" " Southern Cross" "KoruLiner" or "Overrunner" - either in costs or Wellington Airport! |
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 15, 2006 23:04:31 GMT 12
I think the ATR-72 has character, as it stands out from the crowd of Boeing 737's and Airbus lookalikes... and it certainly is very nice to fly in compared with the F-27 Friendships that used to ply their routes in NZ.
Good names Bruce, although Wellington is currently getting an extension over the southern side, with a tunnel being built over the road it looked like when I flew over in April. Rongotai is an ever evolving landscape.
Maybe some fleet names after famous NZ aviators, though trans-Tasman aircraft shouldn't necessarily be named after Hood or Moncrieff. How about the ATR-72 Batten, or Airbus A3xx Garden, or Boeing 737 Bolt, etc?
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Post by Bruce on May 16, 2006 8:33:02 GMT 12
Boeing 737 Bolt - that would be one of those things that fall off on approach into Mangere (especially with foreign engineers involved) |
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Post by mumbles on May 16, 2006 22:27:10 GMT 12
The Beech 1900 looks like its made out of lego.....or at least the planes I made out of lego when I was a wee person. I don't mind the ATR's so much, I kinda like the wiggly props. Not as fugly as a Metro or HS.748 at any rate ;D.
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Post by mumbles on May 16, 2006 22:36:22 GMT 12
Good names Bruce, although Wellington is currently getting an extension over the southern side, with a tunnel being built over the road it looked like when I flew over in April. Rongotai is an ever evolving landscape. I have to admit I'm glad to see that finally happening. Every time I go to Rongotai as a passenger, picking up/dropping off, or just to enthuse for a while, I'm wondering in the back of my head if today will be the day the fit finally hits the shan and a 737 winds up on Cobham Drive or Moa Point Road..... |
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Post by Radialicious on May 24, 2006 0:07:17 GMT 12
I had to wonder about the plastic fantastic 787 when I read that one of Mark Inglis' carbon fibre legs had failed due to the cold as he climbed Mt Everest. Apparently Mt Ev. is the same height as most commercial airliners cruise level. Hopefully the 787 has two fuselages in case one fails.
9 round the outside.
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Post by Bruce on May 24, 2006 10:54:24 GMT 12
One of the big concerns I have is how do you paint strip a composite fuselage? in the 1990s the Concordes suffered a few problems with thier rudders after they were paint stripped with an incompatible solvent - a chunk fell off one coming back from NZ!
I guess when the inevitable change of colour schemes occur they can just paint over the top, but after a while your 787 could become an extra widebody due to the paint layers!
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