General Aviation Thread

At lakes

Well-Known Member
Distressing footage of a Russian Sukhoi Superjet making an emergency landing after being struck by lightening. 41 of the passengers lost their lives.
And incase anyone is wondering "no I don't troll aircraft accident sites" they just appear when I read the news
 

hauritz

Well-Known Member
The Australian government has finalised a deal with Qantas and Virgin to underwrite a minimum domestic network, to the value of $165 million.


I find myself wondering how the airline industry will bounce back after COVID 19. A lot of the international carriers won't survive. Not only will people be warier of international travel but they might not be able to afford it anyway. That is assuming that they can even survive until international borders are reopened. Perhaps domestic carriers will fare better.

Then, of course, there is the Aviation industry as a whole. Aircraft manufactures might have to consolidate to survive.
 

Rob c

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
I find myself wondering how the airline industry will bounce back after COVID 19. A lot of the international carriers won't survive. Not only will people be warier of international travel but they might not be able to afford it anyway. That is assuming that they can even survive until international borders are reopened. Perhaps domestic carriers will fare better.

Then, of course, there is the Aviation industry as a whole. Aircraft manufactures might have to consolidate to survive.
I have significant concerns regarding the airline industry, both manufacturing and airlines in the future for some time to come. It will take some time for boarders to reopen, which I don't see happening until there is an effective vaccine widely available, though there may be some relaxation in some cases for instance should Australia and NZ eliminate Covid19 there could be an opening up between of travel between us with a lock down to anyone outside of Australasia. With currently 16000 or more airliners parked and the likely collapse of a significant number of airlines, the manufacturers are gong to struggle to get any orders and I would expect the second hand market to collapse. There are likely to be some very cheap aircraft available. If the government wants to replace the NZ air forces B 757's with a commercial type now might be a good time to consider looking say in about 12 months time. There will be major disruption that the aircraft industry whether they be manufactures or users of aircraft have never seen before and it may take in excess of 5 years to really settle down again and that may be to a diminished size as the number of people with the funds available to be travellers could be significantly reduced.
 
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I remember the 1989 pilot strike, I was flying every week at that time and the fares were high and the passengers nearly all wore suits.
After the strike was over the passengers were mostly on holidays as business people found they could get by without flying to Melbourne for a meeting
 

John Fedup

The Bunker Group
Certainly civil aviation will suffer for the next couple of years. If no vaccine shows promise within 18 months, the future of many international carriers will be terminal. Even the duopoly may be in real trouble. Although Boeing has a better military business, the likely depression that is coming won’t permit much in the way of new business and there is still their on-going MAX problem which will see most orders cancelled IMO. I agree, many militaries may find some real bargins with conversions of recently manufactured civil jets. They will have to, defence budgets are first inline for the chopping block as governments struggle to fund bailouts and welfare.
 

Rob c

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
The other problem I see with 16000 airliners parked up is who is ensuring the security of all these aircraft? The possibility of a terrorist organisation or rogue country getting hold of some for non peaceful operations is increasing big time. While most of the aircraft should be OK the problem is that with 16000 grounded currently some will be vulnerable.
 

swerve

Super Moderator
Are they stored fuelled & ready to fly?

Stealing stored airliners looks rather hard to me. Covers on engines, packing of undercarriage to prevent birds nesting, etc. You can't just get in & fly one away.
BAIR_Sealing_storage_parking-17-1-1536x1024-1-e1586524797328 (1).jpg
 

ngatimozart

Super Moderator
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
Are they stored fuelled & ready to fly?

Stealing stored airliners looks rather hard to me. Covers on engines, packing of undercarriage to prevent birds nesting, etc. You can't just get in & fly one away.
View attachment 47325
Agree and after 28 days their bodily fluids have to be replaced with long term inhibiting oil etc., in order to protect engines and systems.
 

Rob c

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
Are they stored fuelled & ready to fly?

Stealing stored airliners looks rather hard to me. Covers on engines, packing of undercarriage to prevent birds nesting, etc. You can't just get in & fly one away.
View attachment 47325
Yes, that is correct if you want it to last a long time and with jet engines simply removing the covers, will allow you to start the engine as long as there is lubricant and fuel present, (a piston engine is a different problem) The real problem is that these airliners are spread all over the world and some will be in places were there will be little or no control of what is going on for the right bribe. The other problem is when less sculptress airlines are forced to sell off their stock and will take the money from anyone in a market in free fall, which I think is were we are heading.
There will be a large number of pilots and aircraft engineers that are out off jobs and will be susceptible to any income irrespective of were it comes from and especially in countries were bribery is a normal way of life anything is possible by greasing the right palms.
 
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Rob c

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
Agree and after 28 days their bodily fluids have to be replaced with long term inhibiting oil etc., in order to protect engines and systems.
When I was working on aircraft in the air force (some years ago) the normal method on jets was to seal all openings and dedicate. only piston engines only got inhibiting oil. Hydraulic oil was left but changed if the storage had been extensive and other fluids were simply drained if required, all openings on the aircraft were sealed. If you just wanted to fly the aircraft and did not care about the regulations,most jet aircraft could be got flying in a very short period of time and with the right greasing of the right palms , no one would stop you if this was even necessary although a gun could be a very effective substitute for a bribe.
 
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John Fedup

The Bunker Group
Some more grim news on Boeing and Airbus due to COVID-19. Boeing’s cash burn of 4 billion a month is frightening. The link does offer something positive for Airbus. The A321XLR and the A220 may become their most important products as airlines downsize due to the inevitable decline in air travel. Boeing is no longer able to develop any modern alternatives. I wonder if Bombardier could have managed any successful sales for their C-Series due to the MAX debacle and COVID-19 but I tend to think not. Getting out of commercial jets was probably their only move. Had they done it earlier they may have been able to stay in the rail business.

 

hauritz

Well-Known Member
Boeing has been making many poor decisions over recent years and delaying replacement of the 737 line in favour of larger wide-bodied aircraft could be one of the biggest.
 

2007yellow430

Active Member
Are they stored fuelled & ready to fly?

Stealing stored airliners looks rather hard to me. Covers on engines, packing of undercarriage to prevent birds nesting, etc. You can't just get in & fly one away.
View attachment 47325
exactly. Will take, 1-3 days to make one plane flyable. Covers off, fluids replaced or replenished, controls check. And those doing the work had better know the specific plane, etc. Stealing one would take a huge effort, and would not be successful in my opinion.

art
 

Rob c

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
exactly. Will take, 1-3 days to make one plane flyable. Covers off, fluids replaced or replenished, controls check. And those doing the work had better know the specific plane, etc. Stealing one would take a huge effort, and would not be successful in my opinion.

art
Only if you wanted to follow the rules and any terrorist or rouge country would want more than one. Modern jet aircraft are very reliable and simply ensuring the fuel and fluids are OK and covers remove you can fly with significantly less than a fraction of 1% chance of anything going wrong . As for someone who knows what they are doing , there will be, as I pointed out before a lot of unemployed aircraft technicians and aircrew out there. you could guarantee some would stoop to being offered enough money.
 

Ananda

The Bunker Group

The article on Flight Global on Boeing management restructuring. It's not surprising and rightly predicted for Boeing to do restructuring.
Still the restructuring seems in my opinion gear up more for 737 Max back to operation.

Boeing also seems want to have one gate control of all it's commercial Airliners program. Nothing in here talk on how new development of future Airliners program.
This shown Boeing will still big chunk of their imidiate program on 737 Max return and still hedge their future on Max for foreseable future.
 

Ananda

The Bunker Group

Boeing pulls out from Embrear deal ? This article seems shown that. Eventough Boeing stated there's problem from Embrear side, got wondering if this shown how financially stressed Boeing really is.

Boeing need E Jet lines..they need it fast to take on Airbus A220. Also with Max still in problem, Boeing need to fill in their narrow body line up fast. This is shown in my opinion, the duopoly in the market will be tilted more to Airbus in foreseable future.
 
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