General Aviation Thread

Ananda

The Bunker Group
The problem is until Chinese C919 and Russian MC-21 can prove it's worth and mature, no alternative for Max except A320 family. Some airlines already looking to fill gap with A220 or even E series. However it will not be ideal for every airlines.

So with tho claims to Boeing, Max will be back to service before end of this year.
 

John Fedup

The Bunker Group
Wouldn’t mind to see our airlines moving to larger jets with more comfortable seating. Never will happen of course.
 

Ananda

The Bunker Group
Wouldn’t mind to see our airlines moving to larger jets with more comfortable seating. Never will happen of course.
Well if talking about larger means from single isle to double isle/wide bodies..well it's not happening yet. However if to larger single isle..it may..

https://simpleflying-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/simpleflying.com/airbus-a321xlr-paris-air-show/amp/?amp_js_v=a2&amp_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQA#referrer=https://www.google.com&amp_tf=From %1$s&ampshare=https://simpleflying.com/airbus-a321xlr-paris-air-show/

Seems if Paris Air Show can be a barometer..many airlines changing their single isle (whether A320 or 737-800) to larger and longer range single isle like A321 LR/XLR.
XLR can go Jakarta to Tokyo or Singapore to Merlbourne that used to be handle by wide bodies like A330 or 787. This will help low cost airlines to maintain one fleet policy (like A320 family or 737 family) but offer longer point to point International routes.
Also help airlines to open smaller trunk International route that will not be economical using wide bodies.

I just talked with some people from Garuda which mentioned that their canceling 787 Max8 order besides PR problem, also because they are not really into Max8 anymore. They are talking with Boeing that some of the order could be change to Max10 (providing the problem of Max solve in satisfactory manner).

Max 10 is the equivalent of A321 LR/XLR. Thus the trend is to longer haul medium size single isle.
Still Max10 has disadvantage toward A321LR/XLR on range..what Airlines looking now is replacement for 757. Boeing board must be now thinking hard that beside the problem of Max..they are bit behind Airbus on providing 757 replacement. A321 XLR is the closest thing in Market today toward 757.
 
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ngatimozart

Super Moderator
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
Wouldn’t mind to see our airlines moving to larger jets with more comfortable seating. Never will happen of course.
Of course not and they decrease the seat pitch meaning tall and long legged fullas like myself are either forced to fly first, business, or premium economy class just for extra leg room, or fly scrunched up. Bastards. More than once I've wanted to commit grievous violence on the airline executive who decreased the seat pitch again and the person in front when they put their seat back. However I've been told that it's illegal and immoral for me to commit such acts. Apparently the airlines and various legal authorities take a rather dim view of it.
 

John Fedup

The Bunker Group
Of course not and they decrease the seat pitch meaning tall and long legged fullas like myself are either forced to fly first, business, or premium economy class just for extra leg room, or fly scrunched up. Bastards. More than once I've wanted to commit grievous violence on the airline executive who decreased the seat pitch again and the person in front when they put their seat back. However I've been told that it's illegal and immoral for me to commit such acts. Apparently the airlines and various legal authorities take a rather dim view of it.

Absolutely right on! Short haul flights like Toronto-Montreal are pretty much the limit for me. A Westjet 737 from Toronto to Calgary requires a premium upgrade unless you like 4 hours of agony. I understand the the economics of the 757 but this jet was the first one where I noticed horrible seat pitch. The latter day 737 models are much worse in this regard. Boeing's proposed 757 replacement shoul offer better performance than a A321XLR which is really another example of "maxing out" a design beyond its best before date. Hopefully XLR doesn't have the safety issues found in the 737 Max. As for the proposed new mid market single aisle, expecting even worse seat pitch so the seat count can be 300!
 

ngatimozart

Super Moderator
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
Absolutely right on! Short haul flights like Toronto-Montreal are pretty much the limit for me. A Westjet 737 from Toronto to Calgary requires a premium upgrade unless you like 4 hours of agony. I understand the the economics of the 757 but this jet was the first one where I noticed horrible seat pitch. The latter day 737 models are much worse in this regard. Boeing's proposed 757 replacement shoul offer better performance than a A321XLR which is really another example of "maxing out" a design beyond its best before date. Hopefully XLR doesn't have the safety issues found in the 737 Max. As for the proposed new mid market single aisle, expecting even worse seat pitch so the seat count can be 300!
Last time I flew in an Air NZ A320 the seat pitch was reasonable and I was quite comfortable. That was cattle class too about 4 years ago Auckland - Christchurch 1 hr 20 min. 10 years ago did a Sydney - Perth on a QANTAS B737-800, 5 hrs from memory and wasn't to bad. Was a long day as had just got off a QANTAS B767 from Christchurch and was scrunched up. By the time I cleared customs etc., changed terminals was time to board for the domestic flight to Perth.
 

rossfrb_1

Member
Last time I flew in an Air NZ A320 the seat pitch was reasonable and I was quite comfortable. That was cattle class too about 4 years ago Auckland - Christchurch 1 hr 20 min. 10 years ago did a Sydney - Perth on a QANTAS B737-800, 5 hrs from memory and wasn't to bad. Was a long day as had just got off a QANTAS B767 from Christchurch and was scrunched up. By the time I cleared customs etc., changed terminals was time to board for the domestic flight to Perth.
Sydney to Norfolk Island via an Air NZ A320 March this year - no complaints with cattle class from this long legged galoot (And it is still as much duty free on the island as you want).
I'd happily fly Air NZ again over qantas and Virgin, both of whom are penny pinching sods.
 

John Fedup

The Bunker Group
Well I guess if a new power source (new battery technology, nuclear fusiono_O) for aviation is ever developed that doesn't depend on fossil fuels, we can expect airlines to offer much more comfortable seating and better fares...sorry I jest. Their bottom lines will be better, our bottoms won't be!:(
 

ngatimozart

Super Moderator
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
Well I guess if a new power source (new battery technology, nuclear fusiono_O) for aviation is ever developed that doesn't depend on fossil fuels, we can expect airlines to offer much more comfortable seating and better fares...sorry I jest. Their bottom lines will be better, our bottoms won't be!:(
Well some mongrel has come up with standing seats. However doesn't look like that they'll catch on anytime soon.

No, you won't have a standing seat on an airplane any time soon
 

ngatimozart

Super Moderator
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
There is a new computer issue with the B737-MAX. It has been found by FAA test pilots and involves the slow response times to trim inputs from the pilot. Boeing are hoping that it can be resolved with a software fix, but if it requires a hardware fix then it potentially can take longer.

FAA Flags New Computer Issue In 737 MAX Testing
 

John Fedup

The Bunker Group
Too bad the FAA couldn't discover these issues beforehand, it would have benefitted all parties including Boeing. I guess having a regulatory body for safety notifications and approvals ( sort of) that also has a mandate to promote aviation wasn't such a good idea.
 

John Fedup

The Bunker Group
Other airlines probably would like to switch but the wait times for A320 are too long now and would be worse if more airlines were to start switching their orders. Kind of ironic that the company that forced Boeing into conceiving the MAX as a stopgap against the clean sheet C-series had to sell out to Airbus, the company that had a better stopgap product in the A320neo.
 

John Fedup

The Bunker Group
United is hoping for clarification on Boeing’s NMA. As per the article, Boeing’s priority is sorting the 737 MAX. They are in a tough spot now that Airbus has the A321XLR pending and the A330neo. Do airlines want to wait for another twin aisle 250 seat with a 5000 nm range when they can get either a A330neo now or a A321XLR shortly? United seems to want a 757/767 replacement with a single platform.

United wants ‘clarity’ from Boeing on NMA
 
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Ananda

The Bunker Group
United is hoping for clarification on Boeing’s NMA. As per the article, Boeing’s priority is sorting the 737 MAX. They are in a tough spot now that Airbus has the A321XLR pending and the A330neo. Do airlines want to wait for another twin aisle 250 seat with a 5000 nm range when they can get either a A330neo now or a A321XLR shortly? United seems to want a 757/767 replacement with a single platform.

United wants ‘clarity’ from Boeing on NMA
This is tough situation now for Boeing. The NMA or predicted 797 should be decided by Boeing this year. However this Max situation really pinned them down..

If I we're in Boeing Exec possition..looking on A321XLR..should put all effort on NMA, Finish the deal for E Series and introduce them to Boeing line up...while sort this Max situation and plan to killed them by next five years.
With E Series, 787, and this NMA/797..they got pretty good line up in the future. Forget 737, it's already 'MAX' the design potential.
If you want to keep the MAX line stick with MAX10 only..heard from some pilots that saying MAX10 with bigger airframe actually has good aerodynamic match with bigger engine that MAX being equipped with.
Kill MAX8, it's already too much trouble in image issues that it will be hard sell in the future even with all adjustment being made.
 
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John Fedup

The Bunker Group
As the NMA or 797 is currently envisioned, twin aisle with seating for 250 plus and 5000 nm range, it competes reasonably well against the A330neo and it does offer a single platform replacement for United’s 757/767 fleet. However, Boeing doesn’t address the A321XLR single aisle which many airlines find attractive. Agree, the 737 MAX is done. A NMA with short and stretched versions should have been the 737 replacement not a flawed rework of a obsolete airframe. Blame that decision on the delayed Dreamliner.
 

Ananda

The Bunker Group
Bloomberg - Are you a robot?
More seems being seen on Max Software problem, that questions Boeing 'fix' on Software.

As John's post above, this really put question on Boring single isle momentum. Meanwhile besides A320 families, the Chinese C-219 and Russian MC-21 already quite far in testing thus can potentially taking some Boeing Max momentum in future.
 
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