NZFF

Sad news. NBU and NBT (both RR powered 747's) were to go to Xiamen to undergo end of lease maintenance but instead will now go to the Arizona scrap yard to undergo the same fate as NBS.
Having had my arse parked in the front (and back) of these 2 aircraft for more than 12 years and many, many hours I find it hard to fathom how one day an aircraft can be in service and perfectly flyable and the next it is being cut up for cans.

A very sad end for 2 examples of the finest aircraft type in the world.

And to think when ANZ operated the DC-10 i was a little shamed that the rest of the world had the mighty 74 .. then we got them .. Proud to be a Kiwi but now , you see so few now ..

Beats me why Boeing never came up with a re-engine option and perhaps larger winglets to make it more efficient.

Looking at the new 800 wing , different class on those compared , maybe its a selling point .. brand new to the trusted old ... i wonder how many cycles are left in the aircraft getting scrapped or would be picked up a cheap bargin for cargo haul ?

End off the day , I ask to fly Boeing aircraft rather than Arbust just due to its proven safety stats .

Well SUJ has been converted and it was my understanding that these 2 were to be converted as well. Doesn't seem the case now.

How many left with Air NZ - 2?

Correct. NBV and SUH both GE powered.

The trouble with the 747-800 is that it is so expensive and you have to fill a lot of seats to make it work. I would have thought that it would have been quite practical to spend say $50 million converting an older 747 (that would probably only fetch less than $10 million - plus you could sell off the old engines). To me spending say $60 million (and getting probably 10 years of use out of it) is better than spending almost $300 million for a new one for approx 20 years use. The cost of finance would surely offset most if not all of the extra maintenance that would be required for the older airframe.

A sad ending indeed.
Give them to Airwork, we are experts at operating older aircraft

Did I hear talk of a merger with MOTAT?

cowpatz wrote:

QUOTE (cowpatz @ Mar 14 2012,2:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Did I hear talk of a merger with MOTAT?

Now that would interesting ... both getting the pieces in but also ideal entrance off the street

cowpatz wrote:

QUOTE (cowpatz @ Mar 14 2012,9:16 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Correct. NBV and SUH both GE powered.

The trouble with the 747-800 is that it is so expensive and you have to fill a lot of seats to make it work. I would have thought that it would have been quite practical to spend say $50 million converting an older 747 (that would probably only fetch less than $10 million - plus you could sell off the old engines). To me spending say $60 million (and getting probably 10 years of use out of it) is better than spending almost $300 million for a new one for approx 20 years use. The cost of finance would surely offset most if not all of the extra maintenance that would be required for the older airframe.

Its not so much the cost of converting or upgarding - its the ongoing maint costs of older aircraft that are a major factor in setting an economic life. Additionally an airline would have to make the decision on when the aircraft is to be retired up to 10 years out to enable a replacement to be purchased built and delivered in time!

Mike Condon has posted a couple of pics following of the latest two old girls to leave, parked up in Auckland...
http://mrcaviation.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/...-departure.html

Here is SUJ after its freighter conversion. It still has the bandaids on

Hmmm I wonder how that would take as a PMDG paint job ... not kidding

i will miss the old rr powered a/c always sounded different to the all the same noise a/c these days