It looks like 747-8 flight testing is starting to pick up around KPAE, finally. Line 1495 (RC009) A6-PFB (unconfirmed tail) for Abu Dhabi Amiri (BBJ) went up for a B1, and then line 1490 (RC510) LX-VCJ for Cargolux did too. Line 1481 (RC548) HL7623 for Korean Air Cargo should finally get a B1 in soon as well.
Here is line 1495's B1, by moonm:
(UPDATE: Line 1481 is up in the air. Finally after 6 months of neglect. In the comments Piotrek says it's HL7623 and is likely correct.)
In random news, KLM MD11 PH-KCD (to be retired this year with the other three remaining KLM MD11s) has ~85,000 hours and ~13,000 cycles. Man I felt like a dork asking the captain, but he was cool and read it right off the ship's logs.
Here is line 1495's B1, by moonm:
(UPDATE: Line 1481 is up in the air. Finally after 6 months of neglect. In the comments Piotrek says it's HL7623 and is likely correct.)
In random news, KLM MD11 PH-KCD (to be retired this year with the other three remaining KLM MD11s) has ~85,000 hours and ~13,000 cycles. Man I felt like a dork asking the captain, but he was cool and read it right off the ship's logs.
If there is anything they should do it is to bring the Combi back. But it wont happen. If they aren't selling them its because people see it as an option that isn't on the table, or at least I don't. First customer to woo would be KLM. Unfortunately I have heard of late, that their not interested.
ReplyDeleteA VLA that is also a Combi? Unheard of, at least for now. There is no top end of the market where this is applicable anymore, not unlike the early 90's. If it did exist and was competitive, then it would take the edge of that belly freight thingy ppl are always talking about.
Also looking forward to Air China #1.
Also check this article by Flightglobal:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/lufthansa-rejigs-747-8-delivery-schedule-395735/
I also saw that article just a bit ago. I would read this as a good thing, that they are accelerating deliveries. It tracks to their statements that they are happy with the plane and the experience that it delivers to the passengers. No news about the order climbing back up from 19, perhaps there will be some type of announcement around LN 1500? That would be pretty neat.
DeleteWell I would also look at this positively, perhaps they will go on and exercise some of the 'purchase rights' they've got and accelerating deliveries to 2015 is just to clear up the first batch for the next one from 2016 onwards. If exercised, their deliveries could span well into 2017. This would also be in line with the Transaero order also for the same period.
DeleteIt does support a theory of mine that something is in the works. Speculatively speaking of course, this could be an ER model or a -9i. Either way I don't see the current PIP spec remaining static. Historically also the 747 has always been about building it better as you go along. That has always been the way and after 40 years, I doubt they would just change their principles because they have done a major reworking of their original.
There is a long way to go with this. This is not the end.
However we need to wait and see.
RC548 finally airborne: http://flightaware.com/live/flight/BOE548/history/20140221/1820Z/KPAE/KMWH
ReplyDeletehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/moonm/12659145254/ HL7623
DeleteYeah I saw that. Not clear enough to read for certain, but you're likely right.
DeleteMatt confirmed :)
Deletehttps://twitter.com/mattcawby/status/436993121675526144
Nice photo from him: http://paineairport.com/kpae10143.htm
DeleteOk so now D-ABYN is REALLY out of the assembly line.
Deletehttp://paineairport.com/kpae10157.htm
Well, the long running saga of if Turkish Airlines will ever get a VLA continues. Apparently in a live interview with CNN, they said they are still studying both the A380 and the 747-8.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/27/turkishairlines-turkey-idUSL6N0LW1OX20140227?feedType=RSS&feedName=marketsNews
I don't see an order imminent.
ReplyDeleteHowever interesting team up with LH which has both A380 and 748I.
Might actually be a wake up call to TK about them actually.
RC527 has got engines:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.airteamimages.com/boeing-777_B-2099_china-southern-airlines_195042_large.html
Oohhh...well, it isn't anything final, but it is confirmation regarding the previous news about UN that we were discussing.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/26032-transaero-considering-switching-b787-8-order-to-b747-8s-or-b787-9s
Transaero LOVE the 747 to bits. All of the current Money that they make now is because of the 747 and the Market that Transaero created with it.
ReplyDeleteIf Aeroflot was Smart they would have tried the same formula: Big Planes, Exotic Destinations and a Huge crowd of Sun Starved Russians with Stacks of Roubles to blow away.
Perfect combination for another top up order.
Shit happens again. Looks like RC641 is being prepared for storage in PAE and RC642 has got Boeing registration like other Marana's birds...
ReplyDeleteKinda strange that they'd prepare one for storage at PAE. If she's ready to fly you'd think they'd store her at Marana.
DeleteApparently RC641 is to be stored short term at PAE, and the reason 642 had to do her B1 was because they intend to ferry her out to longer term storage.
ReplyDeleteStorage of RC641 in PAE might just simplify the cost and ex-storage prep before delivery, with B2 and C1 flights not yet having occurred.
ReplyDelete'Apparently RC641 is to be stored short term at PAE, and the reason 642 had to do her B1 was because they intend to ferry her out to longer term storage.'
ReplyDeleteI don't see the point really, why not just store them both at PAE and finish the Outfitting off in situ and deliver them both at the same time albeit at a later date?
Also if the deliveries are rescheduled again, then put then into long term storage.
The way I'm looking at it, RC 641 might be complete, so contractually the delivery might not be delayed for really that much longer, without any kind of small penalty for just such a storage. RC 642 otoh probably isn't up to scratch of course, but sending it into LTS just sends out the wrong signals.
I don't believe there is anything wrong with either frame. It is just a deferral of delivery, much like many of the other operators are doing. 641, is deferred only a short amount I assume, especially because she has already had her registry changed it seems. The reason why 642 has flown and 641 hasn't yet is due to the fact that deferral for 642 will be for a longer period of time, and it will thus be ferried out for storage instead of staying at KPAE.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure you understand here.
ReplyDeleteDelaying any of the frames for x months is not an issue. That they may deliver the first frame because of changes in ownership or registration isn't a problem either. There are also other 748's stored in and around KPAE. (ala NCA, KE). As for RC 642, they can store it in PAE, maybe even outfit it there whilst in storage, so why send it away? If they are going to send an incomplete frame, it is certain that it is going to be mothballed for waay waay longer, almost as if the aircraft will never see its delivery and I'm almost at the point of saying that this frame won't go to Silk Way at all.
That is the rather moot point here,
Ah, well when you said "RC 641 might be complete" and "RC 642 otoh probably isn't up to scratch of course,", to me that made it sound like you thought there may be something potentially wrong with one or both of those frames. I would think both of those frames are complete and ready for delivery.
ReplyDeleteIn reality, I think you are reading way too much into this. What is happening with these frames is no different than what has happened with some of the other freighters produced in the latter half of last year, like you mentioned with NCA, and KE and even CV to a degree. Basically, their delivery is being deferred for a time. Usually, storage of frames at PAE is for (relatively) short term. That should mean that Silk Way will take delivery of 641 sometime in the next 6 months or so I would think. 642 had to do her first flight in order to be able to conduct the ferry flight. I assume she will be stored elsewhere because that deferral may likely be for a longer term, perhaps 10-12 months.
However, most of these deferrals are scheduled, for example the NCA frames are supposed to be delivered later this year (about 10 months total storage?), and I would think it is the same with this frame. If you look at the firing order, Silk Way's actual 2 frames will be coming up and will probably deliver later this year as well, so perhaps they are simply deferring their 2 leased frames for a while since that is the more effective thing to do from a contract/monetary perspective.
My apologies for any misunderstandings, its just that This activity here seems out of step to me.
ReplyDeleteAs for the storage part 10-12 months is a long time in storage, especially for a new frame.
CV is however making money with theirs and a recent order indicates their renewed confidence, so if you can take their recent experience into account it might be that there is a niche in the market that they have latched on to. If there are other airlines out there who have picked this up, they too might be in the position to take advantage of it.
No worries, I think we were just talking around each other, which can happen when dealing with text only. :-)
ReplyDeleteAs for the market in general, I do find it a good sign that CV and CX both ordered an extra frame each, although it would have been nice to see those order be for more than singletons. I do think, like you say, that they are doing relatively well with their fleet renewals, and the numbers for the air cargo market from the last half of last year, and the beginning of this year, do show continued signs of a decent strength recovery. Hopefully that trend continues, and as demand picks up, demand for some new build freighters will also pick up accordingly.
Now if we can just hear about some Intercontinental orders as well, that would be fun. :-)