For the aviation fans

[Long Wheel Base]

Ja and apparently it didn't turn around to land at ORTIA and just carried on to Harare on one engine...

Yeah to me that would have made the most sense anyway. It's such a short flight. Besides if their plane gets stuck here they might as well just write it off. We have one of their A319s here that we keeping until they pay us for work done. It's been here about 4/5 years now and still no payment. So they prepared to leave a perfectly serviceable plane on the ground just to avoid paying.

[Long Wheel Base]

That's the video I got on whatsapp last night.

[kosmonooit]

Yeah to me that would have made the most sense anyway. It's such a short flight. Besides if their plane gets stuck here they might as well just write it off. We have one of their A319s here that we keeping until they pay us for work done. It's been here about 4/5 years now and still no payment. So they prepared to leave a perfectly serviceable plane on the ground just to avoid paying.

 

Its probably because they can't pay - who does their maintenance / engine overhauls?

 

 

[bertusras]

Yeah to me that would have made the most sense anyway. It's such a short flight. Besides if their plane gets stuck here they might as well just write it off. We have one of their A319s here that we keeping until they pay us for work done. It's been here about 4/5 years now and still no payment. So they prepared to leave a perfectly serviceable plane on the ground just to avoid paying.

 

 

ZimLive understands Air Zimbabwe, after years of mismanagement, is now down to its last aircraft – a Boeing 767 (Z-WPF).

 

A Boeing 737, the only other viable aircraft in the airline’s fleet, is grounded and due to undergo a D-Check, also known as “heavy maintenance visit” – the most comprehensive check for an airplane which must be undertaken at least once every 10 years. For a D-Check, which takes two months to complete, engineers take the entire airplane apart for inspection and overhaul. Even the paint may need to be completely removed for further inspection on the fuselage metal skin.

 

But Air Zimbabwe managers are baulking at the cost of the D-Check which on average costs $2,5 million rising to US$4 million depending on fixes that need to be carried out.

 

“Considering the age of the airplane, the state of the company’s finances and the cost of the D-Check, a decision is close to being made that the plane be retired or sold on,” an airline executive said, declining to be named.

 

Air Zimbabwe expects to take delivery of an Embraer ERJ145 acquired from the United States this month, and the airline will add two Boeing 777s acquired by the government from Malaysian Airlines imminently.

[Robbie Stewart]

747 more a legend, but both going the way of the dodo.

 

I haven't flown in the 380 but I can imagine its quite smooth because of its bulk.

 

In terms of flying, Boeing and Airbus have different approaches: think I like the Yoke better than a Joystick.

 

I have also not been fortunate enough to ride in a 747. I have dreamt of flying in one since the first time I laid eyes on one back in the day at Jan Smuts. We flew in from George (mid eighties) and as we disembarked the 737-200, with those distinct Pratt and Whitney's, we bused to the terminal, passing lines of Jumbo's. We entered the arrivals hall in-front of a 747 from SAL standing tall at the gate. I will never forget the head-on profile I saw of that magnificent plane. As a ten year old laaitie, that left an indelible image in my mind.

 

Even over the weekend, I was sitting on my patio, watching a BA QoS gracefully turn base overhead to line up with FACT. I was saddened that soon, this too will be something that will pass, as BA have begun the process of retiring these beautiful birds.

 

Having ridden in A330-300, A340-600, B767-200/300ER, B777-300ER, I must say the 777 is my all-time favourite amongst the heavies. For the regionals, I prefer A320 over 737 from a pure passenger experience.

[Long Wheel Base]

I have also not been fortunate enough to ride in a 747. I have dreamt of flying in one since the first time I laid eyes on one back in the day at Jan Smuts. We flew in from George (mid eighties) and as we disembarked the 737-200, with those distinct Pratt and Whitney's, we bused to the terminal, passing lines of Jumbo's. We entered the arrivals hall in-front of a 747 from SAL standing tall at the gate. I will never forget the head-on profile I saw of that magnificent plane. As a ten year old laaitie, that left an indelible image in my mind.

 

Even over the weekend, I was sitting on my patio, watching a BA QoS gracefully turn base overhead to line up with FACT. I was saddened that soon, this too will be something that will pass, as BA have begun the process of retiring these beautiful birds.

 

Having ridden in A330-300, A340-600, B767-200/300ER, B777-300ER, I must say the 777 is my all-time favourite amongst the heavies. For the regionals, I prefer A320 over 737 from a pure passenger experience.

Funny enough the same goes for me. On the B737-800 when you re-fueling it, you have to stand on a ladder at the fuel panel(lower surface of right wing) watching the display and manually switch off at the desired figure as well as decide how much goes in what tank. It is time consuming, especially on a short turn around and if you have other snags you start knocking on the technical delay door. On the A319/320 the fuel panel sits on the underside of the fuselage and it's all auto. You just select the desired amount and switch the refuel. It decides how much goes where. You can just leave it, go sort other stuff and come back once it's done.

[dev null]

I have also not been fortunate enough to ride in a 747. I have dreamt of flying in one since the first time I laid eyes on one back in the day at Jan Smuts. We flew in from George (mid eighties) and as we disembarked the 737-200, with those distinct Pratt and Whitney's, we bused to the terminal, passing lines of Jumbo's. We entered the arrivals hall in-front of a 747 from SAL standing tall at the gate. I will never forget the head-on profile I saw of that magnificent plane. As a ten year old laaitie, that left an indelible image in my mind.

 

Even over the weekend, I was sitting on my patio, watching a BA QoS gracefully turn base overhead to line up with FACT. I was saddened that soon, this too will be something that will pass, as BA have begun the process of retiring these beautiful birds.

 

Having ridden in A330-300, A340-600, B767-200/300ER, B777-300ER, I must say the 777 is my all-time favourite amongst the heavies. For the regionals, I prefer A320 over 737 from a pure passenger experience.

 

Believe me, hearing a set 747-400 Rolls Royce engines at full tilt on take off is awesome. My very first airplane flight was on a 747-400 to London in 1993. The flight was full, and the plane loaded to capacity, so the pilot had to give gas to get in the air, so much that the whole plane shook. Will never forget that. 

Edited April 29, 2019 by Moridin

[Long Wheel Base]

Believe me, hearing a set 747-400 Rolls Royce engines at full tilt on take off is awesome. My very first airplane flight was on a 747-400 to London in 1993. Will never forget that. 

AGREED!!!! The Rolls Royce RB211 sounds so much better than the other option available on the -400. The General Electric CF6 is a lot more tame. Our fleet had the RR but then towards the end of their era we leased 2(ZS-SBS and ZS-SBK) that were kitted out completely differently. They had the GEs on. 

I will never forget when our last -400 was doing its last test flight before going back(they never retired with us) and Skully Levine was doing the flight. He got on board and tells us he is going to fly the hell out of this bird to prove its better than a bus. They took off from 21R and we all had a perfect view from technical. He went full gas and rotated out of here like it was a fighter jet. I have never seen such a big plane climb so quickly. It was goose bump stuff but also so sad at the same time. When they landed and taxied back to technical, Skully said some stuff I won't repeat here but to say he enjoyed it is an understatement.

Edited April 29, 2019 by Long Wheel Base

[Robbie Stewart]

AGREED!!!! The Rolls Royce RB211 sounds so much better than the other option available on the -400. The General Electric CF6 is a lot more tame. Our fleet had the RR but then towards the end of their era we leased 2(ZS-SBS and ZS-SBK) that were kitted out completely differently. They had the GEs on. 

I will never forget when our last -400 was doing its last test flight before going back(they never retired with us) and Skully Levine was doing the flight. He got on board and tells us he is going to fly the hell out of this bird to prove its better than a bus. They took off from 21R and we all had a perfect view from technical. He went full gas and rotated out of here like it was a fighter jet. I have never seen such a big plane climb so quickly. It was goose bump stuff but also so sad at the same time. When they landed and taxied back to technical, Skully said some stuff I won't repeat here but to say he enjoyed it is an understatement.

 

I am reminded of seeing Scully Levine fly a tight formation at the Africa AAD at Ysterplaat circa 2008 - 2009. It was just mind blowing to see 2 such large aircraft fly in such a tight formation.

 

The following link is of the same show in Durban, Virginia airport.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPETgicrXKw

 

 

[Bateleur1]

A debate between Boeing and Airbus to me is much like a debate between BMW and Mercedes Benz.  Both build very good planes and in my mind they just build good aircraft.  Many just don't like the Fly by wire systems that Airbus introduced quite some time ago but I am sure after the B737 max that argument should be put at bay.  There are pros and cons to fly by wire.  I was lucky enough to fly the 747SP in the 80s.  We flew the A380 when we moved to Germany.  Pretty much the smoothest landing I have every experienced on a commercial airline as we touched down in Frankfurt.  I hope I will get a chance at flying the 747-8.

[Bateleur1]

Eon de Vos posted this link on his CRM facebook page about the 737 Max accidents.  Well worth the read.

 

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/boeing-737-max-8-crashes-case-pilot-error-vaughn-cordle-cfa/?fbclid=IwAR0raSZhImJ6T_2-1c5ApKFXC1a3pjyNLWHye-EQkTEG1iPfw95eO-JeSUM

[dirtypot]

My first overseas flight was to JFK on a 747 and I sat upstairs!  So laarny. 

[Long Wheel Base]

My first overseas flight was to JFK on a 747 and I sat upstairs!  So laarny. 

Which airline? I know some airlines had the upper deck as their business or first class. We just had it as normal economy class. The lower deck had first class then business then economy. Then we did away with first and just had business and economy.

[kosmonooit]

When Luxavia was flying ex-SAA SP's one could upgrade to upstairs for an extra R50 ... although that was insiders knowledge

[Long Wheel Base]

When Luxavia was flying ex-SAA SP's one could upgrade to upstairs for an extra R50 ... although that was insiders knowledge

LOL easy money. It's colder and noisier upstairs.

[MrJacques]

Its probably because they can't pay - who does their maintenance / engine overhauls?

 

 

 

 

A friend of mine has flown on a smaller prop plane in Zim. He said that he thought that it was going to be his last day (paraphrasing).

Edited April 29, 2019 by Jacquers