Qantas 787

[Greg Hyde]

Indigenous-painted Qantas 787 ‘Yam Dreaming’ arrives in Alice Springs

Clear skies and Australia’s rugged outback have greeted the arrival of Qantas’s fourth Boeing 787-9, which features a special indigenous livery inspired by the work of artist Emily Kame Kngwarreye.

The aircraft, VH-ZND, departed Boeing’s final assembly line at Everett a little after 2100 (local time) on Wednesday. Some 15 and a half hours and almost 7,000nm later, it touched down at Alice Springs Airport a little after 0600 on Friday, where it received an Airservices Aviation Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) monitor cross.

Full story and pictures

http://australianaviation.com.au/201...alice-springs/

[Greg Hyde]

ZND entered domestic service this morning

[James Smith]

ZND operated QF462 MEL-SYD and QF497 SYD-MEL this evening.

[James Smith]

I came across a newspaper item from France saying that QANTAS will announce a new Perth to Paris route with 789s when they inaugurate the first Perth to London flight on Saturday next week. Possibly to commence as early as later this year.

The link to the English version of the article is:

https://soperth.com.au/perth-paris-direct-qantas-20994

The announcement may be made with a later date but there is very little capacity with the second batch of four 789s with daily services from BRI to LAX to JFK from 1 September, 2018 and a further four per week BRI to LAX from 1 December, 2018. Three of the four 789s will be fully utilised with the fourth operating to LAX once per week.

Maybe there is capacity to squeeze two flights per week from Brisbane to Perth to Paris but not any more, unless the flight turns around in Perth on some days. Maybe a further order for 789s will be announced as well.

It will be interesting to see what is actually announced next week.

[Dennis McLean]

Hi James, I have looked at the schedule for No's 5-8. As you said 2 are fully utilized on the 15/16 Daily to LAX & JFK. The extra flights are 1,3,5,6 BNE/LAX/BNE. However the Wednesday aircraft remains in LAX till Thursday night so the return from LAX is on a 1,4,5,6 nights arriving in BNE on 3,6,7,1. So Aircraft 7 will operate 1,3,6 out of BNE returning on 3,6,1. Aircraft 8 will operate the 5/7 flight. This leaves 7 to 5 days available. Therefore that will only leave enough capacity to operate 2 extra flights, eg BNE/Chicago/Dallas/Seattle/BNE. I can see 1 and a bit days off in BNE like Aircraft 7 with 1 and a bit days off in LAX. BNE/CDG/BNE on a 3,7 perhaps????? who knows.

The Courier Mail in Brisbane today has mentioned the possibility of a new destination to be announced next week, is it QF???, Dennis

[James Smith]

Thanks for your investigation and input, Dennis. I also thought that there may be a crossover with the MEL-LAX QF 789 services where the MEL flight went back to BRI or vice versa but I can't see that happening either as the days don't align.

From September, when QF MEL-SFO services commence there are only two flights per week with the 789 from MEL-LAX and they are on days 1&5 returning on days 2&5, so the Monday arrival does not leave LAX until Tuesday evening.

It looks like there are two 789 lay days in LAX in the schedule from December, 2017 - Monday to Tuesday evening for MEL-LAX-MEL and Wednesday to Thursday evening for BRI-LAX-BRI. They are possibly for maintenance requirements to further utilise the QF LAX facilities, but for such new aircraft you wouldn't think that would be required.

Time will tell as to what additional flights aircraft 8 will operate.

[Dennis McLean]

Anyone know if ZND is doing the first QF 9 to LHR on Saturday??

[Rowan McKeever]

Originally Posted by Dennis McLean

Anyone know if ZND is doing the first QF 9 to LHR on Saturday??

I believe it is, yes (STC obviously).

[James Smith]

ZND did a return flight from Melbourne to Perth today (Friday) and is overnighting in Melbourne, hopefully in readiness for QF9 tomorrow (Saturday) departing at 16:20 for Perth and Heathrow.

[Greg Hyde]

How to survive the Qantas Dreamliner 787 epic 17-hour plane flight from Perth to London

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-2...rcraft/9572786