Jetstar 788 Rego blocks

[Jim M]

I don't know if this has been covered anywhere, but with the apparent arrival of the first of Jetstar's 788s during 2013, does anyone know if a block of regos have been allocated to these aircraft, and if so,what they might be?

Just curious.

Cheers,

Jim

[Bob C]

Hi Jim

Can't help I'm afraid but at least fifteen regos from the -XZ block were originally allocated years ago.

However, the ongoing delays with the B787s have seen the -XZ block reallocated to B737s.

Cheers

Bob

[Nigel C]

Is there any reason they don't re-use 'old' blocks? Ones like EA* and TJ* etc, and when aircraft retire why not re-use ones like OG* etc? Even when Ansett collapsed and aircraft got sold off, there would have been whole CZ*, RM* and HY* regos available to be reserved surely?

[Ash W]

A lot of them have been reused now by other aircraft. Though it would make sense if an airline could reserve rego's of retired a/c.

[Jim M]

Originally Posted by Bob C

Hi Jim

Can't help I'm afraid but at least fifteen regos from the -XZ block were originally allocated years ago.

Thanks Bob,now that you have said that,I do remember reading that somewhere some years back.

Will be interesting to see what happens and maybe one of the old blocks from retired aircraft will be used.

Cheers
Jim

[Steve S... 2]

They wasted the VH-XZ* block.

The last 11 x new QF 738's could have taken up rego's in the blocks "VH-VXV to VH-VXZ" & "VH-VYL to VH-VYZ".

Instead it is now rather confusing.

[Nigel C]

Originally Posted by Ash W

A lot of them have been reused now by other aircraft. Though it would make sense if an airline could reserve rego's of retired a/c.

That's kind of what I was getting at. The airlines know they'll be getting new aircraft and new aircraft types and they seem to prefer having them all in the one rego block, so it seems silly that they'd let regos go to the unwashed masses just because they've retired that particular aircraft.

[Bernie P]

The only 'problem' (not that it should be with a good fleet planner looking after such things) but would a block of rego's, make it easier to identify particular models doing specific routes etc, rather than having individual models mixed up somewhere etc? i.e. Say a block of B738 regos, and one gets retired but a B788 takes that rego, may make it difficult for a fleet planner to simply get an aircraft wrong based on its rego...

If you know what I mean...

[Brenden S]

Both Qantas and Virgin have different registrations for their 737 fleet for a variety of reasons. Being Intl/over water configured, engine thrust rating, different flaps like on the VZ series etc. That is why the different rego blocks are used. The other limiting factor is that CASA will not reserve a rego unless you have an aircraft already purchased and has a c/n. It is on the CASA website, or at least used to be.

[Bob C]

Having different regos doesn't matter to Virgin as the latest -FE models are spread all over the place.

And I think the list of available regos is running out so airlines need to grab what they can.

Perhaps the time has come to rethink the whole registration process as has been discussed here and elsewhere previously.