Bombardier is hosting a free webcast titled Turboprops: How Strong a Comeback? Could be interesting.
https://event.on24.com/eventRegistration/Ev...cepage=register
https://event.on24.com/eventRegistration/Ev...cepage=register
Turboprops
- Thread starter FM2436
- Start date
Anyone, other than I, happen to listen in on this web cast? Interesting and lasted only about 1-hour. I thought there were three interesting comments.
1. Paul Cubillos (Caribbean Star/Sun Airlines) mentioned that his Dash-8's burn 195 gals per hour compared to 500 gals per hour for a RJ (is that accurate?). Isn't Caribbean Star/Sun Airlines flying some of Piedmont's returned dash-8's?
2. Paul Cubillos mentioned the turboprop is the most economical aircraft for routes less than 300-mile (everyone knows that).
3. William Gardner (Meridan Aerospace Group and apparently has connections with jet Piedmont) and Paul Cubillos both agree that the less than 50-seat turboprop has no economic and marketable future in the airline industry.
Nothing really new, but still interesting. The entire time I was listening to the web cast I was thinking about Piedmont and how they could dominate point-to-point and short route travel in the mid-atlantic and northeast with a fleet of dash-8-300s and 400s.
1. Paul Cubillos (Caribbean Star/Sun Airlines) mentioned that his Dash-8's burn 195 gals per hour compared to 500 gals per hour for a RJ (is that accurate?). Isn't Caribbean Star/Sun Airlines flying some of Piedmont's returned dash-8's?
2. Paul Cubillos mentioned the turboprop is the most economical aircraft for routes less than 300-mile (everyone knows that).
3. William Gardner (Meridan Aerospace Group and apparently has connections with jet Piedmont) and Paul Cubillos both agree that the less than 50-seat turboprop has no economic and marketable future in the airline industry.
Nothing really new, but still interesting. The entire time I was listening to the web cast I was thinking about Piedmont and how they could dominate point-to-point and short route travel in the mid-atlantic and northeast with a fleet of dash-8-300s and 400s.
PropPiedmont
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Our 300s never had it installed. Air Canada is flying around a lot of -315s and ours are -311s (the older ones). Our 200s did have the NVS and they were deactivated years ago.
Did anyone see Farrows letter? One for sure and possibly two Dash 300s are being returned to the lessor along with all the 200s.
To those who watched the webcast, did they mention anything about the stretched version of the -400?
DATE: May 4, 2006
TO: Piedmont Pilots and Flight Attendants
FROM: Steve Farrow
SUBJECT: Piedmont Fleet Update
We have had several aircraft lease transactions over the past few months and I want to update you on where we stand with our fleet plan as of today. Our active fleet is 53 aircraft, and that is our projected fleet size for the remainder of 2006. As I outlined in an earlier memo, to maintain that number, we have three projects to accomplish: 1) the need to bring in DHC –100’s to replace the 9 DHC –200’s, whose leases have expired, or will expire in 2006, 2) extend existing DHC–100 leases, and 3) extend leases on the DHC–300’s which expire this year. For a variety of reasons over the last couple of months, these transactions have become more complicated and drawn out than we anticipated, but as of today I am confident that we will ultimately be successful in extending our aircraft leases. If so, by the end of the year, our fleet will consist of 33 owned –100’s, at least 11 leased –100’s and 11 leased –300’s (one of the 12 –300’s will probably be sold by its owner). Since the lease terms we are talking about average roughly 36 months, this will be the basis of our fleet into the 2009/2010 timeframe. As I have told many of you individually, I well recognize that everyone would feel more comfortable about our long term security (almost an oxymoron in the airline industry) if we had plans for additional or new aircraft. I don’t have any news on that front today, but can assure you that I pursue the avenue of new equipment every chance I get.
Aircraft painting in the new livery is another fleet related issue that has come up quite a bit. Our original plan was to have some aircraft painted by today. However, the combination of USAirway’s marketing department’s desire for Piedmont to fly more block hours than planned
and delays in our heavy maintenance program have put our paint program on hold. Nonetheless, we still intend to start painting our fleet as soon as we can make it work. In the interim, we are buffing the aircraft exteriors (40 to date) and increasing the frequency of our deep cleaning of cockpits and cabins (roughly every 30 days) in order to improve both the exterior and interior appearance of our fleet. I also want to take this opportunity to express my appreciation and thanks for your contributions to our excellent year to date operating statistics. Piedmont has been a consistent leader in on-time performance among the Express carriers and I know well that this doesn’t happen without daily efforts by those on the front line who operate, maintain and get our passengers on and off our aircraft. Keep up the good work! It is critical to our success and noticed by those who are getting to know us.
If you have questions, don’t hesitate to call your managers in SBY or email me at steve_farrow@usairways.com.
The two reasons for this are, the PDT dashes do not have, or have had the noise cancelling features deactivated.
The other is some of the pilots insist on making as much noise as possible with the props, by keeping the RPM's up higher than is necessary. Occasionally it is necessary to have higher RPM's, but the majority of the time one can pull the props back to 900 rpm shortly after takeoff (1200 RPM,s) and this results in significant reductions in noise and vibration.
exB717Flyer
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It's common knowledge that turboprops are more effecient for short stage lengths. Problem is the public views them as old and unsafe.
Dash Trash
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You're right about 1200 rpm for takeoff, but PDT pilots do not use more prop RPM than needed. Our manuals state that 1050 must be used for climb until the "appropriate" altitude. If you got a heavy -100 in the summer, you're not going anywhere at 900 rpm down low.
We have a lot of pilots who won't use 1050 for landing, but since 1200 must be used for a go-around, it's not that bad of a policy if you're at an airport where go-arounds are frequent.
There was no mention during the web cast about the/a stretched version of the -400.
Interesting. Delta has just announced new service from JFK. Delta's expanded service in the Northeast will be operated by Delta Connection carriers Comair and Freedom Airlines using a mix of 50-seat Bombardier regional jets and 37-seat DeHavilland Dash-8 turboprops.
Who is Freedom Airlines?
http://biz.yahoo.com/pz/060511/98932.html
Who is Freedom Airlines?
http://biz.yahoo.com/pz/060511/98932.html
Just a hide-the-ball name for a Mesa operation to try to fool everyone who knows what kind of First Class operation Mesa really is:
http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stor...02/daily23.html
PropPiedmont
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Piedmont's Dash 8s are in desperate need of major maintenance work. PDT has had at least 4 engine failures in the last 12 months. We must have the highest engine failure rate of any airline. We just had smoke fill a cockpit again three days ago (between AVP and PIT).
They are in rough shape and until Mr. Parker allows PDT to dump some money into them they will continue to slowly fall apart. Or until Mr. Farrow slams his fist down on the table in front of Mr. Parker and shows that he really does have some balls.
Groucho
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The Q-400 Dash product with active noise cancelling is the lowest cost of operation aircraft / turboprop in the world, acording to the data from the manufacturer.
Horizon is using this aircraft out of Seattle and it is doing quite well. It is fast and comfortable and quiet. The manufacturer maintains that the aircraft can run at just under $.05 per mile. This is based on old fuel prices.
The real strength of this airplane will be when it rolls up on the ramp against an RJ. The passengers would naturally rather ride on a jet, but if management is smart they will drop the turboprop price to $89 or so and eventually run the RJ's out of the market. Splitting trips to an outstation with low cost turboprop service and higher price all jet service might be a way of keeping the Comairs' and others out of smaller markets.
The question is not wheather or not a passenger wants a jet, they always want a jet, but at what price. If the price is right would they ride on a new high tech Q-400. They are out West with Horizon.
Horizon is using this aircraft out of Seattle and it is doing quite well. It is fast and comfortable and quiet. The manufacturer maintains that the aircraft can run at just under $.05 per mile. This is based on old fuel prices.
The real strength of this airplane will be when it rolls up on the ramp against an RJ. The passengers would naturally rather ride on a jet, but if management is smart they will drop the turboprop price to $89 or so and eventually run the RJ's out of the market. Splitting trips to an outstation with low cost turboprop service and higher price all jet service might be a way of keeping the Comairs' and others out of smaller markets.
The question is not wheather or not a passenger wants a jet, they always want a jet, but at what price. If the price is right would they ride on a new high tech Q-400. They are out West with Horizon.
Elevation
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