New Qantas aircraft?

[chooms]

Nothing to do with FF'ers, but as my flight QF571 SYD-PER was taxiing from T3 yesterday (SUN 27/3/11), I witnessed a solid tube (no windows) QF 767 come in land.

It was painted white with 'QANTAS Freight' down the first half of the fuselage but had a solid red tail - no 'roo.

I have never seen this plane before and was not quick enough to catch the rego number (and couldn't get close enough to it over at the freight terminal to see it again).

Since when did QF have designated freight metal?

I think the guy next to me in 30J thought I was some kind of nutter over my excitment of seeing this aircraft....

 

[oz_mark]

Been in service since early March.

 

[chooms]

Been in service since early March.

Thanks.

Which routes does it fly do you know?

 

[oz_mark]

According to the original press release it was for trans-tasman work. Don't know how often it gets to Perth.

About Qantas - Media Room - Media Releases - Qantas Increases Tasman Freighter Capacity by 40 Per Cent

 

[casanovawa]

Qantas 767 freighter arrives | Australian Aviation Magazine

 

[chooms]

I wonder why no roo on the tail.... Or maybe it needs some final touches at the spray painters.

 

[ButFli]

I wonder why no roo on the tail.... Or maybe it needs some final touches at the spray painters.

I've heard the reason has two parts. 1) There isn't much to gain by painting your logo on a freighter (apparently). 2) There is a lot to lose from video on TV of a smoking hole in the ground with a tail with your logo on it sticking out (even if it's "only" a freighter).

So I guess what they're saying is that for a freighter, the advantages of painting the logo on the tail are outweighed by the disadvantages. Can't say I believe it. However, that paint job with the plain red tail is how Qantas advertised it with artist's impressions. It won't be getting the white roo any time soon.

 

[Blackadder]

Done to differentiate between QF pax operations and QF freight, nothing to do with fear of bad exposure from crashing etc.

 

[moa999]

Aircraft is a dedicated freighter - Boeing 767-381F(ER) - ex-ANA and built in 2006.

Picture here:
Photos: Boeing 767-381F/ER Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net

 

[MatF]

I've seen it a couple of times in SYD. It does look a bit odd without the roo.
Seems a bit strange - it has "Qantas Freight" written on the side of it, so it's not like it's incognito
I'd have thought the roo could be there (it is still Qantas, after all), and the word "Freight" (and lack of windows) would be enough of a differentiator.

 

[ReLoad]

Saw it once in Sydney a few weeks ago, looked kind of cool.

Im liking its seat pitch, one seat per palette. very roomy.

 

[jb747]

It's a different company (name and logo) so that it can be flown by the cheapest contract pilots that they can find.

 

[BAM1748]

I wonder why no roo on the tail.... Or maybe it needs some final touches at the spray painters.

Would be guessing it's simply the cost of doing it. The rail industry learn't long ago simple logos without curves saved them thousands.

 

[ReLoad]

The Aircraft was in Sydney again this morning, totally dwarfed by a CX and SQ 747 Cargo plane, in fact it made QF look rather cheap n nasty in comparison.

I do remember something about Atlas Air being somehow related to QF, maybe someone can elighten me.

 

[samh004]

I've seen it a couple of times in SYD.

Ditto, I always seem to see it in SYD.

 

[Must...Fly!]

It's a different company (name and logo) so that it can be flown by the cheapest contract pilots that they can find.

Thanks for the info. Should have expected that to be the case.

I do remember something about Atlas Air being somehow related to QF, maybe someone can elighten me.

Atlas Air run QF freight ops in 747's under contract.