Propeller falls off Rex plane

[jb747]

Why do passengers prefer new aircraft?

Well, new probably means nicer inside, but I also expect that most passengers equate new with reliable....which can be very far from the truth.

 

[eastwest101]

Well, new probably means nicer inside, but I also expect that most passengers equate new with reliable....which can be very far from the truth.

Exactly - if there was a new, reasonably cheap, reliable, 30 seater aircraft to replace the current worldwide fleet of Saab 340s then Rex and nearly every regional airline in the world would be all over it, but it doesn't even seem like there is a manufacturer even considering production or design of a replacement aircraft so that means a new solution is probably at least 10 years away from entering service. If the existing Saab 340 airframes are solid and have enough life in them someone may even consider re-engining the fleet of Saab 340s instead, but I would expect the fuel efficiency gains would be marginal vs the cost of re-engining/recertification and work required to do it. I am sure Rex have had a look at new ATR's and Dash 8 but the high cost of acquisition and too many seats probably makes it a tough case to make.

Either that of pulling the bazzillions of parked ERJ-145s and -135s out of the desert and back into service, since there are so many of them parked surely the cost of acquisition must eventually come down to the point where they could potentially return to service?

 

[Quickstatus]

Similarly QQ (Alliance Aviation) a contract airline in AU purchased 15 F100 from OS a couple of years ago plus some surplus engines. About $1M each. Sometimes better fuel efficiency would not cover the extra cost of brand new super duper aircraft compared to fully depreciated old reliable airframes.

Not unusual. DL I think is quite adept at this. DC-3 still flying. Allegiant as well

I think "fit for purpose " may trumps "new" on several levels

The difference with Saab is the company is undertaking to provide airframe support for the next 15 years+. Fokker has gone bust

 

[Himeno]

Another ATC video with ATSB update towards the end.
[video=youtube;DfidHywKmZI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfidHywKmZI[/video]

 

[Melburnian1]

Exactly - if there was a new, reasonably cheap, reliable, 30 seater aircraft to replace the current worldwide fleet of Saab 340s then Rex and nearly every regional airline in the world would be all over it, but it doesn't even seem like there is a manufacturer even considering production or design of a replacement aircraft so that means a new solution is probably at least 10 years away from entering service....

eastwest101, in the private sector, most material things for which there is a need (or one able to be created through clever advertising) are designed, manufactured and marketed by an entity because it perceives it can be profitable in so doing.

Is your assertion a commentary on the inability of smaller rural airlines worldwide to afford a new suitable model of plane, or is it not considered a large enough market by potential manufacturers?