Virgin Australia Boeing 737 Max 8

[EuroKick]

Not sure if this was true, but didn't CASA say something about line of sight issues with full dividers with curtains on domestic/Short Haul runs or thereabouts some decades ago? This I'd assume doesn't apply to widebodies flying on international runs nor international carriers flying into Australia

Thus why QF/VA hadn't had full dividers with curtains due assumedly to CASA.

It’s actually so they are able to reduce cabin crew for safety demo.

 

[PERLHR]

It’s actually so they are able to reduce cabin crew for safety demo.

Why? Curtains remain open during take off and landing and also don't think they use less cabin crew on most aircraft than what Aussie ones have?

Post automatically merged: Nov 24, 2024

Not sure if this was true, but didn't CASA say something about line of sight issues with full dividers with curtains on domestic/Short Haul runs or thereabouts some decades ago? This I'd assume doesn't apply to widebodies flying on international runs nor international carriers flying into Australia

Thus why QF/VA hadn't had full dividers with curtains due assumedly to CASA.

Not sure about CASA but certainly european airlines still fly with curtains without issues so I can't see what make Australia so special?

 

[A321]

It’s actually so they are able to reduce cabin crew for safety demo.

I was surprised they were allowed to use row 1 FA for the briefing of rows into Economy 3 onwards. Sitting in 3A can be hard to see through sometimes.

 

[Harrison_133]

Preliminary network expansion for the 737 MAX fleet from March 2026.

Includes services to Queenstown, as well as intra-WA RPT and FIFO flying.

Source: Virgin Australia NS26 Preliminary 737 MAX 8 Network Expansion — AeroRoutes

 

[markis10]

Next bunch of deliveries feature uprated engines which will help,
8IA-8IH: 25k same as current fleet
8II-8IK: 27k lb thrust
8VA-8VC: 28k lb thrust

 

[DC3]

I was surprised they were allowed to use row 1 FA for the briefing of rows into Economy 3 onwards.

 

[MooTime]

Next bunch of deliveries feature uprated engines which will help,
8IA-8IH: 25k same as current fleet
8II-8IK: 27k lb thrust
8VA-8VC: 28k lb thrust

That's ~10% more power.

Why the change to the MAX?
Just to be more competitive?

 

[markis10]

That's ~10% more power.

Why the change to the MAX?
Just to be more competitive?

Current operations are seeing the max lack power in hot and high conditions, from a VA pilot “might enable Queenstown or OOL-DPS ops, something the existing Max8 can't do.”

 

[Human]

Current operations are seeing the max lack power in hot and high conditions, from a VA pilot “might enable Queenstown or OOL-DPS ops, something the existing Max8 can't do.”

I find that amazing. So the MAX can't do some things that the NGs can do?

 

[markis10]

I find that amazing. So the MAX can't do some things that the NGs can do?

The 800s have more powerful engines as it stands, makes sense given fuel use is the focus of the airline ie Bain for the max

 

[A321]

Huh?

 

[MooTime]

The 800s have more powerful engines as it stands, makes sense given fuel use is the focus of the airline ie Bain for the max

Speaking of fuel savings, reading article on ET re Qantas new A321XLR not having in seat IFE making the plane lighter & further reducing fuel use.

All airlines looking for more fuel efficiently, far from just Bain.

I too find it amazing that the MAX doesn't have the legs the 737-800 has. But the MAX does fly MEL-NAN, a 5:30hr flight. DPS further right?

 

[henrus]

All this is odd as the Max could do HND but the 737-800s couldn't and the 737-700s could?

 

[MooTime]

All this is odd as the Max could do HND but the 737-800s couldn't and the 737-700s could?

True, but didn't that HND trip always go light weight as never full pax?

Could the 737 get to HND on light weight? Like 75% capacity.

 

[PERLHR]

All this is odd as the Max could do HND but the 737-800s couldn't and the 737-700s could?

I remember reading somewhere that generally the 700 can do a lot of things other 737s can't.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Bigger doesn't always mean better.

 

[HS-TQE]

True, but didn't that HND trip always go light weight as never full pax?

Could the 737 get to HND on light weight? Like 75% capacity.

The -700s were heavily weight restricted on CNS-HND. The first batch of MAX-8s were also weight restricted on HND, but not as bad as the -700s.

There's been reported loads elsewhere of 80-85% every once in a while, typically during school holidays. I'm assuming that's the extreme amount of passengers VA were able to take on the MAX-8s on the CNS-HND route.

 

[PERLHR]

Why Airlines Love Flying The Boeing 737-700 Series

The aircraft was designed to operate short—and medium-haul services as a twinjet, narrowbody aircraft.

simpleflying.com

 

[AviatorInsight]

The thing is, the MAX definitely has bigger legs than an 800. It will literally sip the fuel. The problem is, that the MAX is 3 tonnes heavier than an 800 with the same 26k rated engines. Of course it’s not going to perform as well in the climb. You definitely notice it on a normal climb out takes about (30mins to reach cruise) and much more so in a go around. Everything happens a lot slower.

The new engines coming on the next round are the exact same engines as the previous ones. The difference is that the chip “unlocks” the higher engine rating. In this case some will have 27k and some will have 28k.

The 700 is lighter than an 800 with 24k engines on it. So it can’t carry as many pax but still has the same wing and fuel capacity. They’re like a little sports car and very responsive. I love flying the 700.

With a higher engine rating comes more maintenance costs. We were told when the ex Silk Air aircraft got converted to 27k to only use it if operationally required and maintenance will be monitoring the use of it. That’s because it was a novelty and we wanted to feel what 27k felt like…and it was good .

 

[MooTime]

The thing is, the MAX definitely has bigger legs than an 800. It will literally sip the fuel. The problem is, that the MAX is 3 tonnes heavier than an 800 with the same 26k rated engines. Of course it’s not going to perform as well in the climb. You definitely notice it on a normal climb out takes about (30mins to reach cruise) and much more so in a go around. Everything happens a lot slower.

The new engines coming on the next round are the exact same engines as the previous ones. The difference is that the chip “unlocks” the higher engine rating. In this case some will have 27k and some will have 28k.

The 700 is lighter than an 800 with 24k engines on it. So it can’t carry as many pax but still has the same wing and fuel capacity. They’re like a little sports car and very responsive. I love flying the 700.

With a higher engine rating comes more maintenance costs. We were told when the ex Silk Air aircraft got converted to 27k to only use it if operationally required and maintenance will be monitoring the use of it. That’s because it was a novelty and we wanted to feel what 27k felt like…and it was good .

So the max sips the fuel and goes further, but then with the extra 3T does that not reduce its distance over a 737?

Seems the fuel efficiency is countered by the extra weight? Yet it still goes further, but can't go as far as current 737s.

Doesn't quite make sense to me.

Very much a specific numbers game.