Originally Posted by
sailingfun
Well in 1998 the DC-9 fleet had 65,000 to 70,000 cycles according to the NWA fleet manager. 10 years later you say they have less cycles now. I find that just a bit hard to believe. There is no doubt the airframes can go to 2020. I have never said they were incapable. What I have said is the current fleet plan is to have them all retired by the end of 2012. If they do the overhaul required around 100,000 cycles they can go to 200,000 cycles. There are no plans to do that overhaul. I have never seen a NWA fleet plan that had the aircraft flying to 2020. As you can see in 98 they planned to fly them to 2010. There was also a letter detailing NWA plans sent your MEC from NWA management. It was introduced as evidence at the hearings. Again your reps got a lot of info last week. Talk to them.
Yes, let's trust #'s from a news article that's over ten years old. We all know how accurate the media is.
The other night I heard them say the Colgan Q400 accident may have been caused by "carb icing". You also keep using the plan from 1998. I'm telling you what the plan was last year. A lot of things changed from 1998 to 2008. The company went through bankruptcy, and that changed a lot of plans.
Regardless, it's all a moot point because what we hear today will most likely change tomorrow. Heck, when asked about the plan for the DC9s DAL management said to investors "Yesterdays trash is todays treasure."