With Redoubt blowing it's top, why are we using BFI, PDX and HNL as alternate airports when we have a sort facility in ONT? Maybe ONT can't handle it's normal volume plus all ANC volume? Maybe ramp space constraints? Any other ideas?

Rott

 

ONT is too far from Asia. BFI, PDX, and HNL can all be reached with a fully loaded MD or -400 from HKG, CAN, etc.

 

The -400 can't fly from the pac rim to ONT non-stop when fully loaded?

I know the MD can't fly non-stop, but I thought the whole reason we bought -400's was to someday fly non-stop from SDF to the pac rim. And didn't DAL use the MD to fly from ATL to the pac rim. Did they make a tech stop?

Don't the asian carriers fly non-stop from JFK to the pac rim using -400's?

Rott

 

Yeah a -400 can go to the Pac Rim from SDF....with ZERO load. The -400F doesn't have a stab tank so it holds ten tons less fuel than the pax version. The -400ERF with a ZFW of about 240Tons has about 15 hrs plus rsv. But a fully loaded freighter? Thats a diff story. Almost all transpac cargo flights tech stop in ANC on their way to NY. It can make it LAX-HKG but with reduced payloads.

 

So what you are saying is all 747-400's (pax versus freight) are not made equally.
True, true...

 

The 744's can make it to just about anywhere on the west coast without much of a hit. It's a beast of an airplane. The MD's, well.. their not as beefy. I think a TPE-PDX runs about 130-140,000bs. Yes Delta did run them from ATL-NRT, but their MD's had aux tanks in the fwd bellies to carry extra fuel, UPS ripped them out during the conversion. They also stopped alot.

The MD's making to ONT would be heavily restricted. The 744's not as much. The B767's might as well be empty, especially since you have to stay well north for the ETOPS.

The other problem is going westbound. PDX/BFI to most Asia destinations are barely under 12 hours and weight restricted (the low payloads aren't as big of a problem given the trade imbalance). ONT would be over requiring a heavy crew. And since the boxes will go to SDF anyway, might as well use BFI/PDX.

 

wow,,,then how did I fly from PVG to ONT with over 200k of pay
load and room for 20k more..and still landed with near 40k of fuel...


Was I hallucinating?

 

BFI-NRT today was 10:39 in a 76

 

Just for your information just few Flight 63 HKG to PDX, takeoff weight 875,000 with a payload of 215,000 11 hours 56 minutes and we landed with 40,000 lbs of fuel!!!

 

Amazing what you can do shutting one down in cruise.