National Airlines
#121
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2015
Posts: 216

National had an advertisement on LinkedIn back on 11AUG that they were hiring for a number of positions including 747FO. When you clicked to apply, the link sent you to 'JSFirm' for the actual application. It seems the hiring window is now closed.
In the past 2 weeks, they have brought 2 ex-Cathay 747s out of the desert - brining their active fleet to 4 747s, 1 757 and 1 A330.
In the past 2 weeks, they have brought 2 ex-Cathay 747s out of the desert - brining their active fleet to 4 747s, 1 757 and 1 A330.

#122
#123
#124
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2017
Position: 175 CA
Posts: 1,285
#127
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2009
Posts: 578

I’ve been told that the DOD won’t permit their primary carrier to have a foreign aircraft. I’ve seen Delta 330’s in KWI and a few other spots. 330’s were cheap a few years ago and 767’s were hard to find and expensive. A certain ACMI operator proposed 330’s to replace their 767’s and were rejected. This carrier is a primary DOD airlifter.
#128
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2006
Position: retired
Posts: 560

I’ve been told that the DOD won’t permit their primary carrier to have a foreign aircraft. I’ve seen Delta 330’s in KWI and a few other spots. 330’s were cheap a few years ago and 767’s were hard to find and expensive. A certain ACMI operator proposed 330’s to replace their 767’s and were rejected. This carrier is a primary DOD airlifter.
#129
Line Holder
Joined APC: Mar 2010
Posts: 84

10 years ago I was flying DoD trips on the A320 (only type we had) so whoever told you might not know. In this business, really?

I’ve been told that the DOD won’t permit their primary carrier to have a foreign aircraft. I’ve seen Delta 330’s in KWI and a few other spots. 330’s were cheap a few years ago and 767’s were hard to find and expensive. A certain ACMI operator proposed 330’s to replace their 767’s and were rejected. This carrier is a primary DOD airlifter.
#130
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2016
Posts: 488

Well, it's based in MCO, so...
September was its first full month of operation. It did 21 legs, a combination of domestic and international. In comparison, the average Omni 767 makes say 30-35 legs per month, same combination of domestic and international. But the work comes in spurts, so it's hard to get apples-to-apples. The A330 is on track to do closer to 30 legs this month, but the mil passenger work in this quarter is likely to be a little lighter compared to prior years. Still, for the first couple of months in service, the utilization isn't bad for the space it is in, and will likely increase to be on par with Omni. But the economics of these operations means that you can't have a brand-new airplane banging you for a big lease payment every month, or you'll be out of business in a year. You need a capital cost that allows the aircraft to sit around from time to time without putting you into Chapter 11, but you need an aircraft that the AMC customer thinks looks nice inside and out, and is well-maintained so that when the heavy periods hit, you can perform reliably. It seems like this aircraft fits the bill.
National does get a positively-insane amount of use from its 757 passenger aircraft, for a military charter aircraft, at least. It did 54 legs both domestic and international in September. In the air virtually every day. (Of course, some of the international trips require stops where an A330 wouldn't, but, still. That 29-year-old ex-AA airplane is a cash cow, and they manage to keep it running reliably.)
And you probably know this, but National pulled 3 Pratt-powered cargo 747-400s from the desert and sent them to SAT to bring back into service. One of National's two GE-powered 747s recently went through a heavy check in TPE, and when it came out, the other went in. They have both seen heavy service this year.
One of the 3 that were being readied for service at SAT just started into revenue service today, so they currently have two flyable 747-400s. By the end of November, the one in TPE should be back in service, and the two in SAT should be as well. So by Thanksgiving or so, National should have 5 747-400s in the air, up from 2.
September was its first full month of operation. It did 21 legs, a combination of domestic and international. In comparison, the average Omni 767 makes say 30-35 legs per month, same combination of domestic and international. But the work comes in spurts, so it's hard to get apples-to-apples. The A330 is on track to do closer to 30 legs this month, but the mil passenger work in this quarter is likely to be a little lighter compared to prior years. Still, for the first couple of months in service, the utilization isn't bad for the space it is in, and will likely increase to be on par with Omni. But the economics of these operations means that you can't have a brand-new airplane banging you for a big lease payment every month, or you'll be out of business in a year. You need a capital cost that allows the aircraft to sit around from time to time without putting you into Chapter 11, but you need an aircraft that the AMC customer thinks looks nice inside and out, and is well-maintained so that when the heavy periods hit, you can perform reliably. It seems like this aircraft fits the bill.
National does get a positively-insane amount of use from its 757 passenger aircraft, for a military charter aircraft, at least. It did 54 legs both domestic and international in September. In the air virtually every day. (Of course, some of the international trips require stops where an A330 wouldn't, but, still. That 29-year-old ex-AA airplane is a cash cow, and they manage to keep it running reliably.)
And you probably know this, but National pulled 3 Pratt-powered cargo 747-400s from the desert and sent them to SAT to bring back into service. One of National's two GE-powered 747s recently went through a heavy check in TPE, and when it came out, the other went in. They have both seen heavy service this year.
One of the 3 that were being readied for service at SAT just started into revenue service today, so they currently have two flyable 747-400s. By the end of November, the one in TPE should be back in service, and the two in SAT should be as well. So by Thanksgiving or so, National should have 5 747-400s in the air, up from 2.
Last edited by wjcandee; 10-10-2020 at 07:59 PM.
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