Perhaps this article can provide some "inspiration"

Saudi Arabian 'committed' to 787 despite apparent 777 plan

Cheers
George

Yeah.

So, let's see the potential fleet:

DC-9-51, MD-88, MD-90, MD-90 with enhanced flight deck configuration and the 717. :D

Hey don't laugh, whether it ever happens or not, it's been looked at.

FtB I think you're on to something... ;-)


Cheers
George

SWEEET.

Well, look at it this way, SWA is going to pay $40M to retrofit their 737 classics with a new cockpit. That's $266,666.67 per plane, thanks to Excel I figured that out on my own.

$266,666.67 x MD88/DC95 fleet of 151 aircraft equals slightly more than what SWA will pay. But it gets you RNP right? Or does it. SWA is also paying $175 million to bring its 733s to RNP standards... hmmm. Thats not cool.

source: http://www.flightglobal.com/articles...ng-and-ge.html

Now George, what about:
http://www.cardatabase.net/modifieda...g/00012342.jpg

It's not that they don't care about us pilots, but RNP is the primary reason by far for doing this...

Before long NYC airspace will require RNP to access the big three...

Cheers
George

George you might be right, but I think:

1. You give the FAA too much credit

2. Theres a whole passal of Cargo operators that wont be RNP certed until we sell them our 747-800s.

After that they should fix the wing, elevator, flight controls, ground lift dumpers, engines, hydraulic system, dial a flap insanity, center of gravity, nose wheel steering, electrical system and autopilot.

I understand the fuselage skins are great. The airplane isn't ALL bad.

Maybe these could help the 88/90:

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles...ser-tests.html

Dugan to start second round of MD-80 reverser tests

http://adserver.adtech.de/adserv|3.0...rp=[group]
A second round of tests is about to start in Washington state, says marketing director Jack Dugan. Speaking at the MRO Americas exhibition in Phoenix, Dugan added that MD-80 operator SAS wants to observe the next round of tests, which are simultaneous with the effort to gain a US supplemental type certificate. Approval is expected late this year.
After functionality and performance testing of the EP-80 ejector was completed in December, the test aircraft was flown to the bases of major MD-80 operator American Airlines in Tulsa, Oklahoma and Dallas at the carrier's request. American operates almost 260 MD-80s.

http://www.flightglobal.com/assets/g...x?ItemID=32100 © Dugan Kinetics

Dugan says the company expects to have a letter of intent signed with an operator to purchase the EP-80 ejector in roughly 60 days.
The technology developed by Dugan encompasses a new thrust reverser featuring doors used as an ejector during flight, which allows for an increase in thrust while keeping aircraft weight constant. Fuel savings are achieved through mixing ambient airflow with jet exhaust to increase thrust while increasing fuel savings through cruise and climb.
Installation of the kits takes roughly 12 man hours, says Dugan, who adds that the target is to deliver 25 sets this year. Dugan Kinetics has held extensive talks with Nordam and Triumph regarding partnerships to manufacture the EP-80, says Dugan, but no firm agreements are in place.

Guess SWA will have our # in ATL too.
 

The No. 1 airline at Salt Lake City International Airport is beefing up its flights while the No. 2 carrier has been trimming service.

Over the past two years, Delta Air Lines departures have increased 9 percent. During the same time, Southwest Airlines has cut flights by 21 percent, according to scheduling data from the OAG-Official Airline Guide.

The differing paths of Delta and Southwest came up during an earnings conference call last week, when Delta CEO Richard Anderson was asked how the airline would protect its hometown Atlanta hub after Southwest buys AirTran, whose principal hub also is Atlanta.

Anderson said Delta has successfully competed against Southwest at airports across the U.S., and he held up its Salt Lake City hub as an example.

“If you look at our competing against Southwest in Salt Lake City, [Southwest’s capacity is] down 11 percent in the last 12 months, and we’re up a bit,” Anderson said. Airlines reduce capacity by cutting flights or replacing a big plane with a smaller one.

In the year that ended Aug. 31, the number of Delta flights arriving at Salt Lake City’s airport was up 4.4 percent, according to the Department of Transportation.

Over the past two years, Delta has started nonstop flights from Salt Lake City to Paris and Tokyo. It also has added routes to business markets, such as Memphis, Indianapolis and Nashville, spokesman Kent Lander said Tuesday.

By contrast, Southwest has dropped St. Louis and Spokane. It will cut the number of daily flights to Las Vegas next month. But the discount carrier also added flights to Denver.

“This is really reflective of our optimizing our schedule [in several markets], culling flights that were unproductive, flights that our customers were telling us that they weren’t finding useful,” said spokesman Brad Hawkins.

“It certainly does not indicate a lesser emphasis on the Salt Lake market or any other market,” Hawkins said.

Airlines are constantly reshaping their service at the Salt Lake airport, but the variety of flights available to travelers remains high, said spokeswoman Barbara Gann.

“It’s extraordinary to have seven other airlines that compete in a market with a major hub carrier like Delta Air Lines,” she said.

No, that's not possible. :D