Pax to freight 76s for FDX ?
 

Yep.... K4 is sending three there over the next 6 months or so.

Word is IAI is gearing up to begin 777 conversions from pax to cargo, hence no more 76 conversions to be done in TLV. This would be nice to see....

There's a lot of folks trying to get their hands on used 767s, be interesting to see how this plays out.

I would think FDX has learned it lesson on 25 year old airplane conversions.

:D:D thats funny!! Fedex will trip over a dime to save a nickel.....if they can get them on the cheap, they will.

The FedEx aircraft acquisition department seems to have their "stuff" together. They've made some genius deals over the years.

I have a lot of respect for them.

MM

:D

Maybe you're smarter than they are?

Which is why we are talking about new 73s to replace our maintenance intensive 75s?

We are letting the LAN 76s go. I'll bet they could have been had cheap.

Since they last 100 or so aircraft we have on order are new 76s or 77s perhaps they are smarter than you?;)

IIRC ... we bought NEW 777's because they didn't have a P ->C conversions back then (something about the passenger floors not adequate for freight?).

Were there any used 777's on the market back then?


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Mx intensive 75's?

Been my experience that there's been fewer issues with the 75 versus every other FedEx plane I've been on

At least in the short term, this makes no sense. They have a significant backlog of aircraft in TLV awaiting conversion, which can't just be dropped on an outsourcing partner with a hanger that can accommodate just one widebody at a time, and a totally-new-to-this workforce. Maybe, over time, they want to transition away from the 767 at TLV, but to make that switch in the next two years would seem to be pitching the business overboard right at the time that they finally have a significant backlog of 767 business with a lot more potentially to come.

I guess you haven't been on the 76? My understanding it is not necessarily the day to day stuff, but the heavy maintenance. But what do I know, other than the rumors we are looking for a replacement, and the last 30 and next 70 aircraft on the line are brand spanking new.

And other pesky details like the P to F birds would have had a MTOGW less than the MD-11 and cost d@mn close to what we paid for the new ones (after reworking the floors).

Funny again....."when they're purple and on the ramp"....take a look at our old contract that had A380 pay scales......you guys crack me up:D:D

I am not invested one way or the other. Here is a fact I do know, we are giving up 3 LAN 76s, that came off the line as freighters, that we could have for a song, and we have guys here looking forward to flying Kenyan P to F 76s. I think the 60 or so new 76s they have Scheduled will be plenty for my last 3-5 of years here.

*Kenyan is just used as an example, I am sure the P-F 76s that we will get will only come from the finest airlines that only flew them on Sundays.

Lag, you obviously haven't flown the LAN 76s. We don't want them.

Exactly my point. Not sure the Air Yemen pax 76s will be in any better shape.

Nope, not a 76 player

The concern I could see regarding our 75s is we have a bazillion different iterations, and not all of the parts are compatible

best example I've experienced dealt with a comm panel issue

Last week, brand new 76 we were jumping to MEM on broke due to the Caution lite wouldn't reset. Couldn't use the parts on the other 76 laying over since it was the wrong model and the guys couldn't fly it due to the configuration. No problem; MD-10 flew in and rescued everything.

I'd expect an airplane fresh from the factory to initially have more issues, just like a new car.

"The agreement underscored the demand for P-to-F conversions, with FedEx and the U.S. Airforce having booked out production freighter slots well into the future."

That new jet smell can be a little acrid
 

100% true, the first 100 hours flying any new jet from the factory is where you find the most mx issues, especially electrical. After that, they usually break in real nice...as long as you keep them flying and not sitting around.

My expectation when I fly a new airplane, drive a new car, or fly an airplane away from a maintenance check, is that everything is working properly because the QA folks have refined the processes good enough to ensure they're delivering a perfect product the first time.

That is a flawed expectation simply because of one thing. They are imperfect machines, built and inspected by imperfect people.

Have to agree with the previous posters. I've flown fresh from the factory Embraers, Douglas and Boeings. Some are perfect, some have issues on day one.

New aircraft at Boeing are given a ~1 hour test flight by Boeing pilots.

They are not acceptance-tested by Fedex test crews. Don't know why - that's how it used to be done.

I once worked at a Legacy carrier that had 22 different model 727's. Sometimes simple things like, "SQAUCK IDENT" would get a response on the flight deck ...

Where is it? Somehow we managed ...

MM

https://www.amazingjokes.com/img/201...fathersday.jpg

The comm issue was that an incompatible comm panel was installed and that led to other issues

radio comm was being played through the warning speakers on the Capt side and the TCAS/GPWS audio was only being issued on the FO side

New is one thing, but you must not have flown too many a/c out of maintenance checks. They usually have more issues than when they went in. At least the heavy checks anyway. But that could also be due to the lowest bidder mtx being used. :cool:

We must need more MD-10s then:D

Beats my 13 different models at a fly by night cargo outfit. Squeezing by the F/E one night I noticed he was just staring at his panel.

"What's wrong?"

"I can't find the battery master switch."

Not quite right. Boeing first flight, B-1, is about 3 hours. They refly if there are any flight related squawks. After they sign it off, FDX Capt flys left seat with a Boeing pilot in right seat and they fly the complete B-1 flight again. Refly again until there are no more flight squawks. Plane is then ferried back to MEM where the HUD and a few other minor mods are done. That takes about 7 days. Then it is flown again to align the EFVS and verify the HUD is working properly. Then to the line.

Never let the facts get in the way of a good story!


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I stand corrected.

Are they doing that with the 777 also?

Yes, same program.