Virgin (XR) ATR operating Moranbah

[Rowan McKeever]

G'day all

Just noticed on flightaware FVX operated a short series of flights between MOV and BNE late last week (2 southbound and 1 northbound). Would this have been part of a charter operation that Skywest would normally handle itself or a separate charter for Virgin? Is it something we're likely to see more of in the future.

Thanks a lot!
Rowan

[JamesL]

I am lead to believe it was a route proving flight...

[Radi K]

They are charters while they had a spare ATR. They start rotating through TSV/CNS/ROK from this week so all capacity occupied again for a while.

[Rowan McKeever]

Cheers guys... I liked the idea it might have been route proving but would've preferred to see them take E190s in. Ain't gonna beat a Q400 with ATR72!

[JamesL]

Cheers guys... I liked the idea it might have been route proving but would've preferred to see them take E190s in. Ain't gonna beat a Q400 with ATR72!


Wanna bet? :p

[Rowan McKeever]

Wanna bet? :p

Honestly I've not been on an ATR72-500 ever, let alone Virgin's. Just can't imagine I'd want to do it on a flight to MOV when the Q400 is so much faster! Is it any cheaper to run over that distance?

[Paul S.]

Im with James, proving flight

[JamesL]

Honestly I've not been on an ATR72-500 ever, let alone Virgin's. Just can't imagine I'd want to do it on a flight to MOV when the Q400 is so much faster! Is it any cheaper to run over that distance?

Depending on the flight time the ATR wins and the time is just over an hour, I am led to believe.

[Rowan McKeever]

According to QF schedules it's 1:50 for Q400 and 2:10 for Q300 - ATR would be similar to Q300. I'd believe the ATR is cheaper to run on face value but is it cheaper by enough to make up for the 20 min time difference?

[Steve Jones]

When DJ/XR were making a decision on which turboprop to purchase, you can be sure they weighed up speed vs fuel burn (and no doubt a bunch of other things as well). The ATR obviously won out...

I don't know the exact numbers (a pilot or someone else on this board may be able to shed some light), but I've heard the ATR's fuel burn numbers are quite impressive when compared to the Q400, let alone, of course, the E170... In an environment of high fuel prices and uncertainty as to where that price will go, it seems to me to be a smart move.

[Radi K]

Let us put it this way. The ATR72 burns about as much fuel to fly BNE-EMD [2hrs] (8-900kg) as the B777 uses to taxi from T5 in LAX to Runway 25R!

[Jarden S]

All I can say Radi is WOW.... So the ATR is very fuel efficent then.

[Max C]

Q400 burns about 2300lbs/hr in the cruise at FL250 but it also cruises about 80-90kts faster. On a BNE-MOV the flight time is actually closer to 1h20-25 depending on the winds.

ATR won't go close to the Q400 in terms of flight times on BNE-MOV. Even on a BNE-GLT the ATR is about 10-15mins slower.

TSV-MOV charters start mid July for the ATR apparently.

At the end of the day, most pax who fly Virgin won't care about the flight times just so long as they can earn and burn points and check their bags through to their final destination.

Disclaimer: My observations only.

[damian f]

Topical I hope, but here are some photos of the new Moranbah Airport terminal. This completes the $40 something million dollar redevelopment of the Airport.

I think the terminal looks great - albeit its a big tin shed!

Photos here - http://tinyurl.com/7gbt9xp

Cheers
Damian

[Radi K]

The MOV charters have started ex TSV as Max advised.

MOV will get more ATR flights as more ATRs arrive I have been told.

Will be interesting to see if the -600 cruises much faster?

[Max C]

VH-FVU operating into MOV tonight as DJ9702/9703 ex TSV

[damian f]

And VH-FVU backed up and operated to Moranbah again Tuesday morning as DJ9700/9701.

Damian

[damian f]

VH-FVH operated TSV-MOV-TSV Friday night and then again Saturday morning.

I managed a few photos at Moranbah on Saturday morning... they are now on the CQ Plane Spotting Blog - http://cqplanespotting.blogspot.com/

Cheers
Damian