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Quoting Revelation (Reply 6): I thought it was also posted here recently that Turkmenistan just parked a few frames. I also thought I read here that the engines are needing overhauls sooner than planned, leading to higher costs than planned. |
Quoting MillwallSean (Reply 2): 717 a fine airplane but unfortunately its an oddball and to costly for most airlines to operate. I'm sure that it can be used on mining routes in Australia (not on Qantas but on a small niche player providing contract flights in Aussie, used to be called national these days i don't know what their name is) |
Quoting akelley728 (Reply 8): Australia is becoming a real stronghold for Fokker jets |
Quoting 1337Delta764 (Thread starter): Why are airlines retiring them prematurely? |
Quoting flyorski (Reply 7): I read the same things. I also heard from an AirTran mechanic that the engines on the 717 have frequent leaks and are expensive to maintain |
Quoting Roseflyer (Reply 11): I believe AirTran has a power by the hour contract on their engines. Therefore AirTran does not pay for maintenance costs since it is in the contract. Of all airlines in the country, AirTran has about the lowest percentage of in-house maintenance. |
Quoting Revelation (Reply 13): it must be costing AirTran more than anticipated due to cancelled or delayed flights. |
Quoting andyinpit (Reply 15): Won't speed up and climb rates rivaling a light twin in the summer time. |
Quoting andyinpit (Reply 15): I can tell you from an ATC perspective, they are some of the worst performing aircraft out there. Won't speed up and climb rates rivaling a light twin in the summer time. I don't know if it's the operator and their climb profiles or something, but you really have to keep an eye on them to make sure they meet altitude restrictions and such. |
Quoting MillwallSean (Reply 2): I'm sure that it can be used on mining routes in Australia (not on Qantas but on a small niche player providing contract flights in Aussie, used to be called national these days i don't know what their name is) |
Quoting 1337Delta764 (Thread starter): Why are airlines retiring them prematurely? |
Quoting Roseflyer (Reply 11): The spares parts inventory is small for the 717. The parts supply chain is gone, so spares costs are through the roof and sometimes challenging to get. |
Quoting Roseflyer (Reply 11): Boeing was willing to take lower margins, but the financing and leasing companies took that all away by charging far more, which made the airplane unattractive. |
Quoting gemuser (Reply 18): I really have seen no indication that QF/Cobhams are thinking of retiring them any time soon. |
Quoting Revelation (Reply 13): How would such contracts deal with the costs due to unanticipated withdrawal from service due to minor things like leaks and/or major things like needing overhaul more frequently than planned? If this is happening (and I don't have any facts, I'm just going by statements I've read here), it must be costing AirTran more than anticipated due to cancelled or delayed flights. |
Quoting TZTriStar500 (Reply 19): But they really are not. The only aircraft that have had recent difficulty finding new homes where the 25 ex-YX aircraft and in my opinion it was mainly because of their low density 99/104 seat capacity. Most of these are finally going to Volotea, but in a 125 pax configuration. The other 5 to HA and QF. These weren't technically retired prematurely, but their operators (YX and MX Click) went out of business. Other than the recent Turkmenistan withdraws, there are no 717s on the market and WN/FL will not start returning them until 2017 as leases run out. |
Quoting MillwallSean (Reply 21): Bangkok Air, Turkmenistan, Aerbal and Olympic comes to mind as airtlines that have returned the aircraft. Blue1 took them from AerBal for a reason with SK ownership etc... |
Quoting MillwallSean (Reply 21): Again Qantas doesnt operate any 717. There are regionals operating for Qantas that uses 717. Alot of them see the airline as good for the mining routes and regional Qantas routes. The routes comes with guaranteed earnings and sees zero competition. |
Quoting MillwallSean (Reply 21): Volotea so far has 50million euros raised, they can not by any means take on 25 717:s. They also have a businessmodel stating they should udnercut Ryanair etc with 50% and theor focus markets are Spain, Italy and France. Looks suicidal if you ask me... The reason Volotea signed for the 717 is simply because there were no other takers and they were thus the cheapest metal they could get. Id be extremely surprised if Volotea manages to acquire ten of them before they suspend flights. |
Quoting XT6Wagon (Reply 22): They are not that young. |
Quoting XT6Wagon (Reply 22): They are short haul that rack up the cycles in a hurry. |
Quoting XT6Wagon (Reply 22): Just look at just how short some MD-90's lives were thanks to its tiny fleet. |
Quoting MillwallSean (Reply 21): Again Qantas doesnt operate any 717. There are regionals operating for Qantas that uses 717. |
Quoting MillwallSean (Reply 21): The routes comes with guaranteed earnings and sees zero competition. |
Quoting TZTriStar500 (Reply 23): Ok, but Cobham still chooses to operate them and is adding two more. |
Quoting FX1816 (Reply 24): Really, the first deliveries were in 1999 or so and the last ones delivered were done so in 2006 so I would hardly say they are not that young. |
Quoting TZTriStar500 (Reply 19): Quoting Roseflyer (Reply 11): Boeing was willing to take lower margins, but the financing and leasing companies took that all away by charging far more, which made the airplane unattractive. Can you explain this? Its my understanding that Boeing Capital is the lessor on at least 2/3 of the 717 fleet so why would they do such a thing? |
Quoting sxf24 (Reply 20): Power by the hour contracts cover all of those events. The benefit of PBH arrangements is that they largely fix maintenance costs. |
Quoting XT6Wagon (Reply 25): and we are talking about 2017 being the first date WN is planning on kicking one to the curb. With this small of a fleet in the world and the heavy cycles they see.... You're not going to see too many 30+ year old 717's around. When WN talks about the 717 having no long term future, just how long term do you think they could economicly use the 717 past 2017? Its not like a 737 or A320 where everyone and thier dog sells parts. Its not like you can mix in long flights to balance hours and cycles on your 717. Its not like you can grow your fleet at will to match your needs. Yet, I'm betting the 717 lease rate in 2017 will be rock bottom, so unless scrapping them for spares is greatly needed, someone should be plenty willing to finish off thier last few years in service. |
Quoting XT6Wagon (Reply 25): Yet, I'm betting the 717 lease rate in 2017 will be rock bottom, so unless scrapping them for spares is greatly needed, someone should be plenty willing to finish off thier last few years in service. |
Quoting MillwallSean (Reply 1): |
Quoting MillwallSean (Reply 19): |
Quoting JQflightie (Reply 29): QF own the 717's |