White A340 on the parking near b.air technics

[flyfred007]

Parked near b.air Technics, somebody knows what it's doing there ? Is it for the Brussels Airlines star alliance membership ?

Weet iemand wat die daar staat te doen, wel toevallig een paar dagen voor de intrede tot star alliance ?

[sdbelgium]

Is parked in front of the LH Technik hanger since November 11th, ex-3B-NAV (Air Mauritius), now with new registration EI-EHZ (AWAS leasing corporation).

Nee, niet toevallig enkele dagen voor de Star Alliance-festiviteiten. Die staat hier al sinds 11 november 2009. Was vroeger 3B-NAV (Air Mauritius), nu re-regged tot EI-EHZ (AWAS leasing corp.).

[Bralo20]

Yesterday someone called me to ask if I knew something about the launching of a new aircraft at BRU on wednesday 9 december 2009. He had received a mail wherein there was a request for hosts for an event on BRU concerning a new aircraft.

I told him that I knew nothing about a "new" aircraft but that SN would join Star Alliance that day and that it was probably for this event instead of the launch of a new aircraft.

But who knows, maybe SN surprises us next week with a "new" second hand plane.

[HighInTheSky]

Haha, let the speculations begin!

[sdbelgium]

Not again . I think there has been enough speculations already . See topics BRU 11/11/2009 and 5th A330 for Brussels Airlines.

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=40578
viewtopic.php?f=21&t=40722

[NCB]

Airfleets lists it as a former ILFC aircraft, planespotters.net AWAS as the new owner.
I guess they are replacing it by the new A332 they got in October.

Could be meant for SN, but it would be more expensive to fly triangulated or one-stop routes using A343. The 4 engines burn alot of fuel on the short legs due to higher fuel burn during take-off and climb phase.

On the other hand, it's still better than nothing I think, and there's many many A343's becoming available to the market at low lease rates due to lower popularity caused by higher maintenance and fuel costs. Also, the A343 has more payload-range, so additional freight revenues can be generated.

LH/LX has many of these (exactly 27+15) and I wonder how long after this consolidation round they're going to wait to announce a group-wide widebody fleet replacement... they could send their old A343's to SN as African workhorses once the new widebodies arrive (I wouldn't be too tempted to send brand new A350's to Africa).

My guess is that LH will order around 70 x XWB's (-8/-9/-1000) around next year for deliveries starting 2016/2017, running through 2025. There is not a single B787 slot until 2020 unless the 787 fails to fly this month at which point the program will lose all credibility leading to a mountain of cancellations. BA/IB could also order next year for deliveries starting 2017.

Some info:
The A350XWB has a backlog of over 500 firm orders at this time and Airbus said they are aiming a production ramp-up to 10 per month or 120 per year. So far that means they have secured over 4 years of backlog at full production rate, which will probably not be achieved until 3 or 4 years after EIS.
Most delivery slots until 2017 are taken, US has recently opened up some slots for 2015.

PS: The new aircraft could be the wetlease A319 from BD for LHR... maybe in Star colours.

[134flyer]

Not again . I think there has been enough speculations already

Well, somebody didn't get the hint:

Could be meant for SN, but it would be more expensive to fly triangulated or one-stop routes using A343. The 4 engines burn alot of fuel on the short legs due to higher fuel burn during take-off and climb phase.

On the other hand, it's still better than nothing I think, and there's many many A343's becoming available to the market at low lease rates due to lower popularity caused by higher maintenance and fuel costs. Also, the A343 has more payload-range, so additional freight revenues can be generated.

So the AFI A319 plan has been buried?

[cnc]

So the AFI A319 plan has been buried?

thats a rather unfair and unnessecary attack towards NCB...
He never claimed SN had such plans, it was a topic for forum members to express how they would plan on building the future

[HighInTheSky]

So the AFI A319 plan has been buried?

thats a rather unfair and unnessecary attack towards NCB...
He never claimed SN had such plans, it was a topic for forum members to express how they would plan on building the future

Indeed, so let's not hijack every thread and make it a "pro or contra A319 for SN" one

[sn26567]

If everybody could react the same way, moderators would not be needed anymore.

[134flyer]

So the AFI A319 plan has been buried?

thats a rather unfair and unnessecary attack towards NCB...
He never claimed SN had such plans, it was a topic for forum members to express how they would plan on building the future

Granted, it was a bit unfair, unneccessary and OT, so I'll take it back.

Let's look to the future!

[earthman]

If everybody could react the same way, moderators would not be needed anymore.

So moderators open up new accounts and post nasty messages just to make sure they remain needed!