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Qantas buys new 787-9 flight simulator

written by australianaviation.com.au | August 8, 2016

Qantas_787-92
An artist’s impression of a Qantas Boeing 787-9. (Qantas)

Qantas says it will install a new Boeing 787-9 flight simulator at its Sydney Mascot base as the airline gears up for the arrival of the next generation aircraft in 2017.

The $23 million investment in the new flight simulator, which will be used for new and recurrent training, and other training equipment was part of a new strategic partnership with the NSW government to “support efforts to develop aviation and related industries in and around Sydney Airport and at the future Western Sydney Airport”, Qantas said on Monday.

“The Dreamliner represents a new chapter for Qantas and we are delighted to announce that a new state-of-the-art flight simulator will be housed at our Mascot training centre,” Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce said in a statement.

“Our flight training centre operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is overseen by a dedicated team of trainers and check captains who help ensure that Qantas pilots are among the best in the world.

“And from the end of next year, the centre will be used to train a new generation of Qantas pilots on the next generation aircraft.”

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The airline group’s low-cost unit Jetstar already has a 787 simulator in Melbourne.

Qantas has ordered eight 787-9s, which will be powered by GEnx-1B engines, which also power Jetstar’s 787-8.

Pilots flying other Boeing aircraft with the rank of captain can transition to the 787 with about 44 hours of training in the simulator, Qantas said.

The oneworld alliance member also planned to recruit 170 pilots to support its Dreamliner fleet.

The first 787-9 is due to arrive in October 2017, Qantas International chief executive Gareth Evans told the CAPA – Centre for Aviation Australia Pacific Aviation summit in Brisbane on August 4.

Meanwhile Joyce told the CAPA conference the following day he expected to be able to announce the first 787 route before the end of calendar 2016, with discussions with airports and tourism bodies currently taking place.

NSW Minister for Industry, Energy and Resources Anthony Roberts said the new flight similar represented a “new milestone in cooperation and partnership between industry and government”.

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Comments (12)

  • David

    says:

    Will any of the new hiring Pilots be re-hires, from those laid off?

  • Well following this statement last week in Brisbane by Gareth Evans, that the first 787-9 with GE Engines is coming in October 2017 means that the earliest airframe that matches that is airframe 617, due on 4th October 2017. The next possibility is airframe 620 due on 10th October, then you have to wait until Airframe 626 due on 3rd November 2017, or 628 due on the 1st November 2017. Then its airframe 630 due on the 6th Nov 2017, then 632 on the 9th Nov and 631 on the 11th Nov, then 634 on the 15th Nov and 635 on the 27th Nov and possibly the last 3 in early December….Maybe!

  • Craigy

    says:

    Where did you get that information from Andrew? I have searched the Boeing website but can’t see any link to production plans.

    Also I thought the first four would be delivered in financial year 2017/18 and the second four in financial year 18/19.

  • Max

    says:

    The iconic Qantas livery has never looked better than it does on this new aircraft, as depicted in the
    photograph above.
    The distinctive wing design of the B787 adds a touch of “elegance” not seen on an airliner since the
    Lockheed Constellation of the the late 1940s – 1950s. It beats the B777 hands down in the looks
    department.

  • Craigy;
    You will find the information at: 787 Tables : 787 Production and Disposition-https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1FH3Y2-vRUgojntPkCSJI5Pd-15rsJ1a0SFCRaT-iqgo/pub?single=true&gid=2&output=html

    You may be right about when the 8 are coming, what I have stated in when they might come based upon the airframe numbers and engine configurations e.g. GE for 787-9. As yet this source doesn’t allocate customers past airframe 60o which is due to go to Norwegian Air International., although this production list seems to get updated every 6 months, so I expect we will see the delivery list from 600-650 updated fairly soon. (Airframe 651 will; be delivered on 31st Dec 2017). The delivery dates (but not the customers for airframes 601-650) were updated very recently.

  • Craigy

    says:

    Thanks Andrew and Christopher. I will book mark it so i can keep an eye on it.

    I checked the press release from Qantas from last year and the delivery of the 8 as I suggested. However, things could have changed with a more expeditious delivery given the current results.

    Qantas keep suggesting that YPPH-EGLL was a possibility and I think perhaps that this will occur. With the slow down in the west, maybe 1 or 2 A332 coud be released from domestic service to commence the YPPH-EGLL service via OMDB in the new year, say four times a week as a prelude to measuring demand and changing to direct with the B789 in 2018.

    I have a feeling the first route will either be YMML-KDFW or YSSY-CYVR (changing from a seasonal destination to normal)

  • Bob

    says:

    Hopefully the pilots they employ will be on FAIR contracts, and they dont go down the path of CEO stripping terms and conditions like they have been doing of late…

  • Matt

    says:

    The 787 salaries have already been negotiated and are included in the latest QF long haul EBA.

  • Craigy

    says:

    The pilots conditions have been agreed in an EBA with the union. This was a prerequisite for the order.

  • Hi Craigy;
    I rather suspect you may be right about Qantas using 1 or 2 A332 to commence the YPPH-EGLL service via OMDB not least because I rather suspect that Virgin International who now have 14 + 787-9’s could well be looking with Virgin Australia about stealing a march on Qantas on this route, as obviously Qantas really has another 14 months to go before it can hope to get any credible service non stop in the air.. But I agree with you that I reckon YMML – KDFW together with perhaps YBBN on say Outbound YMML to KDFW then KDFW to YBBN then return and then KDFW to YMML on perhaps a 4 /3 day return. You could do that with 3 aircraft I reckon and in the process launch two new routes. But I am sure the YMML-YPPJ-EGLL is the jewel in the crown, as long as they don’t miss the boat with a launch by Virgin in the meantime. Mind you if Jetstar announce further purchases of B787 I reckon that YSSV – KLAS could well be on the radar as I am always surprised just how many passengers on the QF flights to LAX are going onwards on that route with AA.

    I have a feeling the first route will either be YMML-KDFW or YSSY-CYVR (changing from a seasonal destination to normal)

  • Craigy

    says:

    @ Andrew

    Virgin are in a interesting position. They are currently working on the China and Hong Kong routes using A332 aircraft so I doubt there are additional aircraft available to do EGLL as well. The Asian routes potentially only require 2 aircraft depending on the schedule. The story is Borghetti is delegating a lot of his work to the new guy to focus on these new 2 routes. This is something I don’t understand. Is he actually doing all the work himself? Sorry but this stupid.

    Etihad is another issue. For Etihad to fly the YPPH-EGLL route there would need to be some agreement/contract with Virgin to provide the aircraft and crew due to the Air Services Agreements with the UK. However, I don’t think Hogan sees this route a priority for his B789s. And given the late notification of taking up their allocation suggests Etihad has other priorities

    Re Qantas. A couple of Years ago Qantas leased landing slots at Heathrow to BA for 3 years. I am sure those leases expire next year and so it would be an opportune time to take back those slots and use them themselves. I also think their is an opportunity to include Adelaide. Maybe 4 days from YPPH and 3 from YPAD. It would probably require 3 aircraft but I am hearing more B737 are being used on the YPPH route because of the reduced demand. Virgin are doing the same.

    Jetstar and KLAS is interesting. I can see it is truly a potential route. Perhaps in the long term for QF. I also think that with the B789 Denver is a potential winter destination. Even for Jetstars B788. The ski fields are an easily accessible from KDEN via I70W

    In the longer term, YBBN via OMDB may be on the cards if they order more B789

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