A330 - XFA/B - Refit?

[jneufeld]

Here's the full flight map. Very puzzling.

 

[maninblack]

Maybe the were returning it to the leasing company with an empty tank!

 

[cove]

Because of these planes I rarely book VA even if it is J on points. Next weekend three of us are giving them a fresh shot to get to the AFL footy.

 

[Wunala Dreaming]

VH-XFB's last scheduled revenue service is tomorrow, Friday 12 September 2014, VA694 PER/MEL 1730/2305!

 

[TomVexille]

Interesting (although not entirely unexpected) news. Does this now mean VA is down to 6 A330s?

 

[robbie1984]

Interesting (although not entirely unexpected) news. Does this now mean VA is down to 6 A330s?

Yes until VH-XFJ is delivered around 22nd Sep.

 

[arbo]

VH-XFB's last scheduled revenue service is tomorrow, Friday 12 September 2014, VA694 PER/MEL 1730/2305!

I wonder if it will go via Halls Creek and Alice Springs as it did for my recent PER - SYD trip.

 

[TomVexille]

Yes until VH-XFJ is delivered around 22nd Sep.

Yes. Just wan't sure when they were getting it.

 

[jazza1971]

I wonder if it will go via Halls Creek and Alice Springs as it did for my recent PER - SYD trip.

Arbo, did they ever say why that routing?

 

[mannej]

Arbo, did they ever say why that routing?

Operational Reasons

 

[arbo]

Arbo, did they ever say why that routing?

The cabin crew mentioned the plane was due for retirement and they couldn't fly over water, hence the detour away from the Great Australian Bight, but I don't know why we did not just go over the Nullabor. I'm not sure if we had to stay within a certain distance of an appropriate airport, which meant via Broome and Alice Springs?

 

[Daver6]

The cabin crew mentioned the plane was due for retirement and they couldn't fly over water, hence the detour away from the Great Australian Bight, but I don't know why we did not just go over the Nullabor. I'm not sure if we had to stay within a certain distance of an appropriate airport, which meant via Broome and Alice Springs?

At a guess, restricted military airspace? Not sure if the dates align, but was it during Pitch Black?

 

[TomVexille]

At a guess, restricted military airspace? Not sure if the dates align, but was it during Pitch Black?

Interesting theory. But the flight was on the 29th and Pitch Black supposedly wrapped up on the 22nd.

 

[pblackie]

Wasn't Pitch Black also held in NT which wouldn't impact on the normal flight path?

 

[TomVexille]

Wasn't Pitch Black also held in NT which wouldn't impact on the normal flight path?

And that's where the flight went...

 

[pblackie]

And that's where the flight went...

Fair enough but the point being discussed was why did the flight deviate from the normal route across the Bight - see post #278

"No unfortunately it was a real commercial flight - VA556. I was on it. They only told us there was an operational change to the flight plan. I thought they might have been trying to miss the storms on the way in to Perth. The crew told a mate also on the flight that it was one of the last flights so they couldn't go across the Great Australian Bight.

Doesnt make ate sense to me as to why it would go so far north. We turned over Halls Creek and then came down via Alice Springs."

 

[TomVexille]

Fair enough but the point being discussed was why did the flight deviate from the normal route across the Bight - see post #278

"No unfortunately it was a real commercial flight - VA556. I was on it. They only told us there was an operational change to the flight plan. I thought they might have been trying to miss the storms on the way in to Perth. The crew told a mate also on the flight that it was one of the last flights so they couldn't go across the Great Australian Bight.

Doesnt make ate sense to me as to why it would go so far north. We turned over Halls Creek and then came down via Alice Springs."

I saw the maps that show the flight path over the NT. My response was meant to be more to the suggestion that VA556 was avoiding Pitch Black which as we know was in the NT.

My guess for the flight plan is more like what Comoman said. But I don't actually have the answer.

My guess - HF radio was broken (or something else) so they couldn't cross the bight or Nullabor region as it's classified as "remote" on nav charts.

Total guess though....

 

[Daver6]

Interesting theory. But the flight was on the 29th and Pitch Black supposedly wrapped up on the 22nd.

Also realised most the area used for PB would have been over the NT ranges, but figured they might have used defence airspace to the south for something or other.

So on the assumption it needed to avoid water. Most direct would be over SA. Plenty of outback SA is defence land, including rocket test sites etc etc. Perhaps some experimental testing was going on at the time.