Virgin Australia B737 Max 8

[ThatMrBlake]

No liferafts, bio treatment, and live on the other AOC i think.

Probably no divider still too

 

[ben95]

I assume no liferafts etc.

Really? I thought you need liferafts to fly over the great Australian bight which is typical for PER flights?

 

[p--and--t]

Really? I thought you need liferafts to fly over the great Australian bight which is typical for PER flights?

and Tasmania?

 

[RooFlyer]

Really? I thought you need liferafts to fly over the great Australian bight which is typical for PER flights?

I think it isn't water per se, but distance to land. I recall Air Canada managed to do away with life jackets in the run Vancouver-Victoria, where you can be 10km away from land. When I asked why there wasn't any lifejacket part in the safety demo, they said the seat cushions would be sufficient.

 

[kookaburra75]

When I asked why there wasn't any lifejacket part in the safety demo, they said the seat cushions would be sufficient.

I've been on flights in the past, in the US where the safety card had details on using the seat cushion as a flotation device. Apparently there are different requirements for Extended Over Water operations, and simply those where you might get a bit wet (Over Water).
This post spells out some of the details

What and where are "flotation seat cushions"?

Inspired by the question Why did the US Airways Flight 1549 passengers stay on the wings? I read parts of the respective accident report[PDF]. They mention the flight was a non-EOW (extended overwa...

aviation.stackexchange.com

 

[Axe_L_Thief]

50NM is much less than the width of Bass Straight, but you could perhaps always be within 50NM of any of the little islands that make it up. I wouldn't want to be in Bass Straight in a raft let alone a seat cushion. With the Bight, it would be more than 50NM, so extended over water, unless you stuck to the shoreline?

 

[AviatorInsight]

Carriage of life rafts is mandatory when the route flown will take the aircraft a distance from land greater than 120mins at normal cruising speed or 400 nautical miles whichever is less.

In most cases it will be the 400nm requirement that limits us, as our cruising speed will be greater than 200knots. Notice it's also from land not necessarily an airport. Flying over the bight at the most southern route in Australian Airspace we would only be about 350nm away from land.

 

[Tom/PER]

From Airfleets.net, the next batch of MAX-8s will be registered: 8II, 8IJ, 8IK, 8VA, 8VB, 8VC.

I'd expect the 8V series aircraft to be domestic only, similar to the 737-800 rego sequencing.

If these are in-fact domestic only aircraft, I find that absolutely baffling. From an flexibility perspective why wouldn’t you have all the 7M8’s configured (including all the EDTO/ETOPS hardware) the same for International services then move the YI*’s to domestic duties.

Is 8IA thru to 8IK enough to operate ALL international routes, including NZ?

Speaking frankly, I’ve never understood why the ex MI/SQ weren’t added to the VAI register and used on International routes as these are considered newer frames than the earlier YI*’s and some feature the new interior.

 

[AviatorInsight]

Speaking frankly, I’ve never understood why the ex MI/SQ weren’t added to the VAI register and used on International routes as these are considered newer frames than the earlier YI*’s and some feature the new interior.

Because those frames don’t have life rafts fitted.

 

[Tom/PER]

Because those frames don’t have life rafts fitted.

They have the overhead life raft lockers fitted.

 

[AIRwin]

And now 8IH

It is now in Melbourne Florida

 

[twinaisle]

8IA will soon head off to Florida for wifi installation

 

[Harrison_133]

8IA will soon head off to Florida for wifi installation

Left Brisbane this morning for Honolulu.

 

[AIRwin]

8IA will soon head off to Florida for wifi installation

On its way back now

 

[HS-TQE]

On its way back now

It may meet ex-VA/ZL's VH-RYU (ex-VH-VOM) on the way back home

 

[jb747]

400 NM for rafts, which is an indication of how likely it is for there to be any survivors.

 

[henrus]

With VH-8IA back it means the entire 737-8 fleet is now configured with 8 business and 174 economy.

 

[AIRwin]

With VH-8IA back it means the entire 737-8 fleet is now configured with 8 business and 174 economy.

My booking on a B737-8 is still showing 30 rows

 

[henrus]

My booking on a B737-8 is still showing 30 rows

If they do intend to use a 737-8 then I'd expect that to update sooner rather then later. Also worth keeping any eye on seating if you've picked row 6, 13 or 15 which may or may not be extra legroom depending on the config.

 

[AIRwin]

Also worth keeping any eye on seating if you've picked row 6, 13 or 15 which may or may not be extra legroom depending on the config.

You mean row 5?