LGW 747 Refit

Doubt they would rip all the seats out, as the U/C seats cabing is only being "deep Cleaned" - Presume that means that the U/C cabing stays as is and the take out PE / EC in the UK.

A/C still has to be within it's weight limit under it's COA - they might use it for extra freight if it has no SLF ?

Oh, and by the way, Official VS website says that the first a/c should be in service now...........

Would ripping the seats out make the aircraft too light?

(I remember seeing videos of A380 / B787 testing where they were having to fly with water-ballast tanks bolted to the floor as without them the plane would be too light).

The ballast tanks used during testing are to simulate loading of the aircraft. It's nothing to do with being too light.

In fact, the lighter the aircraft = less fuel burn = money saved. Something all airlines look at.

[Neil]

Doubt they would rip all the seats out, as the U/C seats cabing is only being "deep Cleaned" - Presume that means that the U/C cabing stays as is and the take out PE / EC in the UK.

A/C still has to be within it's weight limit under it's COA - they might use it for extra freight if it has no SLF ?

Oh, and by the way, Official VS website says that the first a/c should be in service now...........

It was confirmed by VS that they would completely remove the UCS, clean all the parts etc and put it back in.

Where does it say on the VS site that the first refitted a/c would be in operation from now?

I would have thought it makes more sense to keep the UC cabin in and clean them in HKG than remove here, then re-fit whaen it come back - you want the a/c out of service for the least amount of time possible.

Here is the information from the VS site saying the 1st April

Would ripping the seats out make the aircraft too light?

(I remember seeing videos of A380 / B787 testing where they were having to fly with water-ballast tanks bolted to the floor as without them the plane would be too light).

The ballast tanks used during testing are to simulate loading of the aircraft. It's nothing to do with being too light.

In fact, the lighter the aircraft = less fuel burn = money saved. Something all airlines look at.

I could've sworn years ago I watched a documentary about a BA747 heading to the US for scrap. They removed the CW seats but kept the Y seats because otherwise it'd have been too light.

There is an issue of "too light". Every aircraft has a COA and contained within that are the limits of what the A/C envelope is. This contains both min and max weights for operation, whilst a lighter a/c may be better of fuel, it will have knock on issues so the a/c has to have a minimum weight - I have no idea what this is for a 747 ! but I suspect that if they kept U/C fitted and added cargo underneath, they could get the a/c to the min weight and thus minimise fuel burn and cost.

[Neil]

I would have thought it makes more sense to keep the UC cabin in and clean them in HKG than remove here, then re-fit whaen it come back - you want the a/c out of service for the least amount of time possible.

Here is the information from the VS site saying the 1st April

It is frustrating the VS have that on their website, it has been known for months, that the first a/c wouldn't be back until mid/late April at the earliest.

Neil, thanks for amending the link

It is frustrating as passengers travelling post 1st April until a/c 1 is refurbished have (I presume - as per the VS website) not had access to seat allocation, despite there being no chance of them having a refurbished aircraft. Surely MMB should be availabe until A/C 1 is back in the fleet ?

Think the reason the outside pic was not G-VROM was that the seats were taken out at LGW while she was still wearing the aerosur livery. She's gone up to MAN now to be painted before heading out to HKG for her new interior.

Its just frustrating and annoying that Virgin dont update their website information which still states that the first aircraft will be back by 1st April. Surely they have a revised/planned date that they are working to and could communicate this date to would be passengers.

Its just frustrating and annoying that Virgin dont update their website information which still states that the first aircraft will be back by 1st April. Surely they have a revised/planned date that they are working to and could communicate this date to would be passengers.

The website says the first completed aircraft will come back into service mid May

[Neil]

Its just frustrating and annoying that Virgin dont update their website information which still states that the first aircraft will be back by 1st April. Surely they have a revised/planned date that they are working to and could communicate this date to would be passengers.

The website says the first completed aircraft will come back into service mid May

They have updated that since this morning, as it did say from 1st April.

The page was edited at 11:15 this morning.

That's why it now says mid May.

Does this change of in-service date mean that those pax travelling after 1 Apr but prior to mid-May will now be able to pre-select seats? I ask for totally selfish reasons (travelling 8 May ): )

Clearly, someone at Virgin monitors this forum then ! It can't be a co-incidence it's changed since being posted on here !

[Neil]

Does this change of in-service date mean that those pax travelling after 1 Apr but prior to mid-May will now be able to pre-select seats? I ask for totally selfish reasons (travelling 8 May ): )

Wishful thinking there I think. Can't see them changing it now so close to the date, especially as it is only affecting PE pax. I'm already looking forward to the fight at OLCI for row 79

Clearly, someone at Virgin monitors this forum then ! It can't be a co-incidence it's changed since being posted on here !

Well given that I told them that the date was wrong on FB a few weeks ago (they had told someone the mid May answer but I pointed out the website said 1st April) it does show a level of slowness and a lack of coordination that needs to he kick started.

[I was referring to the item in the 'latest news' part of thr website which used to say 1at April but which has also now been changed)

There's now an article on the vtravelled website but I don't think it gives anymore info than is already known or talked about here:

http://blog.vtravelled.com/the-ultimate-spring-clean/

There's now an article on the vtravelled website but I don't think it gives anymore info than is already known or talked about here:

http://blog.vtravelled.com/the-ultimate-spring-clean/

love how she describes it as 'redecorating' and 'diy' !

I have a theory, Virgin are saving fuel by empting the aircraft of seats to save fuel. With regards to the aircraft being to light, they may have to take the new seats with them in the hold as these are made by Recaro/threesixty aviation, ready to be fitted into the aircraft once the new sidewalls, relocation of toilets, new galleies and new monuments are fitted. The aircraft interior in the video is G-VROM, as the aircraft had Nova entertainment installed and as you can see in the vid the seats have a Nova system space in the seats and not the Odyssey or vPort system. Also Odyssey seats do not have moveable head rests in Y. It also shows all seats from the Galley with the stairs to the back (row 65) being removed but not all the seats will be removed, however they will need to leave enough seats for a few crew to position the aircraft to HKG (No crew seats are on the main deck in the video). Upperclass Suites could be removed in the HKG in order for them to be stripped down and re-sprayed and the new JAM system installed. Virgin doesn’t have to release any information with regards to their plans as the company is a Limited company. Staff at the airline don’t even know the new configuration of the aircraft.

Does this change of in-service date mean that those pax travelling after 1 Apr but prior to mid-May will now be able to pre-select seats? I ask for totally selfish reasons (travelling 8 May ): )

Wishful thinking there I think. Can't see them changing it now so close to the date, especially as it is only affecting PE pax. I'm already looking forward to the fight at OLCI for row 79

Mmmmmmmm - my favourite PE seats, Neil, 79A-C. Bring it on B)

Also.... why would Virgin Atlantic want to show the world a livery on their aircraft that doesn't belong to them? A, its not theirs and B, Aerosur have ceased operations.

http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/the-n ... tions.html

[Neil]

Does this change of in-service date mean that those pax travelling after 1 Apr but prior to mid-May will now be able to pre-select seats? I ask for totally selfish reasons (travelling 8 May ): )

Wishful thinking there I think. Can't see them changing it now so close to the date, especially as it is only affecting PE pax. I'm already looking forward to the fight at OLCI for row 79

Mmmmmmmm - my favourite PE seats, Neil, 79A-C. Bring it on B)

We fly 3 days before you, so fingers crossed we will both get 79A/C

We fly 3 days before you, so fingers crossed we will both get 79A/C

and back home on the same flight, I have just noticed.

Here's hoping we both get what we want ):

[Neil]

We fly 3 days before you, so fingers crossed we will both get 79A/C

and back home on the same flight, I have just noticed.

Here's hoping we both get what we want ):

I'm happy with our pre-requested seats, just hope we keep them