Keeping track of the fleet

I don't know how true this is, but this indicates G-VGAL is off to Ciudad Read tomorrow and G-VINE will be coming back in its place...

https://twitter.com/SPD_travels/status/ ... 8305380353

If true, maybe G-VINE was positioned there ready to bring the 747 crew back. BA did something similar early-April when they sent several 747's to Teruel for storage and an Airbus followed to bring the crew back.

I do remember BA doing similar with their A380 crews when the big busses went off to Chateauroux too, but the lay over was only a day at most. VINE will have been out there for five days if they come back tomorrow.
All seems a bit odd, especially with some posts saying there are no scrapping facilities at Real....so storage for frames which have already been condemned is strange, as VGAL will probably have to make another flight before it meets its ultimate doom!

Another 330, VNYC moved from Gatwick to Manchester for further storage yesterday.

Tucked away at the end of this piece a source is sited as saying not just the remaining A350’s will be deferred but also the A330neo’s. Makes sense but must have a bigger impact on the fleet deployment over the next 5 years.

“ The source said the airline was aiming to defer the delivery of aircraft it has on order over the next five years.

Virgin Atlantic has six Airbus (AIR.PA) A350s on order that are yet to be delivered, as well as 14 A330neos which are due for arrival from 2021.”

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-heal ... iness+News)

Tucked away at the end of this piece a source is sited as saying not just the remaining A350’s will be deferred but also the A330neo’s. Makes sense but must have a bigger impact on the fleet deployment over the next 5 years.

“ The source said the airline was aiming to defer the delivery of aircraft it has on order over the next five years.

Virgin Atlantic has six Airbus (AIR.PA) A350s on order that are yet to be delivered, as well as 14 A330neos which are due for arrival from 2021.”

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-heal ... iness+News)

That’s interesting and a good spot.

I wonder if they are trying to sync this more with the tempo at which the A332 and A333 (more so the latter I suspect) Leave the fleet.

It suggests that in time, assuming deferral does not become cancellation and there are no early retirements, the fleet will consist of:

17 x B789
12 x A35K
14 x A339neo

43 aircraft in total, which is relatively significantly higher than the 36/37 aircraft planned for 2022 in the recent rescue plan IIRC (I assume deliveries of the A339neo will be ongoing after 2022).

Looks like Jersey Girl has changed her mind and won't be leaving Manchester today.

G-VGEM will be arriving in Manchester around 3pm.

Jersey Girl finally made her final trip today, off to Cuidad Real for part out and scrap.

Hi

Is there a reason why Tinkerbelle was scrapped at St. Athan and Jersey Girl is being disposed of at Cuidad Real?

Just interested.

Alex

Hi

Is there a reason why Tinkerbelle was scrapped at St. Athan and Jersey Girl is being disposed of at Cuidad Real?

Just interested.

Alex

Could be any number of reasons - but the obvious two that come to mind are;

1. Available capacity - lots of aircraft are facing early retirement / scrapping at present & there are only a finite number of disposal / recycling companies, who must all be busy. (Effectively a funeral director for aircraft - so a good business to be in at present).

2. Tinkerbelle was owned by VS, so they could decide it's fate & where it took place. Jersey Girl is leased, so the lease company (the ultimate owner) decide where & when it faces it's demise.

G-VROY scheduled to depart Manchester around midday on Monday 15th for Cuidad.
G-VLIP on Wednesday 17th, again around midday.

[mitchja]

Someone mentioned that VS where given permission to park up briefly in front of the viewing park at MAN when the first 744 left the other week for a photo op. No idea if they will do the same again?

Change to schedule, G-VLIP will now be departing Manchester tomorrow at 12pm.

G-VDOT (Ruby Slipper) is ready to join the fleet. She's been parked in Toulouse for a month before heading to LHR. source captainchris on insta.

Watched The Falcon live taking off from Manchester, then had the luxury of watching her fly over my house in the sunshine using Flightradar24 in Wolverhampton I was so excited she looked very proud. The wing wave from the runway taking off was tear jerking. I’m a softie I watched her land in Spain a few minutes ago. Love those 747s.

Pretty Woman (VROY) will depart Manchester tomorrow for Ciudad Real on its final journey.

Are there any pictures of the 7 Jumbos at MAN together? Soon to be down to 4...

I thought there were a few pics on the http://www.tasmanchester.com site.

They've also said that tomorrow's planned departure of G-VROY has been delayed until Thursday at 12pm with a planned stop at the runway viewing park. Sounds like yesterday's departure was quite the emotional one with some crew present.

I'm hoping there might be one I can go over for next week, when I have some time off.

i see further down the TASS news letter that say that they are moving the A332's down from Glasgow to Manchester........VMIK made the journey today as VIR833P, and there are planned moves on both the 17th and 18th for others....the only problem is that VMIK was the only one at Glasgow as the other three are at Doncaster-Sheffield.

VWND returned to MAN from exile at DSA today.

G-VROY (Pretty Woman) has made her final flight. She landed at Ciudad Real just under an hour ago. An A330 (G-VRAY) followed her there for storage.

[mitchja]

Another A333 (G-VLUV) positioning from Doncaster to Ciudad Real today.

Interesting article on Paul Stoddard's European Aviation once again operating planes after being a conversion shop since 2008, finding a good use for the ex-Virgin A346
https://www.flightglobal.com/aerospace/ ... 64.article

Very interesting and makes a lot of sense, particularly with cheaper fuel. Which are the 5 VS 340's NAP, WIN and ?

With 330's also now in Spain, could they end up as freighters too? Smaller, but 2 engine...

[mitchja]

Another A333 (G-VKSS) heading to Ciudad Real.

Please can you now list all the fleet we have left now flying. names etc. 330/787/350 thanks.

[mitchja]

The only fleet that are currently flying (for cargo ops) are the B789's and the A351’s.

All the A333s & A332s are stored at various airports.

VS use the 4 x A351's most days whilst they rotate their 17 x B789's for their current cargo ops to/from LHR.

VS are currently operating anything up around 12 cargo flights a day to various destinations (including places not currently served by normal VS flights such as Chicago (ORD) and Beijing (PEK). Dublin is also getting a few VS cargo stops too on the way to and from the US as well.

B789's
Birthday Girl G-VNEW
Dream Girl G-VAHH
Miss Chief G-VOOH
Dream Jeannie G-VZIG
Ruby Murray G-VYUM
Mystery Girl G-VWHO
Olivia Rae G-VCRU
Miss Moneypenny G-VSPY
Maid Marion G-VOWS
Lucy In The Sky G-VDIA
Queen Bee G-VBZZ
West End Girl G-VMAP
Pin Up Girl G-VFAN
Pearly Queen G-VBOW
Leading Lady G-VWOO
Lady Freedom G-VBEL
Penny Lane G-VNYL

A351's
Red Velvet G-VLUX
Mamma Mia G-VPOP
Rain Bow G-VPRD
Queen of Hearts G-VJAM

Thanks James. I really was out of touch of how many 789s we have and would love to ride one, but i use Manchester as Heathrow is to much of a treck for my brood and they like to stay at the Crown Plaza the night before. It looks like we will mainly be using 330 there for a while, but find it difficult to see how Orlando route will cope. Most people who i know should have been going up to now have transferred to same time next year, as have myself. Really wish a Tampa route could come out of these new changes, but never say never. We should have been trying our first 350 but that looks unlikely now. Vegas now looks like a stopover to now. Hope this will change back to normal ish in 12/24 months time. Hope we can keep Virgin flying, its looking promising now. Onward s and Upwards my friends.