tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356602344547709264.post1296142207161720097..comments2024-02-19T16:15:03.733-08:00Comments on View from the control tower: So what is special about these pictures?CaptainVectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16340951040263403005noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356602344547709264.post-64171406973510570462014-03-02T20:05:38.471-08:002014-03-02T20:05:38.471-08:00What made it remarkable in my eyes was that there ...What made it remarkable in my eyes was that there were three together at that terminal (Gates 21/23/35). It's quite common to have two, either at 21 and 23 or 21 and 25; it's sort of a LAX-geeky sort of thing, I suppose. You can certainly see three side-by side on the west side of the TBIT, or out at the west remote gates. Probably happens everyday.<br /><br />Yes, the B777 is fast displacing the B747 in the pax fleets. We've heard that United is going to quit using B747 on the KLAX-YSSY flights this spring, to be replaced with B777s and later this year, Dreamliners. They've already discontinued the B747 on the flights to Heathrow. We do see a number of cargo-converted B747-400s, which can be distinguished by the long hump on the upper fuselage; purpose-built cargo B747-400s (and -8Fs) retain the short hump design from the early B747 models. Cathay Pacific, Air China, and EVA are some of the operators who bring converted B744s into LAX.<br /><br />The Air Canada B777 is rather unusual at LAX; I've seen it maybe three or four times so far. We also got (only once that I saw) an Air Canda A330; I forget now if it was a -200 or -300. We do get Air Canada B767-300s on a regular basis, however.CaptainVectorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16340951040263403005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3356602344547709264.post-80589437148288334472014-02-17T07:38:02.283-08:002014-02-17T07:38:02.283-08:00I would never have solved the "What's so ...I would never have solved the "What's so special?" with the Boeing 777s. With Boeing building more than eighty 777s per year, it is fast becoming the standard long-range airliner, so the presence of three aircraft at Terminal 2 is unremarkable. I was under the impression, that the number of 777-300ER built, allready exceeded the number of Boeing 747-400 in passenger version, but that will have to wait another year or so. <br />However, if we are talking about the number of aircraft presently in service, then the number of 777-300ER allready exceeds the passenger 747-400, because many 747s were converted to freighters. There are also 60 777-300 non ER, or A-models, but these are regional aircraft, used mainly in Asia. <br />The use of the 777 by Air Canda is also unremarkable. When a flight with a narrow-bodied aircraft is cancelled due to technical reasons, it can be combined with the next flight. Long-range aircraft sometimes have extensive downtimes at an airline's hub, because travellers prefer to fly during certain times of the day. Another reason can be curfews at destination airports. If no maintenance is scheduled or necessary, then it is available for the substitution. The larger capacity of the widebody then ensures no passengers have to be bumped off. <br />--Filip<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com