Last B717 off at Long Beach

[Darren Liew 0]

Good day to one and all,

 

I was just browsing on airliners.net this morning and I realised that there was this thread that talking about the last B717 off the assembly line. That will be their last commercial plane ever to be built!

 

If you read the discussion properly, you can see also that alot of americans are very upset at this as well. Alot felt that when BOEING bought MD over they just let the MD-11 die.

 

From my own personal point of view I also think so. The MD-11 was a slight maintainance problem due to the location of their tail mounted engine but was not bounded by ETOPS rules due to the 3 engines that it has(this is a better selling factor to airlines like Varig, Qantas, BA,SAA and alot of european airlines that has to fly over long stretches of ocean). So as a threat to the B777 sales as well as the B747-400F BOEING of course will promote their own products. I remember reading somewhere that the cargo capacity of the MD-11F is something like 90 tonnes when compared to the B747-400F`s 100 tonnes that is not too shabby at all! Considering that it is a smaller plane as well.

 

 

Still cant belive that this era of aviation has come to and end. Most of us grew up seeing DC-3s, DC-8s, DC-9s, DC-10s and MD-11s. Not sure about you but personally I have seen those aircrat types and rode on the DC-10s and MD-11s in the past. My old man used to fly the DC-10s when they were still with MH!

 

Darren Liew

Edited April 17, 2006 by Darren Liew

[Tamizi Hj Tamby 1]

Really? So sad to hear that Boeing has ceased the B717 production.Any photos of the last B717 off the assemble line?

[Darren Liew 0]

Really? So sad to hear that Boeing has ceased the B717 production.Any photos of the last B717 off the assemble line?

 

 

Yeah sure Tamizi,

Just go to airliners.net and there is a discussion going on there at the moment on this. I saw my friend here board a Jetstar B717 on his way back to Brisbane from Melbourne. Actually there were 2 planes here at Avalon from Jetstar(1 A320 and the B717). Both were so beautiful looking especially from so near the planes.

 

 

Best regards,

Darren Liew

 

 

MH`s B747-400F over Monaco

Edited April 17, 2006 by Darren Liew

[Sneeze Lam 0]

Well, to me, when I first heard the name of B717 is the age of Bangkok airways first to fly HKG. Before that, in my dictionary, I have got only those B737/747/757/767/777, as well as those of Airbus. However, since that day, a brand new model hit on me, B717!!! Is it a new model from Boeing?

 

I try to search out the related information of the aircraft. I found that the outlook for it is quite similar with those of MDs. I just wonder, what has happened. And from that day, I see the B717 as a new product of Boeing and think it will keep on manufacturing for ages. (Because I was too green in the aviation field).

 

Unluckily, few months after I know the name of B717, a news came and saying : "Last B717 is going to assembly". I really shocked. At that moment, I don't know what has happened with Boeing. Just want to ask: "Why you kill this cutie baby?".

 

No matter what, the news goes true, just take our time to enjoy the planes before most of them retire.

[Peter Smith 1]

Only 156 birds built :( Come May when she is handed over to AirTrain, emotions will certainly get the better of anyone standing on the Long Beach ramp. DC-9 legacy ending, with one final rotation

[Sherman 0]

sorry guys, when the first B717 built?

[Pieter C. 5]

DC-9 legacy ending, with one final rotation

 

A very sad moment indeed, Douglas and McD always made nice and reliable planes

Did you guys know, KLM has operated EVERY DC-airplane, except the DC-1 ??? They were the only one to operate the DC-5

[Seth K 3]

A very sad moment indeed, Douglas and McD always made nice and reliable planes

Did you guys know, KLM has operated EVERY DC-airplane, except the DC-1 ??? They were the only one to operate the DC-5

 

Nice info Pieter, I don't even know DC-5 exist!

Here comes the end of B717........737 will do their jobs

[Peter Smith 1]

Seth, you can safely bet that 717's will do their job for a few more years yet!

[S V Choong 4]

It is quite normal for competitors to take stake or completely bought over the competition. In that way, they will acquire their technology, man power and one less competitor out there.

 

Look on the bright side, Boeing is still producing the C-17 Globemaster for military use. The McDD design will probably fade off completely or overshadowed by Boeing's design.

[Peter Smith 1]

It is quite normal for competitors to take stake or completely bought over the competition. In that way, they will acquire their technology, man power and one less competitor out there.

 

Look on the bright side, Boeing is still producing the C-17 Globemaster for military use. The McDD design will probably fade off completely or overshadowed by Boeing's design.

Interesting though, as when Boeing took over McDD they had an agreement with the various component manufacturers of the 717 to produce (at a minimum) the components of 150 airframes. "Ironically" when the final order from AirTran came that pushed numbers over this mark (to 156), Boeing cancelled the program, even though there was potential from other carriers, such as Cebu Pacific, etc.

 

As for the C-17's, they are currently 8 airframes ahead of schedule, recently Australia bought 4 newly created slots (ie, once in service, production only 4 ahead), with the first delivery to RAAF 36sqn (Stallion) at the end of this year (Initially RAAF Base Richmond, north of Sydney. Eventually will move to RAAF base Amberley, east of Brisbane). They will not replace the C-130H's currently operational with 36sqn.

[YiHao 0]

what next? 767 or A300/A310?