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Post by Kahloke on Feb 5, 2024 11:09:42 GMT -8
moved the above post into this existing thread
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Post by Kahloke on Jan 22, 2024 16:32:42 GMT -8
I wonder how Hawaiian Airlines does go to a Boeing fleet if they are merged with Alaska Air Group. I could see Hawaiian narrow body fleet switching to the Boeing 737 MAX with long haul fleet will be B787. I wonder if Alaska Airline Group will order Boeing 787 for opening up long haul market with Alaska Airlines? I wonder how Alaska Air Group will deal with Amazon Prime Air for operating the freight AirBus A330: www.freightwaves.com/news/hawaiian-airlines-welcomes-new-amazon-revenue-streamMerger hasn't happened yet, so it's probably too early to speculate. I would hate to see Hawaiian lose the A321NEO's, though. Those are great planes and are still pretty new to the fleet. Before the merger talks, I always hoped the Airbus A220-300 would be the aircraft of choice to replace the aging B717-200's on the inter island flights. The problem, though, is the engines and the required cool-down time between flights. The 717 has smaller engines which is ideal for the short inter-island flights, and its quick cool down allows for 20 minute turns. I'm not sure either A or B can provide a future plane that can match that. 737's and A320's need more cool down time between flights, and because they are larger than the 717, they likely also need a little more time to load and unload. I'm not sure about the A220; it's size is closer to the 717, but I would suspect its engines will also need more cool down time than the 717. If the merger goes through, I do think the Alaska Air Group will try to push more for Boeing aircraft going forward. It wouldn't surprise me to see the 737 MAX-7 replace the 717's eventually. Of course the MAX-7 has yet to be certified so I'm jumping the gun a little. The new 787-9's are supposed to start sometime this year, and that will be a good plane for HA's long haul services. The Airbus A330's in the fleet aren't all that old, so I expect the shift to 787's will be a slow transition over time. FYI - here is HA's current fleet per Planespotters: (19) Boeing 717-200's - average age 22 years (18) Airbus A321 NEO's - average age 5.1 years (24) Airbus A330-200's - average age 10.7 years (1) Airbus A330-300 - 5.3 years old
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Post by Kahloke on Jan 21, 2024 19:27:41 GMT -8
Will be a-900ER, actually (they don't really specify the difference), and the MAX is basically interchangeable with the 739ER on routes like this anyway. I assumed it will be a 737-900ER. The article didn't make the distinction, and as this is primarily a ferry forum, not an aviation forum, I didn't feel it necessary to call it out differently. Alaska only has 12 of the older -900's. Most of their -900's are the newer extended range (ER) type.
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Post by Kahloke on Jan 20, 2024 16:58:48 GMT -8
We're trying something different regarding the forum flagship banner contest going forward. I've created this thread as a place to submit nominations for the flagship header June thru December 2024. It remains to be seen whether there will be voting for new entries in June or whether the moderators will just pick some to grace the banner. We may keep one or two of the top winning entries currently in rotation and add new ones in, or we may simply replace them all. Again, these decisions have not been made yet. For now, you can use this thread to submit nominations you would like to see grace the header starting in June. Here are the rules: - any ferry in the world is eligible - photo must be taken this year - 2024 - photo must be your own - you can submit up to 4 photos photo guidelines (flagship nomination rules still apply) - Banner size = 1200x340 pixels - post 1024x290 nomination to thread with link to full size image - please make sure all of your links work for those who haven't submitted entries before, here is a "how-to" on creating a banner image in Photoshop and uploading it to a Flickr account. This is only one way to do it. The process is likely similar with other programs, but the steps may be different. ferriesbc.proboards.com/thread/3510/forum-flagship-rules-information
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Post by Kahloke on Jan 20, 2024 16:43:40 GMT -8
I moved the above posts into this thread as they relate to international airlines
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Post by Kahloke on Jan 19, 2024 18:38:01 GMT -8
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Post by Kahloke on Jan 19, 2024 11:05:52 GMT -8
Another interesting page about the new P&O's new mega ferries operating across the English Channel (the P&O Pioneer & P&O Liberte). These, I think, would be too big for use on the North American west coast, but maybe if scaled back a bit ...
Not sure what the car capacity is, but at 754 feet long, it is a beast! Don't want to even imagine what the traffic on the highway would be like on disembarkation has begun. Staffing it to reach capacity would be a challenge these days, but in theory it would help with wait times on popular routes like routes 2 and 30. Could it navigate Active Pass? 3600 lane metres is approx. 600 vehicles using BCF's 6 metre standard. That's a LOT of cars. Two of those might be enough for Route 1 without having to go to 4 vessel service in the summers but it would be way overkill in the winter. Dwell time would also be an issue. With that much capacity, I'm not sure a 25 minute turnaround time would suffice.
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Post by Kahloke on Jan 18, 2024 13:37:05 GMT -8
Something else I have been thinking about is a 'Jumbo Salish class' with a capacity for 375 AEQ that might work for the major routes (even route 1). Is their anything operating elsewhere in the world that is a sort of Jumbo Salish that might work here? Boknafjord is probably the largest "Salish" type vessel operating today. It has a 242 vehicle capacity. Mind you, that's probably European standard. Apply BCF's 6 metre AEQ to the equation and I imagine that capacity number would be somewhat less. But, Boknafjord is essentially the same type of design as the Salish boats - upper main vehicle deck with garage below, and a central bridge dead smack in the middle of the boat. In any case, it's still much smaller than what Route 1 requires. gcaptain.com/meet-mf-boknafjord-worlds/I do have one question regarding the Coastals: why have they become so unreliable on Route 1? They've run for years on that route and now they seem to be developing problems.
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Post by Kahloke on Jan 17, 2024 5:58:06 GMT -8
Feb 5, 2008 at 22:25 oceaneer77 Feb 5, 2008 at 23:20 hergfest both these posts had some really good points. anybody here current to the forum able to elaborate more? i searched this cause i was wondering how similar our boats are to the fastcats AMHS tried? theirs were constructed after us, so i assume they had all the opportunity to learn from our mistakes, yet final result (so far) still same? Our friend, EGFleet, has a nice write-up on Alaska's fast ferries. Yes, lots of similarities to the FastCats. Fairweather and Chenega never did fulfill the original mission planned for those ships, but unlike the FastCats, they remained in the AMHS fleet for quite a number of years and were used despite the state losing money on each and every trip. evergreenfleet.com/alaska-ferries/
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Post by Kahloke on Jan 16, 2024 14:33:18 GMT -8
Yeah, the striped "beach towel" look is a bit much - kinda hurts the eyes, though not as bad as Spirit's fluorescent yellow planes, or the neon green uniforms the Seattle Seahawks sometimes use, though I digress. I think Condor's livery would look better with a solid colour and larger logo on the tail, and larger Condor lettering on the fuselage, but that's just my opinion. I would certainly fly them if I ever go back to Germany. Seattle was the North American launch city for their new Airbus A330-900's last year.
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Post by Kahloke on Jan 16, 2024 11:10:03 GMT -8
Quadra and Gabriola are already being served by these ships (?). There is an article posted above that talks about this. the 4 new Island Class boats will be electrified from the start, replacing the 4 existing IC vessels at Nanaimo-Gabriola and Campbell River-Quadra Island. Those existing IC's will NOT be upgraded to electric; 2 of them will be redeployed to Crofton-Vesuvius, replacing Quinsam, 1 will replace Tachek on the Heriot Bay-Cortes route, and 1 will be a reserve vessel I presume. It's a bit confusing, as WettCoast eluded to. www.timescolonist.com/local-news/battery-powered-ferries-to-operate-on-quadra-island-gabriola-routes-under-bc-ferries-plan-7678370
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Post by Kahloke on Jan 15, 2024 12:33:58 GMT -8
WestJet has recently painted a Boeing 737 700 into current livery the tail number is C-GWBN. I am posting these photos to show recent livery on 737-700. I like WestJet's livery. It's one of the better ones out there, like Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Air - all very nice designs.
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Post by Kahloke on Jan 14, 2024 16:43:01 GMT -8
After the Wally's grounding last spring, it got me wondering where that boat went aground in Eagle Harbor way back in the 80's. Is that something that someone here would remember? It was in 1981, in heavy fog. I believe Walla Walla grounded on Tyee Shoal just outside of Eagle Harbor - you know, that sand bar that the ferries have to slow down for and skirt around when doing the Seattle-Bainbridge run.
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Post by Kahloke on Jan 11, 2024 19:41:17 GMT -8
Pretty likely they will end up being scrapped. They've been sitting idle and not kept in good working condition for far too long now. Hope I'm wrong, though.
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Post by Kahloke on Jan 6, 2024 12:20:03 GMT -8
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Post by Kahloke on Jan 5, 2024 6:12:07 GMT -8
I agree with everyone but I think was asking in an odd way if escape system of vessel will be moved to main passenger deck like on the Olympic Class vessels? I am asking because it seems like change in rules for WSF. OK, that makes more sense, and is definitely more specific. New boats going forward will likely have the MES on the passenger cabin level as they are on the Olympics. I seriously doubt any of the older vessels will be retrofitted to move the MES up from the car deck unless it is mandated by changing regulations.
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Post by Kahloke on Jan 4, 2024 19:37:52 GMT -8
Amtrak undertakes the same process at Vancouver Pacific Central, followed by a "customs" check at the actual border. This is different than US Customs Pre-Clearance, which if implemented at either of these locations, would eliminate the stop for customs in Anacortes/Friday Harbor, and the US/Canada Border on Amtrak, respectively. That would mirror what US Customs does at Canadian airports for transborder flights. You clear customs at the departure airport, then when you land in the US, they can park at any gate, just like a domestic flight. I think that's also the case in Dublin, Ireland. US Customs set up shop there, too.
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Post by Kahloke on Jan 4, 2024 18:09:26 GMT -8
Based on how the voting went, every submission 12th place and above is in the rotation. That gives us 16 entries that will be displayed for the first half of 2024. Here are the winners:
1st place 28. Coho & Clipper V
2nd place 3. Queen of Alberni from above 20. passing Island Class ferries 42. Yakima
5th place 2. Passing Spirits 4. Queen of New Westminster 23. Tachek 24. Northern Sea Wolf 35. Northern Sea Wolf 38. Osprey 2000 43. Tillikum
12th place 11. Shuqi 13. Suquamish 30. Suquamish and Yakima 41. Kitsap Fast Ferries 45. Vashon ferries
Thanks to all who submitted entries and all who voted.
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Post by Kahloke on Jan 4, 2024 15:36:25 GMT -8
They also did do safety upgrades in the years leading up to 2020. Standardizing the # of evacuation rafts on each ship to bring capacities consistent to 1800 passengers I believe (1500 for Olympics) so that ships can operate with higher capacity on routes like Bainbridge even when only one ship is in service. That is good know. But look BC Ferries from 2003 to now every mid-life refit the safety system has changed on BC Ferries. Why doesn’t WSF do a similar thing with safety equipment? How do you know they haven't? I think you're making some broad assumptions which may or may not be true. If you have some evidence that WSF hasn't updated their safety equipment over the years, then please present it. Don't just make a general comment that WSF hasn't updated their safety systems, or that they don't change and/or upgrade their vessels over the years, as you stated earlier.
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Post by Kahloke on Jan 2, 2024 12:41:24 GMT -8
I hardly ever vote... I checked off my choices, but didn't see anything to actually post/enter them? Only been there since the beginning of December. The nomination/submission thread has been there since early December. This voting thread, the one in question here, was created yesterday. Two different things.
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Post by Kahloke on Jan 1, 2024 16:22:16 GMT -8
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Post by Kahloke on Jan 1, 2024 14:06:01 GMT -8
Thread is now locked. Stay tuned for the voting poll.
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Post by Kahloke on Dec 28, 2023 20:52:09 GMT -8
There are a lot of entries this time around. It seems like it warrants setting up a voting poll, so I plan on doing that, but it likely will not be until Monday, Jan 1st. I will be gone for most of this weekend, so the voting will be a little later than usual.
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Post by Kahloke on Dec 28, 2023 15:06:05 GMT -8
Long story short, no. The work contract outlines minimal work in addition to propulsion and hybrid installations. Review here: JMII Work Contract Part IVI am kinda shocked that Washington State Ferries doesn’t to significantly to changes to the vessels like what BC Ferries does. Sure they do. The Evergreens, Issaquahs, and the Supers (all but Hyak) received MLU's. For most of those vessels, the mid life upgrade went beyond mechanical and electrical upgrades; they also included new flooring, seating, lighting, and other finishes. In the case of the Evergreens, an exterior catwalk connecting the pickleforks was added. Yakima and Kaleetan received new pilothouse windows that slanted forward. As for the Jumbo Mark II's, Tacoma received new cabin furnishings and flooring in the early 2010's (not sure of the year). As far as I know, Puyallup and Wenatchee have not received cabin upgrades.
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Post by Kahloke on Dec 25, 2023 11:05:04 GMT -8
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