Bestglide

I finally was out flying this week and had several conversations with different folks who all had different “opinions” and rumors as to what’s going on in these fleets. So I figured why not come here and get more rumors and opinions...ahhh I mean facts..
what have you heard?

baseball

I've head everything from parking those 777 airframes to keeping the 767's a lot longer. The 767 400's need Polaris. Not likely to get it. But, they really need C and in some cases D checks. Gear re-packs, re-hangs, and swings. I think you'll see 400's flying about and getting positioned for the work. We won't likely have enough 'lift" to meet demand this summer. No way to get the 400's up and flying while the 777's are down for engine inspections.

On the bright side, our AQP needs a tweek as the 400's were taken out of the syllabus. Don't know how inadvertent or intentional it was, but the Feds will have to re-bless some sort of plan to get the 756 community re-quall'd in the airframe. Just cuz we been doing a 400 in the sim and 400 PFD/ND in the CBT doesn't necessarily mean the Feds think we're current and qualified. I think only the "test pilots/retired pilots" have been moving those airframes. Thus the Hong Kong (ewr 400) mafia group has been shut down.

You wanted rumors.....there u have it.

cadetdrivr

If the 767-400 sims do not count for qualification currency, how can those same sessions count as required training or checking events?

Seems like it would have to be one or the other.

CLazarus

I've heard nothing, except that some of the -400s are indeed undergoing heavy maintenance. My opinion is that they will come back, they have plenty of life left in them despite their maintenance quirks. Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but prior to the pandemic I think our PS service was limited to 757s and 777s. Now that we've retired the dedicated PS 757s and a chunk of our 777 fleet is limping towards retirement I think the slack in our PS service is going to be taken up by 767s. The new JFK routes so far appear to be served by 767s, and I'd guess the BOS-LHR service will be done by west coast PS 767 crews laying over in BOS. I think PS 767s are why they are reopening the SFO/LAX 756 bases, I was actually surprised they closed them both initially as it left a gaping hole in west coast reserve coverage. My opinion is worth what you paid for it though.

biggun

I only know what I have heard from the Flight Office peeps and a check airman on the airplane. I don't have anything else on it. I guess our AQP rep at the FAA or POI would know more.

I don't think they "count" the way we might assume they count. Not everyone is totally in the loop on this. But, as a measure of validity....ask this: how many line pilots are able to snag those maintenance ferry trips to Hong Kong? The current answer is zero. However, just a few weeks ago a 767 400 did arrive in Hong Kong for maintenance. Some pilots filed PDR's on this and complained. Evidently only the test pilots were legal for the assignment.

It may be wise for the AQP people, the Training and checking people, and the managers of our flight manuals to all work in the same office. I've met people who have had special projects to "pull" various references to various airframe variants. With all the turnover in these management roles, I would be surprised to know if the actual managers in charge really know the status of all aspects of the fleet. The B756 is a complex fleet. Likely the hardest to manage. Not offering them an excuse, but I can see how these major details might get overlooked.

Since we're talking..."rumor." The real rumor is someone was told to pull the 767 400 from AQP as they were told the airframe wasn't coming back. I guess that may be the root of all the confusion. Likely no one anticipated the need to bring it back to provide relief for the 777 PW's. if we're too locked in or dependent on one airframe or another, it exposes vulnerability in the long haul mission as that reliance on one airframe could prove to be a vulnerability instead of a strength.

I just did my PFD/ND CBT. I think I am current and qualified. But, I guess I won't know til I try to pick up a 400 trip.

MasterOfPuppets

Everyone works in the same office and are in constant contact. I assure you that all the managers are well aware of their fleet status as of today and the future.

ugleeual

I was at captains charm school last month and was told the -400s were still going to be part of AQP. I’m not sure the turnaround time for Polaris mods... but per the United fleet website none have started mods yet... Rumor on another forum was first -400s starting this week... but not verified yet. All but 3 -300s have undergone Polaris mods... so fleet will be around for awhile.

cadetdrivr

Hmmm...has that been in the last month or two? I went through RQ2 in November and half the sims were in the 400.

baseball

I was at RQ in January. I didn't ask the question. As a matter of fact, I didn't even question the foot print, or the status of the fleet. I just went through the program. No real briefings or updates. Just some FOQA slides. This information is only 3 to 4 days old. It's a "rumor thread." Someone should email a QC Check airman or the 756 program manager and ask. That would put the thread to bed.

Why didn't any line pilots get to fly to Hong Kong? We normally see those in open time and can snag them. Since the CO and UA merger, i've seen these airframes/MX trips in the open time for line pilot pick up. That is before the mafia scoops them up.

MasterOfPuppets

There is a requirement for certain test flights to be flown prior to an airframe being re-introduced to passenger flying. They don’t need those flights for a ferry if test pilots fly it.

The 764 was never going anywhere it’s departure was all rumor. However there was talk of it being the absolute last fleet out of ROW. Training on the 764 was never stopped and it was never removed from AQP.