any pilot's here?

[hydrop]

SINGAPORE - Singapore Airlines Ltd. said it plans to reduce flights and ground more than a dozen planes as people travel less amid the global economic slowdown.

 

The carrier said it will reduce capacity by 11 percent between April and March 2010 from the previous twelve months and decommission 17 aircraft after air cargo shipments fell 20 percent recently.

 

"The drop in air transportation has been sharp and swift," the company said in a statement Monday. "We have to face the reality that 2009 is going to be a very difficult year."

 

Singapore Airlines said last month that it planned to cut flights to the U.S., Europe and Asia as demand dried up. The airline said last week its October-December profit fell 43 percent as it flew 4.2 percent fewer passengers.

 

The airline said it met with worker unions Monday to discuss voluntary leave without pay, voluntary early retirement and shorter work months. Managers will cut their salaries first if necessary, the carrier said.

 

"We will contemplate retrenchment only as a last resort, but we do not have the luxury of time," the company said. "We need to agree and act on some measures quickly so that we can push back the point of retrenchment as far as possible."

 

Singapore is facing its worst recession since splitting from Malaysia in 1965 as exports plummet. Gross domestic product shrank a seasonally adjusted, annualized 16.9 percent in the fourth quarter, and the government expects GDP in 2009 to contract as much as 5 percent.

 

 

[redbeacon]

The airline said it met with worker unions Monday to discuss voluntary leave without pay, voluntary early retirement and shorter work months. Managers will cut their salaries first if necessary, the carrier said.

 

Well...I guess it's time for the company to bite the bullet...

Terrible indeed

 

=====

 

Few general facts to note amidst the downturn, albeit some may make me more of an armchair airline CEO. Nevertheless:

 

1. They may have went a step in the right direction by leasing Airbus A330 middle-sized aircrafts for use on short and medium range routes.

SIA is one of the world's largest operator of the high capacity, long range Boeing 777 -- and the bulk of their fleet only consists of that (apart from the Boeing 747s).

However, only having this aircraft on hand to fly the low yield short routes is money wasting.

 

But until they have these new Airbus A330s delivered to them, we can't predict the financial weather for them just yet.

 

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/2345/840351229081479sl8.jpg

Photo © FrenchFrogs Airslides

JetPhotos.net Photo #6433686

 

2. Like other airlines, they've ordered a handful of Boeing 787 'dreamliner' aircraft. They will return their abovementioned Airbuses once the dreamliner gets delivered to thiem.

As the name implies, The Boeing Airplane corp has promised this airplane to be friendlier, greener, and most importantly to airline companies wanting to cut costs: cheaper to operate as it burns less fuel than the average airplane. It is however under development right now.

 

3. They've increased per-day flight frequencies for the past year already - this has seen bad financial performances during the economic downturn.

 

4. They've inaugurated nonstop exotic destinations such as Moscow and Houston (Texas, USA). Although they seemed like lucrative "oil" routes, strong rumors have shown that the passenger count for these routes were low. Again, money loss.

 

5. The non-stop Newark and Los Angeles flights on their Airbus A340-500 (dubbed LeaderShip) has seen low passenger numbers the past year. In response, they've converted those planes' seating arrangements to an "all business class seats" layout. However, even that proved ineffective, with some reporting only 30% of the plane is filled at one time.

 

Comments welcome.

[Cyanide14]

Anyone knows the transition altitude for Singapore airspace?

[sunnyday]

11000ft

 

Anyone knows the transition altitude for Singapore airspace?

[Cyanide14]

11000ft

 

The same goes for neighbouring airspaces?

Is FL11 applies only for commercial flights and not GA and military flights?

I know some countries transition altitude is as low as 5000ft.

 

Thanks!

[redbeacon]

The same goes for neighbouring airspaces?

Is FL11 applies only for commercial flights and not GA and military flights?

I know some countries transition altitude is as low as 5000ft.

 

Thanks!

 

I think the whole thing around this Flight Level, QNH and QFE serves on most aircraft if not all. Something to do with pressure differences plus allowances for aircraft-to-ground altitude error mishaps...too scientific and a bit chim for me to understand

 

Were you told to set your baro to 1013 at a certain altitude when you were in your flying days? (Just curious)

 

sunnyday is correct about the TA for Singaporean airspace. Even the CAAS' published approach plates and their SIDS/STARS do state that.

 

I saw somewhere Malaysia's transition altitude is 11,000ft and transition level is FL130 but the country may decide to change it as and when necessary.

 

(source: Kuala Lumpur-Sepang Int'l Airport Dakor 2A STAR approach plate)

 

====================

 

Got a question for you guys or anyone knowledgeable on this subject:

 

I tried digging into all kinds of aeronautical documents but couldn't find the official transition level for Singapore. Would it be because the airspace around our small island is small and that once they ascend to higher altitudes they already would be in another country already?

[redbeacon]

For those who are commercial airline aficionados,

here's some disturbing news for you:

 

Singapore Airlines' axes Vancouver as a destination.

Is this a sign of turmoil in Asia?

 

First, flight frequency reductions, rumored pay reductions, then the grounding of fleet to cut costs.

Now it's this:

 

Aficionados are reeling from news that Singapore Airlines is axing its 20-year-old service to Vancouver.

 

"We just got an e-mail that they are cancelling their flight. We never guessed it could happen," said Ravinder Gaba, a Vancouver-based travel agent who specializes in South Asia.

 

"I have talked to other agents and no one saw it coming. They have been here for so long. And it is a surprise, because it is a big name."

 

By that, Gaba means that the airline has long described itself as the world's heftiest by market cap; analysts have oft-lauded it as the best run and most profitable; and industry reviewers have consistently voted it No. 1 in many surveys.

 

But, of course, the mighty are stumbling all around the world and this example, in particular, gives B.C. consumers a front-seat view of the turmoil in Asia's hardest-hit economies... (continued here...)

 

 

At Cathay Pacific Airways, which expects to pick up some incremental traffic from Singapore Airlines' departure from having Vancouver as one of their destinations, spokeswoman Jennifer Pearson said: "You never like to see it happen. The market conditions are difficult. There is no question of this [because of] the worldwide economy we are facing at the minute.

 

"We have seen a softening in our business in first class travel, but the economy class is holding up quite well. We have less flights than last year. We had three flights a day; we now have two. We are very competitive right now.

 

"That is the name of the game."

[sunnyday]

Singapore Transition Level is FL130 and Transition Altitude is 11000ft

 

Climbing up, you change to 1013 at Transistion Altitude so that every aircraft is maintaining a level based on the same datum

 

Descending, you change to QNH as you descend past Transition Level as you need to maintain terrain clearance based on sea level pressure

 

I think the whole thing around this Flight Level, QNH and QFE serves on most aircraft if not all. Something to do with pressure differences plus allowances for aircraft-to-ground altitude error mishaps...too scientific and a bit chim for me to understand

 

Were you told to set your baro to 1013 at a certain altitude when you were in your flying days? (Just curious)

 

sunnyday is correct about the TA for Singaporean airspace. Even the CAAS' published approach plates and their SIDS/STARS do state that.

 

I saw somewhere Malaysia's transition altitude is 11,000ft and transition level is FL130 but the country may decide to change it as and when necessary.

 

(source: Kuala Lumpur-Sepang Int'l Airport Dakor 2A STAR approach plate)

 

====================

 

Got a question for you guys or anyone knowledgeable on this subject:

 

I tried digging into all kinds of aeronautical documents but couldn't find the official transition level for Singapore. Would it be because the airspace around our small island is small and that once they ascend to higher altitudes they already would be in another country already?

[redbeacon]

Singapore Transition Level is FL130 and Transition Altitude is 11000ft

 

Climbing up, you change to 1013 at Transistion Altitude so that every aircraft is maintaining a level based on the same datum

 

Descending, you change to QNH as you descend past Transition Level as you need to maintain terrain clearance based on sea level pressure

 

Thank you so much!

You've just answered a 5-year-old question that I've tried searching high and low of

[sunnyday]

anything can be searched on google?

 

worst case..check caas website

 

http://www.caas.gov.sg/caasWeb/export/sites/caas/en/Regulations_And_Guidelines/Rules_and_Regulations/ATS/AIP/enroute/enr1/ENR1.7.pdf

 

Thank you so much!

You've just answered a 5-year-old question that I've tried searching high and low of

[hydrop]

Any idea where in singapore or malaysia can I try ultralight flying?

[Cyanide14]

Anyone know when will there be an airshow in Malaysia or Thailand? except for LIMA'09...

 

thanks!

[nineh]

ok,

 

I cant believe how I never found this thread b4! pretty cool thing u guys have going here.

 

jus to say hi... not a pilot. have some flying experience.

 

all on hold now due to finances...hope to get things going again once im done studying and working full time again... :>

 

now some food for thought... im sick of blowing 500 over bucks to perth to catch the red bull air race every year (although I totally love perth - like my second home...)...

 

Watcha guys reckon the chances or Red Bull holding or rather getting a permit and license to hold the air race right here in SG ?

 

any plausible locations ??

 

:>

[Cyanide14]

Juz asking the difference between UTC time and S'pore time now is it 8hours?

Now Europe summer already, does daylight savings come into effect?

 

Thanks!

[nineh]

Juz asking the difference between UTC time and S'pore time now is it 8hours?

Now Europe summer already, does daylight savings come into effect?

 

Thanks!

 

yup, its daylight saving now in EU.

 

Start: Last Sunday in March at 1 am UTC

End: Last Sunday in October at 1 am UTC

 

http://www.webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/g.html

[Cyanide14]

Hi guys,

 

Juz wanna know during a maintenance engine run, the engine catches fire, what should u transmit? A "PAN" call or a "Mayday" call?

 

 

 

Thanks a lot,

[nineh]

Hi guys,

 

Juz wanna know during a maintenance engine run, the engine catches fire, what should u transmit? A "PAN" call or a "Mayday" call?

 

 

 

Thanks a lot,

 

well, i would think it should follow what is stated in the SOP or BOLDface actions for the A/C.

 

but considering it from a practical point of view, I think the immediate actions for Eng Fire on the Grnd would be to shut down the Eng immediately. So once Eng is shut down and the fire is out, I guess u shd just inform Grnd Control and get outta the A/C.

 

That's wat i think anyway.

[retro]

i think pan and may usually used in air.. ground no need..

[sunnyday]

if there's on board extinguishing systems..use them..if it fails..ask ATC for fire services and evacuate

[Cyanide14]

i think pan and may usually used in air.. ground no need..

 

so its not 'mayday' or 'pan'?

[retro]

it's used in distress situation, so i reckon, if i were to be in such situation, and to get attention of the tower, i will use mayday even im on ground.. sorry for previous misleading post... just declare mayday and inform them of your position/situation and type of assistance required.

well i said i wont use on ground cos i will get out of the a/c if it's on fire!!! and then once out, i will use GSM to get the guys to help..

[honda repsol]

im a pilot

[piercingpain]

oh man! haha.. i used to be in syfc.. super miss flying! Wish i could go up again..

[retro]

what's the big deal... lots of pilots out there...

[honda repsol]

what's the big deal... lots of pilots out there...

 

chill la..i tok C()ck..