First 787s to be scrapped

[Halmyre]

Seems only yesterday that they were introduced.

https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/two-boeing-787-d...

[Countdown]

Indeed. i remember flying on a brand spanking new Thomson 787 to Orlando in 2013. it was fantastic compared to Virgin's somewhat knackerd 747s

[nebpor]

They're not being scrapped because they are old though, IIRC they are scrapping them because they can use the spares for other 787s

[Boatbuoy]

My understanding is that the cost of interior re-fits, and that they currently do not have airworthiness certificates renders them unsalable.

[GoodDoc]

Plus it seems like the -8 variant has fallen out of favor. The only orders for the -8 in the last 5 years appear to be single airframes for private use or by Governments, the -9 seems to account for the vast majority of new orders, and backlog.

So unpopular variant, possibly in need of expensive maintenance checks, and cabin refresh, parked for 2+ years, in a market with few if any recycled spares, and it appears that now they're worth more as the sum of their parts than an operational aircraft.

[Boom78]

Countdown said:

Indeed. i remember flying on a brand spanking new Thomson 787 to Orlando in 2013. it was fantastic compared to Virgin's somewhat knackerd 747s

I way about to say similar, I’ve flown to the Dominican and North American a few times, mostly on antique 747s or old airbuses. The 787 in comparison was night and day better; smooth, decent seat pitches, airy cabin and very modern. Takeoff felt more like going for a gentle glide compared to the usual bolt rattling ‘gun it’ experience.

[Mr Pointy]

It has the potential to be a good aircraft but it's ruined by airlines ramming in too many seats. I make sure to avoid flying in one if I can.

[AlexIT]

Mr Pointy said:

It has the potential to be a good aircraft but it's ruined by airlines ramming in too many seats. I make sure to avoid flying in one if I can.

Same thoughts. I flew a couple of times on Qatar's 787-9 in Economy (or premium Economy, can't remember) and the in flight entertainment unit below the seats made for really uncomfortable flights.

[Mr Pointy]

AlexIT said:

Mr Pointy said:

It has the potential to be a good aircraft but it's ruined by airlines ramming in too many seats. I make sure to avoid flying in one if I can.

Same thoughts. I flew a couple of times on Qatar's 787-9 in Economy (or premium Economy, can't remember) and the in flight entertainment unit below the seats made for really uncomfortable flights.

I was on the same carrier & agree it was very uncomfortable. I think I read they were meant to be 2-4-2 but the airlilnes wanted 3-3-3 & it's ruined the experience, for me at any rate.

[IanH755]

I used Saudia B787-9 about 3-5 times a year for four years and that particular airline probably had the "best" economy layout I've been in, with plenty of leg space and the seats feeling slightly wider than standard economy too .

[Brother D]

Wow! That's a surprise - it seems only a few years ago I flew on one and was rather impressed with the electro-dimming windows : )

How are these are getting chopped when I flew on a BA 747 out of Arizona which must have been 200 years old? (I'm never flying BA out of AZ again).

[ChocolateFrog]

When you're the only other option to going to the Boeing factory and pulling your pants down I imagine those spare parts will fetch a pretty penny.

[Pit Pony]

ChocolateFrog said:

When you're the only other option to going to the Boeing factory and pulling your pants down I imagine those spare parts will fetch a pretty penny.

As long as the maintence records are available as part of the spares package. Having worked in repair and overhaul, on airbus wing actuators, I'd say that Service history for anything with a serial number will be extensive. When we changed a seal, we documented the lot number that could be traced back to the actual rubber tree, and the fertiliser that was used, on what day, and which farm worker applied it to the soil.

[ecs]

Brother D said:

Wow! That's a surprise - it seems only a few years ago I flew on one and was rather impressed with the electro-dimming windows : )

How are these are getting chopped when I flew on a BA 747 out of Arizona which must have been 200 years old? (I'm never flying BA out of AZ again).

That's apparently the difference - these 787s have been abandoned in this pissing rain in Scotland for two years where as the ones in Arizona have been carefully stored in the dry. These two, along with quite a few others, are due heavy maintenance at 12yrs so the dismantelers are betting on there being a decent market for spares soon.

[Mabbs9]

Brother D said:

Wow! That's a surprise - it seems only a few years ago I flew on one and was rather impressed with the electro-dimming windows : )

How are these are getting chopped when I flew on a BA 747 out of Arizona which must have been 200 years old? (I'm never flying BA out of AZ again).

BA have had the brand new A350-1000 on that route for the last year. Although it's about to switch with the summer schedule.

[AlexIT]

Brother D said:

Wow! That's a surprise - it seems only a few years ago I flew on one and was rather impressed with the electro-dimming windows : )

How are these are getting chopped when I flew on a BA 747 out of Arizona which must have been 200 years old? (I'm never flying BA out of AZ again).

Toys made of metal vs toys made of plastic

[nikaiyo2]

Boom78 said:

I way about to say similar, I’ve flown to the Dominican and North American a few times, mostly on antique 747s or old airbuses. The 787 in comparison was night and day better; smooth, decent seat pitches, airy cabin and very modern. Takeoff felt more like going for a gentle glide compared to the usual bolt rattling ‘gun it’ experience.

Lol last year I flew one leg of a flight in business on an Ethiad 787 then a former Alitalia A319 from Rome, the contrast was rather large!

[texaxile]

Brother D said:

Wow! That's a surprise - it seems only a few years ago I flew on one and was rather impressed with the electro-dimming windows : )

How are these are getting chopped when I flew on a BA 747 out of Arizona which must have been 200 years old? (I'm never flying BA out of AZ again).

I flew Econ on a THAI 787 and a Singapore A350 last year, both long haul but I was really disappointed with the THAI, the seats were rock hard, the dimming "button" plastic cover was all split and didn't work, the seat was a bit wonky (didn't recline as far as the cattle class seat next to me) and it was just uncomfortable IFE was OK, but not brilliant. The A350 however was every bit as good as the A380 we travelled on for the first leg of our trip. Lovely seats, plenty of leg room and great IFE.

I'm not sure if the THAI aircraft was an early one, but tbh I was more comfortable in the Skyvan I travelled in from Seeb to Salalah in 1975 which I shared with a Pink Land Rover, 2 goats, 30 chickens and 5 drums of diesel.

[aeropilot]

Brother D said:

How are these are getting chopped when I flew on a BA 747 out of Arizona which must have been 200 years old? (I'm never flying BA out of AZ again).

BA retired all its remaining 747's almost 3 years ago....!!

[Tango13]

Pit Pony said:

ChocolateFrog said:

When you're the only other option to going to the Boeing factory and pulling your pants down I imagine those spare parts will fetch a pretty penny.

As long as the maintence records are available as part of the spares package. Having worked in repair and overhaul, on airbus wing actuators, I'd say that Service history for anything with a serial number will be extensive. When we changed a seal, we documented the lot number that could be traced back to the actual rubber tree, and the fertiliser that was used, on what day, and which farm worker applied it to the soil.

I used to make the wear pads for thrust reversers out of a 'plastic' called celazole, like you say the material had to be fully traceable.

Once the material was removed from the warehouse it couldn't be booked back in if it had had been machined in any way, we would be issued with a piece 12" square but only needed a bit 12x6 which meant half of it was effectively scrap.

We took to hiding the offcuts at the back of a cupboard and using them for the next batch, the numbers were correct so it was all legit and saved the company a small fortune