Qantas to turn over two A330s for MRTT conversion

The RAAF is acquiring two more KC-30A MRTT aircraft, through Qantas Airways. The first A330-200 has already stopped flying and will be turned over to CIT Aerospace on the 21st of July. It is aircraft VH-EBH, MSN 892. The second aircraft, VH-EBI, MSN 898 will be turned over on 20 November, and will stop flying in September.

Both aircraft will then fly to the Airbus Defence and Space facility at Getafe Spain to undergo conversion, and will enter service with the RAAF as tankers in 2018.

Qantas Airways will return two Airbus A330-200 aircraft to CIT Aerospace by the end of the year, pending their conversion to multi-role tanker transports (MRTT) for the Royal Australian Air Force.

The two airliners bear the registrations VH-EBH (MSN 892) and VH-EBI (MSN 898), says Australia’s Department of Defence (DoD). They will eventually be converted to KC-30As (the RAAF designation for the A330 MRTT) at Airbus Defence and Space’s Getafe, Spain facility, for delivery to the RAAF in 2018.

The DoD confirms that it will assume full ownership of the converted jets.

www.flightglobal.com...

a reply to: Zaphod58

Does this mean the DoD are going to pay off the Quantas mortgage on these 2? are Quantas in financial trouble?

CbG

a reply to: corblimeyguvnor

Yes they are, and not by any standard that I've seen. They're buying the aircraft directly from CIT. They probably took these two because they were already in Australia and wouldn't hurt Qantas to lose them.

originally posted by: corblimeyguvnor
a reply to: Zaphod58

Does this mean the DoD are going to pay off the Quantas mortgage on these 2? are Quantas in financial trouble?

G,day mate
negative Qantas we are told has turned the corner
made a profit and intends to give the staff a bonus

CbG

a reply to: pronto

This will actually help them in the long run. VH-EBH first flew in 2007, and VH-EBI flew in 2008. This will remove two older A330s from their fleet, and allow them to replace them with newer aircraft. Yeah, they're not old aircraft, but Qantas has been juggling their fleet to make it even more efficient, including retiring or returning 80 aircraft.

a reply to: Zaphod58

G,day Zapper
yep heard a bit about this
getting rid of older thirsty aircraft and looking to attain an average fleet age of 8 years by 2016

a reply to: pronto

Their international fleet is already at 7.5. They're moving their domestic fleet around now to bring that age down as well. They have one of the youngest fleets anywhere.

a reply to: Zaphod58

struth your bloody quick
mate you ever thought you need to find a hobby
might have to start calling u flash

a reply to: pronto

I'm on vacation for the next ten days. Nothing else to do today but sit around on ATS and watch movies.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Mate not to derail your thread but how about a western
john wayne and william holden in
the horse soldiers
you get my drift

QANTAS is pretty much a dieing company.Most of its maintenance capabilities that made us one of the world best have gone now.At the Jet Base in Sydney they have been demolishing hangars already.

originally posted by: Blackfinger
QANTAS is pretty much a dieing company.Most of its maintenance capabilities that made us one of the world best have gone now.At the Jet Base in Sydney they have been demolishing hangars already.

Must be doing something right, safest airline in the world!

a reply to: Forensick
And very proud of it.Just disheartening to see our capabilities going overseas now.