LY777

OK, thanks
Some airlines (like El Al) know the exact tail number 10 months in advance. Of course, there can be a change.
I will fly on Aug 27th.
I hope I will not get a missing window...

azj

There's no way they'd commit to a certain tail number that far out, given the complexity and fluidity of the business. At this point, HAL knows it will be a 767. In July/August they'll likely narrow it down to a certain tail number based on maintenance needs etc… and then in the days leading up to the flight they'll plan on a specific airplane. Even then, things can change that morning. The moral of the story is this… don't obsess over this issue. Book a seat now and as the time draws near, double check on it.

LY777

No, in fact, I don't mind about my seat, I just would like to avoid the very old ex-DL 763s

azj

Why? The "very old" ex-DL planes have newer interiors than the other 767s and are maintained to the same standards as the rest of the fleet. With one being retired next month that leaves 2 in the fleet, giving you a 2 in 11 chance of flying on one of them. They do however, often fly the OGG flights.

LY777

Because my wife is afraid of flying LOL
If I tell her that the plane is 28, she will kill me LOL

And I love winglets on the newer 767s

azj

Haha! Okay. Well, don't tell her how old the plane is. Anyhow, by the time you find out what the tail number is you're likely at your destination. Yes, the winglets are indeed sharp. Seriously though, a planes age is not measured in years, but in cycles. I guarantee HAL wouldn't be flying a plane that was unsafe due to age. But I understand the concern.

LY777

yes, I have never flown a 767 with winglets, and yet, I've flown the 767 many times (DL, AA, LY).
I know HA is a safe airline that wouldn't take risks, but I still feel safer on newer planes

Boeing_747SP

Which 767 will leave the fleet in april? Do you by chance now when the remaining two will be retired?

azj

It seem the April retirement has been delayed slightly and as far as I know the fall retirement is still on schedule. These are both ex-DL planes, but given the fact that HAL owns them outright, the retirement schedule is always subject to adjustment.

SpaceCoastBill

Don't worry, I found its new home!

Boeing_747SP

Ok, I assume they are being phased out based on due date of next heavy maintenance (e.g. D-Check). Right?

azj

Basically... yes.

javanite

We're flying OAK - KOA this summer on HA 65 & 66.

Is there a way to tell which rows have a decent view of the overhead video terminals? I looked on SeatGuru, but did not find this information.

azj

I think the monitors are spread out quite well and there isn't really a viewing problem from any seats, that I've experienced.

Alex909

The issue of old vs. new is complex. In engineering school they drilled the "bathtub curve" into us (avoid very new and very old). But the particular maintenance regime of airliners might mitigate some of the bathtub effects.

When people think about safety, they tend to focus on simple "common sense" things such as age. But your wife might also want to consider the potentially more grave impact of newer, highly computerized flight controls on safety. A newer, more automated plane (ie. A330) might be more unsafe than a very old 767 if the flight crew gets into unusual situations (google AF447 for a recent case), and if the crew can't understand or deal with the complex failure modes and computerized messages of the various flight control systems in time to avoid a serious accident. In more recent airplane designs the control system and the way it responds to input and provides feedback is completely different from the older models, and (in some very unlikely but catastrophic situations) that can me decisive.

Certain design features of the last 20 years (ie. non-visual feedback joystick-based control vs visual feedback based control joke, non-intuitive thrust levers) have been controversial with us in the engineering community for a very long time (the president of the German "Cockpit" pilot association pointed this out to me as a major concern of their members with Airbus as early as 1994) More recently, experts in the US have chimed in on this as well. Captain Sullenberger, for example, has participated in a re-enactment of AF447 where he clearly points out issues with Airbus joystick-style automation and how they contributed to the crew getting into an impossible "deep stall at high altitude" situation (ask me for details if interested)

Given the complexity of the new computerized controls and the fact that Hawaiian pilots are still in the process of transitioning from Boeing to Airbus, I would personally still choose the old DL767 over an A330, at least for a few more years. Would be interested how others on this forum feel about this.

Note that I am not picking on Airbus alone here. In their models since the 767, Boeing has unfortunately introduced similar over-automation. See, for example, the complex alternate modes of the 777. But to their credit, Boeing have stayed away from the most controversial Airbus "innovations" such as joysticks.