d3van

Netbooks are 10" or smaller units. They easily fit on a tray table and cost as little as $200.

andrewwm

I would think that new seats+new screens would actually be more expensive to outfit with non-avod PTV looping films technologies (if they're even made anymore?). If you've got to rip out the seats+screens anyway and replace with new build, the marginal cost of going AVOD at that point is minimal, given that the hardware will already be installed for the F/C cabins.

The one way it makes sense to go non-AVOD is I guess UA could convert the Y cabin to 747 style overhead screens. Would probably be the first IFE retrogression on an international plane in the history of flying, but wouldn't put it past UA.

UA has a summer schedule that only requires 21 747s. They have extras as hot spares in the hubs because of the low dispatch reliability of the 747 and lack of resale value on the aftermarket.

WineCountryUA

As ASUS owner (and a full size laptop), well understand the size.... comments still stand.

mahasamatman

One server driving many screens is far cheaper than one server per seat.

andrewwm

The costs of the electronics serving the content aren't really the dominant cost - it's the power units (those huge equipment boxes on the 777 and 767), the screen, the electronics needed to drive the screen, plus the PCU (passenger control unit). If you've got to replace all of that anyway, the cost of getting a new system versus buying a looping system is pretty minimal (if new looping systems are even still sold that would drive all of those seats).

The big reason that they weren't replaced on the current gen airplanes is that you'd have to basically replace all the seats at the same time, since the PCU and the new screens probably wouldn't fit in the old seats.

Edit: There is an argument for ongoing maintenance costs, however. As the Panasonic units in the new seats demonstrate, IFE systems are maintenance hogs.

UA_Flyer

I have been on a 744 in old color and new C/F seats. I thought it was odd they changed to new configuration during D check without repainting the plane in new livery.

planemechanic

These two things are unrelated. The airplanes are not stripped of paint at the D check.


Again, not true. Very few skin inspections require stripping the paint, and those that do are typically done by stripping just that specific area and then repainting that small area. This is why you will sometimes see new areas of paint within the original paint job.



True, since the visits are unrelated, this can happen.

The IPTE work is done:

a.) as a standalone visit
b.) in conjunction with c-checks
c.) in conjunction with d-checks

and each visit takes a different amount of time.

planemechanic

There is no such thing as a "spare" 747. They do have the ability to take a 747 that is scheduled for an afternoon flight and use that plane on a morning flight which allows them time to fix whatever was wrong with the original airplane. But there are no "spares" just sitting there unscheduled.


You may be confusing the schedule with the airplanes needed to keep the schedule in force. Typically there is always one airplane in scheduled maintenance at any one time, either c-check or D-check, sometimes there are two. Then you add in the other maintenance visits, such as gear changes, service bulletin work etc.. and you can lose another plane out of the schedule. This is true of all fleets. Some fleets have 3-4 aircraft in c-check/d-checks at any one time.

dfreeman02

How did you learn this fact? Did you go through the schedule and track 747 movement over a period of days until you got back to the initial configuration? Or is the data available somewhere?

ASUDan130

Is there any chance UA upgrades the fleet on this route or makes any chances before June?

I am flying in June 2010 will the new business class be configured for the SIN-NRT-IAD. Are they configuring every plane for certain routes? I would assume United would do it for this route as its one of its longest routes. I was just wondering when its supposed to be fully completed.

dh01

NOPE

ASUDan130

Why are you saying nope? When United is saying they are reconfiguring all of their international aircraft for business class
http://www.suitedreams.united.com/

They even have that dedicated website for it. My guess is flight 804 will be one of the first to be configured in the new business class considering it is one of its longest routes. Does anyone know when the 777 of this route will be completed?

FlyinHawaiian

Please see: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...ns-update.html

mymiles2go

Actually, as an aside, NRT-IAD as of December (can't remember exact cutover date, may be earlier) goes to a 744, which means short of them failing to complete the last 1 or 2 planes by then, you would be in new biz class...

LA_Traveler

The 747's will all be reconfigured before next June. The 777's conversion won't even start until next February, at the earliest. Chances of reconfigured 777 on the NRT-SIN route by next June is slim to none.