TZUTC: -0700   
   MSGID: 214.aviation@1:218/700 2d5e1596   
   REPLY: 1:135/250@fidonet 68f7060c   
   PID: Synchronet 3.21a-Win32 master/b113dcfdb Oct 11 2025 MSC 1944   
   TID: SBBSecho 3.30-Win32 master/b113dcfdb Oct 11 2025 MSC 1944   
   BBSID: REALITY   
   CHRS: CP437 2   
   FORMAT: flowed   
   -=> Rug Rat wrote to All <=-   
      
    RR>  On the subject of Combi...   
      
    RR> Going in circles..   The primary reason was safety.  Even updated fire   
    RR> supression on the main deck carying passengers carries it's own risks.   
    RR> Since the main method of fire supression in to starve the fire of   
    RR> oxygen.  What happens if you have a system dump in the portion of cabin   
    RR> with passengers?  You either kill your self loading cargo, or in the   
    RR> event of a an actual fire still have O2 being fed into the area (Mask   
    RR> dump).   
      
      
    That would be a selling point for some airlines.   
      
   "Our premium plus passengers enjoy our state of the art fire suppression   
   system. For our Premium Economy and Business Minus passengers, we offer   
   industry standard oxygen depletion systems for your safety."   
      
   "Ask your gate agent about upgrades..."   
      
      
      
      
      
      
    RR> There was other criteria the airlines and manufactures felt too constly   
    RR> to implement.  It usually always comes down to cost.  With the surge in   
    RR> dedicated cargo company's there was no longer a need for combi's.  They   
    RR> were a nice tool for airlines to adjust their loads during seasonal   
    RR> passenger flux, but companies can do that by carrying cargo in the   
    RR> holds anyway (Just limmited by size).   
      
    RR> The main reason remains.  Airbus engineered themselves into a corner.   
    RR> It's main purpose was a to develope a passenger aircraft, which they   
    RR> did.  The 747 was designed with a future role as a cargo aircraft in   
    RR> mind.  There is already a certified after market conversion process for   
    RR> the 747, doing so with the A380 would be starting from scratch as far   
    RR> as the conversion process goes.  As a business which road are you going   
    RR> to take?  The cost effective one, or the one that makes you the first   
    RR> to do so?   
      
    RR> ** Yes I am aware of the fully staffed "Preighter" flights.  While it   
    RR> seems like a waste of money, you are keeping your fleets active without   
    RR> having to pay for the cost of storage prep, storage, then prepping them   
    RR> to return to the line.  You are keeping your pilots in regs with flight   
    RR> time, you are keeping your crew in regs with training and flight time,   
    RR> and making money moving cargo, and with the vacines... a good public   
    RR> image.  The regs for FA staffing comes from how the aircraft is   
    RR> certified for evacuation, and the number of seats it is certified with.   
    RR>  (Even in the case of Korean Air, which removed seats to be able to   
    RR> strap packages to the floor, where some airlines just placed the   
    RR> packages in the seats..).   You also have a crew with a new side hustle   
    RR> of cargo loaders (I bet they were not paid extra for that!).  If it   
    RR> didn't help the airlines bottoms line during the pandemic, you know   
    RR> they would not have done so.   
      
    RR> Rug Rat (Brent Hendricks)   
    RR> Blog and Forums  - www.catracing.org   
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