105 replies to this topic

[YupWeWin]

Anything in the Airbus A320 family is a go to for budget airlines!

[KJS607]

Anything in the Airbus A320 family is a go to for budget airlines!

Not so much the A318, economics of scale lead to it becoming pointless alongside the A319 thanks to the difference in fuel efficiency and this becomes even more so once sSharklets become available for the A319 later in the game. Unless of course you need its unique runway/range capability.

 

The A320 is a good medium, especially with higher density configurations, though the A321 is a dream come true for low cost, if you can fill it.

[AV8R]

ATR 72-500 for regional routes.

[AVA117]

ATR 42 Series: Good for extreme low demand regional routes

ATR 72 Series: Good for regional routes

Boeing 737/Airbus A320 Series: Good for short-medium haul (with the exception of Airbus A319-100 LR which can act as a long-haul airliner due to its range capability)

Boeing 747-400: The best in long-haul high demand routes (I never tried the Airbus A380 before so I don't know)

 

In the 70's I find the Lockheed L-1011 "Tristar" profitable.

[Marb1]

Not so much the A318, economics of scale lead to it becoming pointless alongside the A319 thanks to the difference in fuel efficiency and this becomes even more so once sSharklets become available for the A319 later in the game. Unless of course you need its unique runway/range capability.

 

The A320 is a good medium, especially with higher density configurations, though the A321 is a dream come true for low cost, if you can fill it.

In the A320 family, I always use A320-200s when spamming and switch to A321-200s when they come out: http://ae31.airline-...=ae3s2&player=3

[SUJETO]

This is a 3D problem.

 

Because you have the following dimensions for select a best profitable plane:

• PAX
• Range
• ERA

[Tesla]

 

This is a 3D problem.

 

Because you have the following dimensions for select a best profitable plane:

• PAX
• Range
• ERA

 

yes.  Very very true

 

12 months ago, LJ asked me how many routes I had found with demand for 2 daily A380s. From major tier 1 and 2 global cities, any route to another major capital in a major country will provide enough. LGW-JFK, LGW-MAD, LGW-DXB. Just to name 3. I would fly A380s to all aside from madrid because madrid is WAY TOO short for an a380 to justify it. I'd just flood the frequencies instead

[RehanTheBlock]

The Il-18 is a good one

[Jarkii]

The most profitable aircraft are usually the most fuel efficient ones.

An aircraft's fuel efficiency can be described as fuel flow / seats. the lower the better.

Speed also increases the profitability of an aircraft, because it can fly more frequencies a week, making more money.

Look for the aircraft with the least fuel flow/ seats and best speed in respect.

[Jarkii]

Has anyone tried the C919? Ive just seen it has a fuel flow of 11,827 and a pax capacity of 190... It has roughly the same seating capacity as the A320NEO and 737-MAX8, but has less fuel flow than both of them. It's range is it's only disadvantage... but thats no problem if your using it domestic in US/China/Europe.

[Eastern Air Lines]

ATR 42 Series: Good for extreme low demand regional routes
ATR 72 Series: Good for regional routes
Boeing 737/Airbus A320 Series: Good for short-medium haul (with the exception of Airbus A319-100 LR which can act as a long-haul airliner due to its range capability)
Boeing 747-400: The best in long-haul high demand routes (I never tried the Airbus A380 before so I don't know)

In the 70's I find the Lockheed L-1011 "Tristar" profitable.

You think the A380 is too big to be profitable?

[Tesla]

You think the A380 is too big to be profitable?

no. But it can be challenging to find routes for it to run at decent frequencies sometimes. And when you do, they can be heavily contested

[Jason Hite]

The problem with the A380 is the fact that if you use a more dense config it becomes really hard to provide decent frequency. And even if you do get enough demand to get good frequency, with demand comes competition, so you earn little per seat. I have 3 configs on my A380 currently, one 70 C 600Y config for domestic operations and routes, and two international configs, 8F 42C 350/416Y. It's a good thing you can only receive 1 A380 every 4 weeks otherwise I'd have too many for my own good.

[Tesla]

The problem with the A380 is the fact that if you use a more dense config it becomes really hard to provide decent frequency. And even if you do get enough demand to get good frequency, with demand comes competition, so you earn little per seat. I have 3 configs on my A380 currently, one 70 C 600Y config for domestic operations and routes, and two international configs, 8F 42C 350/416Y. It's a good thing you can only receive 1 A380 every 4 weeks otherwise I'd have too many for my own good.

that's the thing

 

To run an a380, you need at least 2 of these 3 things

High demand low competition airports with long runways 

High demand unnoticed routes

A high demand country of operation at both ends of the route (for connections mainly as backup)

 

If you have a high demand low competition airport and high demand unnoticed routes, you'll make a lot of money. If you don't have high demand unnoticed routes, you'll still make a good amount. If you have only one or none of the 3, you will likely get murdured. Having all 3 will be one of the rarest things and you should jump on it at the earliest opportunity

[Jason Hite]

that's the thing

 

To run an a380, you need at least 2 of these 3 things

High demand low competition airports with long runways 

High demand unnoticed routes

A high demand country of operation at both ends of the route (for connections mainly as backup)

 

If you have a high demand low competition airport and high demand unnoticed routes, you'll make a lot of money. If you don't have high demand unnoticed routes, you'll still make a good amount. If you have only one or none of the 3, you will likely get murdured. Having all 3 will be one of the rarest things and you should jump on it at the earliest opportunity

Yeah I agree. It's just hard to find all 3 together. It's not that I don't earn the same amount or a good amount of money, it's just the fact that the feasibility of using the A380 isn't for everyone. An airline running out of a small demand country/market will have difficulty utilizing the A380 to its full potential unless they're playing an open world.

 

And the A380's fuel burn for its size is excellent, about 10%-30% more efficient than the 747-400 and especially the 747-400ER.

[KMRobinson318]

One thing I learned from my last game: Don't replace A330-200s with 767-400ERs!

 

747-400s on the face of it would seem to be at the very least a good stop-gap while waiting for the A380s and 747-8Is to become available, but I actually found that switching to the 777-300ER actually made routes more profitable, despite a slight reduction in seating capacity...

 

Another thing I noticed was that in the used aircraft market, the vast majority of used aircraft are fitted with the "default" engine option (the one at the top of the list!), so I would exploit that for aircraft for which the default is best, but not for others.

 

Aircraft I've used for which the default engine option is best:

Any with only 1 option (obviously!)

A340-300

A340-600

777-300ER

787-9

[LJ Aviation]

One thing I learned from my last game: Don't replace A330-200s with 767-400ERs!

 

747-400s on the face of it would seem to be at the very least a good stop-gap while waiting for the A380s and 747-8Is to become available, but I actually found that switching to the 777-300ER actually made routes more profitable, despite a slight reduction in seating capacity...

 

Another thing I noticed was that in the used aircraft market, the vast majority of used aircraft are fitted with the "default" engine option (the one at the top of the list!), so I would exploit that for aircraft for which the default is best, but not for others.

 

Aircraft I've used for which the default engine option is best:

Any with only 1 option (obviously!)

A340-300

A340-600

777-300ER

787-9

Why ever replace planes?

I mean I fly 40 year old planes.

The thing is once your airline is huge, you dont have time to replace planes and reassign them to routes.

 

In terms of efficiency, depends on the ingame time.

Early (-1960) Do not get jets early (no 707 or DC-8).  Props during this time are a way better option that the 707. 727 is the first jet you should get.

1960-2000: B727, B737, B747, A300, A320, A330-300 are all good options.

2001-: All Boeing and Airbus jets are good options. Avoid helicopters. Q400 is incredibly efficient. A330-800/-900 is not worth it just stick with -200/-300. A340-300 is extremely efficient for no reason. 

[mastacheifa118]

I use 757s on nearly all of my transatlantic routes. Fantastic plane.

[Eastern Air Lines]

I use 757s on nearly all of my transatlantic routes. Fantastic plane.

Hence its versatility is one reason why I considered it as one of my favorite planes to fly in AE

[mastacheifa118]

Hence its versatility is one reason why I considered it as one of my favorite planes to fly in AE

My game world is nearing the year 2000... gotta start spamming 757 orders now