Also remember that B727's typically use a 3 person crew adding to the operating cost. At 03:18 PM 9/24/2002 -0400, you wrote: >In a message dated 9/24/02 11:38:22 AM US Mountain Standard Time, >damiross2@attbi.com writes: > > > > Okay, here's my mantra about "old" aircraft. > > The aircraft is x years old - that doesn't mean it ain't > > a good aircraft. There's a good possibility that there > > isn't a single piece of original equipment on the > > aircraft because of all of the major overhauls done on > > it over the years. > > The aircraft is fully depreciated, allowing it to have > > some financial operating efficiencies that a new > > aircraft doesn't have. In other words, it may use more > > fuel but other operating costs are less and offset the > > fuel costs. > > > >Regardless of all the new avionics and interior you're still looking at a 30 >year old airframe. As far as being fully depreciated, not if you're the >current owner who has sunk several million into the aircraft. Keep in mind >each time an aircraft changes hands, depreciation starts all over again. >Knowing fuel is the number one cost of any airline and it takes three up >front to fly a B727, compare the hourly operating cost to an NG. Aside from >the mechanical side of this debate, I seriously doubt this venture will find >a profitable niche in coast to coast transportation. But hey, someone thinks >transforming Vanguard into Hooters Air is a worthy cause! > >RT Simpson >Phoenix Don Kaiser Highlands Ranch, CO