Is this ferry flight route possible for a B737-800 WL?

Question

Recently a new aircraft, B737-86X (tail AP-BNA) was delivered to a new airline in Pakistan.

The ferry flight as reported by planespotters is BFI - BGO - KHI but this seems like a large stretch given the performance of the aircraft (range of 3,115 nm); so I am trying to find the exact ferry route taken.

However, flightware only shows the test flight when I search by the tail number.

Is there a way to find out what the actual flight plan was?

To clarify based on comments:

I am aware that additional modifications can be done on ferry flights (since these are not normal passenger flights) - such as adding of additional fuel tanks - however, due to the facilities available at KHI I doubt this was the case.

Further I understand that it may be possible that the plane was flown BFI-BGO-KHI - even without any further modifications (favorable winds, etc); so I am trying to find a way to confirm what was the actual flight plan; or if crew-only 737-8 WL can fly that route without modifications.

Its possible the performance of the empty aircraft allows such a flight to be made or its more than possible they installed ferry tanks — Dave, Nov 21 '16 at 20:14
Looking at the map makes me wonder: since it's a ferry flight, there aren't any passengers to get upset by an extra stop. Can you take of with Norway as intended destination, but with officially insufficient fuel, using Iceland as an extra stop if the Jetstream is unfavourable? Or the other way around, have Iceland as the planned stop, and if the Jetstream is favourable, replan to Norway? — MSalters, Nov 22 '16 at 00:13
related: How do airliners get from the factory to the client if the aircraft does not have the required range? — Manu H, Nov 22 '16 at 03:54
Just to clarify, I am not asking how to retrofit the aircraft to make that flight, I am asking if there is a way to validate if BFI - BGO - KHI was the actual route taken. — Burhan Khalid, Nov 22 '16 at 05:59
@BurhanKhalid You may edit your question to add this clarification in it. — Manu H, Nov 22 '16 at 06:01

score 11 · Answer 1 · 2016-11-30T01:13:37.663

enter image description here

(737-800 Payload/Range chart) The winglet version has increased range compared to the chart above, per the airport planning manual.

The variant with the 31.7-tonne fuel capacity has a max ferry range of ~5,500 NM. The biggest leg in your question is ~4,400 NM, it's doable even without any tailwind.

In case the 737 in question has the basic fuel capacity (20.9 tonnes), flying eastbound usually cuts the distance due to flying in tailwind. For example, a distance of 4,400 NM at a true airspeed of 450 knots is reduced to 3,600 NM (air distance) with an average tailwind of 100 knots. And down to 3,300 NM with average tailwind of 150 knots.

The wind may provide a head- or tailwind component, which in turn will increase or decrease the fuel consumption by increasing or decreasing the air distance to be flown.— Wikipedia

It could be down to choosing the best day to fly with the best jet streams.

score 10 · Answer 2 · answered Nov 21 '16 at 20:56

10

As @Dave said, 3,115 nm is the range fully loaded (full of passengers and baggage).

As a relocation flight, it almost certainly had no passengers and minimal crew. Its range would be considerably greater.

It may also have extra temporary fuel tanks installed, if needed.

answered Nov 21 '16 at 20:56

abelenky

30,696
9
92
143

2

I understand that on some flights, ferry tanks are installed. But as there are no facilities at KHI to do a complete interior of the aircraft; I doubt this was the case. – Burhan Khalid Nov 22 '16 at 05:58

score 5 · Answer 3 · answered Nov 21 '16 at 23:50

An empty 737-800, correctly configured, would have no trouble whatsoever with the 3800+nm longest leg on this flight, actually -- using the 737 airport planning document's payload-range chart for the 737-800 on PDF page 96, and assuming that it has at least one fuel capacity option installed (the base model with no body tanks can't make the trip for fuel capacity reasons), we get a maximum range for 100klbs of OEW+payload (i.e. over 4 tons of payload margin available) of a bit over 3900nm, and over 4000nm range for the no-payload case (91.3klb representative OEW). Of course, if the plane has more fuel tanks installed, it can fly further as it's fuel capacity limited at such light payload weights.

@ymb1 That requires the airline to order the full complement of aux tanks though. — UnrecognizedFallingObject, Nov 22 '16 at 12:31

Is this ferry flight route possible for a B737-800 WL?

3 Answers3

Linked

Related