Ideal Number of Starting Aircraft

[jetbirdceo]

Hi All,

New to the game and looking forward to starting. Currently I'm running operations out of BWI with a fleet of 737-700s. I was wondering what the ideal number of aircraft I should be leasing is, eg maximizing profits without drowning in lease payments/maintenance costs. I currently have 2, which are operating a total of 6 routes (12 flights). Thanks for any help!

[gazzz0x2z]

Well, it's a competitive game. So the ideal number is the number you can fly. Which means forecast for lease costs upfront plus slot costs. In current GW3, it costs me 2.7M$ to lease a new A320, including the seating reconfiguration. Slots can cost anywhere between 800k$ to 3M$ right now for me. So I need to have enough cash to take a new one. In BW, those numbers are probably different.

That's as simple as that - just be sure your current fleet is not bleeding cash before investing more. Just stop taking new planes when you don't have demand to serve anymore.

[jetbirdceo]

Thanks for the help! I'm acquiring about a new aircraft every month/two weeks at the current rate while still keeping my profits and slowly filling demand. Another quick question- does anyone have advice as to whether one should prioritize adding flights to existing routes to meet demand versus expanding to new locations?

[gazzz0x2z]

Thanks for the help! I'm acquiring about a new aircraft every month/two weeks at the current rate while still keeping my profits and slowly filling demand. Another quick question- does anyone have advice as to whether one should prioritize adding flights to existing routes to meet demand versus expanding to new locations?

depends on opposition.

in real game worlds, where demand is cutthroat, it's usually better to go where opposition is not yet, which means to spread out a maximum(while not completely giving up the cash cows). If you have no opposition(much more frequent in a beginner's game), strong route image, and a lot of untapped demand in an already existing route, however, the immediate profit can help boost your growth.

[jetbirdceo]

Sorry for the multiple questions, but I figured I would just ask here rather than start another thread, as it is still somewhat related to the original topic. I have noticed that many of the top grossing and valued airlines in BW2 have leased most if not all of their aircraft. It was my impression that once your airline had enough cash it was cheaper to buy rather than lease- is this not the case? Or is this just a phenomenon seen in the BW's that is not as prevalent in the real game worlds?

Lastly, is there an ideal "safety net" of revenue or assets that is advisable before investing in purchasing new aircraft, or is it more of when you feel comfortable that your airline will not be tanked by a new aircraft purchase? Thank you all again for your help!

[arefixz]

Yes buying is cheaper than lease in long term. If you did maths, total leasing cost for 8year is almost equivalent to price of buying that aircraft. Let's take example aircraft price is 40m. You lease them for 8 years, about 417k/month. Summing up lease every month for 8years and total cost  will be 40m, yet you need to send back the aircraft after lease. If you buy, that aircraft is yours and can still be use for few more years.

Buying is not very beneficial in BW as its very short, join up GW and you will enjoy more buying aircrafts for future investments. Be warn that GW is not easy as BW, get yourself mentor to teach you GW tips.

In any starting world, all matters is expansion. You need to expand very quick that you need to grab lots of aircraft quickly. Leasing is quick option to get them until your profit enough to start buying.

Regarding safety net you mentioned, its all about how you plan on paying for it. If its Used Market(UM), simple as you buy when you have enough money. If its ordering new aircraft, beware that bank will force to take your money after delivery of aircraft if you paid low downpayment. If you ordered a lot, it will deliver and forcibly take your money 1-3x every month. Make sure to make more profit per month so that you can sustain the amount bank will take from you every month.

[gazzz0x2z]

arefixz said everything, I just want to insist on :

(.../...) Be warn that GW is not easy as BW, (.../...)

GWs are difficult, or very difficult. In current GW3, 40% of companies starting day one did not survive one year, and after 27 months of gameplay, the churn rate is already at 56%, and plenty of companies are surviving now because they hedged cleverly but will die when their hedge will finish, or are too weak to survive the upcoming events (2001 was not the best year for air transport, by far).

Previous GW3, I HQ'd in CDG. Had 5 opponent from start, 4 next game year, and 7 or 8 arrived later, either through HQ'ing or basing here. Exactly one based guy(a top 10 player) survived there up the end of the game, not leaving me alone. GWs are difficult.

All the art is to grow fast enough to take the market, but not too fast to avoid being excessively vulnerable. If you are too small, the big boys in your airport will prevent you from breathing, just by existing and taking all the place. If your market is mature and you are leasing 100% of your airframes, your profit will dive enough to kill you.

The second difficult part is to prepare transitions. An airframe lasts 24 years, less if it's soviet steel. The shortest GW lasts 38 years. You need to manage fleet renewals to survive. It's long, tedious, and full of traps. It needs to be forecasted years, if not decades, in advance. It's usually where "good" players discover they are not good enough, despite being far better than average.

[paddk989]

You need to manage fleet renewals to survive. It's long, tedious, and full of traps. It needs to be forecasted years, if not decades, in advance. It's usually where "good" players discover they are not good enough, despite being far better than average.

I agree with this statement. Fleet renewal of planes is time consuming to say the least.