Air New Zealand Flying Times August 1984 - Special Boeing 767 issue

 

Flying Times August 1984 - the 767 ER edition

Air NZ CEO describes why the 767s were a good choice

767 first new design since the 747

767 history

Engine choice

Introduction of 767 in service elsewhere

767 range

767 cockpit technology

767 economy class interior (Boeing LOPA)

For the imminent introduction of its first Boeing 767s, Air NZ published this special edition of Flying Times, with a mix of colour and black and white images. It contained no actual images of the first Air NZ 767s, but highlighted why the airline acquired them, and the technical and economic advantages of the airliner type for the airline.  They would fly from September 1985 until 2005, providing the medium-haul backbone for the airline.

Some key points highlighted include:

• Enabling the resumption of Trans-Tasman services to/from Wellington
• Enabling higher frequency services Trans-Tasman to/from Christchurch (previously only operated by Boeing 747s)
• Additional capacity for some Pacific Island routes
• Able to provide more domestic peak-capacity between Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch
• Freeing up more Boeing 747 capacity for long-haul routes

A lot of material is republishing of history and data about the Boeing 767 from Boeing, noting production started in 1978 and the first was delivered in 1982. At the time, 18 airlines were operating the 767.  The 2-3-2 LOPA in economy class was noted as desirable to passengers (it certainly was, as most passengers either had a window or aisle seat). It was also notable as being one of the airliners that started having two cathode ray tube displays for information (today it is conventional to have video screens (not CRT any more!) for most instrumentation), alongside the Boeing 757 (which was launched at about the same time).

For Air NZ the Boeing 767-200ER started its expansion in short-medium haul international routes that were not economic to fly Boeing 747s.