Page 85 - World Airnews Magazine March 2020 Edition

FEATURE FEATURE

11 BUCKET-LIST FLIGHTS FOR provided some tips on the 17-hour island other airlines fly the polar route over the
hop. What’s the point of flying this? Pretty
North Pole. From Newark to Hong Kong,
views aside, it’s so remote that a mechanic for example, you will fly very close to the
AVIATION GEEKS has to fly on every leg in case something North Pole.
happens - there’s no one to fix the plane
If you do this in the wintertime, there’s
at those far-flung airports. One stop, not much to see except darkness, but it’s
Kwajalein, is a US military base, where you still a bucket-list item for many AvGeeks.
By Mike Arnot cannot get off the plane unless you have
orders to do so. United provides a vital
transportation link across this portion of
the Polynesian and Micronesian islands. 10. Fly to Antarctica from Chile
2. Tea for one: British There are no regularly scheduled flights
Airways all-business Airbus between Chile, or anywhere, and
A318 5. Skip traffic: JFK by helicopter Antartica.
What kind of AvGeek It’s all business class, and all It takes all of five minutes from the time Typically, tourists can get to Antarctica
are you, really, if you haven’t glamour. A British Airways Baby you depart Manhattan, and the views by ship, and that’s an adventure taking
done at least a bucket-list Bus - the smallest member of are amazing. It’s the $195 flight between many days. But Aerovias DAP, a Chilean
flight? More than a few remain the Airbus A320 family - was Manhattan and JFK on Blade, which skips operator, offers day trips and overnight
on my list, I’m sad to say. converted to all-business class all of the ground traffic. The views alone trips on Beechcraft King Air 300s and Minute 3 of Blade Bounce.
British Aerospace BAe 146s. It’s a touch
Here are 11 AvGeek bucket configuration with 32 seats, are worth the trip, at least once. pricey for a day trip, however, at $5,500 Image by Zach Griff.
list flights — and you’ll note and flies from London City per person with a minimum of five
that a lot of them involve flying Airport to JFK, with a refuelling passengers on a King Air, or 20 on a BAe
on small planes that can get in and customs-clearance stop in 6. A steep descent: Winair Twin Otter 146 — the smallest four-engined jet. And
and out of remote areas of the Shannon, Ireland. into St. Barth’s flying in an out this way is not exactly
world. “You can’t beat the novelty Whee! It’s a steep descent into St. Barth’s great for the environment. But if given the
Loganair is a small regional Scottish carrier of a long-haul flight in a small, in the Caribbean. The largest of planes to chance, I’d have my eyes firmly planted
all-business-class cabin,” said
with the distinction of running the shortest 1. Fly the world’s shortest TPG’s own Zach Honig. “From land at Gustaf III Airport are Cessna Grand looking out the window.
commercial flight - just shy of two miles commercial flight boarding the A318 directly from Caravans or DeHavilland Twin Otters, a
Loganair is a small regional the ramp at London City to the common sight in the Caribbean.
Scottish carrier with the dis- personalized service across the And to get here from the U.S., you’ll 11. Fly the world’s longest flight
tinction of running the shortest pond - there are a maximum of typically fly into a “larger” airport such as
commercial flight - just shy 32 passengers onboard, after Princess Juliana International Airport on This list began with the world’s shortest
of two miles in distance from all - it’s a must-have experience the island of St. Maarten (itself a spot for flight, and it’s fitting that it should end with
takeoff to touchdown, between for any AvGeek.” AvGeeks to watch aircraft). The runway is the longest, Newark to Singapore.
the islands of Westray and Papa only 2,170 feet long. Pilots are required It can go 10,000 miles and take 18 hours
Westray, in the Orkney isles, 3. Fly Harbour Air to to drop in over a roadway, another spot and 30 minutes, depending on the winds.
Scotland. The total flight time is Whistler from Vancouver where AvGeeks gather to take photos. Sitting atop the world’s longest flights at
90 seconds. least for the next few years, even on a
I spoke with Captain Colin I’m partial to Harbour Air; 7. Nantucket by floats brand-new Airbus A350 it’s a beast of a
McAllister, who for 16 years my very first flight as a kid flight.
has flown with Loganair, was on one of its DeHavilland We’re partial to floatplanes, and getting It’s so long that TPG’s own Zach Griff Landing at Barra. Image courtesy
including years on this route. Beaver prop planes, which is to Nantucket Island by floats seems like a penned 18 thoughts on the world’s longest of Visit Scotland and Paul Tomkins
“It beats working for a living,” still flying today. Harbour’s great way to travel from NYC. flight, one for each hour of flight. But it
he said, noting that his days are flights from scenic Vancouver, Blade is at it again, with departures from might soon be eclipsed by not one but two
filled with lots of takeoffs and British Columbia, to Victoria, the East River aboard a Cessna Caravan newcomers, Sydney to London and Sydney
The British Airways A318, left, at London City Airport landings, a stick-and-rudder Seattle and even a lake near single-engine aircraft on floats, destined to New York, on Qantas.
in January 2018. (Photo by Alberto Riva/TPG) pilot’s dream. Whistler are the stuff of for Nantucket or the Hamptons. How glam. The airline flew two tests late last year
The flight is actually three AvGeek dreams. The airline If you’re on the East Coast and have never as part of the so-called Project Sunrise.
legs, between Kirkwall, Westray flies floatplanes exclusively, felt the thump of floats hitting the water, TPG’s Ben Mutzabaugh made the 19-hour,
including Beavers, Twin Otters
and Papa Westray, as opposed and a Cessna Caravan. Harbour this is a great way to do it. 16-minute flight Down Under from New
to shuttle runs back and forth Air says there’s a seasonal sale York on a brand-new Qantas Boeing 787-9,
between the two smaller for summer flights to Whistler carrying just a few passengers.
islands, for a total of about 26 coming in March. The airline 8. Land on a beach “runway” There’s not an airplane in service today
miles. McAllister says he climbs also offers local scenic tours. Loganair strikes again, this time with the that can make the journey nonstop with
up to 250 to 500 feet above the It’s a must-do in Vancouver. only commercial flight that lands on a a full load; Qantas will make a decision
ground, all the while pulling up beach. soon about whether it really wants to fly
the flaps, and then promptly the routes, and if it does, it will likely do
dumping in flaps again before 4. Island-hop with United Yes, please! Your flight to Barra in the so with a modified version of the Airbus
landing. It must all be done Airlines Outer Hebrides will land on Traigh Mhor, A350-1000.
quickly, and often in frightful United Airlines has one of the a two-mile strand of beach used as your For now, however, you can claim your
weather. most unique scheduled routes runway. The opening of the runway is bucket-list item with Singapore Airlines.
tide-dependent and beachgoers aren’t
“I share the cabin with locals in the world - the Island Hopper allowed on the beach when the wind sock One-way tickets from Newark to Singapore
and tourists alike, with lots of - linking Honolulu (HNL) to is flying. The Barra airport opened in 1936. can go for just a bit over (US)$1,000. Q The BAe 146 in Antarctica
banter and smiling faces,” he Majuro (MAJ), Kwajalein (KWA), Mike Arnot is the founder of Boarding Pass (Image courtesy of DAP)
said. It all sounds like a must-do Kosrae (KSA), Pohnpei (PNI), NYC, a New York-based travel brand and a
A Harbour Air Otter aircraft on a B.C. lake. flight for me. Chuuk (TKK), Guam (GUM) and marketing consultant to airlines, none of
(Image courtesy of Harbour Air) back on a 737-800. 9. The polar route which appear in this article. So what is on
We have flown the route and Cathay Pacific, Emirates and a number of your bucket list.?

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