Hello AvGeeks,

Every once in a while it is good to remind everyone how you can connect with AirlineReporter.com. We know that some of you just want to glance at the site every once in a while to see what is up, but others of you [...]]]>

Our Twitter page. It is a good thing.

Hello AvGeeks,

Every once in a while it is good to remind everyone how you can connect with AirlineReporter.com. We know that some of you just want to glance at the site every once in a while to see what is up, but others of you want to fully dive into what we offer. The choice is yours, but we always love more people following us in different ways and here is how you can do it:

• Twitter: @AirlineReporter
• Facebook
• Flickr
• YouTube
• Sign up for the Aviation Geek Fest 2014 email list

You might also want to start following our favorite writers as well on Twitter [now, our personal Twitters do not always represent the official thoughts of AirlineReporter.com, but mostly they do]:

• David Parker Brown: @ARdpb
• Malcolm Muir: @BigMalX
• Jason Rabinowitz: @AirlineFlyer
• Brandon Farris: @BrandonsBlog
• Chris Sloan: @Airchive
• Howard Slutsken: @HowardSlutsken

A big thank you to each and every one of you for your continued support. So far in 2013, we have flown over 162,000 miles to bring you some pretty amazing stories and we are excited to keep going.

Cheers,

AirlineReporter.com Team

An excerpt from Jack Harty’s story on Airchive.com:

More than one hundred days after the FAA grounded the 787, United Airlines flew their first post-grounding 787 flight from Houston to Chicago on May 20. More than 200 passengers, including executives from both Boeing [...]]]>

A United Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Photo by Jack Harty / Airchive.com.

An excerpt from Jack Harty’s story on Airchive.com:

More than one hundred days after the FAA grounded the 787, United Airlines flew their first post-grounding 787 flight from Houston to Chicago on May 20. More than 200 passengers, including executives from both Boeing and United, made history as they spent part of their day cruising at 41,000 feet and at a Mach speed of 0.85 on United flight 1 to mark the return of United’s Dreamliners.

On September 22, 2012, United Airlines quietly took delivery of their first Boeing 787 Dreamliner, and, six days later, they ferried it to Houston, Texas where a large crowd of employees and local journalists joined to celebrate United’s dream come true.

However, United still had to receive certification from the FAA to fly passengers. It was a long five weeks for United as they conducted safety drills, practiced aircraft servicing, and flew several proving runs to Amsterdam, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco, and Tokyo. United’s second 787 was delivered on October 31 which was several days late as Boeing experienced delays. United had to scrub several 787 flights due to the delay.

Continue reading United Airlines Re-Inaugurates 787 Dreamliner Flights on Airchive.com

This story was written by Bernie Leighton (@PowertotheThird) for AirlineReporter.com:

I was lucky enough recently to visit the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). In retrospect, I went to DPRK for this aircraft. It is such a wonderful aircraft that I periodically investigate how to buy [...]]]>

An Air Koryo Ilyushin IL-18. Photo by Bernie Leighton.

This story was written by Bernie Leighton (@PowertotheThird) for AirlineReporter.com:

I was lucky enough recently to visit the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). In retrospect, I went to DPRK for this aircraft. It is such a wonderful aircraft that I periodically investigate how to buy one. That plane would be the Ilyushin IL-18.

Modern aircraft, even modern turboprops, have one glaring flaw. They are not loud enough.

While I love the first and business products aboard A380s, one person snoring can ruin the entire flight. I admit most people probably are not like me and don’t consider the risk of permanent hearing damage to be something they’d want out of a regular passenger transport flight. I will, forever, consider them wrong.

Boarding the IL-18 (P-835) in Pyongyang. Photo by Bernie Leighton.

Better in every way than a Lockheed Electra II, the IL-18 was the premiere long-haul airliner of the Soviet Union until the Tupolev Tu-114 (an even louder, more wondrous, beast) took its crown.

Daalo Air of Somaliland used to use a few chartered from Maxair in Kazakhstan to fly from Hargeisa to various other points in Somalia and Sudan- but when the airport was shut down for upgrades, the IL-18 service ended. This means that the last commercial IL-18 operator anywhere on Earth is Air Koryo — and what an IL-18D they use!

P-835 was once commissioned as the VIP aircraft for Great Leader Kim Il Sung. What is unclear, however, is what the VIP configuration was like. All that remains of its former role is a special instrument panel in the rear cabin; installed so the senior Kim could watch the instruments without having to go to the flight deck.

The IL-18 has a 2-3 layout in economy. Photo by Bernie Leighton.

Much like an ATR, boarding of an IL-18 is done via the rear entrance. For weight and balance purposes (I later found out concern over comfort was a factor, ha!) the front pax cabin was blocked off.

Seats on Russian planes of that vintage have a unique feature: they can fold forward. I am not sure if that really matters to the overall passenger experience, but it was rather fun to experiment with. On the outbound leg to Chongjin I took a wing seat so I could get a better view of the engines and propellers.

BONUS: See Bernie’s story on flying on an Ilyushin IL-62M

The IL-18 cabin is surprisingly wide, and for an Air Koryo aircraft befit with generous seat pitch. The main cabin is separated from the front cabin via a gigantic, crowded, galley. Complete with a vintage 1968 Russian refrigerator. A fairly standard bulkhead, however only separates the rear-cabin.

The blue blades of the IL-18. Photo by Bernie Leighton.

Driven by four Ivchenko AI-20M turbines, the props are properly Soviet Cold War blue. The aircraft on start-up was relatively quiet- at least in the main and rear cabins. It smells different, not like vodka and communism as I had hoped, but certainly a stronger aroma of Jet-A.

During taxi, the aircraft seemed to glide over the bumps of the Soviet concrete that formed Pyongyang Sunan International Airport’s (FNJ) taxiways, ramps, and runways.

Takeoff, much as you would expect could be described as lumbering. Even for the short flight to see the collectivized fish farms of Chongjin, one could describe the pace as leisurely.

Unlike many of the Russian jets, the IL-18 handles turbulence robustly. The rotational force generated by the four props and reasonably high aspect ratio means that this aircraft can take any condition in stride. It was a very relaxing and an amazing ride.

Up close shot of instruments installed when this IL-18 was a VIP aircraft for the leader of North Korea. Photo by Bernie Leighton.

I decided I should venture to the front cabin and see what a real Russian prop was like. Turns out, the closest experience is entering a very large paint shaker. There is either less sound insulation, or it is insufficient. The vibration is so strong, that when I went to take a photo of the wing- my camera slammed back into my face and left a nasty scratch on my glasses.

Eventually, I got the photo. But after that, the polite thing to do was to leave the cabin and let the other people experience the sheer bliss of real flying. If I could have had it my way, I would have spent the whole flight seated in 3A watching the engines turn and slowly jarring loose fillings I do not even have.

I may be in the minority, but I certainly think that is how short-haul flying should be — even in the front cabin at cruise thrust. My ears didn’t even ring and I have been to a louder concert in Vancouver less than a month before. Oh well, I knew there had to be a vintage Russian aircraft out there that was truly out of Stage-III compliance.

Although the aircraft was aged, service was still prompt and polite. As the IL-18 is so large, not only were we offered beverage service, there were also the same magazines and newspapers from my IL-62M flight that I took two days prior.

The classic looking flight deck of the Il-18.

Orang Air Force Base, where we landed, is the headquarters for People’s Korean Air Force fighter training. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take photographs of the pristine Mig-15bis (all 28 of them) and Mig-15UB (There were seven of those). Furthermore, due to their positioning on the ramp, it made it rather challenging to actually photograph the IL-18.

The flight back from Orang was roughly the same as the flight there. In other words, awesome! The only downside of the entire experience was not getting to experience takeoff from the front cabin.

Soon I will be sharing my flight on a Tupolev TU-134, stay tuned.

Who wants to fly from cold to not as cold? Now you easily can with Icelandair starting service from Anchorage to Iceland. Well, most passengers do not stop in Iceland, but continue with Icelandair to Europe. I had the opportunity [...]]]>

Icelandair Boeing 757 (named Katia – reg TF-FIV) in Anchorage. Photo by Brandon Farris.

Who wants to fly from cold to not as cold? Now you easily can with Icelandair starting service from Anchorage to Iceland. Well, most passengers do not stop in Iceland, but continue with Icelandair to Europe. I had the opportunity to check out the inaugural flight celebrations recently on the ground in Anchorage.

An excitement filled the air when I walked through the doors at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) as a new day was beginning with new service launching to Keflavik International Airport (KEF) with Icelandair. Anchorage has become the eighth US destination for Icelandair.

The Icelandair Boeing 757 flight deck. Photo by Brandon Farris.

The airline began twice weekly service there last Thursday with about 140 people on board for the departure. The Boeing 757, that they use to fly this and all of the airlines other routes, seat 185 people. Not a bad load factor for a first flight.

The inaugural events began at about 12:30pm with a tour of the aircraft to check out Icelandair’s product. From there I went back into the gate where there was a brief meet and greet with some of the airline representatives.

Me and my new friends.

Cake and hot dogs were served in the boarding area while everyone waited to board the aircraft. They even had a small ribbon cutting ceremony and broke out some airport mascots to celebrate with passengers (and me)! Passengers boarded and then the aircraft started its seven hour journey to Iceland.

The airline and airport are hoping for big success with this route and hopefully expand it to year round instead of just seasonal service. “Our staff worked for many months with Icelandair, Anchorage International Airport, and the Alaska visitor industry to make this day possible,” Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development Commissioner Susan Bell was quoted as saying. “The new air connections will grow Alaska’s visitor industry, increase European commerce, and strengthen our economy.”

An inaugural celebration would not be complete without cake. Photo by Brandon Farris.

To celebrate their new seasonal service, Icelandair is offering $100 off all flights from Anchorage to Iceland. Passengers wanting to save the $100 simply book online and enter the promo code: ANCHORAGE100. This special offer is valid for travel from May 16th through September 15th and must be booked by May 31, 2013.

Icelandair is unique in flying a classic fleet of 19 passenger and 4 all cargo 757′s. 22 of the aircraft are 757-200′s and only one is a 757-300. The airline is planning to expand their fleet with a recent 737 MAX order announcement.

The carrier has been flying out of Iceland since 1937 and now flies to 35 destinations in Europe and North America.

“This year Icelandair celebrates 76 years of aviation and while operating the strongest network in its history,” said Icelandair CEO Birkir Hólm Gudnason. “By using Keflavik International Airport as our hub, Icelandair is able to afford passengers convenient and economical flights from Alaska to Iceland and a refreshing new option when flying from Alaska to Europe.”

Coverage on Icelandair will continue with a review on flying from Seattle to Iceland on Icelandair and a story on visiting Iceland soon.

ADDITIONAL ICELANDAIR ANCHORAGE PHOTOS:

[Show as slideshow]

This story written by…Brandon Farris, Correspondent. Brandon is an avid aviation geek based in Seattle. He got started in Photography and Reporting back in 2010. He loves to travel where ever he has to to cover the story and try to get the best darn shot possible.@BrandonsBlog | RightStuffPhotography | Flickr

This Saturday, before Paine Field Aviation Day started, a Boeing 747 Dreamlifter lands while an Antonov AN-124 sits on the taxiway. Yes please. Tweet [...]]]>

A Dreamlifter (N7808A) lands at Paine Field with an Antonov AN-124 on the ground. Photo by Malcolm Muir.

This Saturday, before Paine Field Aviation Day started, a Boeing 747 Dreamlifter lands while an Antonov AN-124 sits on the taxiway. Yes please.

THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF PART 1 OF FLYING IN QATAS FIRST CLASS ON AN AIRBUS A380…

After leaving the Qantas Lounge, I headed back downstairs into the terminal in Melbourne and boarded [...]]]>

My Ride to LAX – A Qantas A380 named after Sir Reginald Duigan – Photo: Mal Muir – AirlineReporter.com

THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF PART 1 OF FLYING IN QATAS FIRST CLASS ON AN AIRBUS A380…

After leaving the Qantas Lounge, I headed back downstairs into the terminal in Melbourne and boarded directly through the lower airbridge to the Airbus A380 heading to Los Angeles. It was hard for me to realize that this was really happening.  2.5 years of waiting and the moment was here; flying in first class on a Qantas A380.

I was greeted at door 2L and then turned left.  Left into happiness, left into exclusivity, left into REAL First Class.  Qantas has its First Class Suites on the lower deck of the A380 unlike Emirates, Lufthansa or Thai Airways which all have them on the upper deck.

Getting photo-bombed by the Flight Service Manager, this is a good sign of a great crew! – Photo: Mal Muir – AirlineReporter.com

The First Class only contained 14 suites which gave me plenty of personal space.  The suite itself was amazing;  Open yet private at the same time.  It doesn’t have closing doors like Emirates or Singapore Airlines but then it didn’t need to have them. It was as if Qantas had made the suite just for me.

With a 1:1:1 layout, you have quite a good chance of getting a window seat. If you are travelling with someone else you would want a K seat with the middle, as the middle opens to the right hand side not to the A (or left side of the aircraft).  Want some privacy?  A seats are the ones to choose!  I was sitting in 2A (which was recommended to me by a number of people).

The Qantas A380 First Class “Suite” – Photo: Mal Muir – AirlineReporter.com

It was easy to get settled into my seat. The crew was not only there to greet me, but also help me stow away my things and get comfortable. During boarding I was offered top end champagne (yes the real stuff from France) like Tattinger or Pol Roger Winston Churchill. The drinks were served with some almonds and some olives making me feel special before even leaving the ground.

Pre Departure Beverage of Choice with some Toasted Almonds & Marinated Olives, what a way to start a flight! – Photo: Mal Muir – AirlineReporter.com

Then came all the goodies:  An amenity kit filled with Payot Skin Care products (though these will soon be SK-II products as Qantas just announced days earlier of changes to the First Class amenities) and even some some pajamas and slippers. There was no need for me to get my street clothes dirty and they are even willing to hang up any clothes so that they are ready to go when you arrive to your destination.

Ready for the flight? Not without the Payot Amenity Kit & your First Class Pyjamas! – Photo: Mal Muir – AirlineReporter.com

I looked around at my seat.  At that point it was in the “take off/landing” position. However once airborne, the seat rotates allowing you to stretch out.  Once rotated, the set can turn recline into a flat bed almost 7ft long!  With a 17” high definition screen, lots of storage space for all of your bits and pieces, I was excited this was my home for the next 14 hours (it should have been 15 but unfortunately we got tailwinds across the pacific).

As the A380 pushed back and started its taxi towards the runway, I switched on the skycam [camera in the tail of the A380]. It was at that moment I realized the one and only complaint I had about the suite and flying first class with Qantas.  As an AvGeek, one of my joys of flying is looking out the window, seeing all the amazing aircraft around you.  Spotting that one special livery or that airline you have never seen before.  Even though each suite has 2 very large windows on the A380, you are just too far away from them to actually see out of.  But that’s where the Skycam comes in handy.  Sure you can’t see out the window, but you can see the entire A380 as it lifts you into the sky!

Can’t see out the windows? No problem you have the Skycam – Photo: Mal Muir – AirlineReporter.com

Once airborne and with my seat in “relax mode” I was ready to enjoy the longest A380 flight in the world, almost 8000 miles was ahead of me and 95% of it, open ocean.  I was in heaven! Part 3 will be shared shortly. Stay tuned.

NOTE: These stories were written on a flight that I set up myself using my own personal Qantas Frequent Flyer Rewards Points. All opinions are my own.

Bonus: Qantas First Class Lounge Melbourne Full Gallery

This story written by…Malcolm Muir, Lead Correspondent. Mal is an Australian Avgeek now living and working in Seattle. With a passion for aircraft photography, traveling and the fun that combining the two can bring. Insights into the aviation world with a bit of a perspective thanks to working in the travel industry.@BigMalX | BigMal’s World | Photos

For nearly my entire life, I have lived in the shadow of one of the busiest airports in the country. Draw a straight line from my house and you end up on JFKs runway 22L in almost 2 miles. Arrivals glide across the sky mere [...]]]>

A Korean Air Airbus A380 visits me at home

For nearly my entire life, I have lived in the shadow of one of the busiest airports in the country. Draw a straight line from my house and you end up on JFKs runway 22L in almost 2 miles. Arrivals glide across the sky mere seconds from landing, while departures roar directly overhead. When people ask me “why are you so into aviation?” my answer should be “the real question is what took me so long?”

JFK and airplanes are a daily fact of life in this area. Most people are so used to A380s at 500 feet over their backyard, they don’t even look up. For many years of my life, I was one of these people. DC8s, 727s, 707s, Concorde, all the classics you might now find in a museum were all right over my head, but I just never looked up.

Since I returned home, I have become a total #AvGeek. I live and breath the aviation industry every day. Plane spotting is a mere 5 minute drive, and I take full advantage. That high pitched whining I hear when I open the window? That’s not just background noise anymore. That is the GE90 engines on a Cathay Pacific 777-300ER lining up on runway 22L. The plane overhead? That’s not just something shaking the entire house. That is Delta 747 taking off runway 4R.

Although recently I have become a bit lazy recently (runway change? I’m going home!) I wouldn’t trade my view for anything. Sure, my town once put up a very vocal fight against the Concorde back in the day, but now our local Trader Joe’s has murals of 747s on the wall. The next time someone asks me why I’m so into aviation, I might just point up at the nearest airplane. It probably isn’t very far away.

Check out my full album of “Home Spotting” on Facebook.

This story written by Jason Rabinowitz, Senior Correspondent. Jason is a New York City native who has grown up in the shadow of JFK International Airport. A true “avgeek”, he enjoys plane spotting and photography, as well taking any opportunity he can get to fly on an aircraft. @AirlineFlyer | Facebook |

This photograph shows Garuda Indonesia’s first Boeing 777-300ER (PK-GIA) at Paine Field in full livery, which was taken earlier today. The airline has 10 on order and the first is expected to be delivered in June 2013. Tweet [...]]]>

Garuda Indonesia’s First Boeing 777-300ER (PK-GIA) at Paine Field.

This photograph shows Garuda Indonesia’s first Boeing 777-300ER (PK-GIA) at Paine Field in full livery, which was taken earlier today. The airline has 10 on order and the first is expected to be delivered in June 2013.

Dear YWG,

Somehow, AirlineReporter.com missed the opening of your new terminal in October, 2011. We must have been busy with the 787, A380, airline mergers and stuff like that. But we still want to talk about you.

And by the way, we do know [...]]]>

Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport (YWG)
Photo: Gerry Kopelow

Dear YWG,

Somehow, AirlineReporter.com missed the opening of your new terminal in October, 2011. We must have been busy with the 787, A380, airline mergers and stuff like that. But we still want to talk about you.

And by the way, we do know that your full name is “Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport”, but frankly, that’s a lot to type over and over. So we’ll just call you YWG. Hope you’re OK with that.

Sincerely,

Howard at AirlineReporter.com

OK, everyone, let’s review what we know about YWG and Winnipeg, the capital city of the province of Manitoba, Canada.

A beautiful shot of YWG’s terminal
Photo: Gerry Kopelow

Fast Facts – Winnipeg is pretty well at the geographical centre of North America, on the eastern edge of the Canadian Prairie. It has a diverse population of about 750,000 “Friendly Manitobans”.  Wonderful people, great restaurants, sports and culture.

Winter – Cold. Really Cold. Really, really cold.  So cold that YWG offers passengers “battery booster packs” for their cold-soaked parked cars that won’t start.  So cold that GE Aviation Engines built an outdoor cold-weather testing facility at YWG, operated by Standard Aero.  Looks like it could be part of the Rebel defenses on the ice-planet Hoth.

Summer – Hot and humid, with those monster prairie thunderstorms.  So hot and humid that GE expanded their facility to do engine tests year-round.  And we mustn’t forget the mosquitoes.  I have experience with them – they’re the size of a Cessna 172.

Random Facts – Winnipeg was the first city in the world to develop the 911 emergency phone number.  Home to the classic 1960s-70s rock band, “The Guess Who”.  Winnipeg is the 7-11 Slurpee capital of the world.  Really!  Home to the largest urban mature elm tree forest in North America, over 170,000 trees.

Departures Level & Check-in Kiosks at YWG
Photo: Winnipeg Airport Authority

Aviation – Among other aviation-related businesses, YWG is the home of Boeing Canada, GE Aviation Engines, Standard Aero, EIC, Bristol-Magellan Aerospace,  and the Western Canada Aviation Museum (WCAM).  WCAM has a GREAT collection, including a 1960’s vintage Air Canada Vickers Viscount.  You can sit inside the Viscount, and pretend you’re a kid flying between YYZ and YUL in 1967.  Like me.  And the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) 17 Wing is based at YWG.  If you fly small planes, Lyncrest Airport’s manicured grass runways are to the south-east of the city, and tower-controlled  St. Andrews Airport is to the north.

Old YWG Terminal – Used to be a 1960’s vintage, 9 gate building.  Crowded, renovated over the years, not particularly efficient.  It was due…

New YWG Terminal – YWG’s beautiful new terminal opened on October 30th, 2011, and the old one closed on the same day.  The new 51,000 square meter (550,000 sq ft) terminal has 11 “contact” gates, with an additional 7 ground-loading gates.  There’s over 10,000 square meters (over 100,000 sq ft) of huge glass windows, and a “constellation” of 55 skylights.  The amount of natural light and open space in the terminal is a major improvement over the old building.  The terminal saw over 3.5 million passengers in 2012, and it’s designed for 4.1 million passengers per year.  There’s lots of room for expansion, too.

For passengers, check-in is easy with 32 common-use self-service kiosks, which can print both boarding passes and baggage tags.  So it doesn’t matter which airline you’re flying, use any kiosk.  Speaking of scheduled airlines, YWG is served by Canadian majors Air Canada and Westjet. Regional airlines include Bearskin Airlines, Calm Air, First Air, Air Canada Express, Delta Connection and United Express.  Did I forget anyone?  Regionals Perimeter Air and Kivalliq Air operate out of their own terminals, a kilometer or so south of the main terminal.  YWG is also served by a number of charter and cargo carriers.  And if you really don’t want to fly, the new Winnipeg Bus Terminal is right next door to YWG’s new terminal.

Skylight “constellation” above baggage carousels at YWG
Photo: Winnipeg Airport Authority

YWG has been recognized for its terminal design and operation with some impressive accolades – it was named one of the World’s Most Stylish Airports by The Telegraph in the UK; made Travel & Leisure’s list of Coolest New Airport Terminals; and was included in The Travel Channel’s World’s Most Iconic Airports list.

The new terminal is totally green – it’s a “Certified” LEED facility (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design), by minimizing the use of energy and reducing greenhouse gases . It’s also been built using Universal Design principles, to allow access and convenience to people of all abilities.  The terminal was designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects and Stantec, to “connect to the unique exterior landscape, drawing attention to the prairie and the large expanse of sky that characterize this Manitoba region.”  I guess that’s “architect-speak” for “It’s really flat out there, and we’ve designed a gorgeous building to fit in!”

I recently saw a great tweet from a passenger at YWG: “Winnipeg: where six security guards bless you in unison when you sneeze at the airport.”  I’m thinking that the people working at “Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport” really enjoy themselves and their new terminal.

Have you flown through YWG?  What do you think?  Leave a comment…!

This story written by… Howard Slutsken, Correspondent.  Howard has been an AvGeek since he was a kid, watching TCA Super Connies, Viscounts and early jets at Montreal’s Dorval Airport.  He’s a pilot, and gets away to fly gliders at SoaringNV in Minden NV whenever he can.  Howard is based in Vancouver, BC, and has some great friends in Winnipeg.@HowardSlutsken

I love my sleep and it takes quite a bit to get me up before the sun. The first Copper River Salmon brought in by Alaska Air Cargo is good enough reason as any.

This [...]]]>

The first Copper River salmon comes of the Alaska Airlines 737 Combi. Photo by Shannon Leigh Kehoe / AirlineReporter.com

I love my sleep and it takes quite a bit to get me up before the sun. The first Copper River Salmon brought in by Alaska Air Cargo is good enough reason as any.

This early morning event, which just wrapped up, has become a yearly tradition that started in 2010. Luckily in previous years there was no rain, but this year we were not so lucky.  But being at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, rain can never stop an event like this.

The Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-400 Combi arrived with 24,000 pounds of Copper River salmon to an eager group. One lucky (or unlucky) fish was chosen to be filleted and cooked up in a competition between multiple chefs.

Filleting the fish at SEA. Photo by Shannon Leigh Kehoe / AIrlineReporter.com

Pat Donahue, executive chef of Anthony’s Restaurants and the 2010, 2011 and 2012 Copper Chef winner, competed against executive chefs John Howie of Seastar Restaurant and Raw Bar, Chris Bryant of Wildfin American Grill and also Master Sgt. Robert Shulman, a 31-year U.S. Air Force Reserve chef representing the 446th Airlift Wing (AW) out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, located in Tacoma, WA.

Among the guests were 10 citizen airmen from the 446^th AW and elite Alaska Airlines customers who donated 75,000 miles to the Fisher House Foundation’s Hero Miles Program. The programs takes those donated miles and allows wounded, injured and ill service members and/or their families who are undergoing treatment at a military or VA medical center to travel.

Cooking up Copper River Salmon is an important task. Photo by Shannon Leigh Kehoe / AirlineReporter.com.

After the salmon was filleted, the chefs were given 30 minutes to prepare and serve their selected dishes. During the cooking process, local celebrity, John Curley provided comic relief while MCing the event.

Once the chef’s time was up, a panel of judges made their decisions. The lucky tasters were Jay Buhner, Seattle Mariners Hall of Famer; Mike Fourtner, deckhand on the F/V Time Bandit, as featured on Discovery Channel’s “Deadliest Catch;” Chief Master Sgt. Tony Mack, 446th AW command chief from JBLM; and Jeff Butler, Alaska Airlines’ vice president of customer service-airports and cargo. The dish they chose was Applewood Grilled Wild Copper River King Salmon with Pesto Mashed Potatoes, Beurre Rouge and Butter Poached Morels prepared by Chef John Howie. [see all the recipes here]

Of course the best part of the event is trying the salmon for myself, which I had no problem doing. The first year, it seemed very odd to eat salmon so early in the morning, but I have come to look forward to it.

Judging great food is a hard job, but someone has to do it. Photo by Shannon Leigh Kehoe / AirlineReporter.com.

Although the event is quite fun; seafood is serious business. Each year, Alaska Airlines transports nearly 19 million pounds of Alaska seafood.

“We’re proud to be the first to bring wild and sustainable Copper River salmon to seafood lovers across the country, in many cases within 24 hours after the fish is caught,” said Betsy Bacon, managing director of Alaska Air Cargo. “With so much demand for sustainable wild Alaska seafood, airline crews in South-Central and Southeast Alaska will kick into high gear to ship more than 2 million pounds of salmon across our 95-city network.”

CHECK OUT PREVIOUS COPPER RIVER SALMON EVENTS: 2012, 2011and 2010 AND MORE EVENT PHOTOS ON FLICKR.

[Show as slideshow]

This story written by… David Parker Brown, Editor & Founder. David started AirlineReporter.com in the summer of 2008, but has had a passion for aviation since he was a kid. Born and raised in the Seattle area (where he is currently based) has surely had an influence and he couldn’t imagine living anywhere else in the world. @ARdpb | Flickr | YouTube

In 2010 two Formula 1 Race team owners made a bet between each other over who would finishing higher in the Constructors’ Championship.  The two owners were Sir Richard Branson, owner of the [...]]]>

Sir Richard Branson gives that little personal touch to Tony Fernandes from Air Asia – Photo: Adam Lee, Air Asia

In 2010 two Formula 1 Race team owners made a bet between each other over who would finishing higher in the Constructors’ Championship.  The two owners were Sir Richard Branson, owner of the Virgin Formula One Racing Team and Tony Fernandes, owner of the Lotus Racing Team.  The two friends (Fernandez worked for Sir Richard as a financial controller in the 80s) both own and run airlines and they made a bet that would go to benefit charity.  Unfortunately Sir Richard Lost.

What was the bet?  The loser would need to work as a flight attendant on the others airline.  Sir Richard’s airlines span the globe with Virgin Atlantic, Virgin America and Virgin Australia, while Tony Fernandez’s Asian Powerhouse, in the low cost market, Air Asia & Air Asia X.

The bet went a little bit further than that, they would have to do it in full uniform and not just any uniform.  It would be in drag.

An Air Asia X A330 landing at Sydney Airport – Photo: David Heath

This is not the first time that Sir Richard has appeared in drag. At the launch of his, now defunct, Virgin Brides as well as Vie Home & Lingerie he also dressed as a woman.

Part of the bet also included that a portion of all ticket sales for the specially staffed flight would go to charity.

Recently, Sir Branson paid his debt on May 12th on on Air Asia X flight D7237 flying from Perth to Kuala Lumpur. Needless to say, it was a shock to many of the passengers on board.

Sir Richard Branson Poses at the Entrance to the A330 with two of the Air Asia Cabin Crew – Photo: Adam Lee, Air Asia

The flight began with a lovely press conference, as you would expect with two very high profile CEOs. Sir Richard paraded around in hot red lipstick and the Air Asia X uniform (including red high heels).

Sir Richard is known for his media stunts and of course hammed it up for the crowd, strutting his stuff and parading about, posing for plenty of photos with the actual flight attendants.

The Two Airline CEO’s Tony Fernandes & Sir Richard Branson – Photo: Adam Lee, Air Asia

During the flight Sir Richard was expected to pull his weight with the rest of the crew.  He had been enlisted to perform the safety demonstration, deliver meals and chat with the passengers.  There was one incident however where Sir Richard spilled a tray full of drinks onto the Air Asia CEO (intentionally of course).

“I’ve always said I am a man of my word and I am happy to have finally honoured the bet,” said Sir Richard. “If you say you are going to do something, you obviously have to stick to your word”

Upon arrival in Malaysia, Tony Fernandez got his revenge for the drink incident spraying Sir Richard with a bottle of Champagne and congratulating him on helping to raise almost $200,000AUD for the Australian Starlight Foundation.  ”I am a great believer about throwing myself into life and having a bit of fun and making sure everyone has a laugh” Said Sir Richard.

Tony Fernandes & The Air Asia Crew present Sir Richard Branson with his Training Graduation Certificate at the Completion of the Journey – Photo: Adam Lee, Air Asia

Thankfully Sir Richard is keeping his day job running the Virgin Group. At the end of the flight, Tony Fernandes fired Sir Richard surely making him the shortest serving Cabin Crew member for Air Asia X.

This story written by…Malcolm Muir, Lead Correspondent. Mal is an Australian AvGeek now living and working in Seattle. With a passion for aircraft photography, traveling and the fun that combining the two can bring. Insights into the aviation world with a bit of a perspective thanks to working in the travel industry. @BigMalX | BigMal’s World | Photos

This story was written by Bernie Leighton for AirlineReporter.com:

To fly on an Ilyushin IL-62 in 2012 is not something many people would think of doing, let alone going to the lengths I did to enjoy the privilege.

On October [...]]]>

An Air Koryo Ilyushin IL-62 in Beijing, ready for boarding. Photo by Bernie Leighton.

This story was written by Bernie Leighton for AirlineReporter.com:

To fly on an Ilyushin IL-62 in 2012 is not something many people would think of doing, let alone going to the lengths I did to enjoy the privilege.

On October 20, 2012 after months of planning, amounts of Euro cash that had bank-tellers convinced I was a spy; a lovely jaunt to Beijing on Air Macau and a visit to Datangshan, I was standing at the check in counter for Air Koryo in Terminal 2 at Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK).  Oddly, and unfortunately for collectors of rare boarding passes, flights to Pyongyang are issued on Air China stock.

Chinese police, and politeness didn’t really allow me to capture the sight of the sheer amount of cargo the North Korean people were taking back but it was the contents I found more curious than the volume. A cursory search of the bindles and exposed boxes showed mostly flat-screen TVs and other completely civilian commercial goods.

A first class seat in the Air Koryo IL-62 heading to North Korea. Photo by Bernie Leighton.

PEK terminal two is much like their new international terminal. Slow passport control on exit- and then tiny security tables where all your camera gear must be removed for inspection.  It’s a stressful process, but in retrospect most of it was the realization that in roughly an hour I would be flying to North Korea. A country that many of my friends had visited and continue to travel to- but one I only knew of from their reports and the media. After understanding that yes, I was crazy and that I was not actually risking my life just to fly on Russian planes- I became excited to see what was sitting at the gate waiting for me.

Air Koryo’s newest Ilyushin IL-62M, P-881, was built for Air Koryo in 1986- the frame looked as good today as it did when it rolled off the line.  I had secretly been hoping for P-881, an IL-62M with “hat-rack” type overhead bins- but that really comes down to semantics.

The overhead bin on the Air Koryo IL-62. Photo by Bernie Leighton.

I will admit that the venerable -62 is one of my favorite Cold-War passenger jets; so actually just seeing one up close was very exciting. Going on one was beyond belief.

The best way to describe the interior of P-881, other than the photos, is that it feels like what you would imagine a Soviet Doctor’s office waiting room in 1975 to look like. That’s not derision- just fact. That was the first vibe I had and it was AWESOME. Saggy blue “First class” seats which were unfortunately not for sale due to diplomatic traffic. Speckled, almost linoleum, covered walls, tinted Bakelite window shades. It was spectacular! Wonderfully well kept!

The flight deck on the Air Koryo IL-62.Photo by Bernie Leighton.

That said, to differentiate from Soviet carriers of the day- there are a few touches to make you well aware you are on Air Koryo. As I boarded, I was greeted with Patriotic North Korean marches. The in flight reading was either a Party magazine simply titled “Democratic People’s Republic of Korea N.O 682” or the Pyongyang times.

Beforehand we were advised not to loot the safety cards, as we would be given mint-condition ones at a later date. Once I settled into my seat next to a couple of missionaries going to work at an orphanage near Ryongchon. Doors were shut. “Welcome to Air Koryo, the Airline of Juche Korea” was the start to an otherwise very normal and ICAO satisfactory safety demonstration.

Air Koryo sickness bag on the IL-62. Photo by Bernie Leighton.

After that, was pushback- and my most anticipated moment; start up.

The IL-62M has four Soloviev D-30KU relatively low-bypass turbofan engines. They do not sound like Western engines. There are numerous videos of people sitting in the “thrash seats” indicating the firing order and, partially, the noise.  I suppose people would wonder what a Russian plane smells like it does .

The answer is, it does not smell like either communism or vodka. You can smell the Jet-A burning a little more than you can on a Western aircraft and a faint hint of ozone at times- but really not much different than a DC-8.

Not your typical view: two Soloviev D-30KU turbofans. There are another two on the other side. Photo by Bernie Leighton.

What the microphones miss however (I recommend the IL-62M videos of FlyMajj on YouTube’s for this) is that unlike the GE’s and Rolls Royce engines of the world, the “whine” is exceptionally high frequency and has this steady gain in volume as each engine fires up.

When all four are going one hears the rather standard vacuum-like noise of a jet engine, but because of the high-RPM on the compressor, also what sounds a bit like an alarm bell. This continues throughout the taxi and onto take-off when the volume exceeds anything you’ll ever hear made by Airbus or Boeing.

Need a good meal for an IL-62M flight to FNJ. Photo by Bernie Leighton.

Do not fool yourself, even though it is only an hour and twenty minute flight from Beijing to Pyongyang. The takeoff roll is very long. The IL-62 is not a light aircraft, nor overpowered. Like all Russian aircraft of the period, however- it still climbs like a fighter jet. Relatively shallow angle of attack off the runway to build airspeed, and then up like a rocket sled.

After leveling off at an inaudible number of meters above the surface. Service commenced.

For an hour and a half flight, the food selection is actually quite pleasant. You don’t have a choice of your main- but you do get some cold chicken, curry rice (a North Korean favorite), cold ham, and a bun!

De-planing at FNJ and about to go into the new terminal at Pyongyang Sunan International Airport. Photo by Bernie Leighton.

Not sure what they’d be feeding me at the Koryo hotel, so I ate about 90% of the feast. After that it was time to head to the back of the plane to get my own wing/engine shot.  Shortly there after, it was time for descent.

Air Koryo does not do descents like other airlines, other than the military style spiral in to Sunan airport. The most concerning thing is that the gear is lowered at roughly 20,000 feet.  Aboard P-881, this was doubly concerning as I could feel a change in pressure in my eardrums. The IL-62M mechanical manual I have makes no mention of such a thing being an imminent danger, but to my Western sensibilities- it was a bit… odd.

The outside of Pyongyang Sunan International Airport (FNJ) in North Korea. Photo by Bernie Leighton

Overall, the flight was quite smooth. The IL-62M is an aircraft that feels very relaxed in its handling. We did not get to ride it through any heavy turbulence, but it seemed to absorb any bumps we did encounter with relative ease.

Once on the ground at Sunan, my tour arranger allowed for us to visit the flight deck. We were not allowed much time due to some miscommunications, but it was still a truly amazing feat.

An inside look at the new terminal at Pyongyang Sunan International Airport (FNJ). Very utilitarian. Photo by Bernie Leighton.

After that it was through a very thorough, but polite, customs visit where mobile phones are confiscated (and returned at the end of the visit) we were allowed to leave and get on to the bus at the hotel.

As far as Russian passenger jets go, the IL-62M has to be one of my favorites. The flight only confirmed this.

Author’s note: Some of the photos of the interior of FNJ and P-881 were taken at later dates.

So you need to book some flights and you hit the usual suspects online to find the best prices: Kayak, Orbitz, Travelocity or even Fare Compare.  But when you look at the results, it is all about the price and you are not told the whole story.  The other sites don’t tell [...]]]>

So you need to book some flights and you hit the usual suspects online to find the best prices: Kayak, Orbitz, Travelocity or even Fare Compare.  But when you look at the results, it is all about the price and you are not told the whole story.  The other sites don’t tell you what seats are like, what snacks or drinks you may expect or what fees you might be charged for who knows what. Things are now changing with RouteHappy.com, which puts Passenger Experience (#PaxEx) into the equation.

Routehappy takes what the old Metasearch websites (like Kayak) did by aggregating all the flight prices into the one site, but it takes it one step further.  For some flyers, price is everything. But for many of us, we are willing to pay for some of the nicer things. Routehappy calls these “Happiness Factors”.

Some of the Feedback you will find on Routehappy – Image: RouteHappy

Sure you want to pay the cheapest price, but you don’t want to be doing so crammed into a seat in the middle row with no way of entertaining yourself.  The creators of RouteHappy spent a year reviewing the aircraft products and offerings, along with accepting tips from the general public, shake it all up and add it with the price data and presto… you have a truly unique & new way of looking at things!

You might be skeptical right now thinking, “sure, but  how does this all work?”  The site takes the fare data from the Global Distribution Systems (GDS) which holds about 80% of the worlds fare data and mixes that in with their own database called the Flight Product Attribute Database or “FlightPAD” for short.  How extensive is FlightPAD? The database covers:

• 180 types of planes
• 750 airlines worldwide
• 4,000 airports worldwide
• 2,200 unique airline/aircraft/cabin types (e.g. United’s 737-700, Version 1, First Class)
• Thousands of reviews from real flyers in more than 75 countries
• 20+ kinds of entertainment options, 10+ types of in­seat power, 55+ seat configurations, and 25+ seat types, 5 types of Wi­Fi, for the top scheduled flights worldwide

That is a lot of data and with all the information at your fingertips there is quite a bit you can do with it.

Just what is displayed when you look for some flights on RouteHappy – Image: RouteHappy

When you have input your flight requirements (cities, dates, how many people and the other usual factors) the RouteHappy database finds your flight results and so much more.  As you can see in the above screen it will give you not only the price but also the “happiness factors”.

You can sort your results based on the usual range of factors like departure or arrival times, speed and price, but you can also display it based on the happiness factor.

The uniqueness of the site means you can start to filter the options displayed based on the other factors like entertainment, seats,  aircraft type, power, in flight entertainment or what has the highest ratings from your fellow fliers.   Once you have selected your flights, with one click, you are sent off to the airline’s website to book in your trip.  This means you don’t lose any benefits or are charged any extra fees that would be imposed for booking on third party sites.

An Example of a RouteHappy happiness Rating – Image: Routehappy

“Flight search today is almost entirely about price and schedule,”said Robert Albert, Founder & CEO of Routehappy. “But there’s a wide range of other factors that matter when people buy flights.”

I happen to agree with that statement in many ways.  As someone who works looking at fares for a living, it is a fresh perspective that can definitely help take away some of the hassle in booking your journey.  RouteHappy is the first of it’s kind to bring together all of this information and this is just the beginning!

RouteHappy is looking to improve their system by hearing from you, the passenger.  If you can think of something that will make someone else’s flight easier, why not they would love to hear from you.  When they integrate an earning points possibilities into the happiness ratings, that’s when RouteHappy will be even more perfect for a mileage junkie like me.

This story written by…Malcolm Muir, Lead Correspondent. Mal is an Australian Avgeek now living and working in Seattle. With a passion for aircraft photography, traveling and the fun that combining the two can bring. Insights into the aviation world with a bit of a perspective thanks to working in the travel industry. @BigMalX | BigMal’s World | Photos

Watching airline activity live via social media can have interesting consequences. Last week, I happened to see the #7700 tweet [which are tweets that are auto generated that go out any time an aircraft in coverage squawks 7700] from Planefinder.com as soon as it was posted and went to [...]]]>

Image from PlaneFinder.com via NYCAviation.com.

Watching airline activity live via social media can have interesting consequences. Last week, I happened to see the #7700 tweet [which are tweets that are auto generated that go out any time an aircraft in coverage squawks 7700] from Planefinder.com as soon as it was posted and went to check out what was happening. Normally when you catch these emergencies, not much happens immediately, and the aircraft either continues on to its destination, or diverts to another airport.

This time I noticed that the aircraft immediately entered a very rapid descent [see an image of normal descent]. In my experience, something like that is usually caused by a loss of cabin pressure, where the pilots level off at 10,000 feet to asses the situation. However, this aircraft passed 10,000 and continued to rapidly descent, which was worrying. Was this a huge emergency, website error or just standard procedure for some issue on the flight?

The Lufthansa Airbus A321 (reg D-AISJ) involved. Image by Thomas Becker.

There were a few moments where I thought I may have been watching a crash of some sort occur in real-time, from thousands of miles away. But thankfully, the pilots were just quick acting, and diverted to a nearby airport.

Lufthansa confirmed to AirlineReporter.com that LH1172 had 151 passengers on board and the captain decided to stopover in Nantes (NTE), France, “due to a medical case (sick passenger).” They confirmed that there was no emergency requested and that the aircraft landed safely .

Watching an emergency occur in real-time and not knowing the outcome at the time is strange. Yes, it lets me break news, literally, as it is happening, but the feeling of not knowing what is truly going on with an emergency aircraft, it’s not a good one.

This story written by Jason Rabinowitz, Senior Correspondent. Jason is a New York City native who has grown up in the shadow of JFK International Airport. A true “avgeek”, he enjoys plane spotting and photography, as well taking any opportunity he can get to fly on an aircraft.@AirlineFlyer | Facebook |

I was beginning my day off the way any premium cabin passenger should; spending time in the lounge prior to my flight.  But this wasn’t just any lounge and this wasn’t just any flight.  For two and a half years I had dreamed and worked towards this [...]]]>

Flying Qantas First Class – Photo: Mal Muir | AirlineReporter.com

I was beginning my day off the way any premium cabin passenger should; spending time in the lounge prior to my flight.  But this wasn’t just any lounge and this wasn’t just any flight.  For two and a half years I had dreamed and worked towards this day.  I had been earning Qantas points purely for this reason:  First Class flight on a Qantas Airbus A380.

Arriving at Melbourne Airport I was dropped off in front of the dedicated First Class check-in area, which can be easily missed if you don’t know where to look.  Thankfully my driver did know as the check in was hiding behind a line of trees.  I was a little too early to check in for my flight, but was able to sit down in the lobby area (which looks almost identical to the First Class lounge).

Qantas First Class Check In, Hiding being a discrete line of trees – Photo: Mal Muir | AirlineReporter.com

Free Wifi from the airport kept me going until I was able to check in and once that was done I was handed the coveted Gold Boarding pass holder. My bags were also labeled with the yellow first class tag and I was off through security and immigration.  Quick, clean and painless… the only way to fly right?

After winding my way through the endless duty free store and the terminal I went up the escalators and turned right to the lounge entrance.  I was ready to enter my new.

Sydney and Melbourne both host Qantas First Class Lounges.  These two lounges are reputed to be among the best in the world.  Melbourne’s lounge is like the little brother to Sydney since it has all the same bells and whistles, just a little bit smaller.  But Melbourne doesn’t have as many first class flights as Sydney, so that is to be expected.

Only first class passengers or the very top tier of One World frequent fliers (Emerald) can access the lounge. This means there are never more than a handful of people in there at one time.  When I arrived, it was me and two other guests.

The staff are all trained by Sofitel the Luxury hotel chain of french hotels from Accor.  So you feel like you’re entering a luxury hotel more than an airline lounge.

The Qantas First Class Lounge in Melbourne, designed by Marc Newson – Photo: Mal Muir | AirlineReporter.com

The atmosphere of the lounge was wonderful and for good reason: it was designed by Marc Newson.  The seats, the tables, the chairs everything.   The seats looked fantastic and the design was clean, functional and stylish all mixed into one –  I loved it.

There were several different areas of the lounge where you could relax with a book or watch TV.  There were even two fully enclosed offices, stocked with all the business essentials, so you can keep working right up until flight time.

“Click Clack” Flight Boards in the Qantas First Class Lounge – Photo: Mal Muir | AirlineReporter.com

There is one (well kinda of two) thing in the lounge that will likely catch your eye:  the two old “click clack” style departure boards.  These are extremely rare, and to see two of them in the one place is amazing.

While I took a heap of photos and explored, the staff were doing everything to get me fed.  No worries, it was early in the morning and I was definitely planning on eating.

Time for some Breakfast in the full restaurant with food by the Rockpool Group – Photo: Mal Muir | AirlineReporter.com

Sure, I could have selected a small snack off the side buffet, but this is First Class and they also offered a full restaurant.  I was shown to a table by the window (just like any AvGeek right?) and the menu just took me for a spin.  So many options… what to choose?  Do I go light, do I go healthy? My head was swimming with choices.  No matter what I chose, I knew it was going to be good.  The entire menu is designed by Neil Perry and his Rockpool group.

Bonus: Qantas First Class Lounge Melbourne Spring Breakfast Menu

Perry is one of Australia’s top chefs and he designs the menus and food for all Qantas flights in First & Business class.  I decided that since this was meant to be an indulgent day I was going the whole hog!  Buffalo milk yoghurt with honey and toasted almonds, fresh fruit, toasted rye bread from one of the best bakeries in Australia, an omelette loaded with goodies and of course… bacon.

Having a Massage in the lounge? Wouldn’t any Avgeek want a view like this? – Photo: Mal Muir | AirlineReporter.com

With a loaded belly full of breakfast and coffee (did I mention they have a fully stocked bar and a barista?), what more is there to do?  Well it was time for my massage!

Bonus: Qantas First Class Lounge Melbourne Full Gallery

The lounge has it’s own day spa run in conjunction with Payot.  Each lounge guest is entitled to a 30 minute treatment of their choice.  Facials, massages, you name it, you can have it.  Add that into the fully stocked bathrooms and you can enjoy a relaxing massage and shower, feeling 100% refreshed after a long day in the office or flying.  The view wasn’t too bad either.

My Ride to Los Angeles waiting for me below the lounge – Photo: Mal Muir | AirlineReporter.com

My head was filled with excitement and I didn’t even want to leave the lounge it was so amazing. The only thing that could make me leave was that first class seat on the Qantas Airbus A380. I will be telling you about that flight in future stories.

CONTINUE WITH READING PART 2 OF FLYING ON THE QANTAS AIRBUS A380

This story written by…Malcolm Muir, Lead Correspondent. Mal is an Australian Avgeek now living and working in Seattle. With a passion for aircraft photography, traveling and the fun that combining the two can bring. Insights into the aviation world with a bit of a perspective thanks to working in the travel industry. @BigMalX | BigMal’s World | Photos