Saskatoon and Regina Air Service - Page 93

Stormer · #**1841** Posted **Apr 6, 2019, 5:49 AM**

Air X 9H-BIG is quite the plane. Pretty much an executive jumbo jet. YQR has seen nothing like this since Francois Mitterand flew in on the Concorde.

Someone needs to get the backstory.

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/9HBIG/history/20190406/2308Z/CYQR/CYWG

roryn1 · #**1842** Posted **Apr 6, 2019, 12:57 PM**

Wasn’t sure what everyone’s been talking about so I’m guessing I’m not alone haha:

Anyone know if it sold out? We like sell out country artists here insanely, I wonder if a regular winter Nashville direct destination would be feasible. I am so sick of solely direct to Mexico, Vegas, Phoenix... come on sunwing make this a regular thing and fly to other cities at random!!

SkydivePilot · #**1843** Posted **Apr 6, 2019, 5:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stormer

Air X 9H-BIG is quite the plane. Pretty much an executive jumbo jet. YQR has seen nothing like this since Francois Mitterand flew in on the Concorde.

Someone needs to get the backstory.

Dunno who is in town; however, this A340-300 is the biggest jet to land at YQR since April of '96, where an Air China B747-400 was here with Chinese delegates.

The Air France Concorde was here in May '87.

one_brick_at_a_time · #**1844** Posted **Apr 6, 2019, 6:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkydivePilot

Dunno who is in town; however, this A340-300 is the biggest jet to land at YQR since April of '96, where an Air China B747-400 was here with Chinese delegates.

The Air France Concorde was here in May '87.

Can anyone take some pics of it at the airport?

Golks · #**1845** Posted **Apr 6, 2019, 7:14 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkydivePilot

Dunno who is in town; however, this A340-300 is the biggest jet to land at YQR since April of '96, where an Air China B747-400 was here with Chinese delegates.

The Air France Concorde was here in May '87.

Pretty sure a LAN Chile Cargo 747 delivered pigs for Agribition sometime in the 90's as well. There used to be pics of it on the airport's website.

Draftsman · #**1846** Posted **Apr 6, 2019, 9:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Golks

Pretty sure a LAN Chile Cargo 747 delivered pigs for Agribition sometime in the 90's as well. There used to be pics of it on the airport's website.

I remember the LAN Chile plane, and checked it out at the airport. However, it was a B767 not a B747.

pappcam · #**1847** Posted **Apr 6, 2019, 9:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stormer

Air X 9H-BIG is quite the plane. Pretty much an executive jumbo jet. YQR has seen nothing like this since Francois Mitterand flew in on the Concorde.

Someone needs to get the backstory.

I believe it's a Brandt thing going to Germany.

Stormer · #**1848** Posted **Apr 6, 2019, 11:46 PM**

Stormer · #**1849** Posted **Apr 6, 2019, 11:53 PM**

SkydivePilot · #**1850** Posted **Apr 7, 2019, 4:49 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Draftsman

I remember the LAN Chile plane, and checked it out at the airport. However, it was a B767 not a B747.

Yes, the LAN Chile plane was a B767-300. That had flown here several times during the late '90s - early 2000s. It was used to haul hogs to South America.

Before the 767, South American-based DC-8-63s were employed for the same purpose. In fact, one of the aforementioned DC-8s was at YQR during the Grey Cup game in '95.

one_brick_at_a_time · #**1851** Posted **Apr 7, 2019, 5:03 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stormer

Wow!!! Gorgeous!

Scruff Bucket · #**1852** Posted **Apr 7, 2019, 8:58 AM**

Thanks, guys! Nice interior in that A340! I wonder if they maintain the carpets as well as like they show in the images?

Yeah! Air Canada Rouge's, 767's (ie., people-passenger version) centre aisle washrooms are the ones to use! -- full height, wall to wall, and way more room than the ones located to the side!

Stormer · #**1853** Posted **Apr 8, 2019, 5:33 PM**

Apparently YQR's runway is too short for the A340. They had to fly to YWG before the could fill up with fuel and then head to Germany.

one_brick_at_a_time · #**1854** Posted **Apr 8, 2019, 6:11 PM**

Wish they would extend the runway.

esquire · #**1855** Posted **Apr 8, 2019, 6:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stormer

Apparently YQR's runway is too short for the A340. They had to fly to YWG before the could fill up with fuel and then head to Germany.

Didn't CP and/or Wardair run 747s to YQR at one point? Would the 340 require longer runways than a 747?

Draftsman · #**1856** Posted **Apr 8, 2019, 6:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

Didn't CP and/or Wardair run 747s to YQR at one point? Would the 340 require longer runways than a 747?

Wardair's 747 flights to Hawaii made a stop in YVR to pick up more pax and additional fuel. The 747 flights to YYZ were only 3 hours in length, so they needed far less fuel than a plane headed overseas (ie: Cologne Germany, such as this A340). Therefore the planes were much lighter and were able to operate from YQR. However, I did watch several of the 747's take off from Regina in the summer, and the pilots used much of the runway.

I don't recall there ever being a CP Air 747 at YQR, but I could be wrong. There were a couple of AC 747's in Regina for special events, such as the synchronized swimming nationals.

Draftsman · #**1857** Posted **Apr 8, 2019, 6:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by one_brick_at_a_time

Wish they would extend the runway.

I don't think they can extend the main runway, at least not any meaningful distance, as the runway is kind of blocked by the CP Rail mainline to the northwest and Lewvan Drive to the southeast.

I don't see Regina being a market for large aircraft flying to Europe, for example. Airlines are getting away from large jets such as the B747 and A380, except in major markets or hubs such as Dubai. There are newer, more fuel efficient planes, such as the B787 and A350 which can fly ultra long distances. I don't know if our main runway is long enough for those. Perhaps skydivepilot might know. AC has been flying single-aisle jets, including the 737 Max 8 from Atlantic Canada to UK for example, although they do not have the range to fly from Regina to UK. The majority of planes already present at YQR are Dash-8 turboprops, and both of our runways are sufficient for them. Now that the winter charter season is coming to an end we will be seeing fewer jets at YQR.

Stormer · #**1858** Posted **Apr 8, 2019, 8:13 PM**

A340-300
Minimum Take Off Distance -
3,000.00 metres 9,842.40 feet
Minimum Landing Distance -
1,926.00 metres 6,318.82 feet

YQR longest Runway: 7,901 ft 2,408m

Apparently a 747 needs about 7500ft, depends on elevation and model.

pappcam · #**1859** Posted **Apr 8, 2019, 9:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by one_brick_at_a_time

Wish they would extend the runway.

There are way more pressing needs like getting US routes back at the airport. There's no need for a longer runway as there's no need for very large planes to come here regularly. We aren't and never will be an in demand destination.

PhotoJim · #**1860** Posted **Apr 9, 2019, 3:17 PM**

The Dublin/London routes from Halifax and St. John's are not that long by overseas standards. London to St. John's is, perhaps surprisingly, about 250 km shorter a flight than New York to Los Angeles. It's a very makeable distance for a standard narrow-body jet.

If Regina ever were to attract flights to overseas destinations, we absolutely would need a longer runway, but I don't see sufficient demand existing anytime soon. More likely, WestJet and Air Canada are going to funnel us through Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg to make the flights from those cities more viable.