SRQKEF From Iceland, joined Jun 2011, 694 posts, RR: 1 Posted (1 year 1 week 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 9350 times:
RTW Pt 5: 13 hours in the air! AC YYZ-NRT
Introduction
Welcome once again dear TR readers! This is the 5th report about my trip around the world this March/April. The last one ended at the Double Tree Hotel in Niagara Falls. I will just keep on from there now. If you missed some/all other parts, you can find them at the bottom of the report.
Background
After years of planning, me and my dad finally decided to go around the world on ID/Standby tickets.
We decided to go to Machu Picchu, Peru in South American and then some Asian Cities.
This was the proposed flight schedule (B means booked):
Icelandair 631 KEF – JFK 30/3/2012 Boeing 757-300
United 1116 EWR – IAH 31/3/2012 Boeing 737-500
United 854 IAH – LIM 31/3/2012 Boeing 767-300ER
TACA Peru 7 LIM – CUZ 1/4/2012 Airbus 320-200 (B)
TACA Peru 101 CUZ – LIM 2/4/2012 Airbus 319-100 (B)
United 855 LIM – IAH – SFO 2/4/2012 +1 Boeing 767-300ER
United 837 SFO – NRT 4/4/2012 +1 Boeing 747-400
Cathay Pacific 503 HND – HKG 8/4/2012 Boeing 747-400
Cathay Pacific 701 HKG – SIN 10/4/2012 Airbus 330-300
Thai 873 SIN – BKK 12/4/2012 Boeing 777-300
Cathay Pacific 771 BKK – DEL 14/4/2012 Airbus 330-300
Air India 102 DEL – BOM 16/4/2012 Boeing 777-300ER (B)
Oman Air 691 BOM – MCT 19/4/2012 Boeing 737-800
Oman Air 102 MCT – DXB 19/4/2012 Boeing 737-800
Emirates 3 DXB – LHR 21/4/2012 Airbus 380-800
Icelandair 455 LHR – KEF 21/4/2012 Boeing 757-200
But as many of you know, you never know on ID tickets and the actual route has been way different then the planned one so far. Luckily I always made plan B and even C. But that will come in later reports.
I was really looking forward and this was shaping up to be a trip of a lifetime!
After a good nights sleep at the Double Tree we had to wake up the following morning for the 1.5 hour drive to YYZ. We stopped and refilled our rental car with fuel just before the airport and then drove it to the rental car drop location at Terminal 1.
Driving to Pearson – CN Tower aka Toronto skyline in the distance
DL Connection seen landing – taken from the gas station while refilling the car
Check in was a breeze really and only took around 5 minutes. Unfortunately we got 63D+63E, middle seats in the last row, but hopefully these could be changed at the gate.
AI 77W VT-ALK and AC E70 C-FEKH – maybe this is the Air India 777 I will fly on AI 102 DEL-BOM?
AC 320 and E90
We got to gate 77 and saw that flight AC 080 to Lima would be departing from 78. Coincidence! When checking the reg for the 767 operating the LIM flight I noticed it was C-GEOU, the same 763 that took us from Peru. Strange!
Before boarding we asked if there were another seats available than the middle seats in the back. Yep, seats 19A-C were open. I took A and my dad took C with B open. Absolutely fantastic!
Our beautiful 77W, C-FRAM
Closer up (love the fuselage color!)
Head on with my first 777
And another angle (HUGE engine!)
C-GEOU getting ready for another trip to South America
Flight information
Date: 4. April 2012 (+1)
Airline: Air Canada (AC/ACA)
Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER
Registration: C-FRAM
Flight number: AC 001
From: Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ/CYYZ)
To: Tokyo Narita International Airport (NRT/RJAA)
Runway at origin: 33R
Runway at destination: 16R
Sched/Act departure: 14:10/14:14
Sched/Act arrival: 15:55/16:12
Blocked time: 12 hours 45 minutes
Flight time gate to gate: 12 hours 58 minutes (14:14-16:12)
Flight time RWY to RWY: 12 hours 32 minutes (14:37-16:09)
Seat & Class: 19A, Economy Class (Y)
Personal information My 217th overall flight, 10th in 2012
My 2nd AC flight, 1st on AC 777, 1st on AC 777-300, 1st on AC 77W
My 1st 777 flight, 1st on 777-300, 1st on 77W, 1st on C-FRAM
My 42nd airport
My window view. I was really looking forward to my 1st triple seven flight!
IFE, same as on both CRJ of QK and the 767
C-GEOU beside us
Our sistership C-FIVR after GEOU was pushed back for LIM
Yup, it‘s the 777!
Pushback. That engine is HUGE!
C-FPJZ taxiing past. I saw this one in IAH some days earlier, there it was operating from YUL.
Flaps are down and we start taxiing
A baby AC friend
Just getting started…
N405AW, a US Airways Express CR2, taxiing by
77W wing after takeoff: Wing flex + GE90s + raked wingtips = PERFECTION!
I felt like this engine could climb with me to the moon…
Cruising. Look at that AMAZING wing!
Raked wingtip
As we leveled off, pretzels and beverages were served
Another look – I couldn‘t stop taking pictures of this amazing wing!
Enough legroom on this bird
Nice lunch/dinner. Choice was between chicken and beef, I opted for beef.
View over the cabin
My extremely comfortable seat, same as on the 767
Blue mood lighting in the cabin
I like the maple leaf logo
Cruising near Yellowknife, a place our fellow member abrelosojos knows well
The mood lighting color has changed
Nice meal while over the Bering between Alaska and Siberia
There were many drink services on this flight, service was great overall
I really like this shot – Siberia
Breakfast at 13:00 local time – strange but it tasted good
Another shot of the clear Siberian sky
I just LOVE this wing!
Another drink service
HUGE engine, over northern Japan
Around 30 minutes before arrival, descend was commanded. The pilot informed us that it would be bumpy. Bumpy was an understatement! The plane was like a plastic bottle in the sea in bad weather! But we made it, and that‘s the important thing.
Speedbrakes up
Turning for approach
Ready to enter the BUMPY clouds
And here we go
Took this when it was still for a moment in between the heavy bumps
Finally sun! But still above the clouds…
Here we go again
Bumpy as hell in here!
Finally through!
Turning
Flaps down
Speedbrakes and flaps
Turning on final
UA heavy lineup
And a little UA bird who lives in the East
Again, Tulip vs. Globe. As I said before I like the globe better, but I understand I‘m in a minority.
NH 77W sitting at its gate
NH 76W sitting at its gate
JL 738 taxiing in from the other runway
I like this angle on the -300ER! (I like any angle on a 77W! )
Cockpit hidden behind the jetway, what a beautiful, long and sleekish aircraft!
JA780A
Last look out of the window on the huge, and I mean HUGE, GE90
Another look at JA780A
What a beautiful aircraft I say again! From another angle
Yep, it‘s ship 780
Pushing back for LA, California
N218UA, a Star Alliance colored UA 772
Nice UA 772 from up close
The mighty 747!
Finally...I’m going into Asia!
Another look at this 777
After going thru immigration I simply had to go to the observation deck. It was very, very windy and the observation deck was deserted. Most people would call me crazy, but come on, I‘m an enthusiast and a true a.netter!
N708DN, a DL 77L beauty (I don’t know why, but I love this pic! Maybe the light conditions + the beauty of the 77L?)
AA OW 777 taking off to DFW
D-ACGC taxiing out for takeoff
UA 777 from SFO rolling out, this is the flight I was supposed to be on
DL 330 lifting off for SEA
A closer look at N708DN
CX Cargo 74F lifting off the runway going home to HKG where I would be going 3 days later
SQ 388 rolling out from SIN, what a (ugly) beast!
CI 343 taxiing out
Liftoff for LAX
NCA landing
Nice UA 777 takeoff
UA 747 taxiing out for ORD
Beautiful FedEx 77L freighter lifting off
DL 777 rolling out
HL8211 pushing back for ICN
Thai 77W pushing back
I spotted 13 regs at YYZ and 13 at NRT, could be better but could be worse.
I then left the observation deck and took the train to my hotel. There I got to sleep pretty soon because of the time zone change,
Seats on the airport express train to Tokyo city
Crossing a Japanese river
Basic underground train to Suidobashi, the station nearest to my hotel
Tokyo Dome Hotel, my home for the next 3 nights
View out on the Tokyo Dome and its surroundings from my room on the 20th floor
Afterthoughts
Air Canada again delivered great service, and having enough space and a comfortable seat on such a long flight is really important! The flight was great in every way and if I had the choice between AC and another airline on such a long flight, I would probably choose AC (in Economy at least).
planejamie From United Kingdom, joined Sep 2011, 572 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (1 year 1 week 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 9283 times:
Nice trip report! The 777 is my second favourite aircraft however so far I've only managed various 777-200s and -200ERs (the 757-200 being my favourite aircraft!)
Tokyo is a place I'd love to visit sometime and Air Canada seem like a really good airline based on your reports!
SRQKEF From Iceland, joined Jun 2011, 694 posts, RR: 1 Reply 2, posted (1 year 1 week 2 days 18 hours ago) and read 9183 times:
Quoting planejamie (Reply 1):
Nice trip report! The 777 is my second favourite aircraft however so far I've only managed various 777-200s and -200ERs (the 757-200 being my favourite aircraft!)
Thanks! Yeah, the 757 is great. But after 130 flights you get a bit tired of it...
Quoting planejamie (Reply 1): Tokyo is a place I'd love to visit sometime and Air Canada seem like a really good airline based on your reports!
Tokyo is great! AC treated us very well, would love to fly them more often.
flightsimboy From Canada, joined Sep 2005, 849 posts, RR: 4 Reply 4, posted (1 year 1 week 2 days 11 hours ago) and read 8209 times:
Hi,
Nice to see a report on the AC 773ER. I can so relate to your getting so excited over the GE-90s. Had the same views of those engines on my Etihad flights. Could not stop gazing at them for hours!!! And yes the A380 is an ugly beast lol.
That pic of the seat does not have a window. Was that a shot on your 767 flight to compare the seats, considering you had a window to shoot all those engine pics?
AC's meals look pretty mediocre. So far I have to say the carrier with the best meals are EK!! Hands down.
So now that you flew for the first time on a 777 and that happened to be on AC's 773ER C-FRAM are you going to buy the Gemini jets 1:200 model that has the very same registration. Will make a great souvenir of your flight. (Though the engines are incorrect on the diecast model. Yet a gorgeous model). And it's funny the EK 1:200 that Gemini made is A6-ECS which I flew with EK. But I won't be getting that model anytime soon.
triple7man From Thailand, joined May 2005, 681 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (1 year 1 week 2 days 11 hours ago) and read 8169 times:
Thank you for an excellent trip report. That's nice AC could change your seat assignments to some much better seats. Some beautiful pictures of that wing with the huge engine and raked wingtip.
NRT is a great airport for spotting. All the Japanese airports are.
I am very familiar with the area around your hotel, Tokyo Dome and Korakuen Gardens. I loved going there when I lived in Japan.
Your pictures bring back many fond memories of Japan. Thank you for posting.
Oh come on, let it grow on you! Depending on the perspective, it can look awesome.
Quoting flightsimboy (Reply 4): And it's funny the EK 1:200 that Gemini made is A6-ECS which I flew with EK.
You're lucky then considering that there are more than 70 77Ws in the fleet now. I haven't bought a model for many years, but I really need to get one of A6-EDA which I flew on last week. Saw that model at DXB, but I didn't know yet that I would fly on exactly that frame two hours later...
Quoting flightsimboy (Reply 4): That pic of the seat does not have a window. Was that a shot on your 767 flight to compare the seats, considering you had a window to shoot all those engine pics?
The window was just behind seat 18A, so I had to stretch forward to see. Just a minor problem, not worth noting.
Quoting flightsimboy (Reply 4): So now that you flew for the first time on a 777 and that happened to be on AC's 773ER C-FRAM are you going to buy the Gemini jets 1:200 model that has the very same registration.
Hopefully...thanks for the info, didn't know about it!
Quoting triple7man (Reply 5): Thank you for an excellent trip report.
Hi triple7man, thanks!
Quoting triple7man (Reply 5): That's nice AC could change your seat assignments to some much better seats.
63 middle seats would've been terrible.
Quoting triple7man (Reply 5): NRT is a great airport for spotting. All the Japanese airports are.
Yeah, the Japanese sure know how to satisfy plane nerds!
Quoting triple7man (Reply 5): Your pictures bring back many fond memories of Japan. Thank you for posting.
No problem at all. Thank you again for your kind comments!
Quoting PlaneHunter (Reply 6): great next part of your outstanding series! Congratulations on your first 777 flight!
Hi PH, thanks! Finally flying something better than a 767 was fantastic, especially when it was a tripleseven.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Reply 6): I'm not sure whether you find the same amount of options on the CRJs and ERJs.
Same amount of TV shows. Correct about movies though, of course.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Reply 6): Oh come on, let it grow on you! Depending on the perspective, it can look awesome.
It certainly looks good on takeoff and while gliding over the runway for landing, but on the ground...not good.
I have to say though that my EK flight on the 380 was probably my most comfortable flight ever. The whales interior is great (and quiet).
Prinair From United States of America, joined Dec 1999, 744 posts, RR: 3 Reply 9, posted (1 year 1 week 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 6484 times:
Great pictures. The 777 is an amazing aircraft. The raked wing tips and the massive engines give it an elegant image.
Looking forward to the next chapter. Thanks.
gabrielchew From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2005, 2512 posts, RR: 13 Reply 10, posted (1 year 1 week 23 hours ago) and read 5653 times:
Another nice installment, thanks Sveinn! Nice that you got to Tokyo without too much drama.
Quoting SRQKEF (Thread starter): My extremely comfortable seat, same as on the 767
Seta looks comfy, but it appears you're missing a window!
Quoting SRQKEF (Thread starter): Breakfast at 13:00 local time – strange but it tasted good
Breakfast? Why are they serving breakfast as a second meal. I've heard of quite a few North American carier doig that on daytime flights to Asia (but curiously not on Europe -> American flights). TBH, the food doesn't look great. Is alcohol free in Y?
icelander From Iceland, joined Dec 2011, 39 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (1 year 4 days 17 hours ago) and read 4665 times:
Shame I missed you by a couple of days in Tokyo Sveinn.
I have to say that the food doesn't look good. Travelling in the opposite direction, KEF-CPH-NRT, the food was far far better on the CPH-NRT leg in Y with S.A.S.
Look forward to the rest of the trip report. Keep up the good work.
signol From United Kingdom, joined Oct 2007, 2948 posts, RR: 7 Reply 14, posted (1 year 4 days 5 hours ago) and read 4281 times:
Hi Sveinn,
nice continuation, looks like you had a nice long flight. I've not flown AC before, and unlikely to in the near future, so this is interesting to see their ultra long haul offering.
Seat looks ok (except the lack of window - every A.netter's worst nightmare!), food average.
So, how big was that engine again?
Japan is somewhere I do want to visit, will you touch more on it in your next leg? And looking forward to finding out about your plan changes to come...
The777Man From United States of America, joined Jul 1999, 6087 posts, RR: 56 Reply 15, posted (1 year 3 days 22 hours ago) and read 4152 times:
Hi Sveinn!
Nice to see a report of your first flight on a 777! AC looks nice as always and great to see the pictures from NRT; I've been there at least four times in the last four months. Great place for spotting!
Looking forward to read the rest of the reports about your RTW adventure!
I just did my 9th RTW but my first in 5 years, although not as extensive as yours.
The777Man
Need a Boeing 777 Firing Order....Further to fly....GA, T5, CI and LX 777s
SRQKEF From Iceland, joined Jun 2011, 694 posts, RR: 1 Reply 16, posted (1 year 3 days 19 hours ago) and read 4029 times:
Quoting icelander (Reply 13): I have to say that the food doesn't look good. Travelling in the opposite direction, KEF-CPH-NRT, the food was far far better on the CPH-NRT leg in Y with S.A.S.
Hi Mark, thanks for reading! It was fine, but I agree, it isn't a looker
Quoting icelander (Reply 13):
Shame I missed you by a couple of days in Tokyo Sveinn.
Yes, would've been nice to meet!
Quoting signol (Reply 14): nice continuation, looks like you had a nice long flight.
Hi signol, thanks! Yes, it was fine.
Quoting signol (Reply 14): Seat looks ok (except the lack of window - every A.netter's worst nightmare!)
It was comfortable! Hehe, fortunately I could see out of the window behind and in front of me
Quoting signol (Reply 14): So, how big was that engine again?
Hehe, I just love it! Only thing I know is that a 737 fuselage fits into it
Quoting signol (Reply 14): Japan is somewhere I do want to visit, will you touch more on it in your next leg?
Yep, more pics to come
Quoting signol (Reply 14): And looking forward to finding out about your plan changes to come...
Some more changes are coming for sure!
Quoting The777Man (Reply 15): Nice to see a report of your first flight on a 777!
Hi Lars, thanks!
Quoting The777Man (Reply 15): I've been there at least four times in the last four months.
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