This is my first trip report. I have tried to keep it fairly simple, so as not to overwhelm myself, and tried not to include too much text, for the reader!

I have three short (less than two minute videos) and forty plus photos throughout and four A.net database photos as well. I have only included the one flight in this report (for the aircraft type) and used my iPad for the photos and videos.

~~~~~

I got to the airport in plenty of time, as per the usual routine. I hadn’t flown a few days before Christmas for a few years, and I was surprised how quiet it was at the airport check-in! I think this is due to the way the airport is designed and how streamlined the processes are.

Every time I visit this airport it is in some stage of evolvement. The Canberra (International) Airport is a brand new terminal and precinct and compared to a few years ago when it was a bottleneck of lines and waiting especially at peak travel times.  

It is a pleasure to visit and use nowadays, as it is so spacious (partly due to the lack of people) and very easy to move about in, and has a lot of natural lighting. No snaking queues and no ‘..how long is this going to take feeling and experiences’ at all! I am proud to have this as my local!   

I love the artworks, and the piano! I believe this airport is used for functions that are held at the airport precinct during the year. Loved the Christmas decorations, and didn’t notice the snowflake design until later when I was looking at the photos.  

One more note on the airport, understandably it has been built for anticipation of a greater capacity into the future, and the flights ‘they will come’ it is said, but this is a plush regional ... and I say, for now … enjoy the time!   

So, I had no problems of a queue anywhere at check-in and did my usual walking straight up to a spare kiosk. The staff at self-check in are always very helpful, and come over at the slightest hesitation.

I had received a new Q-Tag (checked in baggage (RFID) e-tag) as a gift a few months ago, and no longer had the packaging for it or recall the explanation of how it works! I therefore went with the familiar and printed out a paper tag.

Then a Qantas staff member came over and said I had a Q-Tag and I didn’t need the paper one, and corrected it all for me and then showed me how to check my bag in at the bag drop and answered my questions about how it works. As mentioned, I am very impressed with CBR check in staff on numerous occasions not just this as a one-off standard of service.

~~~~~

I was very pleased to see the 717 for my flight was VH-YQW, the ‘Tassie Devil’ livery, which although not flying to the state of Tasmania, is my home state, and my first time flying on this aircraft, as well as the 717!  

View Large View Medium Photo © Alexander Watts

View Large View Medium Photo © Steven Austen

View Large View Medium Photo © John Richard Thomson

View Large View Medium Photo © Victor J Pody

Cleaning the windows..   

Boarding was five minutes behind schedule due to the incoming flight. My seat was 20A, just forward of the engine on the/this QantasLink 717.

I also noticed that there is no B in the seat Configuration, just A C and D E F.

I didn’t realise how far back I would be, and I then considered, did I choose this seat?! I wasn’t sure how noisy it was going to be. I thought, other than the fact that I’ve never been this close in view to a jet engine when it has been running, I thought.. it will be interesting, and one hour flights allow for a try and see!   

It actually wasn’t too bad once used to it and we got going. If on a flight for more than two hours I would not choose to sit down the back. I cannot recall in the 727 days how this experience was or how far back I was in the cabin on those flights. I wished now I had better memory for this or had kept trip records!

I have since discovered there are website reviews dedicated to seating configurations for different aircraft and different airlines. Very informative, especially too when comparing other airlines of the same aircraft type.

After taking my seat, I studied the safety card, which I always allocate about 60-90 seconds to.

I am not that tall, and so fit into economy quite well. I have only had experiences on another airline I have flown on in the last fifteen years, where the further back you sat the narrower the seat pitch got! I believe this does not equate to fare paid?

This aircraft seating was generous. I was going to include a photo, but you get the idea; my knees were not going to touch the seat in front at all, there was at least 8 inches/20 cm.   

The seats were comfortable, although the cabin was not clean; the seats were stained, there were dirty fingerprints on the overhead lockers, and I had sugar granules on my fold-down tray.   

This was not QantasLink usual standard based on my many previous flights (on other aircraft on other sectors) – but it was a busy peak travel time of year, the flight was full, and it is nice to think that this aircraft was making a lot of $ for QantasLink too.   

For such a short flight, about 50 minutes, it does not really matter to me. What is more important is that the weather was good and the flight was pretty much on time.   

Take off video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uY-QvrgJuZo

First time flying with my iPad, and I had time to listen to two songs. By tradition, I took a headset when boarding, and they were also giving them out, but when I went to use it I couldn’t see anywhere to plug it in, not noticing until later that there were portable devices in the seat pocket.

Anyway, so I gave up on that idea, and as mentioned had my own music and device anyway. I’ve since done some swotting up on IFE and research on the Internet, and I am not so behind and naïve about what and how IFE is available on Australia’s major carriers now!   

When it came time for refreshments, I always ask for tea with milk if it is being served. Being such a short flight, and sitting down the back, this can be a very quick move to eat and drink, before everything is stowed away for landing.   

The only issue with the catering for me on this flight, was I asked for tea with milk, and I got tea… but no milk. By the time I looked up again, all the crew were way down the front, so I didn’t bother and drank it as it was, as mentioned, time is of the essence.   

Approach video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCwNj97IuUI

Didn’t get a landing video on this trip..  

Taxi in video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y39QGLnQ10M

Last days of the Qantas 763’s in service..  

I would fly on this aircraft again for sure, as well as for a longer flight. I would take the same seat allocation area, if I had to. Next time if I actively chose seat allocation though, it would be in the middle or towards the front, for the different perspective, but also for the noise factor, for when talking to people mostly, and secondly for audio comfort.

I did find even the cabin crew had trouble hearing the pax and I probably wouldn’t have been able to talk to my fellow pax next to me without nearly yelling.   

For the experience, if you don’t need to talk to the person next to you, and you listen to IFE or have your own music device, I would recommend getting on a 717 flight towards the rear of the aircraft, for the experience, and not to be put off by it, particularly if the fare is very reasonable. However, if seated further back than where I was, you won’t have a view outside obviously.   

The flight was smooth, and one thing about sitting down the back is there wasn’t that sway movement that I have experienced on other aircraft, that was a positive thing, at least on this flight anyway.   

~~~~~

Thanks for dropping by and reading the report and/or looking at the photographs and video. I am glad I have got this up on A.net and want to thank the members who helped me on the forums with the compiling and encouraged me, to getting it done. I have two more planned for this year so didn’t want this one to run into the next one either, which motivated me as well!

Any questions I will try to answer. If there are any questions about the airport, aircraft or airline that I can’t answer, I am sure other A.net members can.

Cheers =
 

Hi VapourTrails,

Congratulations on posting your first trip report.   

Good to hear that there were no hold-ups with queues. I do like all the artwork in the terminal. I really must get over to Canberra one day.

Despite the noise, where you were seated did give you the opportunity to capture the movement of the flaps. Good photos too. There's something magical about flying over Australia, with its contrasting colours and contours. 

Thanks for sharing and I look forward to future reports.

Nice to see my photo in the inflight magazine!

View Large View Medium

Photo © Anthony Jackson

Hi VapourTrails!


Interesting report, with many good pics!
Nice for you that you could log the 717, which is for sure a rare bird, also nice that you had a seat quite in the back of the aircraft, it is noisy there, but I like that always as one can see the engine quite well.

Quoting VapourTrails (Thread starter): Last days of the Qantas 763’s in service..

That's really bad  



thanks for sharing
greetings
emek96/Elias

Quoting VapourTrails (Thread starter): This is my first trip report. I have tried to keep it fairly simple, so as not to overwhelm myself, and tried not to include too much text, for the reader!

Very nice report!

It's always good to see what QantasLink are doing - and there are not many reports on the Boeing 717! Canberra is looking so much nicer now that it has been expanded - I remember how tiny and pokey it used to be.

Thanks for taking the time to do this. I look forward to your next one!

Quoting ElanusNotatus (Reply 1): Despite the noise, where you were seated did give you the opportunity to capture the movement of the flaps.

Hi ElanusNotatus, Thank you for your comments.  

Yes, you are right!    For an A.net trip report this is probably the best place to be really, of course!   

I forgot to mention, it was an aircraft change! I booked six months earlier, and I booked for the time, which was a midday flight. It was orginally a 738..    ..so I was pleasantly suprised to find that I was now going to get my first flight on the 717 after all (so then decided to do a trip report). Then when it was The Tassie Devil, well, that was even better.  

Quoting AJ (Reply 2): Nice to see my photo in the inflight magazine!

  

Quoting emek96 (Reply 3): Interesting report, with many good pics! Nice for you that you could log the 717, which is for sure a rare bird, also nice that you had a seat quite in the back of the aircraft, it is noisy there, but I like that always as one can see the engine quite well.

Hi emek96, Thank you for your comments.   Yes, I forget how rare they are, as I see them often. It is not till they disappear that the nostalgia really sets in. Which brings me to your next comment. I made sure when I saw the 763 that I got it in the report. They are missed by many of the flying public in Australia..   

Quoting ClassicLover (Reply 4): It's always good to see what QantasLink are doing - and there are not many reports on the Boeing 717!

Hi ClassicLover, thank you for your comments.   Yes, that is one reason why I took the opportunity to do a trip report on the 717, and there are not too many QantasLink trip reports either I don't think.  

Quoting ClassicLover (Reply 4): Canberra is looking so much nicer now that it has been expanded - I remember how tiny and pokey it used to be.

Yes, the new airport, it is brilliant. I first used the airport in December 1995, and that would have been one way to describe it!

=

I love the sound of the BR715 at takeoff power!    I was a frequent AirTran flyer for many years. How I miss that sound, Delta doesn't send the 717 here.

And the approach sound too. I closed my eyes and imagined I was landing in Atlanta on my way to a vacation somewhere.

Thanks for both of those videos. Nice TR, and if you ever get the chance to sit up front on the 717, you'll be blown away by how quiet it is.

Great first trip report! The 717 is the one aircraft I've yet to get on the SYD-CBR run. I love the new terminal, although there's not much in the way of retail or food. Then again, I suspect most passengers don't spend much time there or are in a lounge.

Quoting VapourTrails (Thread starter): The seats were comfortable, although the cabin was not clean; the seats were stained, there were dirty fingerprints on the overhead lockers, and I had sugar granules on my fold-down tray.

That's never nice. I guess they work the aircraft pretty hard on these shorter runs with only limited time to clean up.

Quoting vatveng (Reply 6): I love the sound of the BR715 at takeoff power! I was a frequent AirTran flyer for many years. How I miss that sound, Delta doesn't send the 717 here. And the approach sound too. I closed my eyes and imagined I was landing in Atlanta on my way to a vacation somewhere. Thanks for both of those videos. Nice TR, and if you ever get the chance to sit up front on the 717, you'll be blown away by how quiet it is.

Hi vatveng,

Thanks so much.   Yes, I definitely needed to include the videos, for the sound mainly! I am very glad you liked it.   I live near an approach, so now I know it from inside and outside, and recognise it well, and distinctly.

As it happens, I managed to get on the same flight again, in June. I will definitely take a landing video this time! I wanted to sit near the front, but when I chose my seat, very consciously this time, I could only get from 19 back, so I chose 19F, the other side window from where I was.    I will make the most of it, again!    I assume the lack of choice was the type of booking I had? Cheapie!   

Quoting allrite (Reply 7): Great first trip report! The 717 is the one aircraft I've yet to get on the SYD-CBR run. I love the new terminal, although there's not much in the way of retail or food. Then again, I suspect most passengers don't spend much time there or are in a lounge.

Hi allrite,

Yes, there is not much choice of retail or food. I got ripped off twice with the food.    First time I was overcharged, and second time I was shortchanged quite a bit, but I corrected them on that one.    Then I got a survey to fill out, which I did! Room for improvement. I do like the bookstore for browsing. Yes, it is not overrun with people, and I am sure with the business traffic that the lounges are well utilised.

Quoting allrite (Reply 7): That's never nice. I guess they work the aircraft pretty hard on these shorter runs with only limited time to clean up.

Yes, the 717 workhorses.   And the Q400's.

I am about to do the CBR-SYD on the ATR72 so thanks for adding that trip report, it was all noted.  


=

[Edited 2015-03-19 19:37:20]

What a wonderful trip report you have put together here, VapourTrails, especially considering that it is your first here on A.net!

I found this report to be a very enjoyable read, and your photos are incredible! I agree with others that although your seat choice may have put you in the loudest part of the cabin, it made for the best photos possible of the engine and wing.

Quoting VapourTrails (Thread starter): It actually wasn’t too bad once used to it and we got going. If on a flight for more than two hours I would not choose to sit down the back. I cannot recall in the 727 days how this experience was or how far back I was in the cabin on those flights. I wished now I had better memory for this or had kept trip records!

I distinctly remember back when I was 16, coming back from a high school debate tournament on a UA 727 from New Orleans and landing here in Chicago at ORD, and I was seated in what would've been your same location on the 717. I remember it so well because it was a fairly normal (slightly loud) flight up until we were on our final approach into ORD in a snow storm, and it quickly became one of those situations where I grabbed the armrests tightly and felt my heartbeat increase rapidly since I couldn't see a damn thing outside my window but the front of engine cowling being hit with heavy snow, yet I knew we were just about to touchdown.

Anyhow, the part that always sticks out in my mind was that there was suddenly a huge explosion which occurred right behind me just outside my window just as we landed, immediately after the pilot started to use reverse thrust. It was then that I saw flames for a split second, before a big cloud of smoke (I believe fire retardent was being sprayed), and then the captain came over the PA and said he was sorry that he ran the thrust reversers a bit too long and blew the left engine out, or something to that effect.

With my previous experience in a similar seat on a slightly different Boeing, coupled with reading your wonderful TR and seeing your photos of the breathtaking Australian scenery made viewing this TR a breath of fresh air for me! The airport there looks so amazing as well!

Anyway, congratulations on what is now my favorite Trip Report, and I eagerly look forward to reading your next one!

Best,

OMP777X

Hi there Vapour Trails, aint the 717 just the best (my favourite ac). Well done on your first trip report, videos were great, and I really appreciated the work that has been done at Canberra airport. Havn't been there for some years now, and it looks great. Looking forward to more reports from you, cheers.

I love the 717's only wish more airlines took them on. Great report, thanks really enjoyed it.

Thanks OMP777X  

Quoting OMP777X (Reply 9): I distinctly remember back when I was 16, coming back from a high school debate tournament on a UA 727 from New Orleans and landing here in Chicago at ORD, and I was seated in what would've been your same location on the 717. I remember it so well because it was a fairly normal (slightly loud) flight up until we were on our final approach into ORD in a snow storm, and it quickly became one of those situations where I grabbed the armrests tightly and felt my heartbeat increase rapidly since I couldn't see a damn thing outside my window but the front of engine cowling being hit with heavy snow, yet I knew we were just about to touchdown. Anyhow, the part that always sticks out in my mind was that there was suddenly a huge explosion which occurred right behind me just outside my window just as we landed, immediately after the pilot started to use reverse thrust. It was then that I saw flames for a split second, before a big cloud of smoke (I believe fire retardent was being sprayed), and then the captain came over the PA and said he was sorry that he ran the thrust reversers a bit too long and blew the left engine out, or something to that effect.

What did happen to the aircraft after that incident I wonder? I am sure that rear mounted engines were a very quiet ride after that experience!  

Quoting TN486 (Reply 10): Hi there Vapour Trails, aint the 717 just the best (my favourite ac). Well done on your first trip report, videos were great, and I really appreciated the work that has been done at Canberra airport. Havn't been there for some years now, and it looks great. Looking forward to more reports from you, cheers.

Thanks TN486.   Well, as it happens, ..for my upcoming trip including a 717, there has been an aircraft change since I booked... and I now have two 717 flights! I wonder if this means they (QantasLink) are increasing their routes for 717's to and from CBR, as a MEL-CBR usually, pretty much guarantees at least one 738 flight.. with Qantas.

The airport, yes, I wonder what developments are coming next.. it is brilliant; so fresh, clean and new, the whole airport precinct. I also like the bypass they put in a few years ago. Parking is pretty good too, although I have only used the open air one so far.

Quoting luv2fly (Reply 11): I love the 717's only wish more airlines took them on. Great report, thanks really enjoyed it.

Thanks luv2fly.   I am not up to speed on a lot of aviation and fleet news admittedly, but I get the impression that they are still really popular with airlines and are not being retired at any pace, at this current time?


Cheers =

Quoting VapourTrails (Reply 12): Thanks OMP777X   Quoting OMP777X (Reply 9): I distinctly remember back when I was 16, coming back from a high school debate tournament on a UA 727 from New Orleans and landing here in Chicago at ORD, and I was seated in what would've been your same location on the 717. I remember it so well because it was a fairly normal (slightly loud) flight up until we were on our final approach into ORD in a snow storm, and it quickly became one of those situations where I grabbed the armrests tightly and felt my heartbeat increase rapidly since I couldn't see a damn thing outside my window but the front of engine cowling being hit with heavy snow, yet I knew we were just about to touchdown. Anyhow, the part that always sticks out in my mind was that there was suddenly a huge explosion which occurred right behind me just outside my window just as we landed, immediately after the pilot started to use reverse thrust. It was then that I saw flames for a split second, before a big cloud of smoke (I believe fire retardent was being sprayed), and then the captain came over the PA and said he was sorry that he ran the thrust reversers a bit too long and blew the left engine out, or something to that effect. What did happen to the aircraft after that incident I wonder? I am sure that rear mounted engines were a very quiet ride after that experience!

Hello again, VapourTrails! I'm not completely certain, but I think they could restart the engine after they shut it down, but since it was on landing they probably inspected it on the ground prior to the next flight. I'm fairly sure it was a compressor stall, and that the flames were just produced from within the engine, so it isn't as if the engine itself was on fire.

Here's a good video that explains the concept http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQWYhsYfMxE

And here's one of a C-17 who has a compressor stall while using reverse thrust (30s in): http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=b9bNOkE9FUg

Thanks again for sharing your wonderful TR!

Best,

OMP777X

Quoting OMP777X (Reply 13): Hello again, VapourTrails! I'm not completely certain, but I think they could restart the engine after they shut it down, but since it was on landing they probably inspected it on the ground prior to the next flight. I'm fairly sure it was a compressor stall, and that the flames were just produced from within the engine, so it isn't as if the engine itself was on fire. Here's a good video that explains the concept http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQWYhsYfMxE And here's one of a C-17 who has a compressor stall while using reverse thrust (30s in): http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=b9bNOkE9FUg Thanks again for sharing your wonderful TR!

Hi OMP777X, thank you for those links, interesting. Not something that I hope to ever happen on a flight nonetheless! Worth knowing about though. I trust the flight crews will be able to handle any such situation!

=

Trip Reports, while a labour of love, can be so time consuming, and a bit /a lot labour-intensive. I am about to do more QF 717 trips, and.. I want to do some kind of trip report, incorporating them as well.. see how I go...