ROCKY MOUNTAIN FLYING with WestJet Link! Saab 340 Calgary to Cranbrook

[@MattsAviationChannel]

Wonderful trip report. Most beautiful flight above the mountains. I love the Saab 340.

[@airwipe1639]

0:08 oh yes! yes! Haven’t heard that in a long time. Nice to hear this again.

[@supertyfon1736]

Good to see SAAB's still flying.

[@darranhirose8153]

Nice little plane. Nice little flight. Nice... Locked door.

[@danwardlaw2160]

I keep forgetting how beautiful our Rocky Mountains are. I've always traveled by vehicle so you kinda forget that from the sky it's even more majestic. Thanks Alex, very nice.

[@youngavaitor]

I love the saab 340s i used to fly mesaba all the time in the early 2000s from detroit to toledo great planes always got the seat next to the prop

[@randygalati]

That’s awesome I just saw the Gulfstream G200 I take care of in Toronto landing in Calgary at the 4:24 time mark of the vid!!!!Nice surprise haha 😂

[@davecrupel2817]

Do you work for GS? Or some FBO? or are you a more personal-hired tech for that old pup?

[@randygalati]

Dave Crupel it operates out of a FBO I work for!

[@davecrupel2817]

@@randygalati Nice! I'm at a regional right now. Growing more and more interested in working at an FBO. Preferably one that's far from a city (if any exist in such places). Love the idea of working on the fancy birds. Any good ones you might suggest?

[@randygalati]

Dave Crupel Muskoka airport FBO is looking I think!

[@davecrupel2817]

@@randygalati Ooohh you're in Canada. I'm in the US. But thanks anyways! Keep those pig tails down! ;)

[@manaviation]

Great video thank you Alex

[@andrewganong6515]

Beautiful views over the rocks! Thanks for sharing

[@jamesstenhouse4113]

Use to be a passenger in Saab 340's up in northern Manitoba for years. Excellent little work horse.

[@PeterNGloor]

I must confess I prefer the last row. The prop noise is quite loud in the front.

[@Guerry-3]

Thank-you for sharing your trip with us, Alex. This is Guerry, your pal from the States who always enjoys your posts. Despite not being able to comment as much as I would like, I always make an effort to view all your videos. The reason for my absence is long and boring. But believe me, it is certainly not due to my choosing. Indeed, your trip takes me back to many, many years ago, when I used to take the Allegheny Commuter, Beechcraft 99 between Chicago and Danville, Illinois. Since I have relayed that story to you in the past, I will not repeat the details. However, the squeaks and feeling every bump on the runway during takeoff really threw me back onto memory lane. EVERYONE should enjoy the light turbojet experience at least once in their lives. I loved your opening shot of the mountains, which you showed again in your video. Doing some rough estimations, you had a good ninety miles viewing distance from your cruise altitude on that clear day. It is a shame that there was so much haze towards the end of your line-of-sight. One other thing your video reminded me of, when I used to fly frequently had to do with the little towns that dotted the landscape as my aircraft flew. I would always wonder why someone decided that the town’s location was a good spot to put a town. So many of them are really not along travel routes between major metropolitan locations. Nevertheless, my curiosity was one of the things I would do to entertain myself in the days before inflight entertainment devices. I almost fell out of my seat with laughter when you mentioned there being two flights from the same gate area only five minutes apart. Given the “A” concourse was virtually closed, I wondered why the airport did not use gates 1-4 rather than 21-24, which would have been a shorter walk (I’m assuming). But with the concourse practically empty, I could not understand not using two, distinctly separate gates for each flight given the emphasis on social distancing. The only other two anomalies that struck me as strange was the pilot not lowering the flaps for takeoff and dropping the landing gear before lowering the flaps for landing. However, I am sure the pilot knew what he was doing. Again sir, I heartily thank-you for sharing your experience with us. I look forward to seeing more of your videos in the future.

[@AlexPraglowskiAviation]

Great to hear from you again, Guerry! Always a pleasure to read your comments!

[@rivetandbrodie]

Nice flight report. I used to frequently fly on the Saab when Calm Air was doing the Winnipeg-Dryden-Thunder Bay run for Canadian.

[@JelmersAviation]

Wonderful video man! Liked!

[@stuntmanstu1]

Thanks Alex. Always enjoyable and informative videos. Cheers!

[@FlightATC]

I've been waiting for this one!

[@sebothegamer3083]

Great video!

[@on_transit]

Yo its me seel

[@fmpaviation2365]

Wow!! Amazing flight and views

[@JayJayAviation]

Loving the music again!

[@canadadan4437]

Great footage man taken this flight many times myself 👍🇨🇦

[@colestagg8682]

Flying to cranbrook in February very excited and with west jet (pacific coastal)

[@moofey]

I've flown into and out of YXC a couple of times in the last 20 years with Jazz and Pasco. Still remember the old terminal.

[@mynorescobar3015]

I Flew on T.A.G. airlines on a SAAB just like that one, I'm 5'-2" so the space was perfect, nice views of the snowy mountains.

[@rafaelwilks]

A stunning view of the GE CT7-9B at the same time, too 😍

[@infiniteaviation6352]

Love to see the water bombers at the Airtanker base in Cranbrook!!

[@clarkegilbey6544]

Wow. I knew that MSF2020 had good scenery but wow. This video just makes it look even better

[@thecaynuck4694]

I flew on a SAAB 340 in Cayman Islands recently! Flew some in Canada as well!

[@bjornlillpers498]

Ooh this brings back memories! These ran the local commuter route where I lived as a kid, they were pretty new back then. 6 daily departures to the capital, sometimes they flew two aircraft 5 minutes apart when demand was high. When I was 5 or 6 I got to fly on one during an airshow, the airline flew short scenic flights around the town. Interior looked just like this. Nowdays there is just one daily departure on a 19-seater, and the airport terminal is like something out of a ghosttown. Sad, but that's progress I guess (faster trains and better roads).

[@mlcochran78]

Another wonderful Alex Adventure

[@weirdshibainu]

I wish I could start a small regional airline

[@stanleovart]

Gorgeous

[@theglobalpeasant]

The only I flew on a Saab was with Northwest; they would make brief trips up north on the old MSP - YQT route.

[@shedboyz21]

Fly a metro up north next! You’ll never want to get in a plane ever again

[@GrundleMathius]

Haha let me guess, Bearksin airlines.

[@karlossargeant3872]

For me I haven't fly on the Saab turboprop fleet only the Bombadier Dash 8's & ATR's but I'll get there soon God's Willing Awesome throwback Trip Report Mr.Alex keep going man my thumbs up too your Channel 100%

[@dwightstjohn6927]

greetings from WINDERMERE, BC; i'M just below you if you look down and see the Lake Windermere on your way to Cranbrook!!

[@FinnTheCanadian]

Awesome The smaller aircraft deffintly have the that feel to em

[@FlyersAviation]

Damn what a view! Gotta try a flight similar to this sometime

[@gavinsaviation]

Good to see them flying in the skies I saw one parked at the tarmac when i saw my dad’s plane too! Ps this is my dads plane 2:42

[@johnoke1206]

Congrats on 40k!

[@Crm_Spotting]

Great trip

[@deetothajizzle]

Really like the new music. Super boogie AF. Keep up the good work. Much love from CYXU

[@khorsean6229]

Interesante reporte del Saab. Hermosas vistas de las montañas de cerca.

[@cyriluebbing22]

Nice

[@dabflies]

Would love to see you fly on Jazz to YCG once service eventually resumes!

[@AlexPraglowskiAviation]

YCG is on the list!

[@ColinAndShishka]

@@AlexPraglowskiAviation CMA is picking up that route around now actually... would be even more interesting with them! Or Pacific Coastal Beech 1900D to Trail!

[@ThePowerofJames]

Seriously want to know what Alex does for a living that brings him all across the country and to these small towns!

[@robertbauers2210]

I was a Flight Attendant for a Delta Connection Carrier (Business Express) for a short time October-December 1994. They also flew the Saab 340. However, their Saab 340s has the lavatory in the rear of the plane and the last row was like the rest of the plane

[@johnnycharco]

Nice highlight of the ring road :)

[@jayladusterhoft737]

Hey Just to let you know WestJet Link operated by Pacific Coastal Airlines is shutting down come October, so if you want to fly the Saab 340 one more time best do it soon. Love the channel by the way

[@76notam]

good video , i like SF 340 and SF 2000 , a " racer " design 😉🤙

[@ianschiller9612]

Great camera work.

[@ianschiller9612]

How did you get back

[@marcusdamberger]

On turboprops I love when the pilot shuts off the engine, it makes that quick low buzzing sound as it quickly spins down. 11:08. Alex, it looks like you stuck around to see this plane take off back to Calgary I presume. Or does this turboprop head on to another destination in the Rockies? i.e. a milk run of sorts.

[@joncalon7508]

Link flights are all out and back from Calgary these days. Some flights earlier went from Calgary to Cranbrook and then to Vancouver, but that was pre-covid.

[@davef9901]

Nice one Alex - weird they take off with no flaps (see it some of the exterior shots as well), and minimal deployment on arrival (it appeared anyway).

[@ScottRothsroth0616]

DaveF Like a General Aviation (GA) plane making a circuit (GA plane making a circle) around an airport.

[@DeltaPilot9er]

Really enjoying the vids lately! Thank you

[@hdpiedmonttriadaviation9867]

You should come plane spotting at KGSO. It’s such an underrated airport. You can get rare traffic anywhere from military aircrafts doing touch and goes, to older aircrafts such as Boeing 737-300s and Boeing 737-400s, and sometimes even the very old McDonell Douglas DC-9s. There’s also tons of corporate and private jet traffic here as well.

[@marceldavidmitchell]

Nice!

[@lemob182]

Superb content I have to drop a like.

[@JackCV97]

Hey that's me lol 11:28

[@jltaviation]

The commuter airline flying, I've always enjoyed. I'd prefer a turbo prop than the jet...

[@airfreak75]

You should fly Cape Air in the Northeastern US. They fly 9 seat C402s and Tecnam travelers. Very different experience.

[@michaelmichniak127]

I have never flown on a Saab 340, but over the years many other props and turbo props that include the DC-3, YS-11, Convair 580, Heron, HS-748, DH-8, and others. This plane seems to be very designed and fairly quiet! Was the flight as smooth as it looked in the video? I can remember years ago taking the 580 with Aspen Airways into Aspen from Stapleton and it was FAR from smooth! Really enjoyed your video!

[@canadianaviation6282]

Hey. Have you done the Cranbrook-Vancouver-Calgary flight.

[@Jesuscatshockey]

So do you want the Saddledome to be replaced by that industrial plain looking behemoth? What time of year did you travel? How tall are you? Sounds like a WW2 bomber...

[@chesterwang3070]

4:34: Did they just takeoff with flaps 0?

[@jacquesmertens3369]

They're from Canada.

[@Lamborghini-wj2xt]

@@jacquesmertens3369 Soo??? What's your point?

[@StarTheAvgeek]

no the Saab 340 took off with maybe flaps 1 or flaps 2 its more than enough but never 0 otherwise he'd be dead

[@chesterwang3070]

​@@StarTheAvgeek ok well, i don't think he'd be dead, it would just take longer to takeoff with flaps 0. and there is no flaps 1 or flaps 2 in the saab 340. there is flaps 0, 7, 15, 20 and 35. They use the inches way of designation. maybe he took off with flaps 7. maybe

[@StarTheAvgeek]

@@chesterwang3070 oh but yeah it would still be too long before they can rotate at a SAFE speed for flaps 0

[@jshammmy]

What date was this specifically in August? I think we took off (King Air 350) just before this plane left Cranbrook!

[@viscount757]

How long did you spend in Cranbrook? What was the fare for such a short flight, or did they give you a free ticket? Would prefer the ambient background sound of the engines when you're not talking, rather than the background music. Also suggest include the actual date of your flights in your trip reports, rather than just the month. Reminds me of a couple of YYC-YXC flights on Pacific Western Boeing 737-200s and Convair 640s long before you were born, and later on Canadian Regional Dash 8s. My first flight on that route was in the mid-1960s on a Canadian Pacific Douglas DC-6B. Cranbrook was the first stop, followed by Castlegar and Kelowna (or Penticton, varied by day of week). I took that flight all the way just for fun once, after connecting from Edmonton's now closed YXD airport on a PWA DC-6B. That was before the current Cranbrook airport was built. The airport then was very close to the center of town and couldn't handle jets. A Pacific Western 737-200 from Calgary crashed on landing at Cranbrook in February 1978 with 44 fatalities (5 survivors). A snowplow was on the runway and the 737 attempted unsuccessfully to become airborne again and fly over it but crashed. There was also an ATC issue re the timing of the 737's arrival.

[@robinswiftton5802]

Alex any chance you could go for explore around the Hangers at Calgary International please ? Field Aviation etc Shout out to Darrell Knight from Calgary Awaresome Pilot , member of the Army Reserve Mewata Armory

[@aryanchandorkar]

When did you take this flight ?

[@yotamsherf]

Hey Alex! Love your videos! Seeing the rockies like that made me really apricate the 4 years I lived in Banff. Just maybe one small editorial thing: the background music comes in a bit too hard and is also a bit too loud. I had to lower the volume when the music came on and turn it back up a bit again when you talk. And another thing: how is your PPL coming along? I'm also working on mine

[@okhenre]

Hey Alex, what aircraft do you like the best?

[@test-nm8jf]

2:22 Uh oh

[@sambee1321]

Ow how i miss Calgary !!! Sigh

[@liamsmith4566]

Dehavilland canada should by the type certificate of the saab 340/2000, and then combine them with the dash 8 program, put the 2 planes together to make the dash 9, or just to have the plane under dehavilland canada would be big, these planes are seen as a nicer plane then the dash 8-100

[@davideck]

The last time I flew Calgary to Cranbrook was by Pacific Western on a 737-200 in January 1981. This does not seem like progress.

[@legowithdaniel3.568]

Good job Alex ( 2nd)

[@legowithdaniel3.568]

2nd

[@westonbadke5434]

Cranbrook is no longer in operation. It’s been closed for renovations.

[@jovanholland36]

They should call it westprop link

[@yohank_aviation9518]

Wow actually first but probably second

[@adam632]

MAN U TALL AF

[@ronh2660]

Props always remind me of Les Nessman pounding his own chest, pretending to be in a helicopter reporting the news

[@davidlawand2805]

was it just me or the pilot actually forgot to put flaps during take-off?

[@jayladusterhoft737]

My girl ( its my airline)

[@adrianwapcaplet2773]

Was this a flight taken purely for the scenic value? Not much sense complaining about "lack of distancing" during the journey if this was a frivolous adventure during pandemic times. The residents of small towns with limited health care facilities certainly appreciate such visits from larger cities, especially those with high covid case rates like Calgary. Calgary imposed mandatory mask use in all indoor public spaces in August, as their rates of infection were elevated, yet people still opted to fly to other provinces. Please assure us there was an essential reason to travel to Cranbrook in August, apart from "what's the most scenic flight I could take out of Calgary?"

[@PeterNGloor]

Great airplane. Too bad it proved too small for many airlines so they switched to the Q400.

[@Brick-Life]

baby plane

[@on_transit]

OMG SECOND

[@jeffeadie8856]

1ST

[@blueawesome_yt4929]

NOPE

[@StarTheAvgeek]

@@blueawesome_yt4929 NOPE

[@threeparots1]

Meow

[@MileHigh_Aviation]

great video!