Onboard an Aerospatiale ATR-72-600 with Fiji Airways from Nadi to Suva - FJ7 Trip Report (4K)

[@thomashart5321]

I do love the Fiji Airways livery on the ATRs!

[@PaulStewartAviation]

I agree!

[@davidcole333]

One thing I have learned about flying...the lower and slower the aircraft goes, the more enjoyable is the flight. If you ever get to fly on a Piper Cub or similar, with the window open, take the opportunity! It's a thrill. Enjoyed the video, well made and beautiful scenery. Thanks for taking the time to inform yourself and educate us!

[@PaulStewartAviation]

It's true! This is real flying!

[@dianeschroeder3980]

Once again you have knocked it out of the park with the stunning views from the air. It was also a nice touch adding the history of the ATR. Cheers Paul!❤️👍✈️

[@PaulStewartAviation]

cheers Diane

[@ChrisFrameOfficial]

Great review Paul! I recently did the ATR42 flight from Suva to Nadi! It was quite the experience! I don't suppose you've ever done the ATR-42? I came up short on a few photos for a review I am putting together and can't find anyone who might share a few interior shots of the ATR seats!! Always enjoy your channel. Chris.

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Cheers Chris. Unfortunately I've never flown in the ATR42, just this 72 and the VA 72 a few years ago. I've included brief footage of the 42 at the end of this video but I'm afraid I don't have any photos of its interior.

[@ChrisFrameOfficial]

@@PaulStewartAviation thanks so much for getting back to me Paul I really appreciate that.

[@hughrothwell7522]

Great video, Paul. Glad you enjoyed the flight. Although the drive from Nadi to Suva has beautiful scenery, it can be a long 3.5 hours. I travelled on one of Air Vanuatu’s ATR 72s a few years ago (Port Vila to Luganville) and they are perfectly comfortable for short regional flights, especially in the Pacific where the views out the windows are so good!

[@PaulStewartAviation]

cheers Hugh. Yep I figure the drive would be interesting although the novelty would probably wear off after a few hours haha

[@newflyer6837]

Another great video Paul! Beautiful footage! You have the most stable camera work of any aviation youtuber.

[@PaulStewartAviation]

cheers

[@Saifull1991]

Wow I’d love to meet you Paul. I work at Nadi airport . Love your videos, thank you for being the only aviation blogger to make videos on airlines in Fiji, really appreciated :) please keep doing more

[@PaulStewartAviation]

cheers my friend! I loved my first visit to Fiji last month. I hope you've seen my A350 and A330 videos and my Twin Otter video will be out next week :)

[@PaulStewartAviation]

and please mention my videos to your aviation friends. If they're popular, I'll keep making more. My A350 video seems to have been pretty popular :)

[@debramage739]

Done the Dash from Sydney to port Macquarie. Flew close to the coast and the scenery was amazing, much like what we are seeing. Thanks Paul. Ps merry Christmas to you and yours. Deb

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Cheers Deb. Yep it's a great flight to PQQ! I'm doing it again this coming Thursday although I'll be on the ATR-72 :)

[@falcon2265]

Good vid as always. Also congrats on 40K subs!

[@PaulStewartAviation]

cheers mate

[@prezdough3049]

Amazing flight review! I flew on a Fiji airways ATR 72-600 like four years ago and it was very good! Glad to see your flight was positive too!

[@radhaerc]

Hi Paul, I don't normally comment but wanted to thank you for releasing this gem! It was informative and with great views + silkly smooth footage. Will have to (re)check out the rest of your channel. Well done!

[@PaulStewartAviation]

cheers for the positive feedback!

[@doncoleman4938]

A thirty minute flight that only get's to FL9! Great for views. Many thanks, Paul and Merry Christmas to you and your family!

[@PaulStewartAviation]

cheers Don. Merry Christmas to you as well :)

[@fearinny78]

I love this plane

[@fernandoalmeida435]

I loved the video Paul, when I can visit Brazil. Happy travels around this world.

[@PaulStewartAviation]

cheers Fernando

[@GenkisTravels]

Nice video! I've never flown the ATR, hope to fly it in the US with Silver Airways one day.

[@PaulStewartAviation]

cheers mate

[@ymmlspottingteam]

Fantastic work, Paul! Always nice to de-plane on to the tarmac! Looked like a very comfortable flight with fantastic scenery away from the renowned coastline!

[@PaulStewartAviation]

cheers my friend

[@kuancoralfish]

4K is so clear, it feels like I was on that plane

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Yeah I'm very happy with the new GoPro. I wish I started using it earlier. Check out my Twin Otter Vid which I literally uploaded a few hrs ago.

[@AbsolutelyEverybody1]

Another great vid mate...Well done. I noticed you talked about turboprops and jets and that jets are faster then turboprops but chew through more fuel on shorter routes and are better over longer routes. What the average passenger doesn't realise (I'm sure you know this ) is that a turboprop engine is actually a jet engine, accept it doesn't turn a fan, instead it turns a propeller. That's why when turboprops were first released - they were advertised as "Prop-Jet". As we know a turboprop is slower then a "pure jet" cos most of the gas is sacrificed to turn the shaft and the shaft turns the propeller and only about 5% - 10% of gas goes through the exhaust and provides thrust. In jet engines most of the gas goes through the exhaust and pushes the plane through the air. Also, the term "Jet aircraft" or "pure jets" is probably some sort of a nick name because as we know a turboprop engine is a type of jet engine - the aircraft which have turboprop engines just don't travel at "Jet speeds" whereas a Turbofan/turbojet powered aircraft does travel at jet speeds hence the nickname " Pure Jets or Jet aircraft". All interesting stuff anyway 😊👍

[@PaulStewartAviation]

cheers my friend. Interesting commentary about the engines!

[@AbsolutelyEverybody1]

@@PaulStewartAviation no worries mate. I look forward to seeing your Alliance F50 aircraft vid. Cheers.

[@ralphyhk]

Great video mate.

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Cheers

[@markrichmond4796]

Thanks Paul....I personally love flying on the smaller aircraft. I’ve done Sydney to Wagga and Newcastle to Brisbane a number of times on the Qantas turboprops. An American tv show even flew me and an eastern brown snake on the Rex SAAB from Sydney to Broken Hill...yes, real snake on a plane!😂 My favourite flights though were on a Fokker Friendship from Nairobi to Malindi return back in the 1970’s, and best of all in a HS 748 from Malawi to Lusaka, Zambia in the cockpit jump seat. We took off then the pilots and I listened to the cricket from Lord’s over the radio.......not much air traffic over Central Africa in the 70s!

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Fascinating! Well at least they didn't get you to fly a particularly dangerous snake... I understand eastern browns are not aggressive or venomous... :o Yes this is real flying! :) You feel every bump.

[@Ilikedahudugurusinga]

Paul Stewart 😂😂😂😂 Eastern Browns aren’t dangerous.....they’re just very naughty boys!😂😂 Love your reports Paul, especially the laconic humour.....keep them coming !👍

[@PaulStewartAviation]

@@Ilikedahudugurusinga cheers :D

[@stanislavkostarnov2157]

once lived in a place where the ATR 72 was the largest thing that flew into our local airport... and I mean they still had like 200 passenger a day, flights, 5 or 10 of them international, most though domestic. local airlines would commonly use the Dornier Do-228, Britten-Norman Trislander, or the Twin-Otter.

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Yep I think it's possibly the biggest that flies into Suva

[@triple7lover77]

Excellent trip report Paul 👌 had the same view when I flew on the ATR72 year back in Cambodia

[@PaulStewartAviation]

cheers my friend. Cambodia would be fascinating to fly over!

[@60frederick]

I love your flight report - I have wished that you would be sitting next to the engine... Thank you, Paul, for sharing your video with us.

[@PaulStewartAviation]

cheers Frederick!

[@lodiamoore7933]

Well done Paul. Really nice to experience a trip report that one would not immediately think of documenting. Regional air traffic is fantastic. It's all too easy to forget that once upon a time in Australia Fokker 27s and 28s formed a major aspect of the aviation landscape. Seeing a report like this particular one must remind us of the roles regional props and jets played in the development of air travel in Australia. Again well done mate.

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Cheers Lodia. And I agree! Having worked in Lismore, Griffith and Naranderra in the past I certainly appreciate regional air transport.

[@Aaron-is9xo]

I love the top wing look man

[@jasperlaw26]

Great video mate!

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Cheers Jasper

[@benhignett9856]

Hi Paul will you ever be able to do a Regional Express SF340 review

[@PaulStewartAviation]

It's on the cards ;)

[@JelmersAviation]

Beautiful video man! Liked!

[@PaulStewartAviation]

cheers my friend

[@Hamishtheaeroplanefan11557]

I love your videos! ✈💻

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Yay! Thank you!

[@amandaford8007]

thank you paul

[@PaulStewartAviation]

cheers Amanda!

[@huysaviation477]

Great trip report! It's very rare to see that ATR72-600 is installed with Business Class. You got an amazing engine view. I love the stunning view over Suva from your engine view. One like for the stunning view and one subscribe for your amazing video.

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Cheers mate

[@huysaviation477]

@@PaulStewartAviation Cheers!

[@bbtravelvideos]

Great video Paul! Always nice to see a video on a domestic flight in Fiji. Great views along the way, Fiji is a beautiful country :) Regards, Brendan

[@PaulStewartAviation]

cheers Brendan :)

[@walesivulaono5044]

@@PaulStewartAviation great video

[@PaulStewartAviation]

@@walesivulaono5044 cheers my friend

[@MrBgxlchamps]

IMO, where you were seated, the prop wasn't too loud. Since you were there, would you agree? Great video!

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Hey Steve, yeh from memory it didn't seem overly loud.

[@gregorygibbs2510]

Fantastic video, I love your take on things and your sense of humour is wonderful! And loving that livery!

[@PaulStewartAviation]

cheers Gregory :)

[@flyingdentist]

Beautiful video Paul.You travel us to wonderful places my friend.

[@PaulStewartAviation]

cheers Yannis

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Apologies if this video is only coming up in 360p! I've had some problems with the video editor and it will definitely be 4K 60fps soon and the views were well worth seeing in the higher definition.

[@PaulStewartAviation]

looks like it is fixed :)

[@campari4467]

Great vlog. Was a Fijian facial mist provided?

[@PaulStewartAviation]

cheers

[@craigwillis3372]

Great views Paul from a great aircraft..and thanks for the back ground on the ATR aircraft!! Thanks Paul..always look forward to your flights...especially in this wonderful part of the Pacific !! Well done mate!

[@PaulStewartAviation]

thanks Craig

[@AviationNZTG]

Can you try out AirNZ ATR72600 please

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Yep as Cory said, when I was in ZQN earlier in the year I did look at some ATR flights but it was very exxy! Maybe next time, though.

[@AviationNZTG]

Oh ok

[@PaulStewartAviation]

haha I must admit that I also prefer the Dash-8 simply because it's cool watching the landing gear

[@samingoatu518]

Really interesting but need to see the cockpit view mean interview with pilots and ask about the instruments inside ❤🎉😊

[@grooveyman]

Beautifully filmed. Awesome views. Nice and simple aircraft. Thank you Mr Stewart.

[@PaulStewartAviation]

cheers my friend

[@steven4783]

What do you do for a living Paul?

[@PaulStewartAviation]

working long hours to pay for my expensive hobby haha

[@ltnfestivals]

How was the flight.... seems like a small plane?

[@fjphoto23]

It's a short flight - 25-30 minutes - waste of fuel and cost to have a big plane.

[@Watfordfc71]

Living on the other side of the world near London these are so interesting and not the standard videos I see all the time . Thanks for sharing and very well made cheers 🇬🇧👍

[@PaulStewartAviation]

cheers

[@timwynn6079]

Great presentation, subbed.

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Cheers Tim. Many more interesting videos on the way :)

[@timwynn6079]

@@PaulStewartAviation Great! Looking forward to them...

[@kaiserrr4024]

How is the new GoPro Hero 8? Any stark improvements or just an iPhone-like upgrade from the Hero 7...?

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Hi mate, I can't compare it to the 7 as this is my first gopro but I'm very happy with it :)

[@kaiserrr4024]

@@PaulStewartAviation all good mate! glad to hear you're loving it and the footage is looking spectacular

[@PaulStewartAviation]

@@kaiserrr4024 cheers

[@semisitify]

Wow

[@janetbruce2430]

Interesting commentary and great video footage of a spectacular flight over beautiful Fiji in perfect weather conditions. Well done Paul. Makes one want to visit Fiji!

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Thanks for watching

[@mylosairplanefan]

Great work Paul!

[@PaulStewartAviation]

cheers my friend

[@bluebarron351]

A fantastic new video to wake up to Paul! Some wonderful views there! Thanks!

[@PaulStewartAviation]

cheers my friend

[@AvgeekCarGeek]

Ah what a beautiful video mate as someone who works on the ATRs on a daily basis I really enjoyed this one and it lived up to the hype 😊😊😊. Thank you so much Paul. Btw row 1&2 was that for elite passengers or something?

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Cheers mate. Yeah I'm not sure, or it may even be sold as business class on longer routes.

[@AvgeekCarGeek]

@@PaulStewartAviation interesting to know that . Thanks Paul

[@Accidentalreef]

Will you ever go to a Finnair A350-900 XWB Helsinki to Bangkok or Bangkok to Helsinki in economy class?

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Hi mate, no current plans I'm afraid.

[@Accidentalreef]

@@PaulStewartAviation ok

[@barunas3680]

Can ATR have IF-E(InFlight Entertainment)?

[@PaulStewartAviation]

I'm not sure to be honest.

[@barunas3680]

@@PaulStewartAviation lol

[@hensleygarcia1623]

Very good video. Regards from Aruba dutch caribbean island

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Cheers from Australia :)

[@captmulch1]

Bula vinaka!

[@prestonbunce4072]

You should sometime go to Vanuatu

[@PaulStewartAviation]

I'd love to! Maybe once this damn covid thing is over! :)

[@wecanfly777]

Nice video! I may be doing this flight in May :). Andy

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Oh nice!! you were just there haha!

[@wecanfly777]

@@PaulStewartAviation Hehe got an RTW in May, and I miss my buddy there so yeah... Bula Fiji again!

[@PaulStewartAviation]

@@wecanfly777 oh nice! what other flights are a part of the RTW?

[@wecanfly777]

@@PaulStewartAviation its largely a one world set of flights from UK to Colombia, Panama, LA, Fiji, Singapore, BKK / HKG and doha :)

[@salochnakanta8797]

Thanks for making fiji airways videos art 72 600 42 500 fiji link th

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Cheers. Check out my Twin Otter and A350 videos too. The views at the end of both are pretty beautiful

[@salochnakanta8797]

@@PaulStewartAviation thanks for giving reply

[@Aaronw2]

Was this edited or did the FA really start the taxi in PA approx 4 seconds after touch down?

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Yeah on every flight the FA did the arrivals announcement just after we touched down which did seem odd.

[@colinrenfrew8344]

Great video, and some strong camera work. A very niche topic, so all the more enjoyable.

[@PaulStewartAviation]

cheers Colin. I've just got a new gopro and I'm really happy with it.

[@AlonsoRules]

that domestic airport is a shed, but it's still better than LaGuardia

[@PaulStewartAviation]

haha! or DCA! The worst national airport in the world!

[@AlonsoRules]

at least it has a rail link unlike Melbourne

[@PaulStewartAviation]

haha and it's a pretty good rail link too!!

[@avgjoeavglife]

@@PaulStewartAviation their are way worse Airports out there...

[@AlonsoRules]

Berlin has 2 shocking airports

[@gman83090]

It is amazing how turboprops went out of fashion and jets replaced turboprops but in the 1970s during the full crisis turboprops came back on to aircraft

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Absolutely! It was fascinating researching for this video

[@CagrKul-jf7qi]

3:04

[@michaelgask]

Thanks for sharing this footage over Fiji. I always love flying on the ATR-72 (AirNZ flies them on regional routes), and you got a great seat by the prop. Hope you enjoyed your time in Fiji (I suspect I'd need portable overhead air vents for my entire time in Fiji, not just in the aircraft!)

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Cheers Michael

[@campari4467]

They even have business class hopefully with showers!

[@PaulStewartAviation]

lol

[@karlp8484]

I had a business class lounge in Bandar Lampung, Indonesia which consisted of a tiny roped-off area of the main lounge and a couple of sofas and coffee table. It was great.

[@PaulStewartAviation]

haha cheers Karl. Yeh I can't complain too much. This 'lounge' had a great view!

[@peteryeong4871]

Ta foe the vid. Merry x'mas and a very happy New Year

[@PaulStewartAviation]

cheers my friend. Merry Christmas to you as well

[@sheungyee5830]

Fiji Link 🇫🇯🇫🇯🇫🇯🇫🇯🇫🇯

[@PaulStewartAviation]

A great country :)

[@amandaford8007]

I like flying like seeing you boarding and try different air planes do more videos thank good work up

[@PaulStewartAviation]

cheers Amanda :) More coming, and more flights tomorrow :)

[@chrismckellar9350]

Air NZ is the 3rd largest operator of the ATR72-500/600 and the largest operator in the Southern Hemisphere.

[@PaulStewartAviation]

cheers Chris. Who's the 2nd largest?

[@chrismckellar9350]

@@PaulStewartAviation - Azul Brazilian Airlines with 33 ;). Have you flown on an Air NZ ATR72-600 yet? Haven't seen any trip reports yet :(

[@PaulStewartAviation]

I'm afraid I haven't flown on a NZ ATR yet. I considered booking a flight a few months ago when I was in ZQN but it was very expensive. It was only a hundred less than the A320 NEO back to Sydney! Maybe in the future, though.

[@timdo8713]

I used to fly Air NZ from NSN-WLG all the time. They've had an interesting regional fleet for that route; Fokker F27s, Fairchild Metroliner III's, Saab 340s, and now Dash 8/Q300's. Ansett also flew Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirantes. All tiny planes to be landing in at a windy airport like Wellington!

[@isopath1]

You are easily fooled into how nice these ATR seem until you make a turbulent flight into Wellington in one. The below wing structure makes them feel very unstable, especially when the pilot "divebomb" lands on full power and the thing is wobbling wildly .

[@fjphoto23]

Only in Wellington 🙃

[@jjaus]

Were you having a dig at the French and Italians? If so, I need only mention Airbus kicking arse.

[@PaulStewartAviation]

What makes you think I was doing that? :)

[@jjaus]

@@PaulStewartAviation Just the pregnant pause after mentioning the engineering. No biggie, I was just curious.

[@PaulStewartAviation]

It might have been a slightly mischievous tease :-D

[@dadidi108]

Such a nice plane! A real plane.. contrary to the detested B737 (all of them) which makes me feel I am in a sardine can.. if not a flying coffin, this plane makes you feel like you are on a glider..

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Fair enough

[@Stephen05777]

Dana la Donna you must be having delusions to think an ATR is more comfortable and spacious than a 737

[@dadidi108]

@@Stephen05777 the times I flew with ATR.. Fokker.. Cessna etc must be an illusion then.. a fata morgana.. And all times in a B737 reality. If I am under delusion in ATRs.. give me that any time to suffocation in reality.. thank you

[@CB-ke5ev]

I'm not a fan of the ATR. They've only made 1000 of them and there have been 29 hull losses?! That's one in every 34 ATR72s has crashed and been destroyed beyond repair! Good video, though.

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Hi mate, in the ATR's defence, the nature of the smaller turboprops is that they're purchased by 'secondary' airlines who may not care (or be able to afford) proper maintenance. Aircraft like the A380 has a perfect crash rating because they're so big and expensive that only the wealthy and careful airlines can afford them. Maybe? Anyway, I'm flying in an ATR-72 tomorrow so fingers crossed haha.

[@stanislavkostarnov2157]

they fly them basically like Bush Planes in some parts of the world, although I am pretty sure they did make more then a 1000 if you count all the variants. also, note that at-least 5 of these 29 hull losses were lost on the ground.... (think it was air Botswana but not sure) basically a disgruntled employee/maintenance-pilot crashed his airplane into a row of parked ATRs destroying the airlines entire fleet (note, only he himself had been killed)

[@mewho80]

I like ATR 72. Definitely more enjoyable flight than Dash-8.

[@PaulStewartAviation]

haha people tend to be split between the two. I enjoy flying in both although it's pretty cool watching the landing gear on the Dash 8s :)

[@mewho80]

@@PaulStewartAviation I shouldn't say enjoyable. More comfortable. But enjoyment of strong wind landing in Dash is huge😀👍.

[@peteryeong4871]

I am always a bit worried when flying the ATR. Why? Emergency exits. There are 2 in front but they are NOT real dedicated emergency exits ( These are punch-out windows which a pax seated next to could activate.) Other than that, there is the entrance/exit door. No exits mid cabin.

[@PaulStewartAviation]

I wasn't aware of that

[@neeshalsadhika9778]

Papa me

[@ElijahDevonWhaley]

Suunlight weather politics

[@peteryeong4871]

Apologies for my rant. But lets not forget the aircraft operates in places where the pax are less than well travelled. May not know how an exit panel works much less actually working one'

[@PaulStewartAviation]

fair enough. i did not know that

[@fjphoto23]

Lots of locals commute on the ATRs between Suva and Nadi especially on weekends.

[@mteokay1246]

For Fiji though, equipment or type of aircraft used is dependent on the airport's runway.

[@AUmarcus]

Yep, nothing like French/Italian engineering....what could possibly go wrong? Probably a good thing they dont make the engines. Lol.

[@PaulStewartAviation]

:-D

[@enzocg9103]

first

[@PaulStewartAviation]

haha