QantasLink Boeing 717 farewell trip.

[@Jeffzzzaus]

I particularly enjoyed the comment "if you don't like te sound of the engines, there might be something wrong with you...."!! Well played Paul, fully agree. I remember flying on the DC-9 in Ansett colours in the late 70's (as a kid) and the 717 in the early 2000's, wonderful memories for us avgeeks, thanks for the video.

[@BigEightiesNewWave]

YES, MOAR engine please.

[@Calebs_Aviation]

Yeah I love the DC-9 and MD-88 then 717 😊

[@caellumrevolta2839]

Does the 717 and the dc9 sound the same?

[@seanomatopoeia]

Look I'm a pretty huge avgeek, but after a long day onsite with clients, being sat next to the 717 or MD8x engines was just really unpleasant. Of course the flip side is, sitting anywhere near the front on the 717/MD was lovely.

[@MG101]

The engines do sound great though

[@ronaldcontino1600]

I was a captain, instructor and check airman on the dc-9 and md-80 for TWA. I liked them all for various reasons.

[@wizardmix]

I heard a lot liked that aircraft because the controls were very distinctive. Been lucky to fly on a lot of these over the years.

[@theaustralianconundrum]

What a great career you had! Cheers.

[@wizardmix]

@@DaveP-uv1ml The economics would have had to make sense. Bottom line is less weight = less fuel needed to burn = greater range.

[@bob.2009]

I have flown the 717 a few times on inter-island flights in Hawaii with Hawaiian airlines. It was always fun to experience how much the pilots manoeuvre the planes on those very short flights with short landing approaches and rather rapid climbs. They control them like driving a bus not an airliner. There is no other plane that gets up quite so abruptly. Very cool plane.

[@louiswendt4371]

Was such a joy seeing the 717 flying! Thank you very much for show casing these magnificent aircraft both now and in the past! It really means a lot! Thank you very much and very sad! Long live Delta and Hawaiian who keep the 717 legacy going!

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Hamishtheaeroplanefan11557]

I love the 717 I’m really going to miss seeing this angel on Flightradar24 😔✈

[@LindenDavidson]

Bloody brilliant - a touching farewell to a beautiful aircraft. Thank you so much for putting this together. I’m surprised by how emotional I got watching this. End of an era - respectfully portrayed with wit and charm. Again, bloody brilliant. 😊

[@bluebarron351]

Great tribute to an awesome plane!

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Thanks a lot!

[@zigwald]

I've flown on several of these planes in Hawaii. And yes they climb very fast!

[@HARRYISCOOL3168]

It’s so sad to see such a great aircraft go 😢

[@lachlansworden-m3n]

It certainly is, and it was the first aircraft I flew in business class, and the first aircraft that my brother and I travelled alone with our grandparents.

[@Calebs_Aviation]

Totally agree 😊

[@09shadowjet]

17:59 that being said, it's also a preferred practice to start Engine #2 first on A320s due to the yellow hydraulic system which pressurizes the parking brake being powered by ENG 2.

[@oaguilera81]

What a beautiful plane the Boeing 717 is. I remember as a kid, back in the 80’s, watching the Aeroméxico’s DC 9s and later in the 90’s the MD 90s and I always thought they were one of the most beautiful planes, with the engines in the back and the the T tail. They made me fall in love with the airplanes. Cheers from Mexico

[@CB-ke5ev]

I'm not sure why I didn't see this year! Great vlog Paul! A fitting tribute to a great aircraft. I do love the extra information about the aircraft that you mention.

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Many thanks!

[@BigEightiesNewWave]

10:21 breathtaking views, and that wonderful engine right there.

[@PaulStewartAviation]

I absolutely agree! thanks for commenting!

[@robertgarland9342]

Thanks for this farewell video of the 717. It's such a beautiful aircraft. VH-NXL has always been my fav of the 717 fleet but I think she has officially retired now. She hasn't moved from Canberra since the 18th Dec. I never got to fly in a 717 but missed out on a chance back when Jetstar first started flying. I was flying home to the Sunny Coast from Sydney and my ticket said the aircraft was a 717 but found an A320 at the gate instead.

[@tazambo]

The view coming in over the Tassie coast is Hawley/Shearwater/Port Sorell and Bakers Beach in the foreground. Devonport is further West. Great videos, keep them coming. Cheers

[@Mikey101160]

... was just about to write the very same, aaaaaand ............. BINGO! Spot-on.

[@Tasboy2]

Came to the comments looking for just this!

[@garyashcroft7645]

Thanks Paul, Had a good time watching and listening to the engines, much prefer this to seeing others feeding themselves, never a good thing to watch others eat. The engines are so entertaining to listen to, loved that. I did have a similar engine sound experience on an old 767 approaching Heathrow, so many different speed changes. So want to visit Australia and experience the different types of aircraft, and the smaller airports. Just wish we had smelly vision. Aviation fumes. Fabulous.

[@hmishin843]

I flew dozens of times in the early 2000s on these fabulous B717 from Fort Lauderdale in Florida to the various network destinations of Air Tran, back before it was acquired by Southwest Airlines. I remember them fondly, they were acquired brand new by the airline and were beautiful to fly on.

[@jamesw5126]

My favorite unique feature of the B717 is the built in hand rails in the over head bins. Very cool. Long live the Mad Dog!

[@Tim_in_Australia]

Great vid. 717 is iconic. Agree, Launceston is a fantastic airport.

[@staralliancefan1245]

Great video Paul! Your stable tarmac footage is second to none! Congrats on passing 150,000 subscribers too!

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Many thanks!

[@spergicide97]

I've always loved these smaller workhorse jets. I hope at least one goes to their museum when they're gone. It deserves it.

[@wizardmix]

Hi Paul, you know, I love aircraft so much that I got a job as a part time ramp worker at my local regional airport. I literally just spent the morning getting as close to running jet engines as one is safely allowed to do and here I am in the evening, obviously I don't have my fill. It's hard to believe these are retiring, I remember when they were brand new. In the US, AirTran was a big user of the MD-95/B717 equipment. I always enjoyed that rate of climb. It's the mullet of aircraft: Business and whisper quiet up front, a big loud party in the back. About 8 years ago (or more) I took an Allegiant flight to LAS. It was an MD-88 and they boarded us through the rear air stairs. That was a real first for me. Cheers!.

[@v1rotait23]

How wonderful to find your channel and this special video today Paul. Back in 1989, one of my instructors here in NZ was a 'Paul Stewart', so your name stood right out! From 2000 to 2006 when I lived south of Melbourne with my family, I clocked up 20 out of 63 flights down to Tassie and back in the 717s for my work in commissioning Telstra's new (at the time) broadband ADSL network equipment. As a QTS business frequent flyer then, I loved the 717s and sat as often as I could near the back as you did, to watch the fast clean wing and listen to the stereo symphony, especially loving the front fanblade buzzsaw solos during t/o and climb out. Seeing the terminals at MEL and and Launie airport, and especially T4 "Dashland" (where I also "lived" during this period, enduring the hardship of another 38 QTS Dash-8 flights to both Tassie and up to Mildura) brought some tears of many fond memories to me from long ago in the past. I even scored at least 1 jumpseat flight I can remember down to Hobart one night in a 717 before 9-11. So, thank you for such a wonderfully produced video touching on my past 717 flights. As an pilot avgeek tragic who's still got all his passenger boarding passes (really useful, I know!), I've recorded all of my "back seat" flights on the superb website at my.flightradar24.com. Cheers from a homesick Aussie-Kiwi aviator, David 🌏

[@felixalbrecht]

Thank you for sharing this interesting report about old ladies about to retire. I can remember the Swissair DC 9 flights to London many years ago! 😁😁

[@dereknorth497]

As you said the Boeing 717 was built in Long Beach, California, but the wings were actually built in Toronto, Canada. I was working (on contract) in the manufacturing engineering department there. It was McDonnell-Douglas when I arrived, but later became Boeing.

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Interesting, thanks for the extra info

[@dcniner0187]

Derek I worked in the same department as you at that time .Back then the airplane was being built as the MD95 in joint partnership with Hyundai.Few people know that all DC nine series and MD Commercial ( MD 80, 90,DC10 , KC10, MD11) wings were built in Toronto. Exception, I was working there when the first DC9 wings were shipped to Long Beach. They were flown out in a Flying Tigers cargo plane. All employees were allowed to go out to watch the take off. When Boeing took over they said they were closing the factory in two years time. I retired. DD aka dcniner01

[@dcniner0187]

Should have said that wings were normally shipped from Toronto by rail to Long Beach.

[@Dobuan75]

Great video, great editing, great commentary, great photography, mesmerising views of the engine, amazing aircraft - sorry to see the end of that era.

[@d.b_aviation]

What a fantastic Farewell QantasLink Boeing 717 video!

[@ethancampbell6076]

3:08 Godly sound and amazing T/O and come to Hawaii for Island hopping sometime soon.

[@KeithPawson]

Sad to see them go, but like all things there is an end date. Remember flying a DC9 with TAA as a kid and then flew these 717 to tassie a fair bit about 15 years ago. My favourite aircraft for comfort and sound at that time. Thanks for making these videos.

[@billytoysandgames2128]

Wow.. the day that you uploaded this i was plane spotting and 1 of these took off and landed im at the gold coast airport plane spotting on some days if you ever want to meet me i go to the side and get on the back on my truck and take pictures and videos

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Hope you enjoyed it!

[@billytoysandgames2128]

@@PaulStewartAviationit really was a good video!

[@PhysicsAirline]

Great video Paul. I took a "bucket list" 717 and F100 farewell trip in September 2023 and I was on VH-YQS from Melbourne to Newcastle.

[@rgbcom]

This plane, always beautiful, went through so many MD versions before being rebranded as the 717!

[@KA7EII]

Love the sound of those rear engines! I miss the DC-9 and MD-80 aircraft. Thank you for sharing your rides on the Boeing 717s.

[@anthonywalsh2164]

Loved flying DC9s of TAA and Ansett, as well as the MD80 with AA. Flew the 717 with Impulse quite a bit with the forlorn hope they would bring more competition into the Aussie market. My favourite Mad Dog moment was an unrestricted speed departure (as I learned from the pilot after landing) out of SFO to the West with a great banked turn south to LAX. It was fantastic, and the pilot had a wide smile telling a number of passengers about it.

[@Renilopillow]

Those jets were my favourite, It's really sad to see them go. Rip 717 😢

[@akabill79]

Your mention of the 146 brought back memories..used to fly it in the80s from Townsville to Darwin with a stop over in Gove with Ansett back when Qantas didn't do domestic..flew the 717 many times Sydney to the Sunshine Coast

[@sjazzp]

I flew a lo of times on those B717 from Brisbane to Townsville, Gladstone and Mount Isa. Such great planes that always brought me memories when I used to fly in DC-9s 10/30/50 and MD80, and of course the venerable B727. Love the design, the steep climb and the peaceful forward seats. I’ll miss them!. Great video and homage 😃👍

[@spaniard.]

Great review!! 👏👏👏

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Thank you!

[@SimPilotMika]

The 717 is so gorgeous

[@chuck8772]

I’m on the 717 fleet and I’m watching this video on a day off. So yes, it’s a pleasure to fly haha

[@charcoalmonkey2991]

Love the new concept paul. Definitely loved the plane spotting

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@Widowhuunter]

3:57- notice those 2 B717 parked up

[@AbsolutelyEverybody1]

Sad to see the 717 go and we have seen a lot of aircraft leave Australia in the past 8 - 10 years which we have grew up with over the years and become so used to but aviation is always evolving and the 717s are no longer needed. I used to fly on them with Qantaslink/National Jet on the PER-ASP-PER route. Thanks for the video too.

[@philipguacci6452]

I went to Launceston in January 1979 on TAA DC9. Came back in their 727-200 Adv. The 717 I rode in was from Alice Springs to Uluru and return. I will miss these aircraft. Thanks for sharing.

[@jashugg]

At 10:32 that is Port Sorell, Devonport is much bigger and 20km to the west under the cloud.

[@PaulStewartAviation]

I stand corrected :)

[@markwng]

I love to watch the wings, particularly on large long hall flights as they flex and shake and have all the exciting slats and slots doing there thing.

[@ep7434]

Stumbled upon this vid accidentally when looking for my daily fix of aviation vlogs and I’ve subscribed immediately. Not only are you a fellow Aussie you have an awesome way of presenting, really interesting - looking forward to checking out your other videos now

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Cheers and welcome

[@CJWJR]

Knowing that this plane was manufactured the year that I finished high school, and is now being retired, makes me feel old. I can't believe that my 20 year reunion will be later this year. How time flies! I'm so glad you had a chance to fly on it, and I hope that I can fly on one of Delta's before it retires it fleet.

[@smithy280663]

great video & thanks for posting it.........I live in the Inner West and almost but not quite under the flight path for the northern approaches to Sydney airport..........I'll miss seeing & hearing these aircraft as they configure for landing..........

[@markobrien3245]

Love the 717, we left Broome a few years ago just before a cyclone and it was raining heavily.. I said to my wife, if ever there was an aircraft that you could blast your way through a storm with, it was the 717.

[@mmmmdeliciousbacon]

What a brilliant video Paul, thank you! The B717 is absolutely my favourite Qantas jet to fly on, I will miss them so much.

[@AussieAviationPhotography]

I've been on the exact same seat, and plane you went on last. Sad to see it go.

[@divaneser7434]

Up through the 1990's until as late as 2013 Scandinavian Airline had a bunch of DC9 and MD80's and I have flown a lot with them. Once I was able to book tickets from row 10 and up I always enjoined how quite the were. I have flow QantasLink 717 once from Broome to Perth in 2017.

[@codyellis830]

Absolutely fantastic video Paul!

[@frisendahl1]

Hi Paul another great clip as always love all your content as always very well presented looking forward to the next episode keep up your great content Cheers Kurt

[@jrfsp320]

Great video - I’ll miss the 717s and F100s when they go too, T tails are so beautiful and have served regional Australia so well over the years

[@KellyanneGill]

I'd like to see/hear on the entire thing, flights, Lounges, and and aircraft

[@RobertCraft-re5sf]

Aww, cool plane. Thanks for sharing with us.

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Thanks for watching!

[@PaulNoake]

My only upclose and personal experience with the B717 was in May 2018 at Townsville Airport when i was awaiting my flight back to Melbourne with the former 🐅 airways

[@Travelsbydreamer]

Nice one matey! A huge congrats on 150k subs also, well deserved ✈

[@Oduck22]

11:47 I really enjoyed your old standard flight reviews but I do like the technical side with plane spotting. I don’t mind watching a longer video where you mix new with old. Anything under 40 mins is all great👍 for example, I would have watched each of these 3 flights in 3 separate videos which you could show the service by the airline and ground experience, along with specifications and history of the aircraft. And of course take off and landing views are the best 🛩

[@kyokushinkuma]

I flew a Delta 717 From Minneapolis to Calgary back in May of 2018, it was a bit nostalgic more me, reminded me of being a kid flying on various DC-9s and MD-80s.

[@naturallyherb]

Very nice! I got the chance to see VH-X4A, the A220 with the indigenous livery on its delivery flight last month leaving my home airport of Vancouver!

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Very nice!

[@colinkay6599]

Great vid thx. I've flown MEL-CFS on the 717-200 many times It's a great little jet. It always felt like my own private jet with a few local pals along.

[@pblaketas]

That's Port Sorell and the Narawntapu National Park you see to your West as your cross into Tassie; Devonport is a bit further west I think. Sorry about the bad coffee in Launceston airport, despite their being three and a half cafes.

[@Jerrylumdegaard]

I remember flying on one as a kid and being fascinated by being able to look into the engine from that seat!!

[@BrodieD]

Already miss seeing the 717 at Brisbane. I got to fly it a few times from Brisbane to Mt Isa

[@chaslane7517]

For me the B717, and its predecessors, is such an elegant design. When it passes overhead, with its narrow and rear-set wings, it looks like a dart.

[@TheHobartAviationFan]

very enjoyable video!

[@AvationA380__Qantas]

I like when you talk about the plane and plane spot at the airport I really liked this video hope to see more like this

[@Tweedaviation]

yeah i remember this year i flew on a rear engined aircraft for the first time and it was vh nxe from melbourne to canberra

[@eltubo7]

My favorite seat is by the wing. I love seen the movement of the wing.

[@Techno-Universal]

I got to fly on one of these in April of 2018 with my family when I flew from Darwin to Alice Springs as a part of a holiday to the NT! :)

[@charlesnicholson7539]

You are a great trip reporter. Thanks a lot for the work!

[@PaulStewartAviation]

My pleasure!

[@BenHohn]

Last time I I fly with b717 around late September 2020 when I was coming home from Townsville to Brisbane I’m gonna miss this aircraft

[@raymeyer9840]

Thanks again for another incredible video!

[@GTasOz]

Didn't at all know about the MD and 717 connection. Reckon the area you spotted as you flew in LST was in fact Port Sorell - DPT is another 45km along the coast with a very ferry capable looking harbour.

[@ezioauditoredafirenze9677]

Nice Video, good job. I like the new approach to tell more about the history and technicalities of the plane rather than the onboard services. I'd like to see further videos like this in the future. Thank you very much and have a great time

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Cheers. I’ll do some regular flight reviews (qantas a380 premium economy coming soon) but otherwise I think I’ll stick to these more avgeeky flight reports and my usual museum tours. :)

[@deaneastwick]

Farewell Qantas 717 200 we will miss you across Australia

[@brushitoff503]

Fantastic stuff, Thank you. I haven't flown on one of these for many years, bloody awesome planes just like it's older brother the 727 which was the first jet I flew on in 1983 (or there abouts) Cheers.

[@JUSTENization]

Rohr Industries in San Diego designed and built the pods for this MD-95, i was part of the engine build up (EBU) team, routed the ECS systems around the BR715 engine from BMW & RR, then still using CATIA V3. It’s very emotional seeing this video, knowing some US airlines still flying them, but i still never yet gotten the chance to ride on one.

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Hope you were able to enjoy living vicariously through my video :)

[@JUSTENization]

@@PaulStewartAviation I still have the original black team cap from Boeing that has B717 and the plane in white, a cap originally from MD that has MD-95, and a team polo shirt, and of course a plague. Maybe i should auction them off or put on eBay for collectors LOL. Of course keeping my plague. Still have the team posters. Prior program was MD-90 with the V2500 engines.

[@JUSTENization]

@@PaulStewartAviation oh thanks for the video though. It’s cool.

[@HiteshBhagatGameTech]

thank you for this memoroble journey.

[@PaulStewartAviation]

It's my pleasure

[@NoName-ds5uq]

I’ve never flown on a 717, but I’ve flown on a few 727s back in the day. They were a hot rod! And the sound of those 3 rear mounted engines…

[@ooof5281]

Wow. Wild to think this was assembled down the street from me and is basically around the world at the moment. Wish I got to fly on a 717.

[@BigEightiesNewWave]

Just above soft, cottony clouds.

[@koh_ling]

Very interesting Paul. Sad to see the 717 retired but it’s exciting to see what the A220 will be like.

[@zackaryshipard8572]

Great video and fear well to the 717

[@eloisebrynlee]

I’ve travelled on these a lot and I really appreciated you doing this video. I like the av content and interesting knowledge and facts you provide in videos like this - thank you! 😊 #717 memories

[@PaulStewartAviation]

You’re very welcome!

[@safetyamsv3515]

Flew a few times between Sydney & Hobart on the 717s, I did find them quite noisy though and I was siting in Business Class.

[@TwoAussieAvgeeks]

Thanks so much for sharing Paul.

[@kerrynseymour2383]

Terrific vid, I've booked the melb-Canberra - melb flight late march, still showing 717.

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Fingers crossed for you!

[@mmhuq3]

Thank you

[@NormBain]

It's a shame that these robust and reliable aircraft have to go to the scrapyard. You didn't mention it Paul, but one of the major problems with rear fuselage mounted engines is that they are starved of air in a stall, so rule number one is to not stall the aircraft as it is disinclined to recover and several have pancaked into the ground with little or no forward speed remaining. Pilots know that of course and fly the aircraft accordingly. Thank you Paul for your excellent video and sound.

[@mingzhu7049]

Great review, Paul. It brings back the memory of those 717s in early 2010s as they were used for FIFO operations in WA. During that period, there were far less F100 than 717s. I distinctly recall the marked differences in lavatory designs between these two aircraft models. Unlike the gravity-fed system in the F100, the 717s employed a pressurised flushing system, aligning with the standards seen in most contemporary commercial airliners. There is another fun fact, some old mining airports such as Paraburdoo airport in the Pilbara region can only accommodate aircrafts with engines mounted at the rear (717 and F100). The reason is due to the the fact that aircraft with underwing-mounted engines produce a substantially lower jet blast pattern. As a result, during departure turns away (yes, no pushback from these airports) from terminal buildings, which are not engineered to withstand this low blast pattern, there's a risk of potential damage to these structures.

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Thanks for the extra info!

[@benlandry23]

Great video paul... i cannot wait to get on our last 717 flight out of the sunny coast in a couple days, will be a sad day for sure.

[@ObsessedWithPIanes]

Great Video I also did a 717 flight and the crew were so nice they invited me into the cockpit

[@K1W1fly]

I've flown the 717 Darwin - Gove - Cairns and was very impressed with it. Plenty of room inside and that climb rate is amazing! A little rocket ship...

[@Ronald-bz4co]

I have flown on the boeing 717 on a now defunct low cost carrier called "One Two Go'' from Chiang Mai to Bangkok and I loved the sound of the engines. But my favourite is still flying on the MD-11 with Japan Airlines when they used to operate them between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur on the way to Tokyo.

[@ALFAGOMMA]

I have fond memories of the DC-9s from when I flew in the cockpits of them for 2 weeks (along with B727s) during my ATC training in the mid-70s. I'd love to fly in a B717 before they are gone forever. Many years ago a former DC-9 pilot had a website where he compared all the controls and features of a DC-9 with a B717. Although the pilot still maintains a website, the comparison seems to have disappeared now.

[@justforsheba]

Thanks for all the stats n stuff!! Great vid!