Dornier 328

[G-INGER Roger]

Guess this narrows it down to a few airlines, but to make it more obvious I have finally found an excuse to fly from CBG to AMS on Sunday evening, returning Monday evening. Normally I would try and get a look up front and ask if I was deemed worthy of the jumpseat, but my question is this - at what point to aircraft become too small to actually have a j/s? I Don't want to look a fool for asking for a seat that doesn't exist so if anyone out there can answer my question (or knows any of the crew involved!) I would appreciate your input.

I am travelling to get to Brussels for an interview for a job with a pharmaceutical company, so journalist bashers need not hastle me, (I'm well aware of the damage the media have done to my chances of a j/s for this or any of the AMS-BRU legs of my trip.)Got to be worth a try though.


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Just keep it Ginger!

[Mycroft]

Have only been on 328 as pax, and even then did not attempt to visit office, nor (on 2 75 min flights) did I see anyone else do so. If you have a camera and are cosidering taking piccies beware- put it in your pocket as there is not room for hand baggage anf it all goes downstairs - annoying when you're flying over the QE2 on its 30th birthday (also colourful tulip fields around AMS in spring/early summer).

[Shed Driver]

Mycroft, the Do328 hold is not underneath your seat, you obvioulsy have no idea of the airframe development of smaller aircraft!

Ginger, this aircraft does have a jump seat, it is a requirement when they are built! It is a super aircraft, after the Saab 2000 it is the fastest production turbo prop. Enjoy!

[smeg]

Mycroft, are you sure that you're not thinking of the 228. The 328 has plenty of room for hand bagage.

Ginger, as regards the jump-seat, it's always worth asking. The 328 actually has a very good jump seat and the view, being higher, is even better than the pilots seats. Unfortunately, Scotairways takes a very negative attitude to jump-seat rides. I know this because I fly for them and it's difficult even to get a mate on board!!

However, if you pick the right Captain you could be lucky. First Officers get very boring to talk to after a while (I'm an FO). Looking at the roster I fear you could be out of luck. It's the Dep Chief Pilot flying you over on Sunday, and a TRE/IRE flying you back on Monday. Give it a try on Monday.

Cheers

[tailscrape]

Is the Deputy chief pilot a bit of a nightmare then? I keep on giving him my credentials being a Cambridge lad and he doesn't mind one bit. In fact he has been pretty encouraging really. Still, I suppose it always seems different when you are on the inside.......nice aeroplane mind you.

[smeg]

tailscrape,

I didn't mean to give that impression. He just has his opinions.

[tailscrape]

Smeg,

I know what you mean. Good luck , hopefully I will be one of you soon!

Tailscrape

[G-INGER Roger]

Cheers, guys!

PPRUNE coming up with the goods and loads more on top! Sounds like I'll need a bit of luck to look up front with the Scotairways legs, but I have a Sabena RJ and a KLM F70 to/from BRU to try my luck as well, so fingers crossed and hope the odds aren't worse than 1/4.

How many D328s has Scotairways got now? I guess it must be about 6 but I thought they were hard to get hold of? Any news on the purchase of 328 Jets? Given the length of the routes, I wouldn't have thought the jets were worth it, but if you can't get any more 328 props, perhaps you have no choice. Did they sell the 228 or does that run some of the routes still?

Thanks again for all the info.

G-R

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Just keep it Ginger!

[fudpucker]

Still there then Smeg? Obviously~ bond must be nearly up by now though!

[smeg]

fudpucker - hello mate. My bond is up soon and oddly enough I'm leaving for pastures new in the near future. Thought about applying to you lot but something else came up. I always enjoyed flying with you because you gave me your breakfast!!

Ginger, the company has 7 328's now with another one rumoured to be arriving very soon. Possibly to be based at LCY. Lots of rumours going around at the moment. As regards the jet, I am assured that Dornier are carrying out the necessary mods to get it into LCY which is crucial if the company is going to order them. If this happens, I expect it will be at least a year away.

[G-INGER Roger]

Just to report back on a comedy of aviation incidents - I think I must have been jinxed!

Got to Cambridge airport on Sunday to find that the company I was visiting had messed up my booking leaving nothing paid, so I had to buy 2 separate sets of return tickets en route (glad I took my credit card - Ouch!)

Flight to Amsterdam was good - Dornier 328 is a great little aircraft. Nice, new 'n' comfy interior and a very impressive climb rate. Got 10 mins on the FD and was shown around the instruments, and it is certainly one of the most modern I've seen.

Spent the majority of my 90 mins in Amsterdam trying to buy my ticket to Brussels. Display boards weren't working properly so my flight wasn't even shown (panic!!!) & the Sabena ticket desk is very well hidden. Only 10 of us on an RJ100, and only 5 seats a breast so good 'n' comfy for me to catch my breath.

Way home was even better!

KLM1730 to Amsterdam, I was offered the j/s in the Fokker 70 within minutes of sitting down. Just before pushback, Sabena catering truck drives into the wing! Cue 90 min delay with engineers examinations, photos emailed off to KLM engineering & a patchup job performed.

Flight was excellent and even though it was especially hectic since it was only 25min, Captain & No 2 kept me well informed as to exactly what was going on and pointed out the sights on the way. Amazing experience! Top blokes! Cabin Crew were fab as well and chatted happily to me in the galley while we waited (much better place to be than bored in my seat!)

Got to AMS after my connection to CBG should have left, but was pleased to find out it was delayed.....very delayed...... Finally boarded 4 hours late, started to taxi and the cabin lights kept going off. Not long before we were back on stand - one of the generators was tripping out. Had been repaired once (hence the late arrival of inbound aircraft) but was midbehaving again.

Got back on the bus, but waited for 15 mins for some ground staff to let us into the terminal, and while we waited we watched the last alternative flight of the day to London pushed back and departed - Hmmmm (EZE to Luton so would have been a perfect alternative and we were due to fly to Luton as CBG shuts at 9 anyway.) 60 mins later our aircraft declared u/s and off to the airport IBIS hotel we all go.

This morning, an hour delay and the 328 was still u/s so the old 228 was back on the route which was quite an experience! Got us back, and the views are certainly good since the cruise was only at 10,000ft and the windows huge! Bit noisy and drafty!

So overall, a bit of a transport disaster! Some frequent travellers on the route to CBG say that it is pretty reliable overall, but I hear that the 228 is about to go back at the end of its lease which will take out any spare/rescue capacity. I can't imagine they will keep a newly acquired 328 in reserve?

Next time I think I'll put up with the train journey to LGW/LHR/LCY and avoid the extra connections if possible. Glad I managed to do the route once and love the 328. Saw a 328jet at AMS too, which looked very smart although I don't have a problem with the prop for journeys that length.

Thanks again for all the info - happy flying in life after Scotairways!

Ginger

[Mycroft]

Smeg/SD
It was a 328, and I do know where the hold is (at SOU you even see them loading the baggage), even if simple geometry would show there is not much room under the floor. It was not just my 'standard aitrline cabin' size carry on which was the problem, on both legs all hand baggage was put in the forward hold and returned when deplaning. It would be interesting to find out how much revenue Suckling (just before the buy-out) made on the trip, as although it was just about full (30+ each leg), I was on a KLM special offer and was paying £109 SOU-AMS-JFK return whereas the usual SOU-AMS price was £240 single

[GROUNDHOG]

G-INGER -

The Dornier 228 G-BUXT is in the process of being purchased by Air Wales to join their existing 228 G-RGDT. Routes they operate are CWL-ORK and soon CWL-MAN. More routes to be added next year including a round Wales service.

[smeg]

Ginger

Sorry about all the problems. It was a very bad week with lots of tech problems. Unfortunately, without a spare aircraft, it's usually the CBG - AMS route which suffers. But I know that should not affect you as a punter.

Mycroft

Keep taking the tablets. When Roy Suckling finds he's just been bought out, he's going to get a shock!

[212man]

No, that bit under the floor is where the wheels go, the hold is that big cupboard behind the cabin. At least on the 328 jets that I fly in it is. We operate 3 jets for Shell, which as a lower form of pond life I get to sit in the back of occasionally (and jump seat if I want to watch tellie). Nice a/c which really shift on take off/climb.

I don't unferstand the economics (relative to the 328 TP)though; 33% faster but twice the fuel burn? I assume the lower maintenance cost without the gearbox and prop makes up the difference?

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Another day in paradise

[This message has been edited by 212man (edited 06 December 2000).]