Introduction This review is a bit different since we are going to move away from the simulator to have a look at two great DVDs from the Just Planes "World Air Routes" series. These two DVDs cover Oasis Hong Kong Airlines Training and the Kingfisher A320. To have an idea of what these DVDs are all about here are the descriptions provided by the Publishers. First of all is the Oasis Hong Kong video: “This 2 hour DVD offers you a very unique opportunity to join 6 pilots on a day of training, something otherwise only experienced by the pilots! The program starts in the briefing room at London's Gatwick Airport where the training Captain and his crew go over the plans of the day including a pilot flying the 747 for the very first time. We then depart Gatwick bound for the Manston area where the aircraft will be circling for several hours. Once we reach the area each pilot starts his number of touch and go's which consist of flying the final approach to Manston Airport, landing and rotating right away without stopping followed by a big circle around the area and the next touch and go. Once all pilots are done we make a full landing.” The Second video in this review is the Kingfisher – Fly Five Star – A320 video: ” Kingfisher has become the airline with the biggest market share in India and now operates more then 400 flights a day to 77 destinations. It is also India's most awarded airline and one of only 6 in the world to have received a five-star rating from Skytrax. We welcome Kingfisher as the 207th airline in the World Air Routes series! Captains Roy and Jhaveri will take you to half a dozen destinations in India in the cockpit of the Airbus A320 and will describe to you how the aircraft works, how they prepare and operate the flights and much more, including a visit to the Mumbai Operations Center and Kingfisher House. Destinations on this program were carefully selected to bring you interesting routes and great scenery such as Goa and Port Blair. Also included is a flight in the cabin of the A320.” Lets examine these DVDs a bit closer... Highlights Oasis Hong Kong Airline 747-400 Training: Oasis Hong Kong is a now-defunct long-haul low-cost airline that was based in Hong Kong. It operated scheduled services to London Gatwick Airport and Vancouver International Airport from its hub, Hong Kong International Airport. It’s quite sad whenever an airline goes under; Oasis Hong Kong seemed to have great potential in its market. The standard of training and level of professionalism really shined through in this DVD. The briefing which is made at the beginning of the DVD was quite thorough and the training captain really made everyone feel at ease, especially when making comments like “The 747 is like a big 737.” In the cockpit, before take off, there isn’t much of a cockpit presentation but many before departure procedures are discussed and this will be very informative to flight simmers that enjoy a bit of realism when flying. Training mainly consisted of touch and goes at Manston which is not far from Gatwick. Since the aircraft was empty during these training flights, the amazing performance of the 747 can clearly be seen. The touch and goes section of the video is a bit lengthy but the crew definitely tries their best not to bore viewers. One of the fun aspects of the video is how you train 3 or 4 pilots without stopping the aircraft! During the flight, the pilots in training would simple quickly change seats, this reminded me of my PPL training although we switched seats on the taxiway (with permission from ATC of course). There are many things that you can learn from this DVD. For example, do you know the standard flare height and throttle position for the 747? Well finding out the answer may help you get smoother landings even in your home simulator. This DVD is a must have for you 747 lovers out there…check it out! Kingfisher A320: Kingfisher Airlines is India's largest airline. It is based in Bangalore. Kingfisher operates more than 400 flights a day and has a network of 78 destinations, with regional and long-haul international services. Its main bases are Bangalore's Bengaluru International Airport, Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Airport and Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport. Though Kingfisher has a large fleet consisting of A319/320/321/330s, this DVD focuses on the operations of the A320 throughout India. Captain Jhaveri (Female Capt) is a true inspiration to female pilots out there or any female who is interested in a flying career. She truly takes charge of the A320 making it look all too easy. Captain Roy, who is a senior Captain at the company, provides most of the commentary for this DVD. Taking you through the aircraft systems, Kingfisher operational center, discussing future plans of the company all the way to his love for Airbus aircraft and why he thinks they are light years ahead of Boeing (a debate that seems to have no end in sight) I have to honestly say that India is a beautiful country and this DVD provides some stunning scenic views of the country that may whet your curiosity to visit some day. Some of the destinations in this DVD are Chennai , Goa , Kochi , Mangalore , Mumbai and Port Blair. The operations of Kingfisher is nothing short of amazing and its no wonder this airline is five star rated. It is definitely worth purchasing and it will peak your curiosity about Airbus aircraft, providing and in-depth look into why these aircraft are so unique. All Boeing lovers BEWARE! This DVD may convert you to fly Airbus. Summary / Closing Remarks I have always been skeptical about buying these types of DVDs but now I am convinced of their usefulness, not only to simmers but to anyone interested in aviation and the daily operations of an airline. For flight simmers who are more systems oriented, these DVDs give you everything you need and more to simulate all flying procedures (especially those that are airline specific). |
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