FSX-SE (Carenado) Brasilia Embraer-120 at Yakutat (Alaska)...

[P_7878 6,612]

You may recall, a while ago, I'd submitted a post showcasing the beautiful (and remote) Alaskan airport of Yakutat (PAYA). Here, in this post, I bring it back to SIM with a (virtual) revisit (my only 2nd-time utilization (and enjoyment) of this Orbx airport, which never seems to go out of my mind...🙂...). As part of the post, I also wished to install and then do a quick testing of another aircraft (the Embraer-120 (Brasilia), purchased from one of Carenado's past SALEs, but reminded of it during their most recent SALE...)

I've chosen to fly the Emb-120 in the color of SkyWest Airlines, a St. George (Utah) based Regional airline, that has, over the years, built unique (and profitable) working partnerships with multiple major U.S. operators such as (American Eagle (w/ American Airlines), Delta Connection (w/ Delta Airlines), United Express (w/ United Airlines), and Alaska Skywest (w/ Alaska Airlines) etc.).

Here are 5 notable facts, I gathered, about the history of this regional "Survivor" airline:

1. SkyWest was founded, on April 26th, 1972, when Ralph Atkin bought the (now-gone-and-forgotten) Dixie Airlines, and started a Fixed Base operation (FBO) that offered aircraft maintenance, air ambulance service, air charter service, and flight school. Ralph Atkin served first as CEO, then as Chairman of the Board for 20 years, and was a "local", a lifelong resident of St. George, Utah (the city is still the headquarters of the Airline).
2. On June 17th, 1972, SkyWest held an open house to celebrate the launch of their passenger service. The festivities included "Penny-a-Pound" airplane rides along with parachutists and aerobatic flight stunts...! BTW, regarding "Penny-a-Pound", I've heard this Idiom before, but never, really, had got to know the exact meaning of it. Supposedly of UK origin, here is the definition, I find, "In for a penny (in for a pound) used to mean that since you have started something or are involved in it, you should complete the work, even though it has become more difficult or complicated than you expected...i.e. strong-willed", what this infant Airline exactly had to do to survive...!
3. Two days later, on June 19th, 1972, one of the first 3 recruited pilots, flew SkyWest's first scheduled flight, from St. George to salt Lake City with a stop in Cedar City along the way. The first SkyWest fleet (all Pipers) included a 2-seat Piper Cherokee 140, a 4-seat Cherokee Arrow, a 6-seat Cherokee Six and a 6-seat Piper Seneca.
4. In 1972, Atkin had said, "We could say that we never cancelled a flight. We may have gotten there four hours late, but we got people to their destinations"...impressive thinking for the starter airline...(and, adherence to a strict (aircraft) maintenance regimen, it must have been, under the "primitive" circumstances, of the time)...!
5. In 1973, a Customer Service Manual, was written by the founders themselves (actually it was Atkin's wife Cheri who wrote the first version, as I read..!). In 1973, too, the Piper Seneca would be replaced by another Piper (the 8-seat Piper Navajo). Not sure, why, but, this singular fleet-upgrade appeals to me more than so many modernizations and fleet replacements that have become the norm in our modern times...
6. When I search, today, for "skywest airlines images", I see pictures of lots of modern "Regional" Jets (CRJs/ERJs etc.), but, none, I could (readily) find, in the Classic SkyWest livery used in this post...so, I presume, this (original) livery is special...! Also, please recall my note (above) about this Airline now being (primarily) a "contract" Airline. SkyWest and Embraer have deep-rooted (historical) ties, e.g., because of such aircraft as displayed in this post. SkyWest previously operated Embraer EMB-120 turboprops until 2015, numbering to 15, at one time. SkyWest's current in-service fleet shows (total of) >165 E175 Embraer E-Jets...! Also, I happened to read just today, "SkyWest Commits to Salt Lake City Flights Despite Pandemic...(that) may have grounded flights around the globe, but it hasn’t grounded the ambitions of Skywest Airlines"......admirable...!

The plane, in this post, the Embraer 120 (Brasilia) is/was a highly successful twin-turboprop commuter airliner, produced by Embraer of Brazil. Long before, this Brazilian company gained worldwide renown by manufacturing its popular ERJ/E-Jet family of Regional Jets, one of its (first) cornerstones of success was the Brasilia. The Brasilia had attracted immediate interest from many regional airlines, particularly in the US. Its size, speed and ceiling allowed faster and more direct services around both US and Europe, compared to similar aircraft of the time. The plane was powered by 2 Pratt & Whitney Canada PW118 aircraft engines (please see the close-up shots).

So, please find, below, a set of images, representing the SkyWest Emb-120 Brasilia taking off Rwy 29 of Yakutat (PAYA) Airport - almost (directly) towards the (18,008 ft) Mount Saint Elias (see shots and, also, see below note), and then landing back from the opposite direction on Rwy 11. Please note this is just a dip-test flight, where, I've merely tested the Autopilot and the ILS (LOC/GS) capture functions, but nothing much else...but, I like the look of this plane, especially this metallic repaint, here, eventhough it's devoid of the PBR shine..🙂...

You can spot the peak of Mount Saint Elias, in 2-3 shots, including in the Gears-Down (approach) shot (peak, under the Right Gears). This mountain situated on the Yukon and Alaska border (about 66 miles northwest of Yakutat), is the second highest mountain in both Canada and the United States (Side Note: Denali, Alaska, is the highest mountain peak in North America).

Hope you enjoy this account and the images of this (beautiful) prop-jet (Classic) from Brazil..!! Notes and thoughts are welcome..!!

Thanks for viewing...! Good weekend, ahead...!

[Carenado(B120)/Orbx(AK/PAYA)/REX]

Edited July 17, 2020 by P_7878

[thibodba57 462]

Nice shots. How you liking PBR? I thought you’d jump to v5 over V4 honestly.

[John F 2,423]

Nice post. As always, goes way beyond bare minimums in the information department and that's a big plus. I love the Brasilia (always have...all the way back to Erick Cantu's model which I still have) but am currently flying Carenado's sale-bought model around Brazil in Oceanair colors. (Oceanair's liveries come in every color you could possibly want, from garish to glamorous.)

John

Edited July 17, 2020 by John F

[rmeier 473]

Terrific photos!

I don't recall how many times I flew out of Hartsfield-Jackson on the ASA Embraer 120. I think it was a Skywest EMB-120 I flew once between KSEA and CYVR. 

[Phantom88 3,287]

***Gorgeous Series***

[P_7878 6,612]

Brian:

Many thanks and glad you liked the shots...!! And, btw, for checking in here...for this post on the (humble) Embraer...🙂...

I'm now exclusive FSX/SE, and planning to acquire the new FS in future. Regarding PBR, I've (closely) examined, at least, Steve's and your PBR repaints, on metal liveries, whenever, I've got a chance, in the past,...and they always look amazing...to me...

 

John:

Thanks for mentioning Erick Cantu's (freeware) Brasilia model. I was (actually) going to make a reference to it in my write-up above (that being one of the drivers of my Carenado purchase of this plane), so, you made up, here, for my 3 extra lines of intended but missing text....🙂...What a wonderful SIM that was...I clearly recall flying its many liveries in FSX...

And, it's great that you decided to acquire this plane during the SALE...I almost bought it twice, before something held me back...I'd bought it during the last SALE, along with another plane of theirs,...and had forgotten to install it...🙂...(should be more mindful)...

Yes, I should (certainly) try the OceanAir Emb-120 repaints...(they look very nice and remind me of the Braniff colors)...thanks...!!

 

Rob:

Appreciated...! Thanks for the recollections...I never flew on one...(as far as I can recall)...

ASA was an interesting airline, I see they had "67" Brasilias in their fleet...(no wonder you flew on it so many times)...🙂...

Patrick:

Thank you...!!

Agree, it appears, Carenado, here, has done a pretty good job of this metal livery...(In fact, on FSX/SE, this is one of the best-looking metal repaints, that I can recall...in my recent memory...)...

(Of course, the DCS Metal on those MiGs...is quite good too...🙂...)

 

Edited July 18, 2020 by P_7878

[edetroit 933]

Lovely set! Nice metal work by Carenado. 

[P_7878 6,612]

9 hours ago, edetroit said:

Lovely set! Nice metal work by Carenado. 

Ed: Thanks for the comment...!! Agree about this paint, here, from Carenado...(I will look around, if there are any more metal liveries of theirs for this plane...)...

[BTW, need a post, here, of an "authentic-looking" Russian jetliner,... 🙂...to spice up the things a bit...]