WestJet 736: Story of its first 737-600 (C-GPWS) ...

[P_7878 6,622]

WestJet is an airline that has stayed fresh with me from the very beginning of my association in this hobby... (reminiscing a bit...) ...i.e., since before the time when I had picked up a copy of the FS9. Now, a few "experienced" folks...🙂...around here...might easily recall... (those days of the state-of-the-art "CDs" of FS9, with "No floppy disks involved!"...🙂...). I looked today, for fun, "When was FS9 released?", and the answer popped out in a second, "July 29, 2003". Sounds right...so, 2 full decades have now passed since and much has been learned especially if you're a non-pilot (virtual) aviator like me...And, amazingly, there are still (nice) FS9 Screenshots (occasionally) being posted and seen in this Forum today...🙂...

Anyway, I now know why WestJet has always attracted my attention...for couple of primary reasons:

1. Historically, WestJet is an "all-Boeing" airline and remains so, to this day, currently with B787 Dreamliners in its fleet. For its first decade of existence, it (exclusively) operated the 3 737 variants (-200, -600 (see images below), and -700). These are 3 of my most favorite 737s, with plenty of good SIM renditions, in the colors of WestJet, always available for us to fly as far back as I can recall (through FS9/FSX). 
2. The second reason is its livery. My air-travels with Canadian Airlines and in Canada, been limited (in fact, there was only one flight, I can recall, with an Air Canada 767, from Toronto to Montreal), the Canadian Airlines have always drawn my attention (e.g., classic CP Air comes to mind). We all know well the (iconic) "red" maple leaf of Air Canada. WestJet livery does also have a Maple Leaf as its logo, but in mostly turquoise color (a fancy mixed hue of (light) blue-green colors), along with a dark blue (arrow-like) object at the center. However, if you notice the WestJet logo, below, on my 737-600 (C-GPWS), you will not find any Maple Leaf. That's because it was WestJet's very first 737-600. Those days, the logo, while color-wise similar, instead, looked like a (tilted) square shaped emblem (next to the WestJet name), see images below, with no trace of the Maple Leaf yet (later, in 2016, this square shaped logo would turn into the Maple Leaf emblem, that we see today).

WestJet was one of the few major operators of the (commercially not-so-popular) B737-600. This 737-600 (C-GPWS) was special to WestJet for more than one reasons. It remained with WestJet for all its useful life, a rarity, when older airframes, past their profitability span, are often sold (or leased) to other operators, to be used as Cargo and such. On record, for nearly 16 years of its WestJet ownership, (C-GPWS) seems to have served the airline with a blemish-free service-history. Today, I was looking to replicate its last flight, here. Its (actual) last flight, 2 years ago, in June 2021, was from (CYYC) Calgary International Airport to (KMZJ) Pinal Airpark in Arizona. Now, I leave it to your imagination why this airplane (or such airplanes), at the end of their service, fly to the desert airports of Arizona. For this post, however, instead of replicating that flight, I've flown, one of the last recorded (commercial) flights this 737-600 had operated earlier in 2021, from (CYWG) Winnipeg International Airport (CYWG) to (CYYZ) Toronto Pearson International Airport.

Hope you enjoy these images of this venerable (and veteran) 737-600, that was the oldest of the 736 siblings in the WestJet family, lifting off here into the bright daylight, and then descending into the darkness of night, symbolically for the last time, as if it were on its final commercial flight. Thanks for viewing...!

[pmplayer 9,475]

Fine set of shots P_7878 !

cheers 😉

[jason74 139]

I flew Westjet when they first started up in 1997 and flew in their 737-200s from Vancouver to Regina via Calgary. At the time i think they only had 3 x old 737-200s purchased from ANA

[andy1252 3,871]

Nice shots, P. Love that -600 (mmmmm . . stubby!)

[P_7878 6,622]

9 hours ago, pmplayer said:

Fine set of shots P_7878 !

cheers 😉

Thanks for the comment, pmplayer...!

 

8 hours ago, jason74 said:

I flew Westjet when they first started up in 1997 and flew in their 737-200s from Vancouver to Regina via Calgary. At the time i think they only had 3 x old 737-200s purchased from ANA

Hi Jason, nice long trip down the memory lane...🙂...Yes, you're right.... Looks like, WestJet had started operations with 3 737-200s ...I counted ~20 737-200s in their Historical Fleet by the time they moved to the 737-600 in 2005... (they must have really liked those 732s) ...

 

45 minutes ago, andy1252 said:

Nice shots, P. Love that -600 (mmmmm . . stubby!)

Stubby planes are your favorites...no secret about it ...🙂.... And that goes for both Boeing and Airbus, I presume...🙂 ...

Unfortunately, neither the B736 nor the A318 were commercially successful with operators, but I agree, they are great in the SIM...

[rmeier 473]

Great shots!

Growing up in Vancouver back in the day, you could always tell the old Westjet 732's coming in on approach...they all had the flashing/alternating landing lights...

I like/miss that old livery!

[Alaska738 8,412]

Very nice shots! 😉 

[jason74 139]

5 hours ago, P_7878 said:

Thanks for the comment, pmplayer...!

 

Hi Jason, nice long trip down the memory lane...🙂...Yes, you're right.... Looks like, WestJet had started operations with 3 737-200s ...I counted ~20 737-200s in their Historical Fleet by the time they moved to the 737-600 in 2005... (they must have really liked those 732s) ...

 

Stubby planes are your favorites...no secret about it ...🙂.... And that goes for both Boeing and Airbus, I presume...🙂 ...

Unfortunately, neither the B736 nor the A318 were commercially successful with operators, but I agree, they are great in the SIM...

Being pre 911 they left the cockpit door open during one off the flight from Regina back to Calgary

[P_7878 6,622]

22 hours ago, rmeier said:

Great shots!

Growing up in Vancouver back in the day, you could always tell the old Westjet 732's coming in on approach...they all had the flashing/alternating landing lights...

I like/miss that old livery!

Thanks for the comment, rmeier ... Yes, (your) Vancouver goes back to the roots of this airline ...🙂...I also read (and it was nice to know) that the turquoise and blue are the colors of Vancouver, which are the colors used in the Maple Leaf of WestJet, as taken from their official flag of Vancouver....BTW, unless I'm mistaken, I recall you'd painted a few WestJet (airliner) liveries in the past...

 

21 hours ago, Alaska738 said:

Very nice shots! 😉 

Appreciated the comment, thank you...!

 

18 hours ago, jason74 said:

Being pre 911 they left the cockpit door open during one off the flight from Regina back to Calgary

Oh, yes...the good old days...I clearly recall been able to easily take a look into the cockpit of the 737s and 320s, right after boarding the a/c just past the door, at O'Hare, while the Pilots were busy setting up their FMCs and avionics...🙂...the door would be open...things have changed for sure since...

[JRMurray 214]

Great shots!

Living in Greater Vancouver, I fly IRL on WestJet somewhat regularly. In P3D, the -600 is one of my favourites to fly, too, especially between CYVR and CYLW.

[P_7878 6,622]

On 1/7/2024 at 11:16 AM, JRMurray said:

Great shots!

Living in Greater Vancouver, I fly IRL on WestJet somewhat regularly. In P3D, the -600 is one of my favourites to fly, too, especially between CYVR and CYLW.

Wonderful, Joel...to mix RW flying in WestJet with some virtual flying...in WestJet's (classic and nostalgic) -600...🙂...