Swiss A340-300 & Air Canada Jazz

Swiss A340-300

Just planes revisits SWISS Airlines as they fly the friendly skies from Zurich to San Francisco onboard the A340.

Highlights

Our 11 hour flight to San Francisco starts off with a very thorough briefing by the Captain and his crew. This is followed by a walk around of the A340 where Captain Covolan teaches the viewers some of the important checks that have to be made before each flight.

After departure, the Captain discusses the departure procedure using his EFB and goes over the route details for the flight. During the cruise phase of the flight there was a really nice portion where an A340-600 and a British Airways 747 flew alongside the Swiss A340 that viewers may find interesting.

Prior to arrival Captain Covolan talks about the practicality of the A340 and the importance of cost index. Scenery wise, this DVD is packed with scenic views from the cockpit. The most memorable scenic views were flying over various airports in Canada and the amazing approach into San Francisco with a great view of the Golden Gate Bridge. After landing in San Francisco, viewers are given a treat as they take a tour of San Francisco and later join the flight crew on a bicycle tour!

Highlights of the return flight to Zurich include a stunning view from the cockpit on departure at dusk, cabin meal service and a very detailed cockpit presentation. Scenery wise, the return trip offers a view of various places such as Jersey, French Coast, Granville and others before an uneventful landing back at Zurich.

What was my overall impression of this DVD? Well, it was simply amazing. This was one of the first DVDs filmed by Just Planes with 6 cameras. This includes a rear camera view from the runway as the A340 takes off from Zurich. The friendly crew, scenic views and unique camera views made this 4 hour DVD a pleasure watch. – Strongly Recommended.

Addition Information: http://www.worldairroutes.com/Swiss340.html

Air Canada Jazz

Our next DVD features Air Canada Jazz as it operates flights to Quebec City, Charlottetown and St. John from Toronto. Let’s look at some of the highlights.

Highlights

The DVD starts off with an introduction by the Chief Pilot as he gives details about the company, his role and the fleet of Air Canada Jazz (Air Canada Express) aircraft. Our first trip takes us from Toronto to Quebec City onboard the Dash 8 Q400.

After a crew briefing and preflight checks were completed, the crew begins taxiing the Q400 to the runway during which he pulls down the HUD which he uses for the entire flight. During the cruise portions of the flight, viewers have a clear view of all the procedures that Jazz pilots have to perform including retrieving performance data from their ACARS. After landing in Quebec, viewers are taken on an external walk around of the aircraft in preparation for their return trip to Toronto. The final leg to Toronto featured a brief cockpit presentation and some very scenic views of Toronto, which I am sure everyone will enjoy.

Our second trip takes us onboard the CRJ-705 from Toronto to Charlottetown. As usual, we start off with a briefing by the crew as they consider the route and weather associated with their flight. From the cockpit, viewers are able to observe the crew as they load the FMS in preparation for startup. During the taxi I thought it was very interesting that the crew chose to perform a single engine taxi to conserve on fuel.

Other highlights worth mentioning from this round trip were the cockpit presentation and the stunning scenic views from the cockpit on our return trip to Toronto.

Finally, our last round trip takes us from Toronto to St. John onboard the CRJ-200. While this trip was similar to the previous in terms of highlights, the most significant difference was the landing in St. John with VERY low visibility. The return trip was also different in that the camera view was from the cabin with an over wing view for the duration of the flight.

Overall, I enjoyed this DVD very much and I am certain I will find myself revisiting it time and again. The Q400 and CRJ-200 segments were my favorite and I am sure you will enjoy DVD also. Job well done!

Addition Information: http://www.worldairroutes.com/Jazz.html

Summary / Closing Remarks

Once again, these DVDs were an absolute pleasure to watch and I think anyone who loves aviation will enjoy them. At a cost of $25-30 each they are a bargain.

These are perfect for days when you what to see or do something aviation related but also want to enjoy the comforts of home. Just Planes has really stepped up their editing and production of their DVDs and I am sure we will continue to see more innovations in their future products.

What I Like About These DVDs

• Breathtaking scenery

• Creative editing and camera views

• Features very unique destinations and aircrafts

• HD and widescreen format

What I Don't Like About These DVDs

• Nothing