FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Silver Airways Saab 340B+, Marriott Residence Inn Penthouse, United Club, FLL-MCO-FLL

Sep 1, 2014 | 12:02 am

LPDAL

Join Date: May 2012

Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Programs: IAMAW Local 368/HAL 2 Star Mariner

Posts: 740

KMCO (Orlando International Airport - McCoy) - KFLL (Fort Lauderdale - Hollywood International Airport)

Airline: Silver Airways
Airline IATA Code: IATA Code # 3M
Airline IACO Code: IACO Code # SIL
Airline Callsign: Radio Callsign SILVER WINGS
Airline Flight Number: # 3M 4005
Aircraft / Equipment Used for Flight : Saab-Fairchild SF-340B
Aircraft / Equipment Registration: Registration # N343AG, Previously with Silver Airways as N443XJ as of August 15th, 2012, Previously with Mesaba Airlines D/B/A Delta Connection as N443XJ as of October 28th, 2008, Previously with Mesaba Airlines D/B/A Northwest Airlink as N443XJ
Airline Aircraft / Equipment Fleet Number: # 343, Previously 343 as N443XJ with Silver Airways as of August 15th, 2012, Previously 443 as N443XJ with Mesaba Airlines D/B/A Delta Connection as of October 28th, 2008, Previously 443 as N443XJ with Mesaba Airlines D/B/A Northwest Airlink as of June 24th, 1998
Aircraft / Equipment Nationality: United States of America - FAA - Registered A/C / Equipment
Aircraft Manufacturer: Saab AB / Fairchild Aircraft Joint Venture
Aircraft Sub - Manufacturer: Fairchild Aircraft / Saab Commercial
Aircraft's First Flight: June 17th, 1998
Aircraft's Age as of Date of Flight: 16.2 Years Old as of August 31st, 2014
Aircraft Test Registration: Test Registration SE-B43 (Sweden)
Aircraft Config: Y34, Previously Y34 as N443XJ with Silver Airways as of August 15th, 2012, Previously Y34 as N443XJ with Mesaba Airlines D/B/A Delta Connection as of October 28th, 2008, Previously Y34 as N443XJ with Mesaba Airlines D/B/A Northwest Airlink as of June 24th, 1998
Total Number of Passenger Seats: 34 Seats
Aircraft Construction Number (MSN) : # 443
Aircraft Line Number: # 443
Aircraft Delivery Date: To Mesaba Airlines D/B/A Northwest Airlink as N443XJ: June 24th, 1998, to Delta Connection as N443XJ: October 28th, 2008, To Silver Airways as N443XJ: August 15th, 2012, To Silver Airways as N343AG: September 27th, 2012
Aircraft Powerplant (s) : 2x GE CT7-9B
Aircraft Owned by / Leased from: OWNED BY VICTORY PARK CAPITAL
Cabin: Economy Class
Fare Class: B
Meal: Beverage Service
Seat Assignment: Seat # 7F, Exit Row, Window Seat
Row Assignment: Row # 7, Exit Row
A/C Equipped with IFE: No
A/C Equipped with Wi-Fi Wireless Internet Access: No
Airline Frequent Flier Program: United MileagePlus
Miles / Rewards / Points Earned: 267 United MileagePlus Miles (1.5X B Fare Class Mileage Bonus)
Airline Flight Date: August 31, 2014
Boarding Call Time: 8:27 AM EST, August 31st, 2014
Boarding Zone: Boarding Zone # -NULL-
Departure Time: 8:57 AM EST, August 31st, 2014
Arrival Time: 9:50 AM EST, August 31st, 2014
Time Aloft: 0 hours 53 minutes (53 Minutes)
Filed Speed: 244 KIAS
Filed Cruising Altitude: 12,000 feet
Flight Distance: Direct: 178 SM | Planned: 304 SM | Flown: 217 SM
Routing Waypoint (s) : ATLAS TRV BLUFI BLUFI2
Fare Cost: $200.00 USD (B Class)

FLIGHT DATA SOURCE (S) :

1. Planespotter.Net Airline Data

2. Planespotter.Net Airframe Data

3. FlightAware Live Flight Tracking Data

FlightAware for this flight. Copyright FlightAware © 2014

At around 5:30 AM EST, my iPhone rumbled awake and blasted my alarm tone, signaling that it was time to return back to Fort Lauderdale. I quickly got dressed, unplugged my charging devices, and woke up my friend, who seemed to really agree about the softness of Marriott beds! Down into the lobby and we are greeted by a jolly Hispanic receptionist who arranges for the hotel shuttle to take us to the airport.

Once we arrive at the Silver Airways Curb, we walk into the long checkin hall only to do a few laps around the terminal and not find anything related to Silver Airways! Confused, I have my friend sit down with our luggage and I search around the terminal, eventually finding a MCO-branded checkin kiosk that apparently works for every airline serving this airport! I am even able to purchase checked bags--but I still need to turn them into an actual agent! With that, I head down the hallway near the BA checkin desks--I had forgot that BA even served MCO, and apparently LH does as well! I find a single 3M gate agent who looks quite bored, and check my baggage.

But then I remembered the Premier Access debacle and decided to inquire about it to the United agents located halfway down the hall--sorry sir, no dice, we have no idea what you're talking about so it looks like you'll have to use the Economy lane today...Well, maybe that wasn't such a big deal as I didn't see any airline signage at all near the checkpoint and I'm through in ten minutes anyway.

Riding the hotel shuttle down to MCO.

BA and 3M checkin curb.

Using the generic MCO kiosk to checkin. Yes, I would love to check some baggage.

The MCO checkin hall.

Checking my luggage over at the Silver Airways desk, my friend was going carry-on only for this trip.

Premier Access Security? Not today apparently...

So let's just go ahead and join the normal security line.

As I said, we were through security in ten minutes and soon we're heading on the "blue" train over to the same atrium we arrived into last night. Before we enter the United Club however, we decide to have a proper breakfast in the food court located within one side of the dome. We eventually settle on a Chinese outlet, Manchu Wok, and dig into some surprisingly delicious Americanized Asian cuisine.

Once we finished munching on products of the food court, we headed over to the United Club and remained there all the way until boarding. Coffee really hit the spot at this hour as our bodies are still very grumpy about being kicked out of those comfortable beds, and we also have some light snacks.

Reminds me of Tron somewhat!

Taking the train landside, over what I assume is the baggage logistics center?

Chinese Food for breakfast? My definite second Breakfast of Champoins!

Walking to the UA Club as the sun rises over the horizon.

Entering the United Club that I already entered last night.

Checkin is upstairs, though note the Aer Lingus sign. Luck of the Irish!

Another flat bed PMCO 752.

A very nice clubroom, much better than the terminal that's for sure...

I'm still a bit hungry, so I decided to munch on these "Continental" {duck} snacks :-D

TAM 767 roaring right along outside the window.

Later, a bro-toast.

Our Saab arrives.

One of the (probably) last AirTran FL 717s/712s remaining. Luckily I already got one under my belt ( http://www.airliners.net/aviation-fo...ad.main/250714 ) but it's sad to see yet another airline with be disappearing in just a couple months under the looming threat of airline industry consolidation...

At around 8:10 AM EST, my friend and I headed down to gate C36 just in time for boarding. The gate agent himself kept quite a jovial attitude during the process, waking everyone up by saying that the FLL flight, 3M 4005, is now going to PNS and generally keeping everyone upbeat and happy.

Boarding proceeds without a hitch and soon I'm heading down the ramp jetway onto the pavement and up into the Saab. When I actually step inside the propliner, I'm surprised to see that the F/A is the same one from yesterday evening--but she doesn't acknowledge me or anything, just a forced faux smile and greeting. Soon enough, I heard the "clud" of the main boarding door being shut, but the F/A didn't even bother asking us beforehand if we'd agree to help in an emergency--maybe she did recognize after all!

We end up taxiing straight to the runway and not pausing to takeoff just as we did in FLL--except for this time, the climb is a lot more gradual than usual as we make a lazy right turn, flying down the Floridian Atlantic coastline to line up with our final destination of FLL.

Not our exact Saab, but you get the idea.

Strolling down onto the tarmac.

Boarding and barely catching the reg again. Today's ride would be N343AG, so glad it's a different reg.

Silver Airways Saab 340B Cabin, and my friend and I are back to the exit row seats of 7D and 7F.

Taxiing out of the combined UA/US/NK ramp.

AA 752--Right where I left / boarded it: http://www.airliners.net/aviation-fo...ad.main/253053

Turning onto the runway....

Climbing away from MCO.

MCO Aircraft Boneyard...I wonder what types those are?

Cruise.

Cabin during cruise.

Once the pilots climbed to cruise altitude, the inflight service started with the same nonalcoholic products ("Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Ginger Ale, Orange Juice, or Water), and were quickly served on a silver tray once more. I didn't get the full can this time, either, but oh well, it's just soda, right?

And in the blink of an eye, we turned inland from our position just off the Atlantic Ocean and began a very rapid decent into the U-turn approach of FLL. Other than the few scattered clouds just before long final, the bouncing onboard was kept to a minimum, thanks to the pilots.

Coke, Saab 340B safety card, and Silver Skies, the official magazine of Silver Airways.

Descending while intercepting the Florida coast.

Turning to mid-final through the only bumps in the entire approach.

Long final into FLL.

The customary short, short final into FLL over I95.

Touchdown, engaging reverse thrust..

JetRED while taxiing in--I was hoping to see it, what with FLL being a focus city for B6, and I did!

Taxiing in, but the ramp is full....?

When we taxied into the Concourse C ramp area, the entire Gate C5 ramp was full. Quickly improvising, the tower told us to pull into gate C1, the same jetway near the United Club. After we parked, shut down the egines, and got out, there was confusion among rampers, the F/A, and pilots alike until they figured out the ramp was full. We were led in a single file line up the ramp stairway, and all went our seperate ways in FLL.

My friend and I headed down to baggage claim, claimed my bags and got into a taxi heading to the Fort Lauderdale Airport Tri-Rail station, where we bought two one-way tickets to the Cypress Creek Station. Before we knew it, we were on the train heading northbound and finally arrived at a disturbingly quiet station.