Shortest flight in years. CBR-NTL
Feb 7, 2023, 1:21 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 6,338
Shortest flight in years. CBR-NTL
My travel is mainly long haul..so I thought I'd report on a very short domestic trip...which was very different and a lot of fun... I suspect this TR will take as long to write as the flight lasted... 
I recently had the opportunity to visit an old friend (from school 43 years ago!) for a couple of days and I decided I did not want to drive 5 and a half hours each way - through Sydney - to get there.
Fortunately, and strangely enough IMO, there are TWO small airlines offering direct flights from Canberra to Newcastle. Link Airways (FC) which operate SAAB 340's...(and operate flights for Virgin Australia) and FlyPelican (FP) operating Jetstream 32's.
SAAB 340s have long been common in eastern Australia with Regional Express "REX" (ZL) being the largest commercial operator of the type, with 52 airframes. Having not flown in the Jetstream before the choice was easy.
Arrived at check in when it opened about 90 minutes out... not exactly a crowd...
Baggage allowance was 20kg..which for this trip was more than adequate. The Carry on size checker was the smallest Ive ever seen...but my backpack was not challenged. (It would NOT have fitted)
No lounge for me this time... so on to the departure gate, which was equally...ahem..."busy"..
People slowly rolled in and as boarding started there were 18 of us... for this 19 seat aircraft. A nice little walk on the tarmac... an invitation to leave carry ons to be stowed in the cargo pod and an offer from a few "coolers" of soft drinks/crisps/etc.
I spent years jumping out of planes for a hobby..so a twin turbo prop like this does not strike me as particularly "small" (YMMV!!!) It WAS quite cramped inside and while the seats were comfortable they were very small. The nicest feature was the lack of a cockpit door... so some interesting views on approach.
Some weather on the flight up made for a bumpy ride... On the way back beautifully smooth (and only 4 pax!)
A wonderful few days... at the beach for "Australia Day" lol... and two enjoyable flights, each a touch under an hour. On arrival back in CBR I got to experience the "Private baggage carousel" ..always amusing.
I'll be flying that route again. Beats the hell out of driving.
I recently had the opportunity to visit an old friend (from school 43 years ago!) for a couple of days and I decided I did not want to drive 5 and a half hours each way - through Sydney - to get there.
Fortunately, and strangely enough IMO, there are TWO small airlines offering direct flights from Canberra to Newcastle. Link Airways (FC) which operate SAAB 340's...(and operate flights for Virgin Australia) and FlyPelican (FP) operating Jetstream 32's.
SAAB 340s have long been common in eastern Australia with Regional Express "REX" (ZL) being the largest commercial operator of the type, with 52 airframes. Having not flown in the Jetstream before the choice was easy.
Arrived at check in when it opened about 90 minutes out... not exactly a crowd...
Baggage allowance was 20kg..which for this trip was more than adequate. The Carry on size checker was the smallest Ive ever seen...but my backpack was not challenged. (It would NOT have fitted)
No lounge for me this time... so on to the departure gate, which was equally...ahem..."busy"..
People slowly rolled in and as boarding started there were 18 of us... for this 19 seat aircraft. A nice little walk on the tarmac... an invitation to leave carry ons to be stowed in the cargo pod and an offer from a few "coolers" of soft drinks/crisps/etc.
I spent years jumping out of planes for a hobby..so a twin turbo prop like this does not strike me as particularly "small" (YMMV!!!) It WAS quite cramped inside and while the seats were comfortable they were very small. The nicest feature was the lack of a cockpit door... so some interesting views on approach.
Some weather on the flight up made for a bumpy ride... On the way back beautifully smooth (and only 4 pax!)
A wonderful few days... at the beach for "Australia Day" lol... and two enjoyable flights, each a touch under an hour. On arrival back in CBR I got to experience the "Private baggage carousel" ..always amusing.
I'll be flying that route again. Beats the hell out of driving.
Feb 7, 2023, 7:05 am
#2
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Godalming, Surrey, UK.
Programs: Nowt of note.
Posts: 1,628
Very enjoyable report. 
I half wish you'd flown FC, as I'm flying MEB-WOL† with them next month - but on the other hand maybe it leaves the door open to me to perhaps provide FT's first Link Airways report...
† Melbourne Essendon Fields to Shellharbour/Wollongong
I half wish you'd flown FC, as I'm flying MEB-WOL† with them next month - but on the other hand maybe it leaves the door open to me to perhaps provide FT's first Link Airways report...† Melbourne Essendon Fields to Shellharbour/Wollongong
Feb 7, 2023, 11:02 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 6,338
And Canberra/CBR (our capital city) to Newcastle/NTL (a coastal city north of Sydney) is about 30 miles more than SFO to RNO... if that helps...
Feb 8, 2023, 7:27 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 6,338
I paid AUD$401 return. (GBP 230?) A little more than the minimum fares offered of about $380, I was a little fussy about departure time. Interestingly given that average car running costs here are quoted at around 50 cents/km...and it IS a 918 km round trip... it is actually (technically) cheaper to fly. I'll keep telling myself that if it avoids 11 hours on the road...
I'll keep telling myself that if it avoids 11 hours on the road...
Feb 8, 2023, 7:54 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,030
Interesting report
Many years ago I took some CBR-OAG commercial flights in a small aircraft.
A map from the Great Circle Mapper - Great Circle Mapper
Assume if you taken the train would cost less but way mooooore time (slow trains in AU)
Many years ago I took some CBR-OAG commercial flights in a small aircraft.
A map from the Great Circle Mapper - Great Circle Mapper
Assume if you taken the train would cost less but way mooooore time (slow trains in AU)
Feb 8, 2023, 8:19 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 6,338
Interesting report
Many years ago I took some CBR-OAG commercial flights in a small aircraft.
A map from the Great Circle Mapper - Great Circle Mapper
Assume if you taken the train would cost less but way mooooore time (slow trains in AU)
Many years ago I took some CBR-OAG commercial flights in a small aircraft.
A map from the Great Circle Mapper - Great Circle Mapper
Assume if you taken the train would cost less but way mooooore time (slow trains in AU)
The other factor being that my ol' friend Liz lives quite near NTL...on the Nelson Bay peninsula....so the airports location is a real convenience...