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A "Laung" wait ends. First Turboprop IXG-BLR on SG

 
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sukritmunjal
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Joined: 23 Jan 2013
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 10, 2013 4:38 pm    Post subject: A "Laung" wait ends. First Turboprop IXG-BLR on SG Reply with quote

I was looking for an excuse to fly in a turboprop, since I had never flown one and my last such booking was cancelled at the last minute by Air Mantra. So when, SG started daily flights to Belgaum from Bangalore, I realized this is my chance since my brother is currently working there. I decided I’ll take an overnight train from Bangalore to Belgaum, spend a day there and take a flight back the next day. Dad told me that he has an offer on his SBI card where he can get INR 600 off on SG tickets for travel before 31st March. Asked him to book the flight ticket while I booked the train ticket.

Flight Details
SG3302 IXG-BLR 0925-1035 24/03/13

Reaching the airport and Checking-in

Tried OLCI, but apparently OLCI for flights originating from IXG is not possible. I am not sure of the reason but IXG is not an option in the drop-down list when trying to do the OLCI. Anyway, with it being a short flight I wasn’t really concerned about the seat, I just wanted a window seat.

In the evening, once my brother returned from work, we started arguing about the distance from his place to the airport. He said its 20 kms while I argued that Google maps showed it to be 15kms. We decided to settle the debate by taking an impromptu trip to the airport at 8 in the evening. The airport is situated at a secluded spot off the Belgaum-Bagalkot highway, with only a small “blink and miss it” board announcing it’s presence. And it’s a further 2 km off the main road. Anyway, I won the bet since it was 16.5 km. from my brother’s place.

The next morning, we left around 730 from his place and reached the airport at around 8 am. Belgaum airport is small, clean and efficient. Reached the counter and asked for a window seat on the right hand seat, was given seat 19D and proceeded towards security check. The part I hate most about security check is, taking out the laptop and placing it in a tray and then putting it back in the bag. Anyway, with the inconvenience over, I proceeded to the waiting area. It is a small airport, and with just one flight a day, it has enough seats for everyone. The terminal had one giant poster talking about careers with AAI.

Terminal










I grabbed a seat near the power ports and switched on my laptop. Within a few minutes the terminal was full with people. At around 830, a Q400 landed and made its way to the apron. VT-SUO was the bird flying this route today. VT-SUO is named laung (hindi for clove), and hence the title. Laughing Disembarkation for BLR-IXG started and I counted around 54 people deplaning.




At 845 boarding was started with people seated in rows 15-20 boarding the plane first. Walked about 20 meters from the terminal gate to the aircraft. Took my seat in the second-to-last row and counted the number of people boarding. I counted around 53 people. While the cleaning-crew had cleaned the rest of the plane my seat still had used cups in it’s seat-back pocket. Had to call up an FA to clear it.

At around 9, the Captain announced that we are still waiting for a couple of pax to board, but at 910 we started taxiing towards the runway without anyone else boarding the plane. We took off and turned right toward Bangalore.

Ready for the takeoff roll



Once we reached the cruising altitude of 25000 feet, the buy-on-board food service started. The captain made some announcements, but either the cabin was too noisy or his volume was quite low due to which I couldn’t understand what he was saying. Although I did hear him saying 25000 feet.

The flight was uneventful. We began our descent into BLR at around 1010 and encountered some serious crosswinds during our descent. We had a smooth touchdown in BLR. And sitting behind the landing gear I finally saw the wisp of smoke that rises as the rubber touches the tarmac; something I’ve seen only on TV.

Touchdown



VT-ABA in Alliance Air Livery



EK 777 ready for departure






We taxied towards the terminal, where a bus was waiting for us. The arrival terminal was hardly 50 meters from where we were but we still had to take a trip around the entire airport sue to all the expansion going on at BIA. Since I just had a handbag, I quickly walked out of the arrival terminal to the bus bay outside the airport.

Cheers
Sukrit

Edit: Added pics


Last edited by sukritmunjal on Wed Apr 10, 2013 8:46 pm; edited 1 time in total
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sumantra
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Joined: 28 Oct 2007
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Location: New Delhi

PostPosted: Wed Apr 10, 2013 5:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice pun in the title, Sukrit, and the addition of pictures will also get the report a bit `Laung', to steal your expression. Very nice descriptions, thank you for posting the forum's first Q400 trip report. Two others (Yours Truly and Karan) seem to have also made Q400 trips, but my hope is that Karan's TR is down the pipeline - mine is stuck up behind quite a lot of backlog. Eagerly waiting for the pictures! Does Belgaum have a new terminal, or is it the old Deccan/Kingfisher Red era one? Have they maintained it well? Dumna airport in Jabalpur (JLR) is a perfect example of a small and old terminal that is nicely maintained.
Cheers, Sumantra.
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ameya
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 10, 2013 6:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice TR Sir !

I have been wanting to fly the Qs for soo long Sad

One thing which I have learnt over the last 3-4 years is selecting the right side in the plane, I mean the correct side.

Morning BOM-DEL always take "A", window can be open all the while and so on. . You seem to have made a wise choice for the morning flight southwards, where "D" would be westwards !
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sukritmunjal
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 10, 2013 8:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ameya wrote:
Nice TR Sir !

I have been wanting to fly the Qs for soo long Sad

One thing which I have learnt over the last 3-4 years is selecting the right side in the plane, I mean the correct side.

Morning BOM-DEL always take "A", window can be open all the while and so on. . You seem to have made a wise choice for the morning flight southwards, where "D" would be westwards !


I always do that, I can't imagine myself flying with the window shutters down.
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sukritmunjal
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 10, 2013 8:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

sumantra wrote:
Does Belgaum have a new terminal, or is it the old Deccan/Kingfisher Red era one? Have they maintained it well? Dumna airport in Jabalpur (JLR) is a perfect example of a small and old terminal that is nicely maintained.
Cheers, Sumantra.


I think it is the Old Deccan era terminal. It is well maintained, I guess smaller size makes it easier to maintain.
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sumantra
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 11, 2013 7:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sukrit, the pictures add more flavour to the nice report. The terminal at Belgaum looks very nice. Small size is one of the factors, but a good management is another. Just a short distance away from Belgaum is the Chu Ladni airport of Hubli-Dharwad. It is also small, it also used to get one flight a day (as a gateway to Hampi too, after the Jindal Vidyanagar airport operations closed down), but I did not find the terminal very impressive. Thanks for sharing this report with us!
Cheers, Sumantra.
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Nimish
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 11, 2013 12:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very nice report - thanks for sharing. Did you have any pics of the interiors/ leg space etc.?

The airport waiting area seemed very nice and clean, good on AAI!
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sukritmunjal
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 12, 2013 2:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nimish wrote:
Very nice report - thanks for sharing. Did you have any pics of the interiors/ leg space etc.?



When I was taking the pics, I had a feeling that I was missing something. Now I realise what it was. I didn't take any pics of the interiors. Stupid me.

Cheers
Sukrit
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Nimish
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 12, 2013 3:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

sukritmunjal wrote:
When I was taking the pics, I had a feeling that I was missing something. Now I realise what it was. I didn't take any pics of the interiors. Stupid me.


No worries at all - the existing set of features give a good feeling of the a/c already.
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sumantra
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 12, 2013 7:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

sukritmunjal wrote:
When I was taking the pics, I had a feeling that I was missing something. Now I realise what it was. I didn't take any pics of the interiors.
Sukrit, thanks for leaving something for me, after an excellent report on the Q400. This is an added impetus for me to complete my backlog as soon as possible. Unless Karan comes up with yet another superb report - on his Q400 trip.
Cheers, Sumantra.
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stealthpilot
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 3:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the TR, never been to IXG nice to see the smaller airports.

Does anyone still fly to Hubli?
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sumantra
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 7:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

stealthpilot wrote:
Does anyone still fly to Hubli?
It is the closest airport to two world heritage sites, Hampi, and Pattadakal, and the best way to reach Hampi by air, after the Jindal Vidyanagar airport closed down to general commercial aviation in the Air Deccan/Kingfisher Red era. Kingfisher has a service from Mumbai and Bengaluru to Hubli-Dharward, too, which has the small and unimpressive Chu Ladni airport. I've done it once, with The Wife and Junior, in the Kingfisher major crisis time, Dec'11:
26. Hampi Hamper, Part I: Banashankari, Badami, Pattadakal, Aihole
http://www.airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic12623.html
27. Hampi Hamper, Part 2: Hampi!
http://www.airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic12661.html
Cheers, Sumantra.
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TKMCE
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PostPosted: Sun May 05, 2013 2:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have made four trips so far on SGs Q400 and was lucky to get four different aircraft especially since all four were on the same route on different dates.

Dalchini was followed by Kesar , then Jaiphal and finally Tejpatta.
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jbalonso777
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 09, 2013 6:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice short & sweet TR featuring the SG Q400, a first in the forum?

I'm surprised you didn't get a cabin shot, well I'm sure there is a next time for that!

Regards
Jish
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Phldel
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 12, 2013 1:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Do they board from the rear or the front? On the ATR's (the only turboprops I've flown) boarding is from the rear of the aircraft. I've my first Q400 flight on Saturday so I'm curious as to which seat to choose! Smile

Cheers!
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sukritmunjal
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 12, 2013 1:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Phldel wrote:
Do they board from the rear or the front? On the ATR's (the only turboprops I've flown) boarding is from the rear of the aircraft. I've my first Q400 flight on Saturday so I'm curious as to which seat to choose! Smile

Cheers!


The boarding was from the front. Row 19, where I sat was the penultimate row.
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Phldel
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 12, 2013 5:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks! Smile

I hope to post my first TR soon! Smile
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sumantra
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 12, 2013 6:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Phldel wrote:
I hope to post my first TR soon! Smile
Now that is music to my ears Smile
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