REVIEW - Just Planes "Surf Air" Aviatio...

Review

by Marlon Carter

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Reviewed by: Marlon Carter

INTRODUCTION

+ Cockpit filming using multi cameras for great views on takeoff & landing!

+ Cabin filming

+ Company Presentation

+ Pilot Presentations

+ Briefings & Checklists

+ Cockpit Presentation

+ External Walkaround

+ Fantastic scenery around California!

Flight Information
A/C	Reg	Flight	Route	Flt Time	Destinations
PC-12	N805SA	URF 201 URF 109	BUR-SQL SQL-TRK	1h06 0h48	BUR Burbank, CA. USA SQL San CARLOS, CA. USA
PC-12	N805SA	URF 110 URF 202	TRK-SQL SQL-BUR	0h42 1h12	TRK Truckee - Tahoe, CA. USA SQL San CARLOS, CA. USA
PC-12	N806SA	URF 107 URF 120	HHR-SBA SBA-OAK	0h27 1h06	HHR Hawthorne, CA. USA SBA Santa Barbara, CA. USA
PC-12	N807SA	URF 121 URF 122	OAK-TRK TRK-OAK	0h42 0h44	OAK Oakland, CA. USA TRK Truckee - Tahoe, CA. USA
PC-12	N805SA	URF 217	OAK-HHR	1h27	OAK Oakland, CA. USA HHR Hawthorne, CA. USA

HIGHLIGHTS

If you are from California and you are an avid aviation enthusiast, it goes without saying that you may have heard about Surf Air. For the benefit of those who have not heard about Surf Air, this company began its operations 2013 by offering very unique services that seems to be far superior to your typical airline experience. For a monthly fee of just $1,750.00, one can book an unlimited number of flights between the Silicon Valley and Los Angeles area. Surf Air has had rave reviews by their customers and they truly offer an intimate travel experience that is unheard of by any other carrier. Some of the destinations offered by Surf Air include Burbank, San Carlos, Truckee – Tahoe, Hawthorne, Santa Barbara and Oakland. While the destinations mentioned are only a fraction of the cities served, these destinations will be highlighted in this Just Planes program. It’s been quite some time since Just Planes has had the opportunity to feature a U.S airline and we are certainly thankful that Surf Air has opened its doors to the aviation community worldwide.

We begin our journey with presentation by the Director of Planning as he nicely outlines the vision of the Surf Air. In addition to this, we also take a tour of the interior of the PC-12 which has a fully custom design that Surf Air customers love. If you want to learn more about the personal level of service provided by Surf Air, this is the segment you should pay close attention to. If you plan on being a customer, you may want to act fast as there is a waiting list in addition to the 1,200+ customers who are already enjoying this service.

Moving on to our flight segment, our first flight takes us from Burbank to San Carlos. Almost immediately, you will notice that the atmosphere at Surf Air is very intimate, so intimate in fact, that the First Officer joins the passengers for a pre-departure safety briefing. After the briefing is completed, we join the Captain and First Officer as they complete their before takeoff checklist and departure briefing. Given the fact that the PC-12 cockpit isn’t very large, cameras have to be strategically placed in the cockpit to capture the best views possible. As a result, viewers will have the opportunity to see multiple cockpit views that capture all of the special moments of this program. One of camera views that I found quite enjoyable was the wing view that gives the impression that you are a passenger onboard the aircraft. From this view you will enjoy the amazing scenery of Los Angeles from takeoff to landing. During our flight to San Carlos, some of the highlights included audio from the cockpit that captured both ATC and PA transmission and some of the most amazing views of California ever captured.

Prior to our continuing flight to Truckee Tahoe, our First Officer gives us an overview of the PC-12 cockpit which was simple but still quite intriguing. After the brief overview, our First Officer takes command of the aircraft and we swiftly depart for Truckee Tahoe. Once again, the scenery from the cabin window was majestic to say the least and I can imagine that Surf Air customers truly have a wonderful experience flying at lower altitudes onboard the PC-12. This was also the case on the return flight to San Carlos which offering great scenic views from both the cabin and cockpit.

Each flight in this program features more or less the same highlights and while this could quickly become monotonous, I found that this program was entertaining from start to finish. Some of the other highlights that stand out include a detailed external walkaround, night time flying from Oakland to Hawthorne and an amazing segment that features some air to air footage of the PC-12.

Ultimately, I think everyone will love this program and it will instantly renew your love for flying in this modern age of long lines and tight security. Surf Air has a unique and efficient product and I honestly think that many regions of the world such as the Caribbean could benefit from such a model. The personal touch of this airline is felt throughout this entire program and it starts from the moment you enter the airport and you experience the concierge service that Surf Air provides. The PC-12 also shines tremendously in this program and I think that aviation enthusiast will appreciate the focus on this aircraft since it is not commonly seen in “airline” operations. In the end we certainly have to thank Surf Air for opening its doors to the public and I certainly hope that this isn’t the last visit by Just Planes to this airline. Just Planes has delivered yet another stunning program and I highly recommend you check it out!