I had one flight on a Piedmont YS-11 from Fayetteville, NC, to Atlanta, GA. Really liked the size with its 2x2 seating configuration. It was comfortable and quiet with a good smooth ride.
I flew on Piedmont’s YS-11 and liked it better than their F-27. It signaled Piedmont had finally grown up from their DC3s. It was a great stepping stone to their pure jets. Piedmont was a wonderful airline. It was a sad day when they sold to that crappy US Air.
I flew on a YS-11 only once. That was in the late 1980s via Simmons Airlines from Chicago (ORD) to Milwaukee. The two things that stuck out to me on this particular turbo-prop airliner was that the seat back refused to retract all the way for takeoff (the stewardesses looked the other way) and the passenger windows were somewhat low for viewing outside. Otherwise, it seemed a pleasant plane to fly on.
Hey loving the content lately, as a rail fan it would be so cool too see separate 15 minute videos of the big 4 railway companies in the UK and their stories im sure that topic would be so cool with your knowledge
I had the pleasure to work on the YS in the US for a cargo company in the mid 90s. Some manuals were still in Japanese, while others in British english because of the Dart engine. That 16.5 foot prop was very impressive. Miss the rice rocket. Thanks for the history and video.
Great video! Got a chance to fly on a Piedmont YS-11 around 1980 or so. I remember it being more roomy and quiet than a lot of the other turboprop commuters I've been on. It's sad that NAMC didn't have more success...seemed like Piedmont had a lot of success with the YS-11.
Ruairidh, you surprise me by not commenting on the near identical appearance to the Hawker Siddeley 748. To the untutored eye they appear identical, almost a clone!
Thanks so much for your wonderful commentary of the YS-11. Brings backs wonderful memories of when I use to fly from Huntington, WV. to Roanoke, Vi. stopping sometimes in Charleston, Beckley or Princeton Bluefield. This was in 1970 to about 1975. Made the trip many times. When I speak of the YS-11 to my friends, most have no idea what type of airplane I am talking about. I also remember windows being at such low angles.
Piedmont flew daily YS-11's into Tri-Cities, TN during the 70s and early 80s. Riding on Piedmont back then was like riding on an air version of Greyhound with all the stops. Lol
And O'leary of RyanAir being just a twinkle in his father's eye but screaming "Put one in, we'll charge 3 Euro for anyone wanting to 'spend a penny' "! 🤣🤣
The YS-11 got the the Japanese the type of experience to build large parts for other airliners. In fact, modern large Boeing jets like the 777 and 787 use a lot of Japanese structural components.
Just wanted to say I think you've really come into your own as a content creator and I am always looking forward to your newest uploads when they arrive. Keep up the good work.
I remember flying a YS-11 at least once, from RIC to DCA, I think with Piedmont Airlines. It reminded me of the CV-580, although I had the impression all the seating was designed for the average Japanese person (5'6" to 5'8" height, 140-150 lbs.).
Two important information (IMO) wasn't provided in this video: 1) In Brazil VASP operated 8 units (christened as "Samurai") from 1968 to 1977 and Cruzeiro do Sul Air Services operated 11 units from 1967 to 1977, both very succesfully. 2) In Japan JASDF are still operating the so called "Super YS" (YS-11EA/B), having its Rolls-Royce Darts replaced by Ishikawajima-Harima T64-IHI-10J (built under license from GE) of 3,493 hp.
I wont bother commenting on the video. Instead i'll say THANK YOU! for all the great, well produced, informative and fun content you've put out this year. I hope you have as enjoyable an xmas as is possible in this 'unusual' year. I think I speak for all when I say - We truly appreciate the effort you put in too all the content you produce. It's always well researched and entertaining to watch.
One of the most beautiful turboprop aircraft I ever seen. When I was working at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in 2013, The Airlink College YS-11 still flies with its very lovely but overwhelmingly noisy Rolls Royce engines. really love it's black accents on the cockpit and the nose tips that looks like the Japanese bullet train design. I don't know if it still flies today (2023).
I flew the Piedmont YS-11 out of Charlotte. I remember the first thing noticed were the window were 6'' lower.To bad they did not promote the Rolls Royce engines.A great small airliner...b
As always, a thoroughly researched and intriguing story from the backwaters of transportation. The North Korean story included here is worthy of its own post IMO. Many Thanks.
They - MITI - learned a lot from this project which they applied to their participation in the five-nation/seven company International Aero Engines AG, producer of the V2500 range of commercial jet engines. Japan Aero Engine Company, or JAEC, was comprised of the three “heavies”: Mitsubishi, Kawasaki, and IHI. A collaboration within a collaboration! JAEC had no role in sales but did important work in product support.
It's not hard to see the influence of the Hawker Siddeley HS-748 on the general layout of the YS-11. There was nothing fundamentally wrong with the YS-11. The problem was the aircraft didn't offer anything new or outstanding while costing more than an HS-748. It was one of those planes built by a committee acting on the requests of the government to develop an aircraft of which they had no experience. What it did do is delay the building of a regional jet airliner for almost 50 years, and now that the Mitsubishi SpaceJet has been completed, it's following the same path as the YS-11, with testing and service entry taking years longer that scheduled, and customers who were set to buy it cancelling orders right and left in the face of this silly covid crisis. I'm afraid the outcome for Mitsubishi is going to be the same as for NAMC.
As a lad, I was a member of my ATC squadron's aircraft recognition team. This aircraft was a pain, due to its similarity to the 748; lost many points as a result!
Only odd thing from a pax POV is the windows were set inordinately low in the fuselage when equipped with western style airline seating, Other than that it was fine.
Air Philippines (thumbnail), Asian Spirit, Interisland, and some more obscure cargo operators used them very well until the late 1990s. It’s true they were the pre-A320s of these airlines. Most of these (or AirPhil in particular) now heavily use A320/321 for ops.
I'm 6' 1" (about 185 cm) and was a passenger on Piedmont YS-11s too many times. Very uncomfortable due to the tight seat pitch. I would choose less convenient flight times to avoid these whenever possible.
The pilot and co-pilot of the hijacked flight were "invited" to join the North Korean air force with the Captain apparently gaining the rank of Sangjwa or Colonel in English
I wish they had mentioned Reeve Aleutian who used them on the ALEUTIANS. Pilots liked them. We had a few who had the large cargo doors on them. They operated in some of worst conditions in the world...
Finally! Sloppy research on your part! And, a major error. The Piedmont Airlines of 1967 was headquartered at Smith-Reynolds Airport in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. That airport was referenced in every Piedmont timetable until the airline's demise via merger into U.S. Airways. The Maryland-based Piedmont Airlines of today which you mention, was originally Henson, and was an Allegheny Commuter carrier ages ago. That airline today serves American Airlines into which the original Piedmont Airlines was merged ages ago.
I was going to make the same comment until I saw you already did. Also, I noticed he called PI a regional carrier when it was actually called a local service carrier at the time.
In 1971-2 I worked across the st. from smith-reynolds while in high school I was in the CAP composite squadron there til I graduated in '73 . Great airport. Loved to watch piedmont's aircraft taking off and landing. And loved the look of the us. By the way the airport, and the old building we in CAP used was the original control/tower that Lindberg Visited during the publicity tour of the USA after his transatlantic flight. Thanks for bringing up r-s airport .
Guy said Piedmont was out of Maryland, he's very wrong, meaning the modern 2023 Piedmont, which in no way is related to the original Piedmont that flew the YS-11 based out of Winston Salem NC from 1948 to 1989, he needs to do better research.
I use to see the cargo versions of Airborne Express (ABX) down in Florida. I think the best livery was the Hawaiian carrier Mid Pacific Air th-cam.com/video/jKOY8rRX5Bk/w-d-xo.html
Hi, Sir I just love this aircraft it is just as good as the British Avro 748 . I saw in first in Microsoft Flight simulator 2004 this is Japan aircraft at its best. I would like to have one in real life
Lol the cover pic is Air Link Int. Flight schools old student transport plane. They forced the student to pay for tickets to get to the schools public government owned airstrip. On another note they also forced the students to pay to stay in the schools hotel while at the airstrip. This plane is now rotting away on the side of a holding point at Manila Int. Airport.
TO THIS “JETPROP CLASSIC” BLOGGER, ‘DESPITE A MIXED AEROSPACE,’ “THIS COMMUTER PROPJET, NAMC YS-11 WAS WORTH A REGIONAL COMMERCE,” AND TO Y’ALL, “CLASSIC AEROSPACE VIEWERS, ‘THIS AIRLINER’ COULD BE YOUR UTMOST PASTIME”!!
There is a Mitsubishi MU-2 sitting under a cover at the local airport, hasn't moved for twenty years. Guess the owner scared of it. Kawasaki has something of a C-130 killer in production these days and by all accounts it's pretty damn good. Of course neither is an airliner.
Bahamas Air was still using them in 1989. I was flying a contract for them in a DC-3 from Miami a few days a week. They looked like crap. Everything I saw in Nassau looked like crap.
"While a democracy was restored." Is the fact that Japan calls itself an Empire is a joke? And from the Soviet side, the troubles with Tokyo trials not bringing many of Japanese leaders ,brought to justice is very disturbing. Especially the members of Squad 731. I realize it was a compromise between capitalists of the US and communists of USSR, but it was an unfair exchange. I realize that capitalists do not give a shit about equality, but they at least respect a superpower, who is in the same class as them.
I had one flight on a Piedmont YS-11 from Fayetteville, NC, to Atlanta, GA. Really liked the size with its 2x2 seating configuration. It was comfortable and quiet with a good smooth ride.
I flew on Piedmont’s YS-11 and liked it better than their F-27. It signaled Piedmont had finally grown up from their DC3s. It was a great stepping stone to their pure jets. Piedmont was a wonderful airline. It was a sad day when they sold to that crappy US Air.
US Airways itself Was Merged With TWA (American Airlines)
3:51 - the Rotordyne... that deserves a video on it's own!
I flew on a YS-11 only once. That was in the late 1980s via Simmons Airlines from Chicago (ORD) to Milwaukee. The two things that stuck out to me on this particular turbo-prop airliner was that the seat back refused to retract all the way for takeoff (the stewardesses looked the other way) and the passenger windows were somewhat low for viewing outside. Otherwise, it seemed a pleasant plane to fly on.
I love the lenticular cloud in the background at 16:46, you'd be in for a wild ride flying near that mountain peak....
Piedmont was not based in Maryland. It was founded and based in North Carolina, with offices in Winston-Salem.
Another amazingly detailed story, about another obscure and interesting piece of transport history. Great work as always
Hey loving the content lately, as a rail fan it would be so cool too see separate 15 minute videos of the big 4 railway companies in the UK and their stories im sure that topic would be so cool with your knowledge
I had the pleasure to work on the YS in the US for a cargo company in the mid 90s. Some manuals were still in Japanese, while others in British english because of the Dart engine. That 16.5 foot prop was very impressive. Miss the rice rocket. Thanks for the history and video.
Handsome aircraft. Excellent presentation.
Great video! Got a chance to fly on a Piedmont YS-11 around 1980 or so. I remember it being more roomy and quiet than a lot of the other turboprop commuters I've been on. It's sad that NAMC didn't have more success...seemed like Piedmont had a lot of success with the YS-11.
I flew on these in the 1980's, Mid Pacific Air between HNL and OGG (Maui).
Piedmont AirLines was based in Winston-Salem. We made lots of money on these airplanes. The RR engines were screamers
Ruairidh, you surprise me by not commenting on the near identical appearance to the Hawker Siddeley 748. To the untutored eye they appear identical, almost a clone!
Or the Convair 640.
Thanks so much for your wonderful commentary of the YS-11. Brings backs wonderful memories of when I use to fly from Huntington, WV. to Roanoke, Vi. stopping sometimes in Charleston, Beckley or Princeton Bluefield. This was in 1970 to about 1975. Made the trip many times. When I speak of the YS-11 to my friends, most have no idea what type of airplane I am talking about. I also remember windows being at such low angles.
Piedmont flew daily YS-11's into Tri-Cities, TN during the 70s and early 80s. Riding on Piedmont back then was like riding on an air version of Greyhound with all the stops. Lol
No toilets? I just pictured somebody pointing that out; and the designer saying to himself, "dammit, I knew I forgot something".
And O'leary of RyanAir being just a twinkle in his father's eye but screaming "Put one in, we'll charge 3 Euro for anyone wanting to 'spend a penny' "! 🤣🤣
Fancy being caught out with a dodgy prawn !
The YS-11 got the the Japanese the type of experience to build large parts for other airliners. In fact, modern large Boeing jets like the 777 and 787 use a lot of Japanese structural components.
I have flown in an Air Caribbean YS-11 in mid 1990s to Trinidad's sister island, Tobago. Did enjoyed it.
Hijackings and pilot errors are part of statics but this video correctly does not blame the aircraft itself for such incidents.
Just wanted to say I think you've really come into your own as a content creator and I am always looking forward to your newest uploads when they arrive. Keep up the good work.
It would be interesting to hear about the viscount, and, the vanguard too.
You got a discount on the viscount
Brings back good old memories.
Never heard about the hijacking to NK. Very interesting story. I was a passenger on one from HNL to Lihue on Mid Pacific Airlines.
I remember flying a YS-11 at least once, from RIC to DCA, I think with Piedmont Airlines. It reminded me of the CV-580, although I had the impression all the seating was designed for the average Japanese person (5'6" to 5'8" height, 140-150 lbs.).
Two important information (IMO) wasn't provided in this video:
1) In Brazil VASP operated 8 units (christened as "Samurai") from 1968 to 1977 and Cruzeiro do Sul Air Services operated 11 units from 1967 to 1977, both very succesfully.
2) In Japan JASDF are still operating the so called "Super YS" (YS-11EA/B), having its Rolls-Royce Darts replaced by Ishikawajima-Harima T64-IHI-10J (built under license from GE) of 3,493 hp.
It's interesting how Japan came close to creating their own version of Airbus
Holy whoah! Super rare Mitsubishi Colt seen in the manufacturing scene just after the 2:00 mark!!
Nice to see the Air Chatham's DC-3/C-47! I've been on AWP a few times now; happy I spotted her in the video!
Rode in AWP in the days when it was operated by NZNAC
I flew on Piedmont YS-11's to Bluefield WV numerous times from 1974 until Piedmont withdrew them in the early 80's. Loved 'em.
The original Piedmont Airlines was based in Winston Salem NC not Maryland. That was henson later Piedmont after USAir took over Piedmont in 1989.
It was a clear mistake he made. Otherwise, a great video.
I’m glad this is back. Great film
Yet another fascinating and informative documentary on another facet of international aircraft development. Well done!
I wont bother commenting on the video. Instead i'll say THANK YOU! for all the great, well produced, informative and fun content you've put out this year.
I hope you have as enjoyable an xmas as is possible in this 'unusual' year. I think I speak for all when I say - We truly appreciate the effort you put in too all the content you produce. It's always well researched and entertaining to watch.
Verly hiteresting. The NAMCO YS-11. A handsome turboprop.
One of the most beautiful turboprop aircraft I ever seen. When I was working at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in 2013, The Airlink College YS-11 still flies with its very lovely but overwhelmingly noisy Rolls Royce engines. really love it's black accents on the cockpit and the nose tips that looks like the Japanese bullet train design. I don't know if it still flies today (2023).
There is still at least one military YS-11EA - serial 12-1163 - operating in Japan as of October 2021. This variant has GE T-64 engines.
I might have flown on one of NAMC's operated by Piedmont. I flew between Dayton and Cleveland Ohio several times before 1982.
I flew the Piedmont YS-11 out of Charlotte. I remember the first thing noticed were the window were 6'' lower.To bad they did not promote the Rolls Royce engines.A great small airliner...b
Great comprehensive research on the YS-11! One thing, though, JAL only leased one YS-11 for a short while.
As always, a thoroughly researched and intriguing story from the backwaters of transportation. The North Korean story included here is worthy of its own post IMO. Many Thanks.
They - MITI - learned a lot from this project which they applied to their participation in the five-nation/seven company International Aero Engines AG, producer of the V2500 range of commercial jet engines. Japan Aero Engine Company, or JAEC, was comprised of the three “heavies”: Mitsubishi, Kawasaki, and IHI. A collaboration within a collaboration! JAEC had no role in sales but did important work in product support.
you rock ruairidh 🙌
always happy to see you've uploaded another superb video
cheers from sunny texas
It's not hard to see the influence of the Hawker Siddeley HS-748 on the general layout of the YS-11. There was nothing fundamentally wrong with the YS-11. The problem was the aircraft didn't offer anything new or outstanding while costing more than an HS-748. It was one of those planes built by a committee acting on the requests of the government to develop an aircraft of which they had no experience. What it did do is delay the building of a regional jet airliner for almost 50 years, and now that the Mitsubishi SpaceJet has been completed, it's following the same path as the YS-11, with testing and service entry taking years longer that scheduled, and customers who were set to buy it cancelling orders right and left in the face of this silly covid crisis. I'm afraid the outcome for Mitsubishi is going to be the same as for NAMC.
As a lad, I was a member of my ATC squadron's aircraft recognition team. This aircraft was a pain, due to its similarity to the 748; lost many points as a result!
Well presented and researched.
Aruba has an Ys11 as well. Under water. It's a nice dive site.
Namco should have looked within on aircraft design. The Belkans have a lot of excellent prototypes to choose from
Had the privilege of riding these in the Philippines with Philippine Airlines from Cebu/Mactan to Tagbilaran vise versa in the 70's and 80's.
Great vlog as always! There is a docu here on YT about the YS-11 in japanese! Lol! It is great! I have seen it. Loved it!
Only odd thing from a pax POV is the windows were set inordinately low in the fuselage when equipped with western style airline seating, Other than that it was fine.
9:19,
Air Caribbean!
It have one paked up at Piarco International Air Port in Trinidad, but is used to train Firefighters
I have actually ridden on the Transair one shown at the start. I remember the windows were very low and hard to see out of. (I'm 6')
There were about 8 of them at Fort Lauderdale Intl Airport for many years before they were all scrapped a few years back
One of my favorite planes ❤️
Some still fly here in the Philippines as trainers I believe, they used to be the workhorse of local regional airlines.
Air Philippines (thumbnail), Asian Spirit, Interisland, and some more obscure cargo operators used them very well until the late 1990s. It’s true they were the pre-A320s of these airlines. Most of these (or AirPhil in particular) now heavily use A320/321 for ops.
I'm 6' 1" (about 185 cm) and was a passenger on Piedmont YS-11s too many times. Very uncomfortable due to the tight seat pitch. I would choose less convenient flight times to avoid these whenever possible.
Calling a plane a prop jet is just another way of the company not being able to admit that they actually wanted to operate jets.
The pilot and co-pilot of the hijacked flight were "invited" to join the North Korean air force with the Captain apparently gaining the rank of Sangjwa or Colonel in English
Excellent video! 🙂👍
I wish they had mentioned Reeve Aleutian who used them on the ALEUTIANS. Pilots liked them. We had a few who had the large cargo doors on them.
They operated in some of worst conditions in the world...
In Brazil this plane is known as "Samurai"
Finally! Sloppy research on your part! And, a major error. The Piedmont Airlines of 1967 was headquartered at Smith-Reynolds Airport in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. That airport was referenced in every Piedmont timetable until the airline's demise via merger into U.S. Airways. The Maryland-based Piedmont Airlines of today which you mention, was originally Henson, and was an Allegheny Commuter carrier ages ago. That airline today serves American Airlines into which the original Piedmont Airlines was merged ages ago.
I was going to make the same comment until I saw you already did. Also, I noticed he called PI a regional carrier when it was actually called a local service carrier at the time.
@@tpajay Used to see Henson's red, white, and blue Beech 99's at the "Commuter Terminal" of DCA all the time when it was an Allegheny Commuter.
In 1971-2 I worked across the st. from smith-reynolds while in high school I was in the CAP composite squadron there til I graduated in '73 .
Great airport. Loved to watch piedmont's aircraft taking off and landing. And loved the look of the us. By the way the airport, and the old building we in CAP used was the original control/tower that Lindberg
Visited during the publicity tour of the USA after his transatlantic flight.
Thanks for bringing up r-s airport .
It's an easy mistake to make if you don't fully understand the pedigree of the Piedmont name.
Finally got around to subscribing, grest content, thanks!
Great plane,rode them many times in the 60s.
Guy said Piedmont was out of Maryland, he's very wrong, meaning the modern 2023 Piedmont, which in no way is related to the original Piedmont that flew the YS-11 based out of Winston Salem NC from 1948 to 1989, he needs to do better research.
@6:50 should say, " ...recovery from the violence and destruction of the war that they caused..."
Thank you so much - but where do you get all this information from?
Hi, Sir, you need to do more videos on these kinds of old aircraft
I remember that aircraft it’s identically different than the Saab 2000 plane
I flew a ys in trinidad 🇹🇹 from air Caribbean theres one rotting on the end of the runway at pos
Piedmont Airlines used to fly these.
Piedmont never had a crash with them
ABX used them , got them from Piedmont
Was the zero designer not also heavily involved in the design of the o series shinkansen at the same time?
Well then, what have you got for us ?? Um... zero
very good video thank you
I use to see the cargo versions of Airborne Express (ABX) down in Florida. I think the best livery was the Hawaiian carrier Mid Pacific Air th-cam.com/video/jKOY8rRX5Bk/w-d-xo.html
Hi, Sir I just love this aircraft it is just as good as the British Avro 748 . I saw in first in Microsoft Flight simulator 2004 this is Japan aircraft at its best. I would like to have one in real life
Lol the cover pic is Air Link Int. Flight schools old student transport plane. They forced the student to pay for tickets to get to the schools public government owned airstrip. On another note they also forced the students to pay to stay in the schools hotel while at the airstrip.
This plane is now rotting away on the side of a holding point at Manila Int. Airport.
I grew up over there. They figured that they'd just cut a hole in the floor, just like everywhere else at the time
5:58 That was unexpected!
TO THIS “JETPROP CLASSIC” BLOGGER, ‘DESPITE A MIXED AEROSPACE,’ “THIS COMMUTER PROPJET, NAMC YS-11 WAS WORTH A REGIONAL COMMERCE,” AND TO Y’ALL, “CLASSIC AEROSPACE VIEWERS, ‘THIS AIRLINER’ COULD BE YOUR UTMOST PASTIME”!!
So the manuals were printed in Engrish?
There is a Mitsubishi MU-2 sitting under a cover at the local airport, hasn't moved for twenty years. Guess the owner scared of it.
Kawasaki has something of a C-130 killer in production these days and by all accounts it's pretty damn good.
Of course neither is an airliner.
They couldve hires westerners to market this aircract to the western world, its an incredible aircraft.
Austral Líneas Aéreas tuvo de estos en los 1970s en Argentina
It would seem that video games have worked better for NAMCO than aircraft...yeah I'll see myself out
Reminiscent of the Vickers Viscount 😳. No actually The Avro Hawker Siddely 748 Series
AND what is an aylie-eron? Perhaps the YS-11 was the basis of the BAE ‘Advanced Turbo-Prop’ ATP?
Wow, I’m so proud to here this early.
Nice!
You didn't talk about Mid Pacific Airlines.
Operated in Europe by Olympic Airways serving Greek domestic destinations.
Bahamas Air was still using them in 1989. I was flying a contract for them in a DC-3 from Miami a few days a week. They looked like crap. Everything I saw in Nassau looked like crap.
As much as I liked the YS-11, it stood no chance against the F.27 and FH-227.
Depend , I flew the ys 11 , F 27 , HS 748 , HS 780 , Viscount ! We managed to carry a pickup with the YS . A lot off space
Somehow this size and layout of aircraft always had problems. Look at the British Aerospace ATP. Nobody ever made these work.
En argentina lo uso Austral decían que vibra mucho
Could you please include metric measurements as well.
Only if it's regarding drugs. Then you'll know how many kilos it was carrying 🍳😎♨
i would have loved to fly on 1
Isn’t this simply a copy of the HS748?
"While a democracy was restored." Is the fact that Japan calls itself an Empire is a joke? And from the Soviet side, the troubles with Tokyo trials not bringing many of Japanese leaders ,brought to justice is very disturbing. Especially the members of Squad 731. I realize it was a compromise between capitalists of the US and communists of USSR, but it was an unfair exchange. I realize that capitalists do not give a shit about equality, but they at least respect a superpower, who is in the same class as them.
So this is the very same NAMCO that make video games?
Its official HITACHI MAKE EVERYTHING