Thanks for making and sharing this video. My home base is MKG, and have worked there since 1989. I have watched a variety of airlines and different types of aircraft they used change over the years. It is great to see a sample of how Southern Airways and the C208 Caravan work out on this flight. Great job.
Just saw this video on 7-21-23 for the first time. I was a station agent for United in Muskegon from 8-61 to 6-64, after they merged with Capital Airlines. I learned to fly at Muskegon during that time. After getting my commercial and instrument licenses, I was accepted into United’s flight engineer/ pilot training program, and rose through the ranks to a Boeing 737-200 captain in 1977. I had the pleasure to fly the 737 through MKG many times in the late 70s. It was and is very sad for me to see the subsequent reduction in air service to my home town, but Muskegon’s commercial/industrial base has dwindled so significantly. One can hope for future growth, but l’m not optimistic.
that voicemail from the night before is a nice touch. hope I can hop on this service sometime. flying EAS seems like a cool thing to try; small planes in commercial service are fascinating.
Yeah, I got the voicemail the night before the flight, so thought it would be cool to put it before the video. And I can’t agree more about the small planes thing, I enjoy flying them a lot and it’s so unique taxiing around the larger planes at the hubs. Hope you can fly one soon! If you need a suggestion for an EAS route message me on Instagram and I’d be happy to help
North Central flew DC-9-50'S into Eau Claire for awhile also. After the merger with Northwest they were downgraded to DC-9-10's. Then Mesaba took over the route (from MSP) and used a variety of aircraft.I think they used mostly the Saab 340.
UA was operating 5 B737 flights a day up through the early 1970s; After deregulation in 1978, UA dropped to a single 737 flight to ORD until they pulled out in 1979. North Central also flew DC-9S there. I have a postcard of MKG with a UA 737 & NC DC-9-30 at the terminal same time.
@@tpajay Yeah, the growth of Grand Rapids has contributed to this airports decline. Once Grand Rapids hits that medium-hub status airport threshold Muskegon will lose EAS funding completely and who knows what will happen then to their service
On Thursday February 8th, 2024, Muskegon County Airport asked the Department of Transportation to cancel the EAS contract with Southern Airways Express due to the high number of flight cancelations and delays. Looks like they might be going through the EAS bidding and selection process all over again. Not really surprised by this as Southern Airways has really had problems with operations at Chicago O'Hare.
Hopefully they'll do well enough to add more destinations from Muskegon. The Cessna Caravans are a good aircraft to use for introducing new flights with their relatively low operational costs.
I'm sure they will do well here, but they most likely won't add more destinations. It's an EAS subsidized airport and they won't add anymore than they are contractually obligated to
Excellent video!! Thanks for sharing. Do you know why they aren’t allowed to cross the lake? Seem so crazy to see them almost have to fly the same route as the highways
It’s due to FAA rules, don’t know the exact wording of the rule but basically because the plane is single engine and unpressurized (can’t fly high) they don’t want it getting out over open water in case the engine craps out
Single engine, non-pressurized (max 8k ft), over water, and most slower traffic going into ORD and MDW, usually get vectored in down by Benton Harbor/Michigan City/Gary, IN. That was common for our twin pressurized Cessna 414 also to follow that same path, except for maybe cutting the corner of Lake Michigan a slight bit.
I believe SAE will be much better for the community than Skywest, with all of their baggage agreements and such. Though I hate to see those terminal facilities, designed for so much more, go mostly unused. Maybe a LCC like Allegiant will serve Muskegon non-EAS one day….
I completely agree, UA schedule stunk at MKG anyways. The more frequencies will help with connections more than UA ever did. Plus they can connect to three airlines
So, a Southern Airways Cessna Caravan loses power just after takeoff at Dulles International Airport. It’s safe landing on a highway, was just as impressive as the “miracle on the Hudson” some 15 years ago. Kudos to the pilots. I am sure Captain Sullenberger is impressed. Unfortunately that emergency landing also shows the “Achilles Heel” of single engine aircraft. In commercial aviation, engine failures are more common than pilots becoming incapacitated. And yet, Southern Airways is planning to use a plane with two pilots, but only one engine here at Williamsport. And it is not like Southern Airways doesn’t have twin engine planes in its fleet. They do. Perhaps if they offered fewer flights, but with more capacity, they could use them at Williamsport. Finally, 20 years ago or so, scheduled commercial flights at the Williamsport airport used Beech 90 King Air turbo-props It was a small twin engined plane and carried 9 passengers or so. And the Beech 90 King Air is still being produced.
Yeah, single engine are not good for that reason, if you loose the engine your SOL. Coincidentally, I have actually been on the exact aircraft that was in that incident (N1983X) and it’s in my Air Choice One trip report from a couple years ago when I flew to Mason City and Fort Dodge
How does it work connecting onto an SAE flight in ORD from a different airline? Can bags transfer the other direction as well? Do you have to check again and get weighed before proceeding to the gate? Thanks for sharing
Yes, bags can transfer in the other direction with the three airlines they partner with. I assume they take the weight of the checked bags from the preprinted labels the first airline put in, but I’m not 100% sure about that
Thanks for making and sharing this video. My home base is MKG, and have worked there since 1989. I have watched a variety of airlines and different types of aircraft they used change over the years. It is great to see a sample of how Southern Airways and the C208 Caravan work out on this flight. Great job.
Just saw this video on 7-21-23 for the first time. I was a station agent for United in Muskegon from 8-61 to 6-64, after they merged with Capital Airlines. I learned to fly at Muskegon during that time. After getting my commercial and instrument licenses, I was accepted into United’s flight engineer/ pilot training program, and rose through the ranks to a Boeing 737-200 captain in 1977. I had the pleasure to fly the 737 through MKG many times in the late 70s. It was and is very sad for me to see the subsequent reduction in air service to my home town, but Muskegon’s commercial/industrial base has dwindled so significantly. One can hope for future growth, but l’m not optimistic.
I love hearing these fly over my head near east chicago, its a very comforting hum of the Pt6 the caravans have as their engine.
Yeah, I’m glad someone flys the C208 into O’Hare again, hasn’t happened since Air Choice One left
that voicemail from the night before is a nice touch. hope I can hop on this service sometime. flying EAS seems like a cool thing to try; small planes in commercial service are fascinating.
Yeah, I got the voicemail the night before the flight, so thought it would be cool to put it before the video. And I can’t agree more about the small planes thing, I enjoy flying them a lot and it’s so unique taxiing around the larger planes at the hubs. Hope you can fly one soon! If you need a suggestion for an EAS route message me on Instagram and I’d be happy to help
just think North Central use to use Convair 580s in there capable of seating 48 pax and a flt attendant also
That sounds correct. I heard employees saying how they lost most of their airlines right after the new (current) terminal was opened
North Central flew DC-9-50'S into Eau Claire for awhile also. After the merger with Northwest they were downgraded to DC-9-10's. Then Mesaba took over the route (from MSP) and used a variety of aircraft.I think they used mostly the Saab 340.
UA was operating 5 B737 flights a day up through the early 1970s; After deregulation in 1978, UA dropped to a single 737 flight to ORD until they pulled out in 1979. North Central also flew DC-9S there. I have a postcard of MKG with a UA 737 & NC DC-9-30 at the terminal same time.
@@tpajay Yeah, the growth of Grand Rapids has contributed to this airports decline. Once Grand Rapids hits that medium-hub status airport threshold Muskegon will lose EAS funding completely and who knows what will happen then to their service
So weird that they fly around the lake! Great video!
Just booked a flight for oct..
Southren airways express
Chicago to Muskegon.
On Thursday February 8th, 2024, Muskegon County Airport asked the Department of Transportation to cancel the EAS contract with Southern Airways Express due to the high number of flight cancelations and delays. Looks like they might be going through the EAS bidding and selection process all over again. Not really surprised by this as Southern Airways has really had problems with operations at Chicago O'Hare.
Yeah, I saw the document. I’m surprised they are doing that bad, I thought they were doing fantastic at ORD
Hopefully they'll do well enough to add more destinations from Muskegon. The Cessna Caravans are a good aircraft to use for introducing new flights with their relatively low operational costs.
I'm sure they will do well here, but they most likely won't add more destinations. It's an EAS subsidized airport and they won't add anymore than they are contractually obligated to
@@GerardiAviation they flying anywhere besides ORD?
@@realjohnald out of Muskegon… just ORD
i don't know why Muskegon has EAS flights. grand rapids is very close.
Excellent video!! Thanks for sharing. Do you know why they aren’t allowed to cross the lake? Seem so crazy to see them almost have to fly the same route as the highways
It’s due to FAA rules, don’t know the exact wording of the rule but basically because the plane is single engine and unpressurized (can’t fly high) they don’t want it getting out over open water in case the engine craps out
Single engine, non-pressurized (max 8k ft), over water, and most slower traffic going into ORD and MDW, usually get vectored in down by Benton Harbor/Michigan City/Gary, IN. That was common for our twin pressurized Cessna 414 also to follow that same path, except for maybe cutting the corner of Lake Michigan a slight bit.
I believe SAE will be much better for the community than Skywest, with all of their baggage agreements and such. Though I hate to see those terminal facilities, designed for so much more, go mostly unused. Maybe a LCC like Allegiant will serve Muskegon non-EAS one day….
I completely agree, UA schedule stunk at MKG anyways. The more frequencies will help with connections more than UA ever did. Plus they can connect to three airlines
So, a Southern Airways Cessna Caravan loses power just after takeoff at Dulles International Airport. It’s safe landing on a highway, was just as impressive as the “miracle on the Hudson” some 15 years ago. Kudos to the pilots. I am sure Captain Sullenberger is impressed.
Unfortunately that emergency landing also shows the “Achilles Heel” of single engine aircraft. In commercial aviation, engine failures are more common than pilots becoming incapacitated. And yet, Southern Airways is planning to use a plane with two pilots, but only one engine here at Williamsport.
And it is not like Southern Airways doesn’t have twin engine planes in its fleet. They do. Perhaps if they offered fewer flights, but with more capacity, they could use them at Williamsport.
Finally, 20 years ago or so, scheduled commercial flights at the Williamsport airport used Beech 90 King Air turbo-props It was a small twin engined plane and carried 9 passengers or so. And the Beech 90 King Air is still being produced.
Yeah, single engine are not good for that reason, if you loose the engine your SOL. Coincidentally, I have actually been on the exact aircraft that was in that incident (N1983X) and it’s in my Air Choice One trip report from a couple years ago when I flew to Mason City and Fort Dodge
You should check out Sun Country from EAU when they start service.
I’m already booked on the inaugural flight 😉, was one of the first to book my $24 round trip ticket from MSP, can’t wait!
@@GerardiAviation Odd for a mainline jet to operate an EAS route outside of Alaska.
@@matthewemm7787 yeah it definitely is, there was a big argument about it between a couple of the airlines, it was a big thing apparently
I live in Muskegon, so I like the convince of this plane. However, I'm scared to get on little planes
They are completely fine and safe, and actually more fun to fly on. Not pressurized so they fly lower and you can see more things
How does it work connecting onto an SAE flight in ORD from a different airline? Can bags transfer the other direction as well? Do you have to check again and get weighed before proceeding to the gate? Thanks for sharing
Yes, bags can transfer in the other direction with the three airlines they partner with. I assume they take the weight of the checked bags from the preprinted labels the first airline put in, but I’m not 100% sure about that
Deregulation ruined air service in the US. Has been a constant race to the bottom. Employees and customers have paid the price.
Yeah, these smaller communities are the ones paying the price. But EAS does lead to some pretty cheap airfare in some cases
@@GerardiAviation I would much rather ride a CV-580 with a lavatory and a flight attendant than a Cessna.
@@Luv2fli08 I haven’t ever flown on a Convair, so I can’t compare. Although I’d love to try one… if any are left 😅