FAREWELL to the Air Canada Express CRJ-200!
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- Опубліковано 27 вер 2024
- On June 6th 2024, Jazz Aviation, which operates flights on behalf of Air Canada Express, officially retired their last CRJ-200 from active service.
The CRJ-100 and -200 fleet had steadily been shrinking over the past decade or so, and eventually disappeared from Western Canada entirely. By February of this year, they had only 3 of them actively flying out east.
I had not actually flown on any of Jazz’s CRJ-200s before, so, just in case, I knew I needed to fly on one of these planes before it was too late.
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FLIGHT INFORMATION
Airline: Air Canada Express (Jazz) (QK/JZA)
Aircraft: Bombardier CRJ-200ER (CRJ2)
Flight Number: AC8866
Seat: 11F (Economy)
Livery: New (2017)
Engines: 2x GE CF34
Registration: C-FDJA
Route: Washington National (DCA) - Ottawa (YOW)
Callsign: JAZZ 866
Runway used: 1 (DCA) - 32 (YOW)
Date filmed: February 2024
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Outro song - "Take Flight" by Nyhtian: • Nyhtian - Take Flight ...
© Alex Praglowski Aviation 2024
This video is the property of Alex Praglowski Aviation and may not be used for any purpose without prior permission. Contact me at the email in the "About" section of my channel for usage.
Fun fact: Alex is 6’8” and the cabin height is 6’1”.
Flew on the CRJ-100/200 once and couldn’t wait to get off that claustrophobic inducing sardine can.
perfect description of the CRJ-100/200! I could not have described it better myself. Good riddance!
But is he actually 6’8
LOLOL Try an F28. You have no clue.
Air Canada and many non-US airlines managed to make CRJ 100/200’s actually fairly acceptable in terms of comfort. It’s just the US airlines ones are so plentiful.
@@tylergamerplayz2589 yes he is, he's said it countless times in past videos.
I have spent the larger portion of my aviation career flying the CRJ aircraft for Jazz. I was selected to be on the original course with the intent of becoming a Training/Check Pilot. After completing the course I was given the honour of heading down to West Virginia to Ferry the first Jazz CRJ200 into Canada in April 17, 2002. The import flight was from Clarkesburg, W. Virginia-Pittsburgh-Toronto, Ontario, Canada. After this I flew/taught and Checked on the aircraft until my last flight on June 21, 2021.
At Jazz we flew all the variants as one Type Rating: CRJ 100, 200, 705 (which was then recertified as a 900). While the 900 variant was certainly the “Queen” of the Jazz fleet for a time and certainly the better performing aircraft, I never lost the enjoyment of flying the 200. From a pilot’s standpoint it was a fun little jet to fly. For it’s time and place in aviation history it was a relatively complex aircraft with many quirks that the pilot had to be familiar with in order to safely operate it. It will always hold a special place in my heart and mind. Farewell to an old friend.
I’m confused. The first jazz 200 was received in 2002? I thought the jazz 200s were the former mainline 200s they got in the early 90s? What airline were these from?
I flew on the CRJ-200 through the former Northwest Airlines. I love how you didn't merely "spot" CRJ's at your YYC home base, you took a journey on one.
The cooler small stuff is now disappearing, glad you got on one. It's wild how many other parts they used on this one!
Yeah. Hate to say it, but feels like commercial aviation is getting more boring. Much of the new planes lack character to me, especially how Boeing and Airbus just keep using the same airframes, 737 should’ve been replaced by a new model by now and the A320 line is getting to that point after the NEO’s.
Back when the CRJ was still only a model on a stand (painted with original Canadair/Bombardier gray and red livery) and an idea coming together on the assembly line as the flight test / prototype, I was involved in developing the pilot training courses. It was a challenge for our team to develop and deliver all the necessary facilities (courseware, simulators, visual systems, Computer Based Training systems, within the allotted time frame - but we did it... . Kind of sad to see the end of the era - but it was a landmark aircraft of the day - replacing noisy, slow, old turboprop AC with fast, quiet jet service on short, regional flights. Thanks for posting this - and for squeezing your 'tallness into the relatively small RJ cabin!.✌
As a business jet the Challenger was great. Stretching it was a very wise decision. It was being produced at 2 per day, with the goal of 1 every 1.5 days. The Canadair Challenger, from which the CRJ series was derived, was a narrow-body aircraft in its initial design, the Learstar 600. Fortunately Canadair decided to widen it, one of the best decisions ever made. This simple change brought literally billions of dollars into the Bombardier's (who bought Canadair) coffers.
I work at the montreal aviation museum and we have a Challenger currently under restoration that served with the RCAF as transportation for generals and other government people.
@@TheCristinelo I was technical instructor for Canadair on the first Challengers. I recall many course with military students at the Montreal training center. I also taught Chinese, and Malaysian military students. Our training century had instructors to give courses to the German Luftwaffe. What serial number are you working on? Was it an early 600 with the Lycoming engines or later model with the GE engines.
@@gusolsthoorn1002I am not sure, all the markers were sanded down, it is the blue one, I don't remember is its the 600 or the 601, i think it's the latter. We sold the engines to help with the renovation of the roof of the museum. We only have the cowlings. We got the Chellenger from Trenton, the cut off the rudder and took off the wings. Last summer we put the rudder back on, but the wings are still in Trenton.
I know a lot of people hated the CRJ100s/CRJ200s but me personally I love them. They got the job done and did a great job from getting others from Point A to Point B. I used to fly on Skywest’s & Endeavor Air’s CRJ100s/CRJ200s a lot back when I used to visit my Grand Parents in North Dakota. I still miss flying on them to this day. R.I.P to CRJ100/CRJ200s I still miss flying on them. 😢
I remember when Jazz had those colourful liveries! I remember going to the airport with my dad and watching them take off. Nice memories. I am going to miss the CRJ-200!
I managed to catch Air Canada's CRJ-200 twice (C-GQJA and C-??JA) on March 5th and 6th 2023 at DCA operating a flight to Montreal and possibly Toronto. They were both filmed 1 day apart.
As a aircraft mechanic, those CRJ 200 was where I started building my experience as a young apprentice. Not the easiest aircraft to work on but sure is a lot of memories!!!
bet you need to be a contortionist
So sad. First plane I ever flew on was a Yellow Jazz -200.
Super loud and uncomfortable, but it's still a memory I will never forget.
Flew them as well from Ottawa to Winnipeg and back for business quite a bit...and all colours over the years. Much better than the turbo props any day.
Loud?
I am always surprised to hear the dislike of this model. Taken them at least three times. Toronto to Charlotte. Halifax to Newark and Newark to Toronto. Always liked it and of course I really like the 900. Was the Q400 better? A little. Was e170 175, 190 and 195 better? Definite yes. I think there is a place still for either the 500 or 900 just as there is a place for Dash aircraft especially the Q400. Anything with 2 seats across for short runs is better than 3.
They really need to bring those Jazz liveries back man…it really makes an aircraft stand out
Cracked my head on the exit sign mid cabin... yeah, loved that plane...
When I went to Kauai in 2018, I saw an Air Canada CRJ-200
That was the first and last time I ever saw an AC CRJ-200
I love the visual flap setting indicators - very rare feature today!
Buddy, my first experience at DCA was coming home from fight sim Expo last year. What an amazing terminal! (Landing an A320 with auto brake medium just as a storm rolled in was amazing too). But I must return for the museum.... Enough to make a grown man cry! CRJ900 banking over the Pentagon was surreal on the way out. Last I flew this plane was Delta Connection in 2002! Loved crj since then
I was a flight attendant for about three years on the 200. At 5'11", the only place I could stand up straight was dead center of the cabin, and I had to duck my head for the exit row sign.
Being based in DCA, I've done that departure many times, and it never gets old. :)
Next time you happen to be in the DC area, please drop me a line. :)
Welcome to my home town of DC. Hope you enjoyed your stay.
When AC introduced the then CL65 in 1994, I obtained my type endorsement the same year. It was a good aircraft to work on but very different from my other endorsements, which included such diverse aircraft as the CL 215, B767, DC8, DC9, A320,Vickers Viscount, to name a few in my forty five years in aviation. Being slim really helped, as some of my co-workers simply could not fit in the various bays for servicing. Nonetheless, I did like the machine despite these inconveniences. This was also my last aircraft prior to my retirement.
I swear sitting in my chair during the takeoff, you can feel the power of the engines pulling me back through the screen! Neat vid.
Crazy that this was your first CRJ flight when some of us couldn’t avoid flying them. They were a very common sight in the maritimes as well as US east coast.
Post Covid AC started sending them to DCA a lot, sort of glad they’re going away but with what I assume to be less frequency.
One disadvantage is the disappearance of gate pickup of gate-checked luggage, as with the CR9 they check your luggage to destination if they force you to check it in now.
It’s been about tens years since I have been on the 200, but I used to fly United Express (they were still blue tulip and battleship!) ones a lot as a kid. I was shorter then so the “quirks” didn’t bother me, and I remember the one flight attendant entertaining my toddler sister in the galley as she ran up and down the aisle. They always felt really personal and small town ish with only 50 people and 1 flight attendant.
It's time for another YEG spotting video 😊
Those engines make the CRJ sound like the only type of hairdryer that achieves lift. The last CRJ 200 I flew on didn’t handle turbulence over Lake Michigan well.
I flew on a Jazz CRJ 200 back in 2004 going both ways YHZ-YOW flight. I had no problems with it and I did find her so much better than a BAC-142 I flew on in 2000.
I will not miss the CRJ 200’s…after experiencing many claustrophobic interior ventilation issues flying to/from hotter climates (faulty APU’s etc.) I am more than happy to see these retired from the AC fleet!
My first flight ever was on a CRJ200.. It will always hold a especial place for me... The museum is outstanding, was there last year.
Sad to see these go... Even if not many people liked it. We will miss them here at YOW!
Brings back memories bopping around smaller Atlantic Canada airports to Toronto, Montreal, etc. One flight from Montreal to Fredericton had some bad turbulence on an early Dash 8, captain said turbulence was up to 28000 and we were rated to 25000 so we're going down to 13000..... fun run but man was it bumpy!
Proud to have gotten to fly these with Jazz, however disliked they were for passengers, they'll always hold a place in my heart! The windows are a funny case, they were at the right height when the CRJ was a Challenger Business Jet, but they didnt bother moving them when they raised the floor for the regional jet version!
Alex, thanks for this one. I flew on the CRJ-200 a few times between Toronto and Halifax, Halifax and Montreal, and Halifax and Boston. Comfort is one thing... memories... well, that's something else.
Nice coverage Alex. I've flown many legs on the 100 and 200 series and found them kind of claustrophobic but once you settle in comfortable for the length of flights they did. Of course I'm just 6 feet tall so I was ok. Very safe plane had some rough flights and never a problem.
A regional flight I now take relatively frequently switched from the CRJ200 to the E175s and I cannot explain how much more comfortable the Embraer 175 is. Love how you referred to them as “quirks”, I could not be as generous.
Many thanks for this great video, Alex. When the news came out that they had been retired, it seemed like a young plane to retire until I remembered that my first CRJ flight was on one of those mainline-branded machines all the way back in the summer of 1996 when they were running them between Calgary and Edmonton. While I didn’t like the low windows, as a tall person I still found the CRJ-100/200 more comfortable than the Q400s that replaced them. Lots of memories… and it’s also crazy to think that these are retired but the ex-Canadian A320s are still going strong 😄
The "Reset Jet" was great. It changed regional travel. Thank you CRJ-100/200, you were a decent way to travel for our regional airport folks and I am 6'6" saying this.
im very lucky i got the chance to fly on the CRJ 200! ❤
KDCA is my home airport, and usually the Air Canada traffic we see are almost always the CRJ-900’s coming in from Ottawa, Toronto, and Montreal. However, sometimes we did get the 200 version, and it was always a special treat seeing it! I am sad that they are retiring it from the AC Express fleet, but it was very fun to spot it here while it lasted!
Very nice video, Alex. I've never flown the type, but they are definitely a nice looking aircraft. I'm not sure I understand Air Canada's reasoning for retiring all their smaller aircraft, especially because many of their Dash 8-300s had received life extension programs, and many of these CRJ-200s weren't even 20 years. This is very unfortunate for smaller airports because they don't have the demand for a Dash 8-400 or CRJ-900.
I never flew on a CRJ-100/200, the smallest Models were actually the Dash 8-400 and the CRJ-900 - but the CRJ-100/200 has definetely its Place in the Aviation History.
Thank you very much for another great Trip Report!🙂👍
I have many memories of being on CRJ’s 200s Toronto to thunder bay Ontario seeing family and friends as a child.
I worked on CRJ studies for potential customers when it was still in the planning phase. I wrote a ATC simulator to study the adverse effects of allowing a turbo prop to operate in flight levels with jets. This was to prevent the Dash-8 from flying with the CRJ. The project was canceled when Bombardier bought De Havilland.😂
The last Crj-200 I flew was the very same seat as you are in. I had quite the experience as Engine vibration made the rear of the plane into a vibrating chair and the noise was unbearable. Glad you enjoyed it.
Loud in the back, but extremely quiet in the front.
@@dehavillandcanadatwinotter9621 the seat was bolted to floor, was there a way to move it to the front?
A very enjoyable video sir. I remember taking a United CRJ200 flight from DTW to IAD back in 2003 So glad to have ticked this type off from my flying list.
I have seen many CRJ 200’s while planespotting. I kinda liked them. Ive seen many of them at Ottawa and many pilot waves from the pilots. Sad to see them go now
That’s pretty funny. My first flight into DCA was on an Embraer 175, operated by Sky regional. My outbound flight was a CRJ 200, operated by Air Georgian out of Dulles.
I flew on a CRJ in the 90s on United.
I loved it!
I live about 45 minutes from Reagan myself and I frequently go down to Gravelly point to plane spot for runway 1/19. You get some lovely views of the Potomac approach path and of the DC and Arlington skylines. I'm well used to seeing CRJs there, but almost all of them are 700s. I'm not used to seeing the truly small planes there. I'd probably enjoy the cabin much more, being 5'8".
Thanks for the video Alex! I did this exact flight back in 2018 and there was only a handful of other people aboard. Given the origins of this aircraft I could kinda imagine I was on a private jet… or as close as I’ll ever get anyway. RIP CRJ 200!
I was in DC twice a few months ago, although the second trip was more of an extended layover to my actual destination, NYC. Went to both Udvar and the down town Smithsonian Air and Space museums and i felt like a kid in a candy store 😂😂 watching the planes fly over in the parking lot of Udvar was something else for me. On my way back on my second trip i got to fly in one of the newer CRJ-900s with the newer interior and i must say it was very nice indeed! Kind of a shame i was missing its screen from the old interiors, it really made AC’s CRJs unique
Now that there are no small planes in the fleet (bye bye CRJ100/200, DH100/200/300, BEH1900), it really limits the service that Air Canada offers to smaller communities. If the smallest planes have 70+ seats then the little airports only get a flight or two a day.
WestJet Link is also dissolving from the WestJet brand so there won’t be any mainline SAAB340 service either.
Porter’s smallest Q400 planes aren’t any smaller than Air Canada and Westjet’s smallest, also Q400. There’s not been a better time for demand of small planes that hadn’t been filled than now.
@@dehavillandcanadatwinotter9621 It doesn't seem like any small passenger jets are in the pipeline other than possible electric options, which may be a ways off.
There should be small niche airline that can fly from bigger cities to the smaller communities. There is a market for it
Thanks for the tribute and the farewell to a great airplane. Sure, by today's standards it looks (and is) outdated and probably deserved to be retired, but it did its job well. It was my first jet, I flew it a Air Georgian and Jazz (I do have a few logbook lines with FDJA). Having just the one lav at the back of the cabin, we would try our best to not have to use it while passengers were on board, thus avoiding the "walk of shame". 🙂
Back when tail-engined RJs were more popular I would always take the CRJ-200s over the ERJ 145s. Had great flights in them with ASA (operating as Delta Connection) and the interesting way the solo FAs did the safety demonstration. (Basically recited it all over the address system, followed by "I will now demonstrate the seatbelt and life vest" in silence).
Great video Alex! Sad to see this beauty go
I remember flying in them a fair bit from YXJ to YVR & when the Q400s took over, the flights were about a half hour longer. The only other time I flew one was a single flight from BNA to YYZ. They felt cramped for me & I’m only 5’9”. I feel for Alex & all the other tall people that flew that bird. That said, in a way, unfortunate to see them go.
I rode on one of these back in 2006 when Mesa Airlines Go! was operational in Hawaii. It was a small, cramped plane but good enough for a flight under 45 minutes.
I used to regularly travel between YEG (later YYC) and YSJ. The second leg of the flight was invariably on a CRJ. I do not miss that experience at all, especially, as Alex correctly noted, the smallest lavatory possible.
I normally flew overnight after work, so for most of those trips I would pass-out from sheer exhaustion and only awaken upon landing.
How do you fit into a CRJ-200??? Does it take a crowbar to pry you out of your seat? Do they have to cut a hole in the bottom of the cabin so your legs can stretch into the cargo hold??? 🤣
I've flown the CRJ 100/200 a few times, mostly between Charlottesville, VA and Charlotte on AA or Atlanta on DL when I was at uni. I'm 5'11 and they made me feel claustrophobic. If I were 6'7" like you I'd probably go out of my way to avoid them.
As a regular flier between WAS and YUL, I was so happy the day that United and Air Canada took these aircraft off their schedules. Both airlines operate much better aircraft on these routes, and the flight seems a lot less of a chore than it used to feel when it was the CRJ200 operating them. Still thankful for the service they provided, but boy am I glad having CRJ900 and ERJ175 aircraft operating this route now 😅
I greatly prefer the CR2 to any of the larger CRJ’s (glaring at you CR9). My favourite regional airline flies dozens of them, and my travel agent has the request to fly on them when offered.
The retirement of Jazz’s CR2’s certainly explains why our route has been replaced with E175’s.
I remember when we had Dash-100’s, then 300’s, then CR2’s. Flown on all of them.
Awesome video Alex!
The CRJ-200 is monstrous compared to the old Dash 8-100! Just 9 rows including a really fun seat in the middle of the aisle in the last row. Miss these little guys!
Hey Alex! Love your videos!
Though I would share a story of mine about Air Canadas CRJ-200s. I’m a ramper at MSP, and our company has Air Canada as one of our contracts. Usually they send us a CRJ-900 / E175, but on June 1st 2024 they sent us a CRJ-200! It was cool to see the jet in person, and according to the pilots it was the last -200 Jazz had! I believe 1 week later they finally retired it, so I’m wondering if YYZ-MSP was one of, if not the last commercial -200 flight Air Canada operated.
My worst experience with the CRJ series was a CR9 flight from KBNA to KSLC. And I used to be a ramp rat on those!
I worked at Jazz as a librarian when the fleet was all RJs and DASHs. Sad to see them go. I also flew out of Reagan too!
6:04 Just a tip for US domestic routes don't book the last row behind to the lavatory unless your skinny to fit.
Thanks Alex...as always an excellent thoughtful review!
So, delta connection had (idk if they still do have) a ton of crj200s, and they used to fly all the time to my airport (cuz it's a regional airport) and I, like Alex, am over 6 feet tall. I never really had a problem with the crj's, but I was a little thankful when they swapped to e175s
Such an interesting flight review video. What i do learn 2 years ago, is when airlines retired the smaller CRJ100 and CRJ200, No one is going to missed those tiny crappy regional jets.
The CRJ-200s, owned by Air Canada Express, among other operators, have a new life in Eleanoria with Air Eleanoria Xpress.
I remember hearing a story from my dad who lived in Fredericton for a few years about one of these crashing at yfc
One of the first aircraft I worked on as a ramp agent, got to tow one of the last ones in Delta colors right before they went away 😂. Overall fun to work sometimes, with some carriers, others you’d have to add ballast regularly to keep them balanced.
I used to take these between YYC and YQR for work in 2011/12. Last flight was Oct 2021, YYZ to YSB. I’m one of the weird ones who didn’t mind them. Being average height might’ve helped, though…
It’s too bad they’re being retired, they were truly a trendsetter and of decent design, save for ergonomics and power as OPs have suggested.
Flew on a CRJ-200 United from Denver to YYC.. Real Little Hot Rods those are !
They’re definitely fun to fly but Hot rods they most certainly are not. The A321 is about the only thing flying that has worse performance.
I remember flying in the CRJ a few times, but I don't think it was the 200. I like the design of the rear mounted twin engines....makes for a much quieter ride.
I like the CRJ for what it was. It allowed faster trips and greater frequency for lower volume routes.
And BTW, it si the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries CRJ-200. During its liquidation, Bombardier did not grant rights to use its name/brand to those buying the various divisions. (the name remains used by the business jet division which is all that is left of the Bombardier company until that is liquidated too).
Not a fan of the CRJ 100/200, but I absolutely LOVE the ERJs, I was on one this morning. The single seats on the left side are great! Feels like the Mazda Miata of aircraft.
I've seen many of these jets, I've had one take off right in front of me at a local airshow. I'll miss seeing them.
Not much snow on the ground in YOW at the end of the video Alex. That trip was taken when, around the end of May? 😉 Great work as always Sir! - Bob (Toronto)
Thanks for flying to my hometown airport :)
Sad to see another aircraft type leave the Air Canada fleet. Time flies faster than a plane, that's for sure. I'll miss the sound of it's two GE engines. 😢
I flew from Cincinnati to Tokyo via Toronto with Air Canada and the most uncomfortable leg was the short flight on the CRJ-200.
Awesome, thanks Alex
"the seatback pocket"
cut to: shot of the pocket jammed against the back of the seat with your knees pinning it there
made me laugh out loud
RIP the CRJ my knees will not miss you but the rest of me will
The upper bins of the CRJ-200 were so tiny only a small backpack or purse would fit. It really packs in the passengers for those 50 seats as well.
The 900s are no different.
At 00:57 we flew that plane (C-FIJA) to Dallas in 2005
I flew on one from Denver to Las Vegas. Worst flight I've ever been on. The whole plane just felt dangerous.
I was lucky to catch both CRJ-100ER and -200LR versions. Not bad at all!
I work for jazz in Victoria and you see the miss match all the time lol mainly on main line
AC had two DCA-YOW flights a day for a very long time. Didn’t know they were down to one a day.
I have found 3 Bombardier C series scrapped here at the Tupelo, Mississippi ,US airport. The only thing left are the 3 fuselages with Bombardier C SERIES still written on them . I wonder why they were scrapped? Maybe had something to do with the sale to Airbus. Intend to visit the Airbus factory in Mobile, Alabama . Will be happy to send pictures of these . Great video as usual,
@@davidgarrett9711 There were 5 flight test vehicles for the CSeries program. Most likely the aircraft you saw scrapped were these. They were early variants and would not be economically viable to bring to production standard.
As a flight attendant with Jazz, I hated that plane! I was claustrophobic on it many times! Many anxiety attacks on it!!
Flying AC out of Reagan is such a horrible expeirience. Because AC only has one gate at DCA, once 1 flight gets delayed, all the flights after gets delayed too. I was delayed 2 hours because of a storm, then another hour because the crj-200 before use was still parked and then another hour because of some system issue
My 1st jet!
It’s pretty sad that I missed my chance to fly on them. Crj 100/200 only carry 50 seats
They where trailblazers back in their heydays.
Before them the flights would be double the time on something like E120, B1900, Fokker27/50 or some other turboprop. So they where quite the upgraded flight experience back then❤
I flew AC's CRJ200 on a regular basis between YVR and YMM for a period of time - I never understood the hate. Yeah, it was a bit cramped but I've been on much worse and on much longer flights.
The pocket rocket. We took one from YEG to YWG in an hour and 10 minutes. It is cramped for those taller and shall say wider bodied than I. That said, I rather like the aircraft.
I find it funny that the crj is so small that no jetbridge can connect properly so they need a ramp 😂
There are no airports in the District of Columbia.
Flew the CRJ-200 on Lufthansa CityLine once back when they flew the outrages short flight from Munich to Nuremburg