But at least it confirms Tauck uses a charter for the flight between Aswan and Abu Simbel. Initially, the Jordan & Egypt map showed the leg from Aqaba to Aswan to be a commercial flight to Abu Simbel. However, sometime last summer they changed the map to show a charter for both legs. Can't hate that.
Like I said in the other thread, I hope Petroleum Air Services uses the larger CRJ900 jet for the Aqaba to Aswan leg due to time/distance and luggage capacity- I'm not certain, but don't think a Dash 8 will hold full size bags for a full plane, although if I am reading a sample in the Dash 8 300 weight and balance manual http://www.airstream.aero/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/WEIGHT-BALANCE-MANUAL.pdf correctly, for a full plane of 50 passengers (170 lb ea.) baggage weight is 2500 lbs which equates to 50 lbs. person, so maybe it can carry all our luggage, especially for a less than a full aircraft. Maybe Sealord can shed some light on this.
Sorry Alan, I don’t know anything about those planes. I’m sure I could fly them, but I never flew anything that small commercially. We used to do our own weight and balance flying cargo planes, and what you can carry where is often also limited by the fuel load. On long flights with distant alternate airports it is often the case that you cannot carry a full load. Temperatures are also a big factor, particularly in that part of the world.
I certainly hope our fellow travelers comply with the luggage weight restrictions. Charter flights are so convenient, it's certainly worth leaving behind those extra outfits. We are accommodated in beautiful hotels, all which have laundry/dry cleaning facilities, usually with very quick turn-around times. Safety Always!
If you've done the Australia/NZ trip, you know all the on-trip flights were a charter and it was so spoiling and wonderful, going directly from the bus to the plane without hassling with terminals and security.
Sealord - If you don't watch it, you should check out the last episode of Curb Your Enthusiam. Larry and friends hire a small plane to fly to Cabo for a wedding. The pilot asks for their weight, they refuse to give it, and fun ensues.
We sure beat this topic to death, yet no returnees have weighed in! Charter is sure the way to go!
Anyway, until a returnee weighs in I'll add another lash.
My search for additional information continued today. I couldn't find a flight time between Aqaba and Aswan. All flight info sites make it look like a direct flight by showing a straight line between the two cities, however, there is no commercial service between them and the flight time was clearly for a flight that takes the long way around (e.g. Aqaba - Amman - Cairo - Aswan). So, in my continuing OCD quest, I used the map distance, albeit a straight line, of 413 mi. and cruise speeds of 517 mph for the PAS CRJ900, a jet, 330 mph for their Dash 8, a turboprop, I computed the flight times from Aqaba to Aswan to be about an hour for a CRJ and an hour and a half for a Dash 8. Anyway, not much difference between the two, though I'd prefer a jet. That is my story and I'm sticking to it!
Comments
Hi Mil: We were on the first Jewels tour. Here’s a photo of the plane. It was very nice and the flight was absolutely smooth! absolutely smooth! Judy
Judy, yup, that is the Petroleum Air Services Dash 8 Q300 plane I posted a picture of in this older thread
https://forums.tauck.com/discussion/14031/is-anyone-from-the-first-departures-back#latest
But at least it confirms Tauck uses a charter for the flight between Aswan and Abu Simbel. Initially, the Jordan & Egypt map showed the leg from Aqaba to Aswan to be a commercial flight to Abu Simbel. However, sometime last summer they changed the map to show a charter for both legs. Can't hate that.
Like I said in the other thread, I hope Petroleum Air Services uses the larger CRJ900 jet for the Aqaba to Aswan leg due to time/distance and luggage capacity- I'm not certain, but don't think a Dash 8 will hold full size bags for a full plane, although if I am reading a sample in the Dash 8 300 weight and balance manual http://www.airstream.aero/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/WEIGHT-BALANCE-MANUAL.pdf correctly, for a full plane of 50 passengers (170 lb ea.) baggage weight is 2500 lbs which equates to 50 lbs. person, so maybe it can carry all our luggage, especially for a less than a full aircraft. Maybe Sealord can shed some light on this.
Sorry Alan, I don’t know anything about those planes. I’m sure I could fly them, but I never flew anything that small commercially. We used to do our own weight and balance flying cargo planes, and what you can carry where is often also limited by the fuel load. On long flights with distant alternate airports it is often the case that you cannot carry a full load. Temperatures are also a big factor, particularly in that part of the world.
I certainly hope our fellow travelers comply with the luggage weight restrictions. Charter flights are so convenient, it's certainly worth leaving behind those extra outfits. We are accommodated in beautiful hotels, all which have laundry/dry cleaning facilities, usually with very quick turn-around times. Safety Always!
If you've done the Australia/NZ trip, you know all the on-trip flights were a charter and it was so spoiling and wonderful, going directly from the bus to the plane without hassling with terminals and security.
Sealord - If you don't watch it, you should check out the last episode of Curb Your Enthusiam. Larry and friends hire a small plane to fly to Cabo for a wedding. The pilot asks for their weight, they refuse to give it, and fun ensues.
We sure beat this topic to death, yet no returnees have weighed in! Charter is sure the way to go!
Anyway, until a returnee weighs in I'll add another lash.
My search for additional information continued today. I couldn't find a flight time between Aqaba and Aswan. All flight info sites make it look like a direct flight by showing a straight line between the two cities, however, there is no commercial service between them and the flight time was clearly for a flight that takes the long way around (e.g. Aqaba - Amman - Cairo - Aswan). So, in my continuing OCD quest, I used the map distance, albeit a straight line, of 413 mi. and cruise speeds of 517 mph for the PAS CRJ900, a jet, 330 mph for their Dash 8, a turboprop, I computed the flight times from Aqaba to Aswan to be about an hour for a CRJ and an hour and a half for a Dash 8. Anyway, not much difference between the two, though I'd prefer a jet. That is my story and I'm sticking to it!