.

Order this DVD now!

270mins

$30

 

ACA3

Filmed in 2010 - Released in 2010

Air Canada is the flag carrier and largest airline of Canada. The airline, founded in 1936, provides scheduled and charter air transport for passengers and cargo to 178 destinations worldwide. It is the world's eighth largest passenger airline by number of destinations, and the airline is a founding member of Star Alliance.

In Nov 2005, Air Canada entered into an agreement to renew its widebody fleet with Boeing with an order for 18 B777s and 14 Boeing 787s. Deliveries of the 777s began in March 2007.  The 777-200LR (Longer Range) became the world's longest-range commercial airliner when it entered service in 2006. It holds the world record for the longest nonstop flight by a commercial airliner and has a maximum range of 9,380 nautical miles.



 

Comments

When I first saw this release I was so excited, not only for the beginning of a new era of filming in HD, but for the airline, aircraft and route chosen. This program is amazing from start to finish. The crews were great with lots of information presented, great scenery and a great route. In my opinion the landing in the early morning in Sydney is one of the best in the entire series, and the landing back in Vancouver was equally as enjoyable. Even the go around in Vancouver from Toronto was a nice surprise and very well covered. Thanks again for one of the best DVD's so far in the series and hoping for many more AC programs.   Mark Wilson, CANADA

Just watched this superb production over 2 days.Very detailed very thorough and very enjoyable,i am impressed with professionalism of the flight crews and cabin crews and always amazed at the high tech tools to assist the crews in the conduct of a safe flight.i do remember writing to ask the JUST PLANES team a few years back why there were no AIR CANADA films available and i was told that AIR CANADA was not interested! I am so glad that attitude has changed,with the wealth of good titles now available.Very proud as a Canadian to see these titles with more to come i hope.Kudos to the JUST PLANES production team for your very fine work through the years! Also thanks for the rereleases that are coming out,it is great to get these,will have to save my pennies. Anthony Plowden, CANADA

Thank you Just Planes from a Sydney born and bred aviation enthusiast for including my fair city into your excellent Air Canada 777-200LR DVD.
I was very impressed with this 4 hour documentary, the first (but for certain not my last) World Air Routes DVD. From Captain Marini's commentary, I could tell that this is an aircraft both he (and his employer) take great pride in. The final approach and landing at Sydney reminded me of my two previous landings at that airport in the early 1990's, at both times seated immediately behind the captain. Again, thanks to Air Canada and the relevant crew members for being so accommodating in inviting us into 'the office'.
Matthew, AUSTRALIA

WOW! The standard of filming and editing just reached a new level. I've lost count of how many Just Planes DVDs I've watched, but this one beats them all! Keep up the good work! Simon, AUSTRALIA

Hello everyone, just going to do a brief but I hope it is comprehensive enough review for everyone. The Air Canada Boeing 777-200LR DVD is just great. my personal verdict is 4.9 out of 5 stars!
Good things about the DVD:
1) All the flight and cabin crew were really the ones that impressed me a lot because of their professionalism and passion for the job. As a result their job description coverage could not get even better than this. That’s why I think this DVD has the longest duration of all the DVDs!
2) The scenes filmed were all in order and in sequence( organized and neat ).
3) The scenery of Sydney arrival in the morning was breathtaking.
4) It was filmed in HD format which gives us a better clarity in picture!
Bad things about the DVD:
1) There is nothing really but for me maybe an exterior model of the aircraft should be shown to us( but that’s just me ).
In conclusion, this is a really exciting DVD to be purchased and I would definitely recommend any pilot wannabes( like me) and people who want to know more about the service and excellence Air Canada to get this DVD. And for those who like to fly simulators, this is a good enough guide for you to learn more about the Boeing 777.
. Alex, SINGAPORE

The DVD is purely amazing. Despite the length of 270min, when you get sucked into the cockpit action, with an amazing go-around in Vancouver, the time just flies. The amount of detail and information that was filmed is just staggering. Small additions to the video such as HD quality and widescreen made it a new watching experience. I have watched the 777-300 and thought that -200LR was just as brilliant. The 777-200LR pilots have described how the weather affects our travel, with several changes and deviations from the routes due to the storms and a brief, momentary, look-back at the Air France accident, the information was just gold. Any day I would give this video a 110%! Keep up the good work.

Konstantin Kharlamov, CANADA

I've seen 7 full videos from JustPlanes (World Air Routes), incluiding Air Canada's Boeing 777-300ER, but Air Canada's Boeing 777-200LR is definetly THE BEST of them. Filmed in HD, its picture quality, presentation and widescreen (16:9) aspect ratio makes it the finest video from JustPlanes so far. I dont't know what type of equipment they use, but the camera stabilization, cockpit/communications recordings and angles are outstanding. An excellent job by the filming crew.
Pilots explain the airplane's systems, procedures and technical aspects in a very professional and easy way to understand. Also the brief presentation of the in-flight service by the flight attendants is good.
Some of the most interesting parts of this video for me were:
Transoceanic procedures by CPDLC and HF.  Take offs from Vancouver and Sydney with full passengers, maximum take off weight and max thrust.  Go-Around in Vancouver.  Pre-flight and flight plan breifings.  Enroute weather deviation.  ETOPS alternates and no-return points.  Business/First class meals and wines.  And some of the 777s features, like auto anti-ice, auto top of descend and Flightbag.  I recommend this video for EVERYONE.

Also a videos catalog comes inside the DVD case. Ariel Abarca - Amazon, COSTA RICA

Congratulations for the production of the new DVD of 777 for Air Canada in HD. It is truly spectacular and very well done.   Nicolas Alexander,  ARGENTINA

Just bought and watched your Aircanada cockpit dvd - B772 LR - SYD-YVR / YVR-SYD. Love the detailed scenes, pre flight checks, everything is wonderful. value for money!  Clear pictures and sound.  Adrian Chong,  AUSTRALIA

Great HD quality, amazing airliner, and, as always, great crew. Detailed look at pre-flight briefings was excellent. Great landings by all the pilots, great explanations, and some very interesting features of the 777 shown in full detail. Nice go-around included too! A must buy.  Ben Kolbeck, UK

Just Planes and World Air Routes has done it again with the newest addition to the Air Canada series. The new Widescreen HD video of Air Canada's 777-200LR is a home run in every aspect. Seeing the flightdeck in high definition is absolutely stunning. The quality of the filming on this DVD is one of WAR's best efforts yet. There are excellent views of the cockpit on takeoff and landing, which in my opinion is the most important aspect. The landing by Captain Marini in Sydney is filmed flawlessly as to give the viewer the "pilot's eye" view. Another new and welcome aspect of this DVD is the change in audio. It is much easier to hear the crews when they are speaking to the camera because of the reduced ambient noise. The widescreen viewing aspect gives the viewer a more immersed experience; making you feel like you're sitting in the jumpseat of the T7. But perhaps the most important parts of this DVD are the crews; as with all WAR videos, the crew makes or breaks the program and in this instance, they "make" it in a big way. Both crews are extremely interactive and willing to give any information they can about the aircraft. Captain Marini and his first officer, Manj, are probably my favorite crew ever. Their descriptions are extremely in depth without being boring or drawn out. They seem to welcome you into the flight deck with everything they say, as if you were a training pilot for AC. By the end of the 4.5 hours, not only was I still thoroughly enjoying the DVD but I was sad to see it end; and this should be attributed to the crews. The crews really are the stars and they did an excellent job in this DVD. The producers at WAR did a wonderful job of putting this DVD together and as an avid customer with more than 40 DVD's, this is one program that every newcomer or most devoted fan of WAR needs to get their hands on. Bravo! Matt Armstrong, USA

I have over 50 just planes videos, I've been a fan for many years. The Air Canada 777-200LR is the best video yet, the HD video is awesome, you have set the bar very high for future projects. Keep up the great work!  Ron, USA

I thought that the Air Canada 767-300 and 777-300 DVDs were excellent, but there is no word to describe how great this DVD is. I can never thank you enough, world air routes, for providing us with such great entertainment.

Marcel Laroche, CANADA

JUST PLANES AND AIR CANADA HAVE DONE IT AGAIN!! YOU HAVE PUT OUT ANOTHER OUTSTANDING DVD THAT WILL GIVE ME MANY HOURS OF ENJOYMENT ALONG WITH THE OTHER DVD'S YOU HAVE DONE. YOU DID IT ONCE WITH THE AIR CANADA 777-300ER AND NOW YOU HAVE DONE IT WITH THE AIR CANADA 777-200LR. My favorite airplane is the Boeing 777 and my favorite kind of flying is ultra long haul flying so what more could I ask for? I have all your other DVD's so naturally I could not wait to get this one. One thing I noticed in the DVD was how powerful those GE90-110B1 engines were. I thought you would need a very long takeoff run with that much fuel. But those engines got the 777 up to speed in no time and it lifted off effortlessly. You wouldn't see that in a 747-400 fully loaded taking off YVR-SYD. It would need the whole runway. All pilots were very good in explaining their duties about the operation of the 777-200LR. And I could tell how much they really enjoyed flying it. The cabin crew gave an excellent description of the galleys and their duties, and everyone truly seemed to enjoy their work with Air Canada. You have a great partnership with them and I hope that will continue. The only thing missing I would have liked to see is some exterior shots of the 777-200LR. It would be good to get a look at the raked wingtips and the size of the engines. But other than that it is an awesome DVD, and I can go right along with the comments of everyone else who has written their comments. Most people get on an airplane and could care less about what is happening in the cockpit, let alone the type of aircraft. But for those of us like me, who are interested in these, particularly when cockpits are off limits to us, you have opened a whole new world of access for us to join the pilots on the flight decks. I usually feel like I'm right up there along with them. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR AN OUTSTANDING DVD, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR 20TH YEAR, AND I HOPE YOU WILL CONTINUE TO PUT OUT MANY MORE OUTSTANDING DVD'S LIKE THIS ONE.
Michael Karpf,  THAILAND

This is an excellent DVD in every aspect! Firstly, the amazing picture quality offered by HD and Widescreen! Next, all the briefings and info on trans-Pacific ETOPS. The crews are really something and go out of their way to give all kinds of interesting information, facts, and tidbits about the routes flown, Air Canada's operation, and the Boeing 777-200LR. The comparisons given between the performance and abilities (range) of the B777-200LR and the B777-300ER, as well as the B777-200, are also very interesting to this commercial aviation enthusiast. Also, one must thank the friendly cabin staff for their excellent contributions as well. Last but certainly not least, two more points. One is a big "Thank you" to Air Canada for their excellence and dedication to these programs, and for giving us such amazing insight to their company through the three DVDs they've allowed Just Planes to film with them. Another is a congratulations to World Air Routes for their first HD Widescreen DVD and hopes for many, many more stunning programs such as this! I hope that Air Canada's partnership with Just Planes will continue for years to come, allowing us to experience and learn about both current types of aircraft in service (such as perhaps the Airbus short- to medium-haul fleet) and upcoming types (such as the Boeing 787). Tim Herman, USA

I have just completed the first viewing of my recently arrived Air Canada 777-200LR DVD.It is the best so far of my Just Planes collection,all of which I have enjoyed. This route is of particular interest to me as I do travel the Australia to Canada route.. The cockpit explanations were outstanding, the crew is to be commended for their contribution.  Thank You ,I look forward to your future productions. Ken Smith, AUSTRALIA

This DVD really gives you a complete and very detailed picture of Air Canada’s Boeing 777-200LR operations. Just Planes keeps setting the bar higher and higher as they continue to produce fantastic, interesting and unique programs such as this Air Canada B777-200LR DVD. From start to finish, this DVD is full and I mean FULL of information and details about the mighty B777 and Air Canada’s transpacific operations. I want to send my thanks to Just Planes and congratulate them on their recent milestone. I also want to express my gratitude to the amazing flight and cabin crews but also to Air Canada for granting access to what is usually off-limits to aviation enthusiast. This DVD in conjunction with the Air Canada Boeing 767 and Boeing 777-300ER programs really made me appreciate the professionalism of Air Canada and their fantastic pilots.Kristof Barocz, CANADA

That is the BEST ! I enjoyed every minute of it. I got more information on the planning, executing and all that is involved in flying a large aircraft on a very long distance. The quality of the pilots and first officers is amazing. They know what they are doing and they are able to share their love of it. As an Air Canada frequent flyer, this confirms that I am safe, in caring hands and that just have to sit and relax. Chapeau !!!   Andre Tremblay, CANADA

You have really out did yourself with this GREAT Video, Which I enjoyed a lot. the Crews really explained things well about the ETOPS while flying over the Pacific. I also enjoyed meeting the Flight attendants in there interview. It was the first time that I saw a real internatinal crew with a airline. I congratulate Air Canada and  WAR on a job well done. Keep up the great work!! John Linder, USA

The new Air Canada 777LR program is nothing short than outstanding! Not only does it include exceptional pilots, in depth information from start to finish, superb footage captured by Udo and a beautiful aircraft, it's also over 4hrs of HD widescreen entertainment for all airline enthusiasts to enjoy. The only thing that I can add that hasn't been mentioned by the other excellent reviews, is that it will take multiple times watching this fantastic DVD to appreciate the effort and willingness these fine pilots put into this program, for us viewers to learn about the operation of the 777LR. I want to congratulate Just Planes on their 20th year anniversary as well as their first HD widescreen release. I also want to thank the pilots for their enthusiasm as well as Ron, Anita and the rest of the flight attendants for their friendly smiles and giving us a brief look at the service we can expect when flying with Air Canada. Last but not Least, a big thank you to Air Canada for continuing your commitment with Just Planes to bring us aviation enthusiasts these 5 star programs featuring the 767-300, 777-300ER and 777-200LR for us to enjoy. We truly appreciate it, and we look forward to seeing your last wide body aircraft in the fleet, the A330 as well as look into your regional network featuring your new E175/190, and Jazz's CRJ-700, Dash8-Q400. Hopefully this will keep you busy until the delivery of your first 787 Dreamliner;) Brent Ktytor, CANADA

This video simply proves how great these productions are. It is wonderfully filmed, every detail in the cockpit is clearly visible and everything the viewers would want to see has been filmed: the landings and takeoffs, the preflight planning, the displays in the aircraft, and all the procedures. The 777 is not my favorite aircraft, however this video has influenced my respect for it, with it's intelligent features and intuitive design, the pilot's workload is now closer to where it should be. This is captured in the video to great effect. The checklists and charts are very streamlined and are now included in the displays which the pilots can review at the touch of a button. Flying over the Pacific is covered from top to bottom, and the pilots review everything plainly for the viewers. A great credit to Air Canada is the professionalism of the crews on this video and I would not hesitate to fly on them one day. Thank you Just Planes for yet another in your long line of excellent videos and I greatly appreciate what you do. Lawrence Costa, USA

Wow!!! Finally an HD DVD from Just Planes!!! Excellent, excellent video all the way around. Great visual quality of course and very good explanations from the crew of flight operations and cabin operations, not too detailed for the layperson, and just enough information for the airline enthusiast. Congratulations on a fantastic video and keep up the good work!!!!Jay Alberts, USA

This is by far the best World Air Routes video (I have over 20 and I'm in love with this one)!!!!! The picture quality is awesome (plenty of details on widescreen).... I loved the briefing on both Trans Pacific legs, with plenty of info given by the crews regarding ETOPS, the very detailed flight planning process (especially on the YVR-SYD leg, fully explained)... I also learnt a lot of stuff: SELCAL usage and TransPac communications, the reports sent via ACARS, the differences between south pacific and north atlantic flights (tracks vs. routes), the route deviation clearances and flight planning for those deviations..... Also, it was nice to see the noise abatement procedures (YVR departure), nice scenery, etc. On a side note, the crews were fantastic!!!!! They explained every single detail of the flight (what, why & when)!!!!!! I don't know if a cockpit video can get better than this, but I'm looking forward for the next surprise from Just Planes..... Thanks a lot to Just Planes,  Air Canada and their great crews!!!!!!!!!!!  Carlos Narvaez, COLOMBIA

Once again Air Canada has shown the way to all the other airlines on how to welcome aboard the aviation public and how to educate us on their procedures. Their Flightdeck crew are always informative, friendly and knowledgeable, this disc was interesting from start to finish even if the Captain did mispronounced Vanuatu. I believe that Justplanes were 'Just" in producing the two Air Canada B777 discs as they highlighted the simularities and differences of this fine aircraft and why companies such as Air Canada choose to operate the various variants of the same aircraft - More Air Canada please! Anthony Thrift, AUSTRALIA

The only word I can use to sum up this latest production is AWESOME! The picture quality was fantastic. I was amazed at he clarity and it sure looked great on my widescreen TV. As usual the Air Canada crews are so informative and very inviting to the viewer. I especially enjoyed the YYZ-YVR pilots because you can tell they really loved their jobs and their willingness to participate was so refreshing to see. The Boeing 777LR is a fantastic aircraft and Captain Marini and his crew presented everything in an easy to understand manner. Air Canada is a class act airline and I am hoping for more DVDs from them in the future. Michel you have set the standard with this production. Keep it up! George Alves, USA

This DVD is one of the most enjoyable that I purchased and the almost 4 hours of program were very entertaining. Thank you! Roberto Stopnicki, CANADA

Firstly a very well presented DVD, without doubt a lot of work from both Justplanes and Air Canada had been put into this program, you get very detailed information on route planning and on ETOPS operations and great explanations from the Crew, the approach into SYD is stunning, along with various other scenery on the SYD-YVR sector. Overall a great program and very interesting. Adam Gungah, UK

I've seen 7 full videos from JustPlanes (World Air Routes), incluiding Air Canada's Boeing 777-300ER, but Air Canada's Boeing 777-200LR is definetly THE BEST of them. As they say, it's filmed in HD, its picture quality, presentation and widescreen (16:9) aspect ratio makes it the finest video from JustPlanes so far. I dont't know what type of equipment they use, but the camera stabilization, cockpit/communications recordings and angles are outstanding. An excellent job by the filming crew. Pilots explain the airplane's systems, procedures and technical aspects in a very professional and easy way to understand. Also the brief presentation of the in-flight service by the flight attendants is good. Ariel Abarca, COSTA RICA

Excellent video as are all the Air Canada videos. The flight crew is very professional and go to great lengths to explain what they are doing. A must see if you like airplanes.  Plane Lover - Amazon, USA

Excellent job, as much in video as in sound quality. Extraordinary DVDs with great quality and content, as much for the aviation lovers as for those people who wish to enjoy a flight in a "big" (airplane) such as the 777. The combination of all technical aspects and the amazing images of the scenery, obtained during the flights, really make the purchase of those DVDs largely recommendable. Congratulations! Cpt. John Markarosian - Treshold, CANADA

Again, Just Planes did an IMPRESSIVE job in this program. The colorful brochure was a nice bonus. As filmed in HD, the cockpit presentations are seen very clearly. The beautiful scenery is an awesome touch. The only missing detail in this program is the cockpit panel explanation and the external walkaround which can be found on other programs.

This DVD is highly recommended!   Roy Joven Benzonan, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Email your comments

Features

+ Longest Range Aircraft : Boeing 777-200LR

+ One of the Longest routes in the World :

+ Vancouver-Sydney

+ Flight Time : 14hrs 49mins

+ Longest Running Time DVD : 270 mins

+ Detailed Pre-Flight Briefings

+ Detailed Pilot Presentations all along the flights

+ Presentation on Trans-Pacific Flight Operations

+ ETOPS and Diversion Procedures over Pacific Ocean

+ Go-Around in Vancouver!!

+ Bonus Flight Simulator Landing in Vancouver!!

+ Cabin Presentation

+ Cabin service

+ and a lot more.....

Flight Information
A/C Reg Flight Route Flt Time Destinations
B777-200LR C-FIUF AC 033 YYZ-YVR 4h39

YYZ Toronto, CANADA

YVR Vancouver, CANADA

B777-200LR C-FNND AC 033 YVR-SYD 14h49

YVR Vancouver, CANADA

SYD Sydney, AUSTRALIA

B777-200LR C-FNND AC 034 SYD-YVR 13h41

SYD Sydney, AUSTRALIA

YVR Vancouver, CANADA

Photos

Captain Kolanowski and his crew for Toronto-Vancouver

Captain Marini and his crew for Vancouver-Sydney

Follow Checklists & Briefings

Communications via ACARS

Great Scenery over the Pacific

Very friendly Cabin Crew

Avoiding weather over the Pacific

Bonus landing in the Flight Simulator

Approaching Sydney

Final Approach at Vancouver

Reviews

By now, most of us reading AVSIM reviews should be fairly familiar with Just Planes and their aviation documentaries. While some of us may have only recently become aware of their DVDs, some of you out there might have been a faithful customer since the very beginning which goes back 20 years!Just Planes or “Flight in the Cockpit” as it was then known, began its journey of aviation video documentary back in 1991 and since then, as of 2011, they have remarkably documented flights to over 800 destinations in 160 countries! Their total number of flights filmed is now fast approaching the 5000 mark with no sign of stopping. Over the past 20 years, video titles have been released on VHS and now in DVD format.
So what’s next for Just Planes? Well since 2011 marks their 20th year of existence, they have decided to release of small brochure with new orders entitled “Flight in the Cockpit”. This brochure features some of the highlights of the past 20 years and it also included the new major release of their first HD widescreen title which is the subject of our review.
This new DVD is the Air Canada 777-200LR video. To date, it is their best selling DVD and one can only expect things to get better from this point on since they have already recorded two (2) more DVDs in HD/Widescreen! Let’s have a look at some of the highlights of this new release that is already receiving positive reviews.
Highlights
One of the things you can’t help but notice is the new welcome/intro screen which starts off with the WorldAirRoutes logo appearing through the clouds. This new intro really caught my attention and I knew from here on this DVD was going to be something unique. The DVD starts off with Capt Kolanowski and his F.O looking over their flight plan documents in preparation for the first flight from Toronto to Vancouver. The flight plan briefing was quite extensive and this is perhaps the first time I have ever seen such an in-depth explanation of the flight plan documents. Some of the highlights of the first flight were once again the in-depth explanations provided by the crew for every step or procedure carried out through the flight. It is also quite evident that the Capt and FO have known each other for quite some time since they were very relaxed, friendly and confident in each others abilities. Another feature of this flight that cannot be ignored is the stunning view from the cockpit while flying at sunset. You really haven’t lived until you can view the world around you from 30,000ft cruising over the cloudy skies at sunset.
Finally, the last highlight of this flight was the missed approach done while on approach into Vancouver. If I am not mistaken, it seems like this was due to another aircraft experiencing a bird strike and thus the runways were temporarily closed. This certainly adds a bit of excitement to the cockpit videos we are use to that are uneventful. Our second flight and perhaps the biggest feature of this DVD, is the 14 hour flight from Vancouver to Sydney. As expected the flight planning for this flight would be quite extensive and if you think the first briefing was intense, just wait until you see this one! After takeoff, the relief crew steps in and takes the time to explain further details on the B777 and its many systems such was the EFB (Electronic Flight Bag). After about 11 hours or so into the flight, the original crew comes back to the cockpit and continues to enlighten the viewers on various aspects of long haul flying and the importance of accurate navigation. The final feature of this leg of our trip was the beautiful view of Sydney at dawn while on approach. This was complimented by an amazing landing by the Capt which makes you wonder if it is even possible to NOT land smooth with the B777.

Our last leg of this DVD takes us from Sydney to Vancouver. This time we start off in the aircraft as the Capt and F.O do their preflight checks and have a chat with dispatch about their fuel planning. During the take off and cruise, viewers have the opportunity to see the F.O battle with a slight wind sheer and navigate his way through a few thunderstorms in the area. The crew also takes the opportunity to point out more features of the 777, in particular, they allow viewers (perhaps for the first time on video) to see how the pilot response systems works which prevents crews from falling asleep during the flight. They also take the opportunity to explain the difference between the 777-200ER and LR versions which I found to be very insightful. Let’s not forget the cabin crew, throughout the last leg of this flight the cabin crew is featured as they perform all of their duties. Some even tell the viewers how they became a flight attendant and how much fun they are having at Air Canada.
The landing in Vancouver was uneventful as compared to the first and the F.O makes a very smooth landing which makes me wonder if he was just showing off or if the aircraft itself was showing off! All in all you can’t help but admire the professionalism of the crew and how amazingly well built the Boeing 777 really is.
To conclude, I am reminded of a statement the F.O on our first flight made when he said in effect “I really should thank Mr.Boeing for making this aircraft” and I have would have to agree! After viewing this DVD I am sure that you too will want to thank Mr.Boeing for making such a fantastic aircraft and the team at Just Planes for creating such a masterpiece with this DVD which is their best yet!

What I Like About This DVD
Breathtaking scenery
Creative editing and camera views
In depth explanation of aircraft systems and airline procedures
Features very unique destinations
HD and widescreen format

What I Don’t Like About This DVD

Sorry I couldn’t think of anything not to like….
Summary / Closing Remarks
After looking at this video some 3 times or so, I can honestly say that there was not a dull moment in the four or so hours of this DVD. It seemed almost as if the crew was flying the aircraft only with the viewers in mind. At times I forgot this was an actual commercial flight since the crew really focused their attention on educating and enlightening the viewers.
The new HD and widescreen format was a great move on the part of Just Planes and I think this will set the trend for all of their future DVD releases. It goes without saying that having to pay $30.00 for this priceless experience is a steal! This is a great product and one that ALL aviation enthusiasts, real world pilots and flight simmers will enjoy to the full.

Reviewed by AVSIM

JustPlanes has released their first High Definition DVD. Air Canada’s 777-200LR is covered in this DVD from Toronto to Vancouver and then a round trip from Vancouver to Sydney, Australia. This DVD is a little different for JustPlanes. It’s not because it’s in HD but because they cover parts of the trip in detail that are not usually covered on Cockpit DVD’s. I think you will enjoy this DVD so read on to find out what’s covered on this 4+ hour long DVD

Toronto – Vancouver

Our first leg is the shortest leg but still nearly a five hour flight. The before flight briefing is covered in intricate detail. Virtual pilots and real pilots will like this section as it shows the amount of preparation that goes into a flight before the aircraft is boarded.

The pilots go through a thorough departure explanation and arrival showing the charts with explanations. Again, very good detail for virtual and pilots. It was very interesting to watch the pilot turn on the VNAV and LNAV buttons and follow the lines on the display manually. I did not know this was possible.

The approach and landing at Vancouver includes a rare go around. Listening to the radio it sounded like there was a bird strike or something to that effect ahead of them that caused the go around. Watch it. It is very amazing how busy the cockpit is during the go around phase.

Vancouver – Sydney

This is a long segment over the Pacific Ocean. The pilots go over the procedures and route taken with the twin engined 777 regarding the ETOPS limits on the 777-200LR.

The briefing for this leg covers the loading of fuel in detail. At cruise level there’s time for a nice five minute show and tell on the Electronic Flight Bag. Then, they run into some bad weather. The pilots show you the weather radar and what their course of action is and get into an explanation of weather phenomenon and what may have caused the Air France A330 crash over the Atlantic.

Sydney – Vancouver

The return leg to Vancouver is full of information and interesting facts from the pilots. I noticed that there’s only 141 passengers on this flight which is pretty light for a 777-200LR. The section starts in the cockpit when the pilots are going through the checklists. Note the weather radar when it comes into view. There’s a storm a’brewin’! It isn’t long before they start to taxi so we jump right into the action. The cameraman gives us a nice view of Sydney while climbing and you can see the bad weather moving in. Later, while at cruise level, the pilot goes over what happened during the departure as they had to reload FMC due to a runway change. There wasn’t time for the pilot to explain before take-off.

While enroute we get a tour of the passenger area by the service manager. They go over the safety requirements and the food being served. Unfortunately, it’s a long tour and starts to become more of an advertisement for Air Canada’s in-flight service. Luckily, we have fast forward on our remotes.

During the flight the pilot takes some time to discuss his history with the airline and goes over the differences between the 777-200 and -200LR. The 777-200LR is a peppy aircraft and will accelerate from 0 – 60 in less than 6 seconds which he notes is faster than most sports cars.

An interesting feature is demonstrated and that is the warning system when a pilot has not touched the controls or anything for a period of time as determined by the airline. Good safety feature. Finally, the landing is played twice. Once in the standard view and then again viewing the pilot displays. This is a nice touch especially for virtual pilots who are looking to imitate real world 777 operations.

Conclusion

The preflight, departure, and arrival briefings on this DVD are the best I’ve seen. The pilots are very knowledgeable and are in good humour throughout. The cameraman watches the gauges at the appropriate times so you can follow along and take notes. What’s missing is the cockpit panel coverages that we’ve come to expect on every Justplanes DVD. JustPlanes ensures me that it is not something they are cutting out permanently. They wanted to provide more details of other areas of the flight for a change. The HD widescreen version is a welcome feature and I hope that JustPlanes keeps this format. The panels are much clearer and for pilots, virtual or real world, this is great. Plus, this DVD is 4 hours full of interesting stuff for virtual and real pilots.

Reviewed by SIMFLIGHT