Summary
It’s been a long time since I last took a domestic flight since returning from Penghu. The location of my current company is so good that I can easily see planes taking off and landing at Songshan Airport through the window. It really makes me itch to fly… I couldn’t help but want to go out and finally got the chance to take a domestic flight on this trip to Kinmen. I chose Mandarin Airlines for the Taipei-Kinmen round trip. Although it wasn’t my first choice, considering the time and my previous good experience, I chose the E190 aircraft of Mandarin Airlines, which is known as the “little cannon” in the aviation industry. This is my third time flying with Mandarin Airlines. The first time was when I was still in school and participated in a school activity. The second time was for a company trip to Hainan Island, where we flew with China Airlines but operated by Mandarin Airlines. Regardless of the journey, Mandarin Airlines has always left me with the impression of smooth and comfortable takeoffs and landings, which is also why the E190 has a good reputation in the aviation industry.
E-190 aircraft profile:
The Embraer E-Jet series developed by Embraer, the Brazilian aerospace company, is a new generation of jet aircraft products launched in the 21st century and put into operation in 2003.
The ERJ-190 is an extended version of the 170 model, with larger engines, stronger landing gear, and larger wings,
increasing the passenger capacity to 104 people. The seats are arranged in a 2-2 configuration, and the range is 3334 kilometers, making it the longest-range model in the E series.
Speaking of which, I didn’t expect to write this flight record, and the flight was very early in the morning! Therefore, there are almost no photos taken at Songshan Airport (since everyone is familiar with it XD), so the flight record starts from before boarding (hey).
2016.6.24 Taipei -> Kinmen
Mandarin Airlines
Taipei Songshan(TSA) – Kinmen(KNH)
AE1261, b-16827
AIRCRAFT: Embraer ERJ-190AR
AGE (May 2008): 8 years
▼ There are not many sky bridges for domestic flights at Songshan Airport, so most of them require shuttle buses. We didn’t take this flight XD
▼ The weather and visibility were very good on the day of the trip to Kinmen. Shortly after takeoff, you could see the layered mountain scenery of the Taipei Basin and the distance.
▼ After the ban on electronic devices on domestic flights was lifted, I had the opportunity to take beautiful photos of Taiwan from high above! (By the way, did you see where 101 is XD?)
▼ This should be one of the outlying islands of Penghu, but it’s hard to identify from this angle.
▼ It only takes 40 minutes to fly from Taipei to Kinmen, and in the blink of an eye, we arrived. There is still no air bridge at the airport XD.
▼ Before leaving, let’s take another photo of the E190. Although it is already 8 years old, the appearance and interior are well maintained!
2016.6.26 Kinmen -> Taipei
Mandarin Airlines
Taipei Songshan(TSA) – Kinmen(KNH)
AE1272, b-16823
AIRCRAFT: Embraer ERJ-190AR
AGE (Jun 2007): 8 years
I chose Mandarin Airlines for the return trip as well (obviously, it’s cheaper to buy round-trip tickets together).
Because I wanted to take photos of the view from the window on the return trip, I specially selected a window seat online the day before.
▼ Since I arrived at the airport early, I took some random photos in the lobby to pass the time.
▼ TransAsia Airways’ ATR-600 aircraft refueling on the apron.
▼ TransAsia Airways’ flights on Sundays are operated by A321 aircraft, which can carry nearly 200 passengers. This shows that the demand for passengers in Kinmen should not be underestimated!
▼ Although Kinmen Shang Yi Airport is not large, it still takes some time to taxi. It took a while to take a photo of the A321 taking off (B-16202, China Airlines’ second A321-200 aircraft).
▼ The waiting room at Kinmen Shang Yi Airport has a foreign airport feel to it, with various duty-free shops. They really want to make money from you until the last minute XD
▼ Boarding time! Boarding is done by walking from the gate to the aircraft, and the boarding process is very quick.
▼ Next to us is the Uni Air ATR-600 aircraft that just landed and is preparing for boarding.
▼ Although the E190 is considered a small aircraft, it still looks impressive up close!
▼ Kinmen Shang Yi Airport is actually just an aviation station, but overall, the facilities are quite good.
▼ The takeoff is done by taxiing to the end of the runway and then turning back. It’s a unique design, and during the turn, you can see the long runway.
▼ Although the weather in Kinmen was not good on the return trip, the clouds cleared shortly after takeoff.
▼ I chose a seat in front of the wing for the return trip, and the meeting of the ocean and the skyline is really beautiful!
▼ I can see the Penghu Islands again, part of Magong City and Xiyu Island, as well as the distant Nansha Islands.
▼ The combination of low clouds, cumulus clouds at higher altitudes, and swirling clouds is really special. This is a view exclusive to the aircraft!
▼ The cumulus clouds present an orange hue due to the reflection of the sunset, which is very spectacular!
▼ After the ban on electronic devices on domestic flights was lifted, I had the opportunity to take beautiful photos of Taiwan from high above! (By the way, did you see where 101 is XD?)
▼ Although the weather in Kinmen was not good on the return trip, the clouds cleared shortly after takeoff.
▼ After the ban on electronic devices on domestic flights was lifted, I had the opportunity to take beautiful photos of Taiwan from high above! (By the way, did you see where 101 is XD?)
▼ Although the weather in Kinmen was not good on the return trip, the clouds cleared shortly after takeoff.
Unlike the other two domestic airlines, Uni Air and TransAsia Airways, which use ATR-600 propeller aircraft for domestic flights, Mandarin Airlines uses the E190, which is a jet engine model. The E190 does indeed have better stability compared to the ATR models (in my personal opinion). This is especially noticeable during takeoff and landing, which has further increased my satisfaction and impression of Mandarin Airlines! Perhaps in the future, when choosing a domestic flight, if the flight time is good, Mandarin Airlines will also have the chance to be my first choice!
