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After climbing through thick clouds , we were soon at our cruise level . As the skies opened , I had the chance to chat about a plethora of aviation topics with the cabin crew ; we discussed the addition of the E2 to Widerøe ’ s fleet and the airline ’ s plans to welcome more jets in the near future . Initially , the airline had ordered up to 15 E2 units — three firm ones and options for up to 12 more . Following delivery of the first three jets in 2018 , the airline has not yet exercised its options .
As we flew , we saw landscapes of cold glaciers , narrow fjords , and small airfields . The crew told me that most of these airfields are served by Widerøe ’ s Dash 8s , which provide an essential service to life in the region . As we started our descent , I could appreciate the E2 ’ s glass cockpit and ergonomics , which would
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soon contrast with the analogic dials of the Dash 8 . When we landed in Bodø , Widerøe ’ s hub , I could see the airline ’ s offices and hangars — which I would visit in a few days — to my left .
Fast-forward 24 hours , and the flight experience on the Dash 8 could not have been more different . Before departing for Leknes ( LKN ), I had spent the night in Bodø , experiencing the midnight sun for the first time . Bodø ’ s airport serves the beautiful Lofoten archipelago , where Widerøe operates several daily flights with its Dash 8-100s and Dash 8-200s .
Although these airliners share an identical airframe , the -200 variant has more powerful engines to improve performance and enable a higher maximum take-off weight ( MTOW ). That
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day ’ s aircraft would be LN- WIW , a 29-year-old Dash 8-100 equipped with 39 seats . F r o m closing doors to opening them again , this flight takes only 22 minutes , as opposed to the almost five hours required to drive between the two airports . That difference in travel time is a good metric to illustrate Widerøe ’ s mission in Norway .
Back to the flight . I arrived at Bodø airport more than three hours ahead of takeoff , as I could not sleep properly because of the midnight sun . This was clear overkill , as I checked in and cleared security in around three minutes . I spent most of my time staring at the snowy mountains and plane-spotting from the airport ’ s departure hall .
At some point , a staff member noticed me taking pictures of a
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5 Cruising above the Norwegian fjords on board LN- WEC . The contrast between the E2 glass cockpit and the analog Dash 8-100 cabin is a reminder of the always-ongoing innovation in civil aviation .
6 LN-WEA , the first-ever Embraer E190-E2 , delivered to Widerøe in 2018 as seen from the cockpit of LN-WEC in Trondheim .
7 A sea of dials in the cockpit just behind the Dash 8-100 yoke . The central console enables to adjust the feathering of the propellers .
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