Crazy Frequent Flyer Asians: UA38/37 Dreamliner Nonstop to LA, Vegas & Grand Canyon

[yflyer]

By the time we finished dinner at Flock & Fowl, it was dark...

We headed back to Fremont Street...



A lot was going on under the ever-changing lights and colours of the LED roof...from ziplines running the length of the covered section...





...to street performers in various costumes, and several with hardly any costume on at all...



Several stages had been set up...



...with various acts in progress, including live bands...



It was quite an eye-opening visit to Fremont Street, where a glimpse of old Vegas could be seen...

[yflyer]

The next morning, we embarked on our helicopter ride to the Grand Canyon, which began with a hotel pickup from the Westin to the private terminal of Maverick Helicopters, whose terminal was located at the southern end of McCarran Airport, close to the "Welcome to Las Vegas" sign.



We checked in at Maverick's dedicated terminal...





There was still time before the scheduled boarding time for our flight, so we headed outside for a short walk to the Las Vegas sign for a photo...



...before heading back to the terminal to await our helicopter ride...



Maverick uses 8-seater Airbus Eurocopter EC130 helicopters, powered by Safran Turbomeca engines.



When it was time to board, our helicopter pilot, Scott, came to the terminal to introduce himself and collect our party.

We watched the safety video played on an LCD panel in the terminal, before heading out to the helicopters, where Scott demonstrated the boarding and safety procedures once again, and helped us get onboard.



Unlike commercial flights where the lifevests are stowed until needed, on these helicopter flights, aviation laws require you to wear the lifejacket pouch on your waist throughout the flight, and we had these on at all times while onboard the helicopter.



The safety card...



Each of us was also given a headset, which was the only way to communicate during the ride...anything you said would be heard by everyone onboard.

Headsets were worn, 4-point seatbelts fastened, and doors were closed. And we were off!

[yflyer]

"Take-off" off the ground was barely perceptible...while helicopters in general are noisy machines, the actual handling of the helicopter in the air was very smooth and stable.

I was very amused that even helicopters had to "taxi" to certain positions before taking off, where the "taxiing" was actually flying slowly and in a very stable and smooth way, just a few feet above the ground...



As we gained altitude, there were great views of LAS airport...



...and the Las Vegas Strip...



...with the Strip looking very different from the air, than when we were walking at street level...



We then flew east, first over suburban Vegas...



...then over a landscape that became increasingly desolate and desert-like...



Seating positions onboard were assigned by the pilot...on the outbound flight I was seated in the front row, next to the pilot, with great views of the landscape below through the Eurocopter's large wraparound cockpit windows...

Enroute, we overflew Hoover Dam...





Before proceeding over Lake Mead, and the rugged landscape below...



The Eurocopter climbed over one final ridge...



...and then we found ourselves flying over the Grand Canyon, with the Colorado River flowing far below...

[yflyer]

The view of the canyon was simply awe-inspiring...





...as was the experience of flying above the Canyon in a helicopter (Short video clip here...)

[yflyer]

Our helicopter flew close to the Grand Canyon Skywalk...



This was a steel/glass semicircular walkway built right over the edge of the Canyon, on the western rim of the Grand Canyon.

Our helicopter landed at the small airstrip nearby...





...and we were whisked by a waiting van to the Skywalk facility a short distance away...



...where inside, we stowed our belongings, phones and cameras in lockers, put cloth covers over our shoes, and stepped gingerly onto the glass floor of skywalk, over the edge of the canyon...

No photos (Except for the official photographer) were allowed, since all our phones and cameras were in lockers -- they probably didn't want anyone to risk dropping their phones into the Canyon...

Suffice to say, walking on the clear glass floor over the Grand Canyon was quite an experience...



The side railings weren't that high, and the glass didn't look that thick...and there were actually gaps in the glass floor (No wider than a pencil or a cigarette)...



Not for anyone with a fear of heights, but it was quite a thrill to walk right over this natural wonder.

"Can I jump on the glass?", I asked our guide....

"Sure..." he replied...

I jumped straight up as high as I could, and as I landed I could feel the glass vibrate...hmmm...maybe one jump was enough.

[yflyer]

But a shiver down the spine, and a feeling of real terror, only came later, after we we had left the Skywalk, and went on to the next part of the attraction...

Next to the Skywalk, a section of the side of the Canyon, right up to the jagged cliff face, was open to the public...

And beyond the edge, a straight drop to the Canyon floor 350m below...

"There are no railings, this isn't a National Park..." our guide explained...

It was really up to you how close to the edge you wanted to go, and where the danger was very, very real...



At one level, I guess this was all a mind game...how different was this from standing on the edge of a busy road, or a train platform?

I walked up to the edge for a look over...close, but not that close...



...an involuntary tingle and shiver coursed through my body as I inched closer and closer to the rim...

"Come back!" shouted Mrs yflyer, who stayed well away from the edge...later she told me that she considered lying on the ground and crawling on all fours to the edge, but decided against it...



That said, there were some amazing pictures and selfies to be had if you had the nerve...(Not that you could post a selfie on Instagram or check-in on Facebook there...there was zero mobile phone coverage anywhere in the area...)



...on the other hand, the potential to do something careless or silly close to the edge was very apparent...this was a place where extreme care had to be taken...



I could have spent hours at the edge of the Canyon, just staring at the amazing vista before me, however it was soon time to head back to the helicopter for the ride back to Vegas...

[yflyer]

We headed back to our helicopter...



Seating configuration on this Airbus Eurocopter EC130 was 2 rows of 4-abreast seating (7 pax + 1 pilot), with the pilot in the left-most seat in the first row.



On the return flight, Mrs yflyer and I were in the back row...



Some very nice views of Las Vegas as we returned...





...we flew past the Stratosphere Tower...



...and the Strip...



...before landing once again at McCarran Airport...



Total time taken for our Grand Canyon helicopter tour? Just under 4 hours, including about 45 minutes at the Skywalk.

What an amazing experience. If we had more time, I would have liked to spend at least a day (Or more) at the Grand Canyon to soak in the scenery, but this helicopter excursion was a hugely memorable way to see the Grand Canyon, and for me, the highlight of our stay in Vegas.

To be continued!

[9V-JKL]

I spy SQ's ex-A345 in the hangar

[yflyer]

I spy SQ's ex-A345 in the hangar

Super observant, as usual, 9V-JKL!

You are right...bottom left corner of the picture shows the tail and one of the portside engines of A345 rego VP-BMS, former SIA 9V-SGD, now part of Las Vegas Sands' fleet of aircraft they use for corporate execs as well as VIP customers...

Other aircraft in their fleet are 2 rare 747SPs (One of which is visible in the pic above...)

[SQfanatic]

The views are certainly breathtaking on the Grand Canyon tour you took, especially since you went by helicopter as well as the views of Las Vegas itself. I remember that there's certainly no phone signal there, at that time couldn't call my dad to see how things were going while my mom and I went.

I went in the Winter of 2013, and it was certainly just as good, but it was fairly mild in the afternoon, even though morning temps there can be chilly. Maybe in the future if I get to visit GC, I might consider the helicopter tour as an open option. It is definitely pricier than the bus tour, but for a one time thing, it would be a great thing, also especially since I have never ridden on a helicopter before.

[yflyer]

The views are certainly breathtaking on the Grand Canyon tour you took, especially since you went by helicopter as well as the views of Las Vegas itself. I remember that there's certainly no phone signal there, at that time couldn't call my dad to see how things were going while my mom and I went.

I went in the Winter of 2013, and it was certainly just as good, but it was fairly mild in the afternoon, even though morning temps there can be chilly. Maybe in the future if I get to visit GC, I might consider the helicopter tour as an open option. It is definitely pricier than the bus tour, but for a one time thing, it would be a great thing, also especially since I have never ridden on a helicopter before.

I would highly recommend a helicopter tour! As for the company that operated the helicopter tour, Maverick, I was very impressed with their operation. Beautiful Airbus Eurocopters with large windows, very well maintained equipment (And strong safety record), very professional pilot and a nice terminal. A good selection of different itinerary options too.

[yflyer]

Continuing with the TR...

After our Grand Canyon helicopter tour in the morning, we headed to the Las Vegas Cosmopolitan for lunch at famed chef and restaurateur David Chang’s restaurant, Momofuku.

One of the first times I came across David Chang was on one of the episodes of Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations TV show.



Momofuku in Las Vegas is one of David Chang’s newer restaurants, having opened in early 2017.

Momofuku occupies a large space on Level 2 of the Cosmopolitan’s Boulevard Tower.



We headed inside...a very large, airy space...



The menu…



Beverages…



I felt like gin, so I ordered a miso mellow…



Piping hot Shishito peppers made for a great start to the meal…



… the interesting thing about shishito peppers is that most of them are quite mild, but about 1 in 10 of them are randomly, and significantly more spicy…yet another way you can gamble in Vegas…after several mild ones, I finally “hit jackpot” and bit into a spicy one…yum! Tears began to well up as the capsaicin began to kick-in…

Big eye tuna, with shaved foie gras and strawberries…



This dish alone, was to me, sufficient evidence that David Chang’s reputation was well deserved…the textures and flavours went amazingly well…the cold, gelatinous raw tuna alongside the delicate flavour and mouthfeel of shaved(!) foie gras, with the strawberries adding a very subtle, almost imperceptible sweetness to the dish…quite inspired.

One of David Chang’s signature dishes is Bo Ssam, a large dish made for sharing, with slow roasted pork shoulder, served with a variety of condiments…



…with the pork and condiments assembled and wrapped in a lettuce leaf by the diner before eating…



This was comfort food and quite delicious.

For the Asian/Korean palate, Bo Ssam, would probably taste quite familiar, but for Western tastes, this would probably have been something totally new and out of this world.

[yflyer]

Desserts from Cristina Tosi's Milk Bar bakery, also part of David Chang's restaurant group, are served at Momofuku...



Crack Pie a la Mode…



I had to read the sign outside the restaurant, at the Milk Bar counter, to figure out what Crack Pie was…



For anyone with a sweet tooth, the Milk Bar, right next door to Momofuku, looks like a great place to grab a snack or dessert…





Overall, a wonderful meal at Momofuku...

I think the brilliance of David Chang’s creations is that he was one of the first to successfully mix and match cuisine from different cultures in a way that resonated with diners (And food critics...) regardless of whether your tastebuds were more attuned to Eastern or Western tastes. Many dishes, like Bo Ssam or his signature pork belly “man tou” buns, are clearly and firmly Asian, but others like the big eye tuna with shaved foie gras and strawberries are clearly the result of a much broader set of influences…

[yflyer]

That evening, our last in Vegas, we headed to The Mirage, to catch a Beatles-themed Cirque du Soleil performance…



…after the performance, we headed to the Bellagio Fountains...



…and watched the fountain water jets sway and spray in time with the music for one last time…



Just as it was last weekend, when we had first arrived, the Vegas Strip was buzzing with activity this late Friday evening...



We ended the evening with a stroll down the Las Vegas Strip, back to our hotel...

What an amazing week in this unique city.

[yflyer]

The next morning, we flew from Vegas back to Los Angeles on AA. This time, rather than a 738, our aircraft was an A320...



Inside, AA’s Y hard product on the A320 was remarkably consistent with their 738 Y cabin…with almost identical seats, as far as I could tell…



Good legroom in Y…



An interesting observation was that there was an AA crew member on the welcome screen of the IFE, however there were different crew members on each screen! (There are obviously some repeat faces, but quite a number of different ones…)

As for the AA safety video… I understand there is a need to make safety videos entertaining, but I found the AA video to be a riotous overload of onscreen activity to the point of being distracting...even trippy...

Do I remember the safety instructions? Not really, I was completely distracted by all the extraneous activity in the video...

but I do remember extra hands…



…the picture squares where the escape slide was deployed…



…and the hall of mirrors…





As we took off, we could see, in the distance, Nellis Air Force Base, which is the USAF airbase used for the Red Flag air force training exercises, better known as “Top Gun”, the most recent of which had just concluded earlier in the month.



As we flew from Vegas to LA, we flew over a vast solar farm…





…but otherwise, the land between Vegas and LA was largely uninhabited until we got close to LA…