The fun part about tiny airlines is how the same employee has more than one function. It's like Monty Python sketch when John Cleese just keeps bouncing from one window to another.
LOL - no doubt. Back in the day out west, I had flights where the same guy checked you in, announced departure and took your ticket, at the "gate" and by gate I mean door to the outside, loaded the bags on the airplane, then flew you where you were going! Very efficient staffing, that.
Grant county New Mexico airport/ same thing. The co pilot turns around and opens a mini fridge, asks if anyone wants a soda or chips, loads the bags, then unloads the bags at the end of the flight. There is only one "gate". Also, no TSA !! YAY!!
I love that the motel has screen doors on each room on top of the normal solid door. Motel looked clean...way more so than some newer motel / hotel with newer amenities. I'd choose clean over amenities any day
I'm not sure why, but something about the tiny little motels in Montana makes them cleaner and nicer than you'd expect otherwise. That's been my experience anyway.
The nearby Amtrak station for the once-daily Empire Builder between Chicago and Seattle/Portland serves about 1000 more passengers annually than the airport.
I love northern Montana and take Amtrak through there a couple of times a year and every time we’ve gotten to Havre the Border Patrol is at the station and they take a walk through the train and question folks. 🤷🏻♀️
Yeah I´m not even British but the accent of her made me re watch the title of this video, like..They are in the States right 😲did i miseread the title ??
OMG FLASH BACK: In 1980 to 1984 I worked for an airline called Big Sky Airlines. We flew Cessna 402's Billings, Lewistown, Havre and back. Twice a day. All essential air service routes. Havre's motto is You Haven't Had Her Until You've Had Her In Havre. HOWEVER, even flying 402's we always had two crew, a Captain and Co-Pilot. Those were the days. 40 years ago. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
It's a flashback for me! In the late 90s/early 2000s I grew up in rural Alaska. My family was frequently flying Hageland Aviation Services on 402s and Caravans. The pilots were some of the coolest people I've ever met. Those 402s were such awesome machines. I miss them!
If you’re interested in seeing obscure and unique airports, I’d suggest Adak airport in Alaska. It operates two regularly scheduled commercial flights a week, serving a small island town of just 171 people. It’s also the west most commercial airport in the US
International airports have US customs facilities/agents to process passenger or cargo flights. Billings being fairly close to Canada would have use for that. Also, it can be used as an alternative airport for international diversions.
What a cool little town! The underground portion looks interesting and honestly, the Siesta Motel looks cozy and charming with its retro 60’s vibe. As a train buff, I’d love to get a room at the motel, park myself on the porch and watch the trains.
I had a hotel room in Indio, California I wasn't aware was on one of the busiest stretches of railroad. I think I heard at least three trains pass through that night. I got up going, "Wtf is all that noise?" Looked out the window...and there was why. Big freight train zooming across.
And in the early 80's I flew for Big Sky Airlines using Swearingen Metro aircraft. We overnighted in Havre(for 6 hours) at the very same Siesta Motel. Thanks Noel for the wonderful nostalgia trip !
@JoseFlores-sv8fb if you love the mountains / being outdoors, Montana is the best state in the lower 48. Only state that is better for mountains/ natural beauty is Alaska
Noel, that’s the kind of videos that you do so incredibly well. When you go to these remote towns and explore places that nobody ever imagined existed. Keep up the amazing work. The humor, creativity and diversity in your content is greatly appreciated.
Too bad that you made Havre look like a complete dump, and gave a lot of incorrect information. I feel sorry for your soul that you had a bash the small town to make yourself look so important for internet points.. I invite you to do a live video with me where I can point out all your inaccuracies.
Imagine meeting someone from England working at a tiny airport like that. Seemed like a nice chap. I enjoyed this video, nice to have something different to the big airlines
If I am right the man with what sounded very much like a Scottish accent at Havre airport, wouldn't thank you for suggesting he was English...............
Thank you for doing this. I grew up in Billings and never really explored the state. I left years ago but my heritage and family are still there. I'm an aircraft mechanic and I love the 400 series Cessna. I salute you, sir.
The reason airports like this use the "international" name is that it has a customs official or some infrastructure to support having flights from other nations arrive. Usually thats because of cargo or general aviation rather than commercial passenger service.
I'm a customs broker and this is correct. Havre is what you might call a sub-port of Billings. Doesn't even need to be a customs official there, if UPS, Fedex or DHL have a facility there - and a "facility" can be as little as a locked cage area in the airport (or as large as a customs bonded warehouse near the airport) where anything ordered held for inspection can be kept secure until an official from Billings gets there.
He was talking about the Billings airport being an international airport, not Havre which is NOT. The moniker "International" indicates a port of entry into the United States and does require a customs official.
I love how you show the town and the hotel etc, the hotel has not changed it seems since the late 60s lol, I love your respect for the town and being honest in your observations. I really enjoy your videos, keep up the great work.
Another fun tiny airport in the US is Manistee County Blacker Airport in Michigan. Some cool Lake Michigan views on the way in on the flight from Chicago.
It may have been one of the only options. I remember going to visit family in West Virginia. In some places there was 4.5 stations. Country, Bluegrass, a station that only had religious sermons, Gospel, and sometimes you could get another Country station outside of the valleys.
OMG, Billings! When I was a kid we lived in Terry, Montana and we used to drive to Billings to grocery shop!! Brings back memories from 70 years ago!! The museum you visited looked interesting. This was fun.
Kind of a bittersweet story...Havre had more importance during the Cold War, as it was located near a couple of RADAR stations for the "Pine Tree" line. It's an important part of my family's story, as it's where my late father-in-law (an Airman in the US Air Force) was stationed at a RADAR station on the Pine Tree line, and met a college student in the local nursing college, my future mother-in-law. We don't even live in Montana, but my family wouldn't exist without the place. Then we have the shameful "essential air service" contracts, which incentivize small airline's to offer service on a route. The idea is that the airlines serving the route would establish permanent service after the incentives jump start air services, but the reality is that since the early 2000's, airlines have sprung up that chase these contracts and immediately abandon the routes after the EAS contract expired. Big Sky airlines was an excellent operator, but died after they were bought out by a new private owner that gutted the company. No one has filled the hole left by Big Sky's departure...
In my readings on the EAS I have NEVER seen that philosophy mentioned..(.that it was "only" to kick start air services and then be unnecessary) In fact from what I'VE read the basic genesis OF the program was to subsidise air services to places that lost them after deregulation in 1978 when they became unprofitable. Nothing Ive read said it was intended to be temporary... OR that unprofitable routes could magically become profitable... could you reference that information please?
@averyprivateaccount7407 Given that Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport (YNG) is less than an hours drive from Franklin, and Franklin is only 80 miles from Pittsburgh.. one wonders how they got an EAS contract to start with?
When you headed back to Billings, I couldn’t help picturing that young female pilot being my daughter who is working her way though the commercial aviation program at the University of Oklahoma.
Back in the days of Regulation, an airline could not just fly wherever they wanted to, routes were given out by the Government. Because of this, Billings became a “Hub” of sorts for airlines that did not have non-stop rights going from Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, SFO, etc, to Calgary. Edmonton and Vancouver. Hence “International”….
In the USA, "International" means that the airport has US Customs and Border Protection services, and can handle flights from outside the USA. Not that it currently hosts scheduled service to another country...😅
@@cardiac19 I was more thinking like a holiday charter to somewhere like Cancun or one of the bigger Caribbean destinations. you get these sun package flights from places no-one ever heard off, especially from far up north.
so. in america there are actually a lot of international airports that don't service international flights. the thing is some airports that were in certain stratigic locations have international status so that they have customs in case an international flight needs to make an emergancy landing and isn't within distance of a normal international airport. a good example of this is Jacksonville International airport. it's important not only because of it's location (halfway point between ATL and ORL) but it also (kinda) has a large footprint with the FAA.
@@trooperdgb9722 this is true. Jax got it's international status right before hosting the superbowl after a major expansion of the airport. it used to run 1 flight to toronto every now and then but that ended in 2017 I think. I know it was the late 2010s
@@d.n.8919 My local "international" airport in small town Michigan mostly just connects people to Detroit or Chicago, where they can change planes to get to their actual destination. I don't know how often they actually have international flights.
Wow, talk about great memories. I’ve flown that approach over the bluff into Billings hundreds of times and stayed at that Doubletree more times than I can remember. I love these small airport VLOGs as no one else does them and it makes for great content.
I think I mentioned this on your Alliance, NE video, but you really need to experience a Nanwalek landing in Alaska. As a pilot yourself now, you will appreciate it. Every single time I flew into Nanwalek 20 years ago, my passengers would clap after a successful landing. I honestly think, you could spend an entire week in Alaska during the summer and get loads of great content.
I’ve flown out of that airport so many times, and I’ve been waiting for you to make a video about it! My grandma was actually on your flight back to Billings (front left seat). So glad to see Havre getting some love, great vid!!
I love going through tiny airports. Get there 30 minutes before boarding, through security in 5 minutes, and done. Sometimes well worth the extra money to fly out of the small airport. Except that the TSA folks don't get much practice at things like wiping down a laptop bag for explosives so they'll pick people at random, and if they're going to do it with a single mom with three kids, or me, it's me every time 😂 (not that I mind)
I'm pretty sure he didn't mean a young pilot but actual kids who are annoying as fuck if their parents haven't raised them right. I hate those too. Nothing against a 20 yo FO on my flight.
These kinds of flights/locations are why I subscribed Noel....Love this stuff!! Had NO idea that Cape Air flew from Billings, or anywhere in Montana. I've been to Cape Air's home airport in Hyannis, MA many times, never flew out of it....used to work for Avis Rent-A-Car in Boston. Seeing stuff like this makes me want to get back out on my weekends and explore more. Hilarious on that hotel room from the 70's!!
I really love your videos and I really like how kind you are to everyone you meet. Especially the hospitality workers. Saying hi and thank you really goes a ling way. I'm a bartender and it means so much to me when people are kind like you. Happy Holidays To You!!
Love this. Reminds me of a story my mom told me. She had a medical transcriptionist job interview back in 1980 in a town called McCook Nebraska about halfway between Omaha and Denver. She had to fly in a snowstorm and like Havre, lodging options weren’t great. So she was snowbound in McCook and got out on a mail plain that had to land every so often, so it wasn’t fun for her. Fortunately she stayed in Omaha.
Thanks for visiting us in Billings MT!! You described it perfectly, it is a "big" small town lol. When I first looked at the thumbnail, I swear I instantly wondered if it was going to be in Montana. Very Synchronistic! BTW, the First Interstate Bank building is the tallest building in Billings 😀 Great Video!!❤
Thanks for taking us on a tour of a part of the country I haven't seen before. The honest-to-god motel room key suddenly made me think "I haven't seen a motel key like that in ages". The room's not retro, it's the real deal! It's been quite while since I took a ride in a small plane, you reminded me how it's a bit like a magic carpet.
You would think that town was named by one of Montana's many Norwegian settlers, as Havre means oats in Norwegian, but it's actually named after Le Havre, France.
This sounds like a lot of fun! And you went the extra mile to showcase a bit of Havre's History totally amazing! I might do the same trip one day for funzies.
Awesome video Noel. Love flying on those smaller planes. The United States has so much to explore. So happy to hear Rachel is feeling better. Travels safe. Happy Holidays to you and your beautiful family.
My old boss (sadly passed away now) used to fly from Billings Montana to Dubai every 6 weeks for over 20 years, not direct obviously. That room is worth about £20 a night, rank.
Cool video, Noel. Your segment on checking in at the Siesta Motel reminded me of the movie, "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" when Steve Martin as Neil Page and John Candy as Del Griffith check into the Braidwood Inn at Wichita KS after their New York to Chicago got diverted due to weather in Chicago.
I just flew from Billings to Wolf Point, MT using Cape Air a few months back in the Tecnam. Unfortunately, on my scheduled flight back to Billings (and connecting flight), the entire Tecnam fleet was grounded for maintenance and I had to quickly rent a car (which, in Northern Montana on a weekend was not exactly easy to do), and drive back to Billings. You're lucky they had a Cessna, because that's not a usual part of the Montana fleet. I don't think Cape Air will order more of those Tecnam's.
Thanks Noel for this video. I love to see Cape Air. It brings back great memories. Use to fly back and forth from St. Thomas to St Croix USVI on Cape Air. The pilots were always friendly and professional.
Sat here on a rainy windy Sunday afternoon in IOM 🇮🇲, this is a wonderful vlog to watch , Thankyou Noel for going to the lengths you go to , to bring us these wonderful places…lovely bloke at your morning check in….he seemed very at ease with all that goes on in a quiet American town….👍👌🇮🇲
Really enjoyed this video, one of your best. It inspired me to go googling the town and looking at maps and town plans! I’m fascinated by such remote tiny “cities” - I didn’t realise quite how remote they were. It really drives home how not long ago the settling of the US was!
I visited Billings for work back in January 2020 and stayed in that hotel, though it was a Sheraton and not a Doubletree then. I learned it was the tallest building between Minneapolis and Seattle. I imagine there’s a strong probability that is still true! I enjoyed Billings and wouldn’t mind visiting again if I’m ever exploring that part of the country!
@@FoCoBuzz Definitely the tallest hotel!! 😀 Growing up in Billings I remember as a kid that the DoubleTree (used to be the Sheraton hotel) was the tallest building, and then the Scott family built the FIB building and that became the new tallest. Hope you had an enjoyable stay when you visited! 😀
@@ZetaRosen I did! Being from Atlanta, it was very cool to be there in winter! The first morning, there was five inches of snow on the ground. In Atlanta that would be "stay home, full shut down" mode, but I was amazed how life goes on in colder areas! LOL! I was an engineer at the time doing an acceptance test for a wireless comm system we were installing for the electric utility. We were out drive testing, collecting data for a few days, driving around the city and areas to the southwest. Even for work trip, it was a great experience. Loved getting a big, "local" bison steak for dinner one night! I would definitely like to get back as a tourist. I have been through western Montana since then, but not back to the Billings area yet.
Have flown Cape Air many times between Puerto Rico and US Virgin Is...most memorable flight was an evening flight under a starry Caribbean night and the red glow of the turbocharged Continental engines.
the tunnels make sense when you consider the normal winter weather for the area able to shop and go from store to store without going into the elements
Maybe those 50 people used the Empire Builder Amtrak to get back into Havre, looking at the schedule it does take a day to either Portland or Chicago, but at least the schedule allows for relaxed overnighting. Tho having been stuck in Havre during an Amtrak disruption before, I would totally get just not wanting to go back.
Reminds me of a trip I took back in or about 2010 - all for just taking an Amtrak train. Flew from ORD to MSP, then MSP to MOT in either a Bombardier or an Embraer jet, and then boarded the Amtrak Empire Builder from Minot back to CHI. MOT is a small airport (smallest I've been to), and as soon as we all disembarked from the jet, the place was a ghost airport. Fun and good stuff doing these unusual travels! Love your videos & trips Noel! Do more trips like these!
$100/night for that motel room?!?!? And the slogan outside was: "Not cheap, just low prices"... THAT IS NOT LOW for a motel holy moly! I would NOT pay $100 for that motel. Motels are supposed to be cheaper than a hotel... and that is overpriced as heck!
If you think that's bad, I paid $136 for a room at a Hotel F1 in France in October. The only difference I could make out between it and a prison cell was a toilet in the corner of the room.
I've been to Havre, Montana once. Border Security between Canada and the US took me a some time to pass with my Australian Passport, whilst my Canadian hosts were whipped through. The reason I travelled there was simply to join the Amtrak Empire Builder to Seattle. So as you were flying in, I'm looking and going I recognize, and that and that. I also had to buy new shoes as I managed to kill one of my pairs prior to arrival..... Thank you for the flash back :)
Bet you'd enjoy the underground tour in Old Sacramento. After several devastating floods back in the 1800's, Sacramento literally raised the entire town. Now the Sacramento Museum, which has a popular YT channel, gives underground tours of the old town.
Your adventures are heartwarming for me. I want to take a long bus trip or fly to some faraway small town but right now just can’t do it. Thank you, Noel. 🙏
Are you going to do the aviation equivalent of Geoff Marshall (he visits the least used train station in each UK county), i.e. visiting the least used airport in every state?
Like other commenters, I too am stuck on that motel. By the way, that tile is from post-WW II 1950s, exactly like my father and mother had in their small-town house here in Central California, by Taylor and Wheeler. Lovely video. Montana looks like a homey place out of the 1950s when life was simpler and purer with proud vets able to use their GI Bill to buy a home for wife and kiddos.
I live in Yuma, AZ, and we, too, have a small airport that has 'International' in its name. From what I understand here in Yuma's case is that the proximity to Mexico means it could have flights that cross the border. Montana's proximity to Canada is probably the same reason they have their 'int'l' airport.
I fly in and out of Yuma, and the reason it’s international is because there’s customs available there. Also, Yuma isn’t really that small anymore. Flights to PHX and DFW, tons of GA, and lots of military
Fantastic video, Noel. Small airports, aircraft and towns are always nice for a change. The Siesta hotel room reminds me of scenes from movies where a fugitive walks in, pays for a room and no sooner has he walked up to his room than the television in the reception area displays his image. The receptionist gets onto the phone, calls the cops and before settling in, the fugitive watches law enforcement arrive through the front window. He escapes (why is it that the fugitives are always men?) through the back window, leaving law enforcement baffled... Fugitives and "wanted" characters always go for motels where they can see who's coming in and have an exit at the back. In addition, such scenes are filmed in small towns just like Havre.
I flew int Billings many years ago and at that time only one small building and the single runway and no ground start equipment. A very lonely place! Had to keep the engine on the right (starboard) side running to be able to restart the port (left) engine.
Great video! I have been to Havre before. My mom spent her honeymoon there in 1949. I was able to take her on a trip through Montana in 2016 which included Havre and she shared stories of growing up all over Montana.
Not far from Medicine Hat Alberta Canada 🇨🇦… it would be great to visit this region one day. Thank You for sharing this fine small city. BTW.. Moose Jaw Saskatchewan also has a unique underground tunnel network worth seeing as well.
I think the Noel-flies-to-the-@rse-end-of-nowhere videos are my favorites. Great stuff. The people, the places and the planes are just so interesting (as they were on your Greyhound vid last week tbf). Also, may I suggest you accidentally leave your camera on again in future? The luggage footage was awesome 🤣
I enjoyed this episode, Noel, thanks. I've flown Cape Air many times over the years, but only to and from Martha's Vineyard. (It was on either Cape Air or PBA -- probably PBA -- that I flew a beautiful old DC-3 to the Vineyard, sometime in the 1980s. The most elegant cabin!) I had no idea Cape Air operated in Montana! It's fun to see these remote parts of the country.
Loved the old motel key fob -- would be tempted to "drop into any mailbox" to see if the postal service still honors that promise! 😉 Another fun video, Noel, thanks!
14:14 Unbelievable….the ‘other’ English gentleman at the airport is my old boss from the Royal Air Force. Served together in Germany in the late 90’s. Massive Manchester City fan unfortunately, apart from that a great guy and great to see he’s ok. Thanks for the video Noel and reminding me of some good memories.
My grandmother was born near there in 1915. She said she and her sisters would walk along the tracks and the rail workers would toss them coal. Family moved to MN late 20s.
I absolutely love your videos. I always end the video with a big cheeky smile and thinking to myself… wow, What a wonderful video! Always a pleasure when you post. Can’t wait for more
It looks sort of sleepy but there’s a branch of Montana State University in town so there is plenty to do. I take Amtrak thru there a couple of times a year and I think I’ll fly in next time just to experience it.
Thank you for remembering this small town in the wide open spaces of the American West. I have lived nearly my whole life in one (returning after the worst three years of my life living in LA in the early '90s). And thank you for not being "big city negative" about the hotel. It is typical of the American West, not luxurious, not perfectly coifed, but clean. If you had the time, you could have done something that is impossible east of the Mississippi or west of the Sierra Nevada: drive to a place that is so quiet and so free of the sounds of civilization that you can hear a gentle wind rustling the grass or a bird singing a football pitch distant.
I live in a small town in california but am fleeing the rapidly increasing costs, It has always cost more to live here than LA or San Francisco cause were right in the middle betweenall of the big cities and everything has a huge drive to get to us so costs are insanely high. And jobs are also scarce and or dont pay anything close to livable wages and I am partially disabled so its hard to find work that I can do that isnt too demanding on me that pays enough to bother with.
Neat video Noel I really appreciate that town tour. Please show some more fun places too on your travels. I would have loved seing more of Kazakstan for exemple. It does not need to be extreme, just fun anecdotes and hearing peoples' everyday life is lovely.
I have a hypothesis that a lot of these smaller “International“ airports in the US are only named as such because they have a flight up to Canada or down to Mexico but still need to have the Border facilities. As for Harve, as someone whom as done both of the Seattle Underground tours, I would definitely like to have a look around those basement
Very commonly these towns have a road and/or railroad crossing the border that customs staffs for inspection already 24/7 (Port of Entry) The local airport can be designed as an “airport of entry” for aircraft clearing customs. Advanced notice is required so an agent can be dispatched to meet the aircraft on arrival. Typically private or charter flights. Could be a few guys coming home from a fishing trip in Canada or a Biz-jet making a tech stop from Europe.
It's crazy how much funding and amenities thses tiny airports get. There are bus stops with 10x more passengers and not so much as a bench shelter or garbage can
Interesting video Havre Montana, nice place to visit but if you don't like extreme cold, it's not a good place to live during the winter. I'm from Wisconsin, so we get our fair share of cold weather. My understanding is that Northern Montana gets even colder.
Back in the 1980s I was flying a B-727 cargo plane from Louisville, KY to Portland, OR. We did a fuel stop in Billings which was nothing more than a fuel truck fueling us on a dark ramp. We called ahead and ordered a couple Dominos Pizzas. The fuelers brought the delivery kid out to the airplane and he climber up the aluminum ladder with the pizzas. The kid was scared to death looking around the old dirty freighter. I paid him and gave him a large tip for coming out and taking care of our "catering" needs. The three of us were starved and the pizzas were gone before engine start.
Another one smashed out the park as they say in your neck of the woods! The pace the content the commentary you have really cracked a perfect recipe Noel thouroughly enjoyed every minute! Especially the tour of the motel OMG they are the same here in OZ too and same prices! Hahaha. Keep up the great work all the best to Rach hope to see you downunder in 2024 :)
I enjoyed the video Noel, I was surprised to hear the English accent at the airport in Havre. Have a lovely Christmas and best wishes to you and your family 🧑🎄🌲🧑🎄🌲.
The fun part about tiny airlines is how the same employee has more than one function. It's like Monty Python sketch when John Cleese just keeps bouncing from one window to another.
LOL - no doubt. Back in the day out west, I had flights where the same guy checked you in, announced departure and took your ticket, at the "gate" and by gate I mean door to the outside, loaded the bags on the airplane, then flew you where you were going! Very efficient staffing, that.
Welcome to Teenytown NV, my name is Elmer J. Fudd, I'm the mayor, chief cook and bottle washer!
Like in the movie 6 days and 7 nights.
I believe it was at the Pierre SD airport that the nice lady at the ticket counter suddenly became the nice lady who fueled the plane before takeoff
Grant county New Mexico airport/ same thing. The co pilot turns around and opens a mini fridge, asks if anyone wants a soda or chips, loads the bags, then unloads the bags at the end of the flight. There is only one "gate". Also, no TSA !! YAY!!
I love that the motel has screen doors on each room on top of the normal solid door. Motel looked clean...way more so than some newer motel / hotel with newer amenities. I'd choose clean over amenities any day
I'm not sure why, but something about the tiny little motels in Montana makes them cleaner and nicer than you'd expect otherwise. That's been my experience anyway.
Screen doors are common on a lot of buildings in Montana, bot sure why, though. Probably bugs.
The nearby Amtrak station for the once-daily Empire Builder between Chicago and Seattle/Portland serves about 1000 more passengers annually than the airport.
That's only like 3 more per day
Wow
Neat
I love northern Montana and take Amtrak through there a couple of times a year and every time we’ve gotten to Havre the Border Patrol is at the station and they take a walk through the train and question folks. 🤷🏻♀️
Twice a day. One stop going each way.
Can we talk about the amazing customer service the lady had at Cinnabon ❤
Do Cinnabons exist outside of airports?
@@russellmurray3964malls
@@russellmurray3964I’ve seen them in malls too.. malls and airports only lol
@@russellmurray3964yes. They’re in a lot of malls
Yeah, knowing she was filmed all the time lol
Wasn't expecting to hear another British accent in a town like that.
I know caught me completely off 😆 as a fellow brit what a random place to work.
I had to rewatch it! LMAO I was like whattttt
Came here to confirm I’d heard right too!
Yeah I´m not even British but the accent of her made me re watch the title of this video, like..They are in the States right 😲did i miseread the title ??
nor me!!! what are the chances of that!!!
OMG FLASH BACK: In 1980 to 1984 I worked for an airline called Big Sky Airlines. We flew Cessna 402's Billings, Lewistown, Havre and back. Twice a day. All essential air service routes. Havre's motto is You Haven't Had Her Until You've Had Her In Havre. HOWEVER, even flying 402's we always had two crew, a Captain and Co-Pilot. Those were the days. 40 years ago.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
And what was your career path from there, sir? Did you fly bigger aircrafts?
It's a flashback for me! In the late 90s/early 2000s I grew up in rural Alaska. My family was frequently flying Hageland Aviation Services on 402s and Caravans. The pilots were some of the coolest people I've ever met. Those 402s were such awesome machines. I miss them!
@@Dutchovenderlindefifa card
oh sweet im from lewistwon ya no more flights like that any more i wish would be super handy
If you’re interested in seeing obscure and unique airports, I’d suggest Adak airport in Alaska. It operates two regularly scheduled commercial flights a week, serving a small island town of just 171 people. It’s also the west most commercial airport in the US
Adorei a dica , quem sabe um dia eu vá ao Alaska
I'm going to try and go there Saturday
@@Levikjme too I'll see you there
That's not a town, that's a village, and so is the Adak in Sweden.
@johannessamuelsson6578 potato/ potata what's you point
Fun fact - the plane they used in the tv show Wings is still in use, flown by Cape Air.
I work at Cape Air and can send you the photos of N121PB scrapped.
International airports have US customs facilities/agents to process passenger or cargo flights. Billings being fairly close to Canada would have use for that. Also, it can be used as an alternative airport for international diversions.
yep. I went through Billings on a scheduled cargo plane to Alaska a few times.
Must be cargo these days , it seems the last scheduled International passenger flights were to YYC in the 1960's! (On an Electra!)
@@trooperdgb9722 Yes. It was a cargo flight.
Yup. Not exactly flying non-stops on British Airways to London there, are they?
What a cool little town! The underground portion looks interesting and honestly, the Siesta Motel looks cozy and charming with its retro 60’s vibe. As a train buff, I’d love to get a room at the motel, park myself on the porch and watch the trains.
I had a hotel room in Indio, California I wasn't aware was on one of the busiest stretches of railroad. I think I heard at least three trains pass through that night. I got up going, "Wtf is all that noise?" Looked out the window...and there was why. Big freight train zooming across.
@@JL-sm6cgI would have loved that! Very cool!
@@CairnTerrier69 yeah, but when you're trying to sleep...
And in the early 80's I flew for Big Sky Airlines using Swearingen Metro aircraft. We overnighted in Havre(for 6 hours) at the very same Siesta Motel. Thanks Noel for the wonderful nostalgia trip !
:P And the room likely hasn't changed since you were there!
I flew a Metro BIL to DEN once.
@@teamcoltrawell maybe a little, they’ve got flatscreen tvs now!
@@dlane5292I flew a Metro for a Billings-based company here in Puerto Rico. I fortunately ferried one from here to Billings. MT is a beautiful State!
@JoseFlores-sv8fb if you love the mountains / being outdoors, Montana is the best state in the lower 48. Only state that is better for mountains/ natural beauty is Alaska
Noel, that’s the kind of videos that you do so incredibly well. When you go to these remote towns and explore places that nobody ever imagined existed.
Keep up the amazing work. The humor, creativity and diversity in your content is greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your kind words.
Too bad that you made Havre look like a complete dump, and gave a lot of incorrect information. I feel sorry for your soul that you had a bash the small town to make yourself look so important for internet points..
I invite you to do a live video with me where I can point out all your inaccuracies.
@@aaronjanderson1942😦
Imagine meeting someone from England working at a tiny airport like that. Seemed like a nice chap.
I enjoyed this video, nice to have something different to the big airlines
If I am right the man with what sounded very much like a Scottish accent at Havre airport, wouldn't thank you for suggesting he was English...............
Thank you for doing this. I grew up in Billings and never really explored the state. I left years ago but my heritage and family are still there. I'm an aircraft mechanic and I love the 400 series Cessna. I salute you, sir.
Glad you enjoyed it!
The reason airports like this use the "international" name is that it has a customs official or some infrastructure to support having flights from other nations arrive. Usually thats because of cargo or general aviation rather than commercial passenger service.
I'm a customs broker and this is correct. Havre is what you might call a sub-port of Billings. Doesn't even need to be a customs official there, if UPS, Fedex or DHL have a facility there - and a "facility" can be as little as a locked cage area in the airport (or as large as a customs bonded warehouse near the airport) where anything ordered held for inspection can be kept secure until an official from Billings gets there.
Interesting. I was thinking t’was because an airline flies to Canada from there.👍
so i guess that's why oklahoma city has an 'international' airport w/o customs. it has ups/fedex @@atlasking6110
He was talking about the Billings airport being an international airport, not Havre which is NOT. The moniker "International" indicates a port of entry into the United States and does require a customs official.
I love how you show the town and the hotel etc, the hotel has not changed it seems since the late 60s lol, I love your respect for the town and being honest in your observations. I really enjoy your videos, keep up the great work.
Thank you so much 🤗
@@noelphilips You are most welcome but thanks goes to you, I know a lot of work goes into the videos. Much appreciated and Happy New Year!
From one aviation geek to another: your videos hit just right. Thank you for all you do.
Thank you.
Another fun tiny airport in the US is Manistee County Blacker Airport in Michigan. Some cool Lake Michigan views on the way in on the flight from Chicago.
Well I love that Siesta Hotel’s sign out front. Mid century fabulous
While driving a Dodge Ram in MT it is necessary to listen to country music. Noel becoming more American every day.😊
It may have been one of the only options. I remember going to visit family in West Virginia. In some places there was 4.5 stations. Country, Bluegrass, a station that only had religious sermons, Gospel, and sometimes you could get another Country station outside of the valleys.
OMG, Billings! When I was a kid we lived in Terry, Montana and we used to drive to Billings to grocery shop!! Brings back memories from 70 years ago!! The museum you visited looked interesting. This was fun.
Kind of a bittersweet story...Havre had more importance during the Cold War, as it was located near a couple of RADAR stations for the "Pine Tree" line. It's an important part of my family's story, as it's where my late father-in-law (an Airman in the US Air Force) was stationed at a RADAR station on the Pine Tree line, and met a college student in the local nursing college, my future mother-in-law. We don't even live in Montana, but my family wouldn't exist without the place. Then we have the shameful "essential air service" contracts, which incentivize small airline's to offer service on a route. The idea is that the airlines serving the route would establish permanent service after the incentives jump start air services, but the reality is that since the early 2000's, airlines have sprung up that chase these contracts and immediately abandon the routes after the EAS contract expired. Big Sky airlines was an excellent operator, but died after they were bought out by a new private owner that gutted the company. No one has filled the hole left by Big Sky's departure...
It's nice to run into someone who remembers that RADAR is an acronym.
In my readings on the EAS I have NEVER seen that philosophy mentioned..(.that it was "only" to kick start air services and then be unnecessary) In fact from what I'VE read the basic genesis OF the program was to subsidise air services to places that lost them after deregulation in 1978 when they became unprofitable. Nothing Ive read said it was intended to be temporary... OR that unprofitable routes could magically become profitable... could you reference that information please?
@averyprivateaccount7407 Given that Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport (YNG) is less than an hours drive from Franklin, and Franklin is only 80 miles from Pittsburgh.. one wonders how they got an EAS contract to start with?
When you headed back to Billings, I couldn’t help picturing that young female pilot being my daughter who is working her way though the commercial aviation program at the University of Oklahoma.
You dont see a lot of young female pilots. You should be a proud parent.
boomer sooner
Very cool. Much luck to your daughter. 🎇💖💐✈✈
That's so awesome, I hope she succeeds!
Wonderful! I wish you both the best, that's great.
Those underground museums and stuff were so cool! I just pictured being there back in time. Awesome.
Back in the days of Regulation, an airline could not just fly wherever they wanted to, routes were given out by the Government. Because of this, Billings became a “Hub” of sorts for airlines that did not have non-stop rights going from Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, SFO, etc, to Calgary. Edmonton and Vancouver. Hence “International”….
I think there is still like one commercial international flight a week though, Isn't there?
In the USA, "International" means that the airport has US Customs and Border Protection services, and can handle flights from outside the USA. Not that it currently hosts scheduled service to another country...😅
My guess was Canada flights.
@@cardiac19 I was more thinking like a holiday charter to somewhere like Cancun or one of the bigger Caribbean destinations.
you get these sun package flights from places no-one ever heard off, especially from far up north.
@@brentboswell1294I realize that most of the international flights here are cargo flights, but... I think there is some sort of tiny service too.
so. in america there are actually a lot of international airports that don't service international flights. the thing is some airports that were in certain stratigic locations have international status so that they have customs in case an international flight needs to make an emergancy landing and isn't within distance of a normal international airport. a good example of this is Jacksonville International airport. it's important not only because of it's location (halfway point between ATL and ORL) but it also (kinda) has a large footprint with the FAA.
I am assuming the “international” flights from that airport are to Canada.
@@d.n.8919 nope. Jax doesn't service any international flights. it is literally just the location and facilities that designate it as such.
OR, they USED to. OR, more likely, they have International CARGO flights.
@@trooperdgb9722 this is true. Jax got it's international status right before hosting the superbowl after a major expansion of the airport. it used to run 1 flight to toronto every now and then but that ended in 2017 I think. I know it was the late 2010s
@@d.n.8919 My local "international" airport in small town Michigan mostly just connects people to Detroit or Chicago, where they can change planes to get to their actual destination. I don't know how often they actually have international flights.
"54 passengers left to never return again...or come back by road, theres really no way to know." Absolute instant classic.
I laughed a bit to much at this
😂😂😂😂😂
I bet a decent chunk of those people flew to Billings to buy a car. I did that when I lived in Havre
also [8:07]: _Here we have this slidey thing, so we can have a second guest, _*_if we wanted one..._* 😂😂
Looked like a great trip! The scenery and the atmosphere was really attractive and makes you want to visit!
Wow, talk about great memories. I’ve flown that approach over the bluff into Billings hundreds of times and stayed at that Doubletree more times than I can remember. I love these small airport VLOGs as no one else does them and it makes for great content.
I think I mentioned this on your Alliance, NE video, but you really need to experience a Nanwalek landing in Alaska. As a pilot yourself now, you will appreciate it. Every single time I flew into Nanwalek 20 years ago, my passengers would clap after a successful landing. I honestly think, you could spend an entire week in Alaska during the summer and get loads of great content.
I’ve flown out of that airport so many times, and I’ve been waiting for you to make a video about it! My grandma was actually on your flight back to Billings (front left seat). So glad to see Havre getting some love, great vid!!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Nice to get a glimpse of Cape Air, which came to the rescue when our local airport lost it's last passenger service several years ago.
Love the little post-TSA screening waiting area. It shows even the tiniest airports still have the same processes and different types of spaces.
I love going through tiny airports. Get there 30 minutes before boarding, through security in 5 minutes, and done. Sometimes well worth the extra money to fly out of the small airport. Except that the TSA folks don't get much practice at things like wiping down a laptop bag for explosives so they'll pick people at random, and if they're going to do it with a single mom with three kids, or me, it's me every time 😂 (not that I mind)
16:10 "I just hate kids flying" Right behind the young pilot. Brillant!
18:10 Pilot: Watch me whip! Watch me nay-nay!
I had a kid kicking the back of my
seat earlier this year. Enough!!!!!!!
@@SassyyjuicyMariajust remember, you and all of us were kids at once. And just as we all will be old and dying off too, all of us.
@@johnnyc0811So you want her to just accept a kid kicking her seat?
I'm pretty sure he didn't mean a young pilot but actual kids who are annoying as fuck if their parents haven't raised them right. I hate those too. Nothing against a 20 yo FO on my flight.
These kinds of flights/locations are why I subscribed Noel....Love this stuff!! Had NO idea that Cape Air flew from Billings, or anywhere in Montana. I've been to Cape Air's home airport in Hyannis, MA many times, never flew out of it....used to work for Avis Rent-A-Car in Boston. Seeing stuff like this makes me want to get back out on my weekends and explore more. Hilarious on that hotel room from the 70's!!
Glad you enjoyed it
I took that same flight last summer. The whole time I was thinking "this would be a great Noel Philips video". Glad to see it happened.
Well done sir! 👍 This is one of THE most interesting videos you've done!...Love it...more like this please
I really love your videos and I really like how kind you are to everyone you meet. Especially the hospitality workers. Saying hi and thank you really goes a ling way. I'm a bartender and it means so much to me when people are kind like you. Happy Holidays To You!!
Love this. Reminds me of a story my mom told me. She had a medical transcriptionist job interview back in 1980 in a town called McCook Nebraska about halfway between Omaha and Denver. She had to fly in a snowstorm and like Havre, lodging options weren’t great. So she was snowbound in McCook and got out on a mail plain that had to land every so often, so it wasn’t fun for her. Fortunately she stayed in Omaha.
Thanks for visiting us in Billings MT!! You described it perfectly, it is a "big" small town lol. When I first looked at the thumbnail, I swear I instantly wondered if it was going to be in Montana. Very Synchronistic! BTW, the First Interstate Bank building is the tallest building in Billings 😀 Great Video!!❤
Thanks for taking us on a tour of a part of the country I haven't seen before. The honest-to-god motel room key suddenly made me think "I haven't seen a motel key like that in ages". The room's not retro, it's the real deal! It's been quite while since I took a ride in a small plane, you reminded me how it's a bit like a magic carpet.
Glad you enjoyed it!
You would think that town was named by one of Montana's many Norwegian settlers, as Havre means oats in Norwegian, but it's actually named after Le Havre, France.
This sounds like a lot of fun! And you went the extra mile to showcase a bit of Havre's History totally amazing! I might do the same trip one day for funzies.
Awesome video Noel. Love flying on those smaller planes. The United States has so much to explore. So happy to hear Rachel is feeling better. Travels safe. Happy Holidays to you and your beautiful family.
What a nice trip! We never see much of these smaller airports and I’m happy you give us a glimpse of it.
My old boss (sadly passed away now) used to fly from Billings Montana to Dubai every 6 weeks for over 20 years, not direct obviously. That room is worth about £20 a night, rank.
Cool video, Noel. Your segment on checking in at the Siesta Motel reminded me of the movie, "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" when Steve Martin as Neil Page and John Candy as Del Griffith check into the Braidwood Inn at Wichita KS after their New York to Chicago got diverted due to weather in Chicago.
I just flew from Billings to Wolf Point, MT using Cape Air a few months back in the Tecnam. Unfortunately, on my scheduled flight back to Billings (and connecting flight), the entire Tecnam fleet was grounded for maintenance and I had to quickly rent a car (which, in Northern Montana on a weekend was not exactly easy to do), and drive back to Billings.
You're lucky they had a Cessna, because that's not a usual part of the Montana fleet.
I don't think Cape Air will order more of those Tecnam's.
Really enjoyed that you showed more of the town as well and not just the flight experience.
Thanks Noel for this video. I love to see Cape Air. It brings back great memories. Use to fly back and forth from St. Thomas to St Croix USVI on Cape Air. The pilots were always friendly and professional.
The way you make these videos are so comforting and awesome 😎
Thank you for the kind words.
@@noelphilips you’re welcome safe travels and enjoy ✈️🙏
Sat here on a rainy windy Sunday afternoon in IOM 🇮🇲, this is a wonderful vlog to watch , Thankyou Noel for going to the lengths you go to , to bring us these wonderful places…lovely bloke at your morning check in….he seemed very at ease with all that goes on in a quiet American town….👍👌🇮🇲
Glad you enjoyed it
Just caught this video. That's my hometown, and I was considering moving back which is the only reason I was doing Havre searches.
Really enjoyed this video, one of your best. It inspired me to go googling the town and looking at maps and town plans! I’m fascinated by such remote tiny “cities” - I didn’t realise quite how remote they were. It really drives home how not long ago the settling of the US was!
I really enjoyed watching my favorite aviation content creator visiting my homestate! Thank you for showing us off!
I visited Billings for work back in January 2020 and stayed in that hotel, though it was a Sheraton and not a Doubletree then. I learned it was the tallest building between Minneapolis and Seattle. I imagine there’s a strong probability that is still true! I enjoyed Billings and wouldn’t mind visiting again if I’m ever exploring that part of the country!
The First Interstate Bank building is the tallest building we have in Billings. That was built many years ago.
@@ZetaRosen Ah ok...maybe it was tallest hotel. Not sure obviously. But, after all, it's been a...*gulp*....quarter of a century!
@@FoCoBuzz Definitely the tallest hotel!! 😀 Growing up in Billings I remember as a kid that the DoubleTree (used to be the Sheraton hotel) was the tallest building, and then the Scott family built the FIB building and that became the new tallest. Hope you had an enjoyable stay when you visited! 😀
@@ZetaRosen I did! Being from Atlanta, it was very cool to be there in winter! The first morning, there was five inches of snow on the ground. In Atlanta that would be "stay home, full shut down" mode, but I was amazed how life goes on in colder areas! LOL! I was an engineer at the time doing an acceptance test for a wireless comm system we were installing for the electric utility. We were out drive testing, collecting data for a few days, driving around the city and areas to the southwest. Even for work trip, it was a great experience. Loved getting a big, "local" bison steak for dinner one night! I would definitely like to get back as a tourist. I have been through western Montana since then, but not back to the Billings area yet.
I enjoy when you show us around the place you have flown to. Thanks, and Merry Christmas 🎄
Same to you!
I love these videos where you get to explore the town!
Great video! I lived and worked in Havre right after college in the mid 2000's. Not much has changed, I see. Thanks for the walk down memory lane!
Have flown Cape Air many times between Puerto Rico and US Virgin Is...most memorable flight was an evening flight under a starry Caribbean night and the red glow of the turbocharged Continental engines.
the tunnels make sense when you consider the normal winter weather for the area able to shop and go from store to store without going into the elements
Maybe those 50 people used the Empire Builder Amtrak to get back into Havre, looking at the schedule it does take a day to either Portland or Chicago, but at least the schedule allows for relaxed overnighting.
Tho having been stuck in Havre during an Amtrak disruption before, I would totally get just not wanting to go back.
Reminds me of a trip I took back in or about 2010 - all for just taking an Amtrak train. Flew from ORD to MSP, then MSP to MOT in either a Bombardier or an Embraer jet, and then boarded the Amtrak Empire Builder from Minot back to CHI. MOT is a small airport (smallest I've been to), and as soon as we all disembarked from the jet, the place was a ghost airport. Fun and good stuff doing these unusual travels! Love your videos & trips Noel! Do more trips like these!
$100/night for that motel room?!?!? And the slogan outside was: "Not cheap, just low prices"... THAT IS NOT LOW for a motel holy moly! I would NOT pay $100 for that motel. Motels are supposed to be cheaper than a hotel... and that is overpriced as heck!
If you think that's bad, I paid $136 for a room at a Hotel F1 in France in October. The only difference I could make out between it and a prison cell was a toilet in the corner of the room.
How are you a day early? Genuine question.
@@ConcordeRNpatreon probably
I never thought there will be TSA personal at the airport 😂
I wonder how much the plane ticket cost you ?
I've been to Havre, Montana once. Border Security between Canada and the US took me a some time to pass with my Australian Passport, whilst my Canadian hosts were whipped through. The reason I travelled there was simply to join the Amtrak Empire Builder to Seattle. So as you were flying in, I'm looking and going I recognize, and that and that. I also had to buy new shoes as I managed to kill one of my pairs prior to arrival..... Thank you for the flash back :)
Bet you'd enjoy the underground tour in Old Sacramento. After several devastating floods back in the 1800's, Sacramento literally raised the entire town. Now the Sacramento Museum, which has a popular YT channel, gives underground tours of the old town.
Your adventures are heartwarming for me. I want to take a long bus trip or fly to some faraway small town but right now just can’t do it.
Thank you, Noel. 🙏
Are you going to do the aviation equivalent of Geoff Marshall (he visits the least used train station in each UK county), i.e. visiting the least used airport in every state?
But Geoff does it all in one day 😁
Great video, Noel. I love the small airplanes, small airports, and retro motels. So much more interesting than another Boeing or Airbus.
Great video. Hope you do more of the small EAS airports in the USA.
Like other commenters, I too am stuck on that motel. By the way, that tile is from post-WW II 1950s, exactly like my father and mother had in their small-town house here in Central California, by Taylor and Wheeler. Lovely video. Montana looks like a homey place out of the 1950s when life was simpler and purer with proud vets able to use their GI Bill to buy a home for wife and kiddos.
I live in Yuma, AZ, and we, too, have a small airport that has 'International' in its name. From what I understand here in Yuma's case is that the proximity to Mexico means it could have flights that cross the border. Montana's proximity to Canada is probably the same reason they have their 'int'l' airport.
Houston went with Bush Intercontinental Airport to emphasize its reach too.
I think the 'International' designation applies to being able to ship and receive goods rather than just people.
It means they have a customs and immigration post for flights crossing the border.
I fly in and out of Yuma, and the reason it’s international is because there’s customs available there. Also, Yuma isn’t really that small anymore. Flights to PHX and DFW, tons of GA, and lots of military
Minot is the same way
@Noel Phillips is hope if your ever in Las Vegas you could go to SLE (Salem, OR) and records your thoughts on the trip
Fantastic video, Noel. Small airports, aircraft and towns are always nice for a change. The Siesta hotel room reminds me of scenes from movies where a fugitive walks in, pays for a room and no sooner has he walked up to his room than the television in the reception area displays his image. The receptionist gets onto the phone, calls the cops and before settling in, the fugitive watches law enforcement arrive through the front window. He escapes (why is it that the fugitives are always men?) through the back window, leaving law enforcement baffled...
Fugitives and "wanted" characters always go for motels where they can see who's coming in and have an exit at the back. In addition, such scenes are filmed in small towns just like Havre.
Good call. Reminds me of the ending in Fargo when Jerry gets caught in the motel. Same wooden paneling...
@@minimark123 A barking dog in the parking lot would alert the occupant that it was time to flee (Terminator 1)
I flew int Billings many years ago and at that time only one small building and the single runway and no ground start equipment.
A very lonely place!
Had to keep the engine on the right (starboard) side running to be able to restart the port (left) engine.
Must have been a completely unexpected surprise to run into a fellow ex-pat in Northern Montana
Great video! I have been to Havre before. My mom spent her honeymoon there in 1949. I was able to take her on a trip through Montana in 2016 which included Havre and she shared stories of growing up all over Montana.
I really enjoyed this video Noel, didn’t expect to find a fellow Brit in middle of Montana in a very rural airport! That’s a flight I’d love to do
Glad you enjoyed it!
Not far from Medicine Hat Alberta Canada 🇨🇦… it would be great to visit this region one day. Thank You for sharing this fine small city. BTW.. Moose Jaw Saskatchewan also has a unique underground tunnel network worth seeing as well.
I think the Noel-flies-to-the-@rse-end-of-nowhere videos are my favorites. Great stuff. The people, the places and the planes are just so interesting (as they were on your Greyhound vid last week tbf). Also, may I suggest you accidentally leave your camera on again in future? The luggage footage was awesome 🤣
I enjoyed this episode, Noel, thanks. I've flown Cape Air many times over the years, but only to and from Martha's Vineyard. (It was on either Cape Air or PBA -- probably PBA -- that I flew a beautiful old DC-3 to the Vineyard, sometime in the 1980s. The most elegant cabin!) I had no idea Cape Air operated in Montana! It's fun to see these remote parts of the country.
Loved the old motel key fob -- would be tempted to "drop into any mailbox" to see if the postal service still honors that promise! 😉 Another fun video, Noel, thanks!
Great stuff, Noel! Thanks.
14:14 Unbelievable….the ‘other’ English gentleman at the airport is my old boss from the Royal Air Force. Served together in Germany in the late 90’s. Massive Manchester City fan unfortunately, apart from that a great guy and great to see he’s ok. Thanks for the video Noel and reminding me of some good memories.
I like when you show the extras in the city and hotel.
My grandmother was born near there in 1915. She said she and her sisters would walk along the tracks and the rail workers would toss them coal. Family moved to MN late 20s.
Funny, my grandmother was born in Big Timber in 1919 and moved to MN in 1923. She just passed in July at 103 years.
Loved your background music, Noel!
Noel continues to show that he is in fact an American. He does love the pickups. 😁
I absolutely love your videos. I always end the video with a big cheeky smile and thinking to myself… wow, What a wonderful video! Always a pleasure when you post. Can’t wait for more
Thank you so much for your kind words.
@@noelphilips thank you for being awesome! Blue skies, friend
Noel might just be the world's most pleasant man, injecting a much-needed dose of joyful contentment straight into my veins
He’s always so polite and pleasant to people no matter what is going on. It’s refreshing to see
I,m a woman & i love watching Noels flights & escapades to wherever . I find him facinating
He truly is a sweetie. 😁
I agree, anybody who can do a coast to coast trip on a Greyhound bus and survive it with some humor added in...has my vote for "Person of the Year."
It looks sort of sleepy but there’s a branch of Montana State University in town so there is plenty to do. I take Amtrak thru there a couple of times a year and I think I’ll fly in next time just to experience it.
Thank you for remembering this small town in the wide open spaces of the American West. I have lived nearly my whole life in one (returning after the worst three years of my life living in LA in the early '90s). And thank you for not being "big city negative" about the hotel. It is typical of the American West, not luxurious, not perfectly coifed, but clean. If you had the time, you could have done something that is impossible east of the Mississippi or west of the Sierra Nevada: drive to a place that is so quiet and so free of the sounds of civilization that you can hear a gentle wind rustling the grass or a bird singing a football pitch distant.
I live in a small town in california but am fleeing the rapidly increasing costs, It has always cost more to live here than LA or San Francisco cause were right in the middle betweenall of the big cities and everything has a huge drive to get to us so costs are insanely high. And jobs are also scarce and or dont pay anything close to livable wages and I am partially disabled so its hard to find work that I can do that isnt too demanding on me that pays enough to bother with.
Neat video Noel
I really appreciate that town tour. Please show some more fun places too on your travels. I would have loved seing more of Kazakstan for exemple. It does not need to be extreme, just fun anecdotes and hearing peoples' everyday life is lovely.
I have a hypothesis that a lot of these smaller “International“ airports in the US are only named as such because they have a flight up to Canada or down to Mexico but still need to have the Border facilities.
As for Harve, as someone whom as done both of the Seattle Underground tours, I would definitely like to have a look around those basement
Very commonly these towns have a road and/or railroad crossing the border that customs staffs for inspection already 24/7 (Port of Entry) The local airport can be designed as an “airport of entry” for aircraft clearing customs. Advanced notice is required so an agent can be dispatched to meet the aircraft on arrival. Typically private or charter flights. Could be a few guys coming home from a fishing trip in Canada or a Biz-jet making a tech stop from Europe.
Great vid. I enjoyed watching.
It's crazy how much funding and amenities thses tiny airports get. There are bus stops with 10x more passengers and not so much as a bench shelter or garbage can
Interesting video
Havre Montana, nice place to visit but if you don't like extreme cold, it's not a good place to live during the winter. I'm from Wisconsin, so we get our fair share of cold weather. My understanding is that Northern Montana gets even colder.
Back in the 1980s I was flying a B-727 cargo plane from Louisville, KY to Portland, OR. We did a fuel stop in Billings which was nothing more than a fuel truck fueling us on a dark ramp. We called ahead and ordered a couple Dominos Pizzas. The fuelers brought the delivery kid out to the airplane and he climber up the aluminum ladder with the pizzas. The kid was scared to death looking around the old dirty freighter. I paid him and gave him a large tip for coming out and taking care of our "catering" needs. The three of us were starved and the pizzas were gone before engine start.
Another one smashed out the park as they say in your neck of the woods! The pace the content the commentary you have really cracked a perfect recipe Noel thouroughly enjoyed every minute! Especially the tour of the motel OMG they are the same here in OZ too and same prices! Hahaha. Keep up the great work all the best to Rach hope to see you downunder in 2024 :)
Glad you enjoyed it
I love Noel's sarcasm in the motel room. English humour indeed
He better be ... 100 bucks for a 15 dollar motel room 😢
@@FrankypankyV8 $40 dollar motel room right now, artificial inflation causing inflation in rest of USA businesses of a room being $20--$25.
I enjoyed the video Noel, I was surprised to hear the English accent at the airport in Havre. Have a lovely Christmas and best wishes to you and your family 🧑🎄🌲🧑🎄🌲.
Thanks, you too!