Tonight, I decided to copy real world Delta flight # 1559 with
service from KMSP to KLAX. My friend and fellow flight sim enthusiast,
aka Boeing Buddy, is scheduled to make this flight on Sunday, October 5,
2014 with a scheduled departure of 1114 CST. I also decided to make the flight
using the VATSIM (virtual air traffic simulation) network. I'm still a
"newby" using the VATSIM network and have a lot to learn about the
procedures which are duplicated as close as possible to real world ATC
procedures. Thanks to FlightAware, I was able to locate the flight along
with the filed flight route and off I went.
I
departed KMSP runway 30L via the SCHEP 8 Departure using unicom
procedures since KMSP was not staffed with on-line controllers. I
entered Los Angeles air space after a couple of hours and luckily the
on-line controller was patient with folks like me who are still learning
the ropes. I was cleared into KLAX via the RIIVR2 Arrival with the ILS
landing to 25L. To say that things happen fast on descent with the 757
is an understatement. I was quickly "behind the jet" which I think
I've heard before from Boeing Buddy :-) In the end, I was able to get
the jet down to capture the localizer and as you can see, the air
quality was captured very well on approach. I changed the time of the
sim to mimic the actual flight time so that is why it was showing as
"day time." Anyway, enjoy the screenshots depicting the flight.
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| Passengers and baggage are being loaded up |
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| Push-back complete and ready to taxi |
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| Wing view during the taxi |
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| Another wing view before turning onto 30L |
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| A look out the captain's side window |
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| Climbing to FL320 |
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| Approaching the Rocky Mountains north of Denver, Colorado |
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| Approaching Lake Arrowhead |
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| Los Angeles in the distance (nice smog and my old stopping ground) |
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| RWY 25L (not visible yet) |
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| Approaching 25L |
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| On taxiway Charlie, looking for Gate 69B |
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| Parked at the gate and luggage coming off! |
Ha, Griff!
ReplyDeleteYep, that's pretty much exactly what it looked like yesterday. The F/O flew the leg, the jet had no issues (save a couple of "deferred items" that were cabin lights that needed to be replaced), and we did it in 3:16 as per the flight plan. We got a few nibbles on the ride over the Rockies, but not even enough to get us to leave FL340...so all in all, it was a damned smooth ride.
We had about a 25 kt quartering tailwind on the descent, and the ATC folks messed with us just a tiny bit on the RIIVR STAR, and in the end the F/O did get a tad bit high on the descent profile (less than 1000' above it, so no real problems), but by the final approach fix, he was back on the path, on the glideslope and he made an absolutely beautiful round-out and touchdown.
The only ugly part of the entire flight was that since we were about :30 early, we had to sit on the "B" taxiway for about 20 minutes waiting for the gate to open up. We eventually made it into gate 68B a few minutes early, and it was "another one in the books".
It was a great way to "ease" back into the work world after 7 weeks off....lol.
Off to Haneda tongiht, and home on Thursday!
BBall (aka Boeing Buddy)