DAL 1151 KSFO-KMSP

Apparently it has been a while since I've posted a blog update and like I've said before, I'm still flying.  I've made some recent flights with the Nutters which were certainly worthy of the blog but unfortunately, time escaped me and I never got around to posting the flights.  We recently made a group flight from EHAM (Schiphol) down to TNCM (Princess Juliana) and apart from the craziness with other on-line pilots and a lack of ATC, it was good fun.  I wasn't planning a flight today but a text from Boeing Buddy got me inspired to make an afternoon flight from KSFO to KMSP.  Boeing Buddy was in the middle of a 4 day trip which would have him finishing up flying the red eye into KPDX.  But first, he had to get to KMSP as flight # DAL 1151 and I was going to fly along with him (virtually of course).  

I made it home in time to prepare the flight and thanks to Flight Aware, I was able to locate the flight and see the filed route.  Boeing Buddy and I exchanged some texts and I did my best to match the gate and departure time for the flight back to Minneapolis.  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to complete the flight on VATSIM since I wouldn't be able to sit behind the virtual controls for the entire flight so I elected to fire up Pro-ATC-X for the ATC duties and AI traffic was provided courtesy of Ultimate Traffic 2.  I loaded up the sim and began to prepare the flight while parked at gate C40.  The virtual bags, passengers, and in-flight meals were loaded onto today's Boeing 757-200 and it was time to obtain clearance for the flight.  Clearance Delivery cleared me to the KMSP as filed via the TRUKN2 departure via runway 28L.  The flight plan was entered and preparations continued while I fired up LiveATC (liveatc.net) on my desktop.  I was hoping to hear Boeing Buddy using his "pilot voice" on the radio but he would be the pilot in command today so the F/O was handling the radio duties during the flight.  I heard the call sign over the ground frequency and tracked their taxi progress to RWY 28L.  

The virtual DAL 1151 was ready to push back and virtual traffic wasn't too busy at the airport today.  I cleared the ramp area and a Southwest flight was kind enough to let me out of the ramp area and onto Bravo.  A few minutes later I was holding short of 28L and requested take-off clearance from SF Tower.  A small United CRJ was landing on 28R as I began to prepare for a line-up onto 28L and as always, it is nice to see other traffic at the airfield, adding to the immersion factor.  Take-off clearance was received and the engines began to rumble as the 752 rolled down the runway.  By this time, I had also switched to the real tower and the real flight had already departed 28L and had switched to NorCal departure.  A quick frequency changed caught Boeing Buddy's flight climbing out via the TRUKN2 departure and they were cleared direct to ORRCA intersection and that point, it was time to continue my virtual flight.  

The climbout from KSFO was uneventful and I enjoyed some nice views of The City as well as the Golden Gate Bridge as I began my climb to FL370.  Today's flight would take me over the beautiful Lake Tahoe and due to the routing, I was hoping to be able to see the actual flight flying south of my house.  Unfortunately, the routing was too far south to be able to see from my house but I continued to track the real flight on Flight Aware and compared it to my location in the simulator.  I adjusted my speed to make up some time since the real DAL 1151 had departed a few minutes ahead of me.  I managed to keep a good pace and picked up some nice tailwinds across the states.  

After about 2.5 hours, the sun was beginning to set and the skies were getting dark.  I began to prepare for the descent and unfortunately, Pro-ATC-X had not confirmed my approach into KMSP and it was indicating a landing on 12R.  I requested descent and began to descend via the TORGY2 STAR and after further descent, I was finally handed off to the approach controller.  I had input the landing approach for 12R but as luck would have it, ATC changed it up and told me to expect the ILS approach to 30R.  Other AI flights began to chatter across frequency and KMSP was starting to come alive.  I acquired the airfield visually as I continued my approach to 30R and since the weather was fairly clear, I elected to disconnect the autopilot and hand flew the jet from left base down to touchdown.  I was a little high on the approach but was able to adjust accordingly for a nice landing.  I exited 30R at Mike and was given taxi instructions to Gate G8.  As I taxied along Bravo, company traffic had touched down on 30L and I made the left turn into the ramp area to end the flight.  Another great flight was in the books and this one was even better since I was flying along with a good friend.  As I flew the approach, I had opened KMSP approach on liveatc.net and the real world airport was very busy with arrivals.  Again, I heard DAL 1151 on approach onto 30L and after touchdown and taxi to the gate....they prepared for the red eye to KPDX as DAL 1780.  Since I elected to post this blog update, I wasn't able to fly along to Portland but as I type, Flight Aware has DAL 1780 cruising along nicely at FL360 with an on-time arrival into KPDX.  Thanks for following along and until the next virtual flight.......enjoy the screenshots.  Make sure you click on the screenshots for the full size.  

Add-ons Used:
FSX w/DX-10 enabled (Steve's Fixer)
Qualitywings 757-200
Orbx Global and Vector
Pro-ATC-X
Ultimate Traffic 2
Active Sky Next
REX Texture Direct w/ Soft Clouds  
FSDreamteam GSX ground services
Flightbeam KSFO scenery

Blasting over KRNO at FL370

    

North of Salt Lake, UT

Keeping track with my flight and the real DAL 1151