Rand Peck: A Life Aloft

747 Reserve... oh, and the ill-behaved pax on American

2011-12-12T09:19:00.002-05:00

I've received many emails lately, the latest from Rob in Oklahoma, asking where I've been. Why aren't you writing? Where are your pictures? Are you still alive? Firstly, thanks very much for your notes and concern for my welfare, it's much appreciated.

Captain Gene Peterson and myself preparing to leave JFK for Narita during my OE training.

Let me explain my absence. I completed ground-school and simulator training by mid May and then OE with Gene sometime in June and excitedly looked forward to getting out and flying the B-747-400. I could hardly wait! But as most of you know I was awarded this position in the "Reserve" category. As it turns out 747 reserves do very little flying. And I mean VERY LITTLE FLYING, two trips in eight months in my case.

We have only 16 of these aircraft, the airlines smallest fleet and see only two departures a day from DTW, our only 747 domicile. There are of course daily departures from JFK, Narita, Nagoya, Tel Aviv etc, but they're staffed and unlikely to change once the trip has begun.

I seem to spend most of my time commuting to MSP and visiting the simulator to maintain currency which means three takeoffs and landings every 90 days. These sim sessions of course expose us to much more than just the minimum criteria, such as engine failures, max crosswind landings, instrument takeoffs, aborts and a variety of precision and non precision approaches. But it's still just a simulator.

Some relish this lack of activity or what some consider "time off" but I'm not part of that group. I miss flying and its associated camaraderie. I miss wandering through Paris, Mainz, or London and enjoying dinner in restaurants that I've frequented for years. So, as soon as my training freeze expires next September I plan to bid the 767-400 in JFK and get back to that which I enjoy.... flying, exploring, eating and writing about it.

Now, before I complain too much, I've re-roofed my garage, painted my house, built an addition, constructed a garden with my wife, waxed my vehicles, built a few pieces of furniture, visited Switzerland and have read to my hearts content. It's been wonderful, but I would like to get out and fly occasionally. I miss the airplanes, the people and the activity.

I've had many offers though from several DC-9 and A-320 captains who would like to change positions! Hmmm....... I think not. As they say, "been there and done that," but thanks for your kind offer.

Hopefully crew sched will assign me a trip sometime soon so I can fire up my camera, activate my word processor and get back at it. Thanks again for your concerns and Merry Christmas.

But before I go indulge me; I can't help myself but I'll keep it short.

I know many smart people. But how do I know they're smart? It's simple, I determine this from conversation, how they handle themselves, how they relate to others, express their positions and live their lives. Are they loud, flamboyant, and like to be heard? Or do they listen as well as they speak and speak calmly with purpose and authority? I touched upon this in an earlier blog post when I stated, "the minute a captain has to raise his voice and remind someone that he is the captain... he's lost his authority."

When someone has to tell me that he or she is smart, because they're worried I may not notice it on my own... a red flag goes up. Alec Baldwin thought it was important to tell you and me he's smart because he plays games designed for "smart people." Oh!!

When that same person rants and raves, slams doors, thinks that the rules don't apply to him and resorts to name calling, "retired catholic school gym teachers" I'm unlikely to categorize him as smart as much as I'd label him "needy" of attention.

He's a celebrity, a movie star and lives in a different world than the rest of us. But it is "us" who give him his importance. Without "us" he'd not enjoy his elevated status. What's difficult for me to grasp though, is why we do.

Rand

2011-10-21T11:53:00.000-04:00

If you're former Air New England.....

What are you doing on 29 October 2011?

Hopefully you'll be joining us at the Hyannis Radisson Hotel at 5:00 pm until whenever, to celebrate our 30th anniversary of going out of business. Presently more than 50 ANE people will be there and we hope to see you.

Here's the current guest list and it's growing fast.

Rooms are available at a special ANE rate at the Radisson too: 508-771-1700

Bob Adelizzi
Bob and Ilda Andrews
Carolyn Senerchia Baczenski
Bob Bourdon
John and Betty Brier and Elle
David and Candy Brush
Doug and Susan Chafee
Roger Charbonneau
Helena Korkala Dixon
Howard Elkins
Judy Farley
George Haines
Dan Hallinan
Christine Hamersley
Sharon Heffernan +1
Fred Holdgate
Bob and Gail Kahn
Mary Lynn and Kevin Kiley
Chuck King
Mark and Caryl LaScola
Gail and Alec Lyall
Fred Malouf
Sean and Marina McCarthy
John McMahon
Paul and Sandy Mercandetti
Richie and Nancee Peters
Carol and Jack Ryan
Lori Samuelson Seman
Doug Stone
Bruce Weiland
Lois Nelson and JB Whitehead
Craig Winkfield
Rand Peck
Wes Lundquist

To RSVP please email Chris Hamersley at: christinehamersley@gmail.com

A new story about Northeast Airlines is out.

2011-07-25T10:28:00.009-04:00

Here's an interesting story, let's see if authorities finally take a crew assault seriously!

Just a quick note please before we get into NEA...

I met Jack Hartery yesterday who worked for Air New England from 1974 until 1979 while he was visiting his sister in NH. After ANE he enjoyed a 25 year career with United Airlines as a dispatcher. He donated much to my ANE collection and my ANE friends can learn more by visiting our Picasa album. Great to see you again Jack and thanks for contacting me.

Northeast Airlines 1931 - 1972

My Dad in a B-727 during his retirement flight in 1980

As many of you know, I have a penchant for Northeast Airlines. An unabashed admiration for those who formed it, flew for it, maintained it, invested in it and otherwise served to keep the colorful airline aloft. Organized in 1931 under contract with Juan Trippe at Pan American Airways, it survived on its own until merging with Delta in 1972. It also had a long railroad affiliation until changing its name from Boston-Maine Airways to Northeast Airlines in 1940 with the introduction of its first, brand new, Douglas DC-3. It's fleet over the years grew from its core of Stinsons, to Lockheed 10A's, DC-3's, Convair 240's, DC-4's, DC-6B's, Viscounts, FH-227's, Convair 880's, 727's and DC-9's. In fact they flew a Curtis-Wright Commando for a short period of time.

My father as a Convair 240 and DC-3 captain and a B-727 captain

Dad hired on at NEA in 1946 after serving during WWII with the US Army Air Force, flying C-47's, B25's and B26's. He hung around the NEA East Boston hangar complex for days, pestering Chief Pilot Pappy Wheeler until he hired him as a DC-3 copilot. Other names that I grew up with as a kid were captain Andy Anderson, the airlines first pilot who flew their Stinson Tri-motors acquired from The Ludington Line. He retired in the mid sixties flying a Convair 880. Not bad for a little "shoe string" airline. Captain Anderson had also served the airline and its pilots as VP of Flight Ops and later as it's ALPA MEC Chairman.

There's not much written about Northeast, a trunk carrier that flew pretty much as a regional airline until breaking out in 1957 when the CAB (Civil Aeronautics Board, now defunct) awarded it Florida rights, much to the consternation of Rickenbacker at Eastern and Baker at National. However, captain Bob Mudge undertook the challenge and wrote the airlines biography, Adventures of a Yellowbird, that chronicled the airline from 1931 until its entry into the jet age. Bob is another hero of mine, along with retired captain Norman Houle, the official, unofficial company historian. I've spent hours sitting with these men listening to stories that only whet my appetite more to become an airline pilot.

Do an Amazon or Ebay search for captain Mudge's book and you might, just might find one for under a hundred dollars. That's how rare it is. I have three signed copies, but don't ask to borrow one; it's the only book in my collection that I will NOT lend out. Several years ago at an NEA reunion, TWA captain Bob Buck, another legend, asked if I knew of Bob's book concerning meteorology. According to captain Buck, it is "the most scholarly book written in its field." I have one of these too and of course, Bob Mudge mocked me when I asked him to autograph it. "That old thing Rand, why in the world would you want me to sign it?"

Because it's a masterpiece, a piece of history that has contributed to the level of safety that we enjoy today.

My father and "Red's Boy" as his contemporaries refer to me.

I'm very proud of that moniker!

Above, my Dad and me in the cockpit of a B-727 on his retirement flight in January 1980. My four stripes were earned at the time flying as a Twin Otter captain at BOS based Air New England. I loved my time at ANE and flew there right up until they closed the doors in October of 1981. It was as close as I'd get to flying for NEA, over the same routes out of BOS and LGA. As a boy in the late 1950's, I remember flying to Florida with my father in the jumpseat of a DC-6B.

NEA DC-6B

We departed BOS at midnight in a roaring Noreaster, dumping massive amounts of snow throughout New England. Seven or so hours later, after listening to four Pratt & Whitney R2800's beat flawlessly and navigating a dark and foreboding Eastern Seaboard, the shining city of Miami appeared through the windscreen. White beaches, aqua water, sailboats and glimmering buildings in the sun, erased any thoughts of inclement weather left behind in Boston and further drove me to seek this life aloft. The food was pretty good too, but it would be years later until I acquired a taste for "airline coffee."

1954 NEA timetable, before the Florida route award.

As a side-note, I interviewed with Delta in 1978 in ATL. After looking through my application and resume, my inquisitor, apparently happy with what he saw said, "Rand, you're going to love it here at Delta, it's a family operation." Needless to say I was excited as visions of DC-9's and 727's danced in my head. Flying those Beech 18's and Twin Otters finally paid off. But hold on a second...

A few moments later he noticed a section on the application that asked, Do you have any family members in the employ of Delta Airlines? Of course I answered affirmatively with "yes, CK Peck, BOS captain." With that my major airline career hopes were dashed and the Twin Otters replaced the Nines and 727's yet again. Delta had a nepotism clause in those days excluding family members from working at THE FAMILY. I've never understood this but that was their policy, so back to flying my New England routes until deregulation came about and changed everything.

A fleet of Northeast Airlines DC-3's at the Barre-Montipelier Airport in Vermont.

Frankly, I've written about all of this before and most of it can be found on my website under the tab, RAND'S HISTORY, but as you may have guessed there's a reason that I've brought it up again. Author David Stringer has written a three part history of NEA for AIRWAYS MAGAZINE, the last part to appear in the October issue. The first two installments are in the August and September issue of 2011.

As I'd mentioned to Editor Wegg in an email, "I started reading David's story with a jaded eye, after all, how could an outsider possibly get this right." I'm happy to report that my concerns were unfounded as Stringer has done a superb job of portraying the nations smallest trunk airline. He successfully captured it's flavor, it's essence and it's place in history. Captains, Mudge, Houle and Peck I'm sure would be pleased with his work.

I'm also an unabashed supporter of AIRWAYS MAGAZINE, not just because they publish some of my work, (not all of it, they're very selective) but because it's the bible from my perspective, for the tens of thousands of commercial aviation enthusiasts around the globe. I see them everywhere with their cameras on tripods when landing at airfields throughout the U.S., Asia and Europe. It's the premier commercial aviation publication, written by enthusiasts for enthusiasts.

Anyway, if you enjoy airline history, particularly when that history includes round engines, cowl flaps and METO power, you won't want to miss Stringer's three part NEA history.

As usual, thanks for reading.

Rand

Part 3: The Simulator Phase

2011-07-11T05:14:00.001-04:00

Randy, Steve, Doug and I have completed groundschool and the Procedures phase of our 747 training and have moved on to the simulator phase, which, although far more intense, is a lot of fun. That is of course if everything is going well! We've been split off from Steve and Doug enjoying the "A" period that runs from 0500 to 1030 while Randy and I are assigned the "D" period that flies from 1800 until 2330. Surprisingly this period worked well for us. Although we finished late at night I got a good nights sleep and had the entire following day to exercise and study.

As I'd mentioned earlier, Randy and I are both captains which means that half of the four hour simulator period we'll be in the copilots seat assisting the other. Not optimum, but that's the way that it goes.

Our "D" period consists of an hour and a half brief from 1800 until 1930 and then in the simulator from 1930 until 2230. Sounds like a long time doesn't it? But you're so busy that the time literally flies by. Our schedule and syllabus are well laid out for us in our student manual so we know exactly what to expect and when, including the flight paperwork that we'd experience on line.

Randy is entering one of the two 747-400 simulators that the airline operates. This is sim session number 1 of 9 to prepare us for the LOE (Line Oriented Evaluation) nine days from today. But before we get to sim 9 and the LOE we'll have three days to prepare for our MV or Maneuvers Evaluation.

This is how our Singer-Link simulator appears as you step inside. To the uninitiated it looks exactly like a 747-400 cockpit and everything works as it is supposed to. Technically it's a "Six Degrees of Freedom Device" that refers to it's ability to move about in three perpendicular axis's. A little further along I'll show you the hydraulics that support this. It's also referred to as a Level D, full motion, visual flight simulator. It even smells like the airplane!

Let's step back in time and take a look at the old 747-200 flight simulator located just across the hall in a separate bay. Northwest operated its last 747-200 passenger flight on 12 September 2007 from Tokyo to Minneapolis with a stop in Seattle. The -200 entered service with NWA in 1975 and grew to a fleet of 22 aircraft. As an aficionado of the "three man cockpit" I'd loved to have flown this airplane. Click on this Trip Report to see pictures of NWA 76 on 21 July 2007, starring N623US from NRT to SPN.

747-200 Flight Engineer's Panel

Steve in the right seat is a 747 FO and instructor who flew with Randy on his Type Ride or LOE. Let's talk about the MV or Maneuvers Validation as we now approach Day 4 of our sim training. Each MV takes nearly two hours and includes a variety of maneuvers that include engine failures after V1, rejected takeoffs, windshear recovery and stalls, missed approaches with engines out, visual approaches with engines out, CAT I, II, and III approaches some with failed engines and missed approaches, non precision (VNAV) approaches, holding and more.

The best advice that I was given was DON'T PLAN ON LANDING, plan on a missed approach and if you land it's a bonus. Again, if you've paid attention during the previous sim sessions, done a little "chair flying" in your room and are familiar with the procedures and manuals, you'll likely experience a positive conclusion. Another piece of valuable advise included not dwelling on mistakes. We all make them, the check pilot expects to see some, but also wants to see how you handle the adversity. If you allow the mistake to fester and infect the remainder of your ride he or she won't be happy. On the other hand if you recognize the mistake, correct it and move on things will be fine. All you've done is give your instructor something to debrief. I gave them many!

I administered many simulator checkrides in the DC-9 and 727. I anticipated mistakes and a certain level of nervousness and simply looked for a good solid ride, with good crew communications and systems knowledge. Apparently little has changed with this aspect from my days of instructing. The final criteria was and I suspect still is "Would I put my family on board with these guys?"

After successful MV's, Randy and I have been separated as we near our LOE. As Justin, sitting at the instructors panel positions the simulator at Narita, Randy preflights the airplane. Justin never planted any "Easter eggs" for us to find, he simply figured the previous crew as they exited in haste would leave enough as it is... and he was right. While he has one eye on his panel, the other watched us closely as we preflighted the cockpit, interrupting occasionally with questions or guidance.

Another excellent instructor, Justin interspersed practical knowledge and real life scenarios that he'd encountered and passed along his experience. Thought out, scripted scenarios go a long way to effectively introduce problems and solutions, but "let me show you what happened to me one night out of Manila" from a guy thats been there is very effective.

As I back my way out of the simulator Justin, Randy and Steve prepare to depart Narita for Manila for Randy's last sim session before his type ride tomorrow night. This nine days have passed very quickly though as the course nears completion.

From ground level you get a better feel for the size of this machine. When the instructor selects the motion button, the ramp, in the raised position here to the right, raises and frees the simulator from its dock. The hydraulic legs provide all of the motion and direction required, in conjunction with the flight instruments and visual, to create pitch and roll, acceleration and deceleration and create a real time flight. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!

Which incidentally reminds me. Much of the input to new simulators is "touch screen", but keyboards still exist. Years ago, the student could easily hear the instructor "tap tap tapping" away back there and anticipate pending doom through an engine failure or some other catastrophic failure. He may simply be entering the weather at your destination, but you'd be keyed up for a major event. I never heard any keyboard clatter this time around which only added to the realism of the experience.

We're standing in front of the simulator looking back towards the dock and stairs that provide egress to the briefing rooms. There are several emergency motion shutoff switches located throughout the cockpit to take the simulator off motion. Why?? You may wonder. Many years ago when using the US Air 727 sim in PIT, Jerry Helmey and I were tossed about somewhat violently when the motion went "NUTS!" I was standing in the back of the sim with Jerry as the Flight Engineer instructor. The pilots, strapped in and secured, activated their shutoff switches located near their seat control levers and saved the day.

Jerry retired off the 747-200 several years ago, but to see him today drop down to the Air West reunion post and you'll see him in the back row. Jerry, you look great and have hardly changed! Another excellent instructor from whom I learned much.

V1, rotate, as Randy departs off the "A" runway at Narita. The hydraulic legs rapidly thrust the machine forward and gently reach their limit inducing acceleration as he rotates towards 15 degrees of pitch attitude. Believe me... it's realistic, as you hear and feel your nosewheel tires thumping over the runway centerline lights. In reality though, we all move the airplane over just a bit to avoid these lights, but doing so in the simulator is fruitless because these sensations are programmed in.

An A-330 simulator in the adjacent bay.

Twenty-four hours later, this is my view of the corridor that leads to the simulators and briefing rooms as I reach my moment of truth. Within moments I'll meet my simulator partner and check airman who will determine if I've prepared properly. Much goes through your mind as you proceed down the "corridor of truth;" are those my footsteps that I hear or my rapid heartbeat? I've taken this walk many times over the last 26 years at NWA and now DAL experiencing annual checkrides and type rating rides. Although I've acquired much experience over those years and know how the event is administered, this walk is no less apprehensive than my first. Doubt creeps in. You pray that you don't screw up and that you brought your "A" game with you tonight. It's a long, lonely walk as simulator scenarios, procedures and memory items pass through your brain.

I'm here. This is room D248 where in 30 minutes or so we'll brief for my LOE.

I've arrived early to go over a few items in the QRH, Volume 1 and take one last look at the MEL manual. I've also pulled out my license, medical and radio operators license to be prepared when asked for them. It's Saturday night at 1900 hours, I've not seen another human since I entered the building and it's lonely inside my little cubicle as I hear a stall warning horn echo from a distant simulator bay. I'm not here alone after all, another pilot is demonstrating his or her skills tonight too.

Saturday night! Most everyone else I know is out enjoying life on a Saturday night as I await my fate in this little cubicle. What were you doing on Saturday night, 30 April at 1900 hours central time?

Moments later, Gary walks into the room, extends his hand and says hello. After a little small talk we jumped into the computer to pull up and print my paperwork for tonights flight from Narita to Manila. There are eight different LOE flight scenarios; Gary simply enters my employee number and the computer chooses one of them and prints out everything we need. During the ensuing discussion of the flight, the flightplan and our MEL item, Gary has done a wonderful job of setting a comfortable environment. Any anxiety that I may have harbored has dissipated as we move forward.

I didn't have time to take pictures though. I also thought it inappropriate to ask Gary if he'd mind if I periodically interrupted him to take pictures, so stashed my camera until the outcome was determined.

Steve (another Steve, not the fellow who flew with Randy) and I discussed our flightplan and MEL item before entering the simulator to accomplish our preflight inspections. I then briefed Steve and our lead flight attendant (Gary) concerning such items as our taxi route, departure procedure, flaps setting, weather, rides, and time en route.

After taxi out and completing all of the appropriate checklists, we departed off runway 34L, flew a close in community departure and followed a standard LNAV/VNAV departure procedure. As is normally the case departing Narita, ATC stopped our climb at 7,000 feet and started issuing headings. I knew what was coming next!

Using "heading select" I followed the clearances, including a clearance to continue the climb to 10,000 feet when ATC called and cleared us to fly a particular heading to intercept a published airway to a point further along our flightplan. A sincere "thank-you," to Nicole, Justin, Brian and Rusty for squaring me away on these procedures.

While climbing through 25,000 feet at 320 knots, on course, on the airway our comfortable little environment was suddenly jolted to reality as red lights glared and shrill bells shattered the silence. Well, this is a checkride after all and a quick scan of our displays revealed that we were experiencing a forward cargo fire. There are few emergencies that demand your immediate attention, but a fire within the fuselage area is one of them. I handed the airplane over to Steve, asked him to declare an emergency and get a clearance directly back to Narita with an immediate descent while I reached for the QRH and selected the proper procedure.

Steve's job is to FLY THE AIRPLANE AND COMMUNICATE and mine is to attend to the emergency and, as the captain, keep an eye on the airplane and maintain situational awareness. I need to be mindful of where we are, where we're going and catalog in my mind what's been completed and what remains to be accomplished. It's busy, very busy, but performing in an unrushed, methodical manner is crucial.

The index indicates that the Forward Cargo Fire procedure is in section 8.16 which I flip to quickly , read the title out loud and ask Steve if he agrees with the checklist that I've chosen. There's nothing worse on a checkride than working a procedure for many minutes, only to discover that as the procedure unfolds, it's apparent that you've chosen the wrong one. In this case we're in agreement and I move forward. Another important item. When you move a switch, first identify the switch and then confirm that what should have happened ... did! If you're opening or closing a valve, look to insure that the valve moved and that it didn't fail which would change how you proceed. Don't rush... identify your items first.

Upon completing the Forward Cargo Fire checklist, I checked in with Steve to let him know that I'd completed the procedure and to get an update. "Narita is closed" I've learned, it's gone below limits, so I ask the controller for the Haneda weather which is at CAT I limits.

"Steve you still have the airplane and the radio, lets' go to Haneda" as I update the FMS and enter the anticipated runway, it's ILS and pull up an ATIS. At this point I'll leave Steve for a moment, call our lead flight attendant and brief him. "We have a possible forward cargo fire, will land in 10 minutes at Haneda and MAY have to evacuate... any questions?" Then I'll make a quick passenger PA and announce that we have a problem and will be landing in 10 minutes and to please follow the directions of our flight attendants.

The QRH procedure automatically leads me into the Descent and Approach checklists, so everything that I need is handy. I've determined that I don't have time to call my dispatcher, there's not much he can do for me now anyway, so I ask ATC to call them for me. Don't forget, I'm an emergency airplane and can do as I please.... that is as long as I'm right!!

As I'm reviewing what we've accomplished, Steve starts calling for flaps as the localizer comes alive. We've determined to do a flap 30 landing with auto brakes 3 and once more confirm that emergency equipment is standing by. The Emergency checklists, descent and approach checks are complete, the weather is sufficient to land, the radios have been tuned and identified, flight attendants, ATC, company and passengers have been briefed. We're final approach fix inbound, configured and cleared to land. What could possibly go wrong??

As it turned out, nothing. Steve was still flying so I let him continue, freeing me to address anything should it occur. The landing was without incident; we turned off the runway and my ride was over. Gary slapped me on the back, congratulated me and welcomed me to the club.

OK, time to get the camera out!

I was tired, but it was a good feeling. It's still Saturday night though and I have time to celebrate.

Thanks very much to everyone in the training department who sincerely had my best interests in mind as I navigated the 747-400 training course.

Next up, OE with Gene.

A New England Fourth of July

2011-07-06T17:48:00.009-04:00

I've nearly finished Part 3 of my 747-400 check out; hopefully it will be up on Monday. But in the meanwhile, particularly if you're from away, I wanted to share a glimpse of our local Fourth of July celebrations. This July 4th marks America's 235th year of independence. The Declaration of Independence was read aloud to Amherst, NH citizens in the second week of July 1776 by Sheriff Moses Kelley, just to my right here on the Amherst Green. The Green as well served as a training field for Captain Josiah Crosby and the Amherst Militia Company.

The parade at Amherst, NH is quite large for a town of only 12,000 people, but attracts New Englanders from throughout the region. Here, former Amherst Fire Chief Rick Crocker drives his fully restored, 1931 antique fire truck in the parade. This truck actually served our town back in the 1950's and how Rick found it is a great story for another time

The local Revolutionary War contingent marching in the parade. Many Amherst men, led by Captain Josiah Crosby of the Amherst Militia Company served in the War of Independence at Bunker Hill, just north of Boston on 17 June 1775. The New Hampshire contingent was hailed for it's defense of the Hills flanks, avoiding being surrounded by British troops and allowing an orderly retreat by local militias as they exhausted powder and shot. The British eventually triumphed but at the cost of 1,200 casualties including the loss of 70% of its officer corps. As General Gage succinctly stated sometime later. "Too many more victories like this and we'll lose the war."

Amherst resident, Lieutenant Thompson Maxwell, not only participated in the Battle of Bunker Hill with Captain Crosby, but took part in the Boston Tea Party on 16 December 1773 and the Battle of Lexington and Concord on 19 April 1775. The day before on 18 April Paul Revere journeyed north to Lexington and Concord, made famous by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. "Listen my children and you shall hear of the midnight ride of Paul Revere, on the eighteenth of April in seventy-five hardly a man is now alive who remembers that day and year..."

The local Civil War contingent marching through town. Twenty-seven Amherst men died in the Civil War including Amherst native Sergeant Charles Phelps of the Fifth Regiment of New Hampshire Volunteers. He'd survived such savage battles as Antietam, Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville only to die on 4 July 1863 at Gettysburg. Both his gravesite and ancestral home are but a short walk from where we're standing.

The Soldiers Monument, erected in 1871 to honor Sergeant Phelps and his fallen comrades, is but two hundred yards to our right from where we're standing to observe today's parade.

Old time high-wheel bicyclists

Many presidential candidates have marched in the Amherst Fourth of July Celebration due to our "first in the nation primary" status. In fact NH native and 14th president of the United States, Franklin Pierce, was married a short walk off to my right at the Colonel Robert Means Mansion in 1834. Two presidential hopefuls are marching in today's parade; Jon Huntsman and Mitt Romney. Can you find Romney in this shot?

Above and below: As the parades participants disbanded I asked part of the Revolutionary and Civil War groups to pose in front of our home. Our home was built in either 1780 or 1790 depending upon whom you consult and would have witnessed local Civil War veterans returning home. If you choose the earlier date it was here as well when the U.S. Constitution was ratified in June of 1788 before General Washington became President Washington. Interestingly, New Hampshire was the ninth state to vote for the Constitution thus ratifying it for the 13 American Colonies.

While all this is going on in Amherst, NH, just 45 south in Boston, the USS Constitution, or Old Iron Sides as she's more popularly known, was enjoying its' annual cruise and firing her cannon. Constitution, constructed in 1797 in Charlestown, Massachusetts is an active military vessel, still listed in the US Navy's inventory, making it the worlds oldest commissioned warship.

To see what goes on in Boston, click here and take a trip to the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade next to the Charles River that divides Boston from Cambridge. It was from Cambridge that General Washington took command of the Continental Army in 1775. Drop down just below the red band and click on the video. Every Fourth of July Boston Pop's plays Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture as 105 mm howitzers fire and fireworks explode overhead. The rockets red glare as the pungent odor of cordite fills the air. Participating this year is the 101st Field Artillery Regiment, just back from Afghanistan, the U.S. Army Field Band and Soldiers Chorus and the 104th Fighter Wing from the Mass Air National Guard do a fly over with F-15C's. The Mass Air National Guards history stretches back to 1621 when the first Massachusetts militia were formed.

My family and I gathered at my mother's home in Amherst for a day of celebration that included her pool, hot dogs and hamburgers, sparklers with the kids and much political discourse, inspired by the likes of Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence and his life long friend, John Adams. "Jefferson lives..." Adams last words.

I know that those who read my blog posts do so for my aviation experiences, but until I get Part Three up and running I wanted to share some of our local history and tradition. Thanks once again for following along and Happy Fourth of July.

Rand

Part Two of my 747-400 Checkout.

2011-06-27T08:12:00.004-04:00

A quick thank-you to everyone at jetcareers.com who have discovered my blog and sent along many kind remarks.

And another thank-you to APO Armed Forces, Europe, Middle east and Canada, I appreciate your stopping by and hope that you're safe.

Thanks again, Rand (former 05B20)

OK, time to resume my 747 adventure. Sorry for the delay, but after finishing a ten day Asian trip and a ten day Tel Aviv trip I needed a little recovery time to square myself away. Four Pacific crossings with inter port flying in between, followed by two North Atlantic crossings beyond Europe is fatiguing. Also, Delta is moving much A-330 and A-320 flying from some bases to others, mostly to ATL, thus opening up a new system bid and a reshuffling of the deck. After just a month on the airplane I narrowly avoided getting bumped from the 747 in this large shift of assets.

As much as this would have displeased me after a long training program... that's the way that it goes! You have to be flexible, it's all about seniority.

This is Part 2 of my 747 training that includes ground school and Procedural Training.

On 28 March I showed up at the Delta MSP training center, formally NATCO, to start my 747 training program. I'm still acclimating to the new signage. My classmates and I would be here for approximately one month for ground school, SIT training and simulator training. The training department shipped my manuals a month earlier to my home in New Hampshire allowing me the opportunity to familiarize myself with the airplane. The more you know before arriving the better so I utilized layovers in Narita to learn aircraft systems, limitations and checklists. It was time well spent.

Our accommodations at the downtown St. Paul Holiday Inn along the Mississippi River are excellent. My room is spacious, clean and quiet and the hotel personnel are very accommodating. In fact when I checked out I complimented the manager on his staff.

The hotel makes every effort to sequester flight crews, separating us from the general population thus avoiding crying babies and tourists next door. There are many good restaurants nearby, a small grocery store and ample walking routes for exercise. I learned years ago to get out and walk everyday after school to clear my mind and move my body. Good rest and reasonable exercise are key for me to complete a program.

Before leaving home for training I called the Holiday Inn and requested a corner room with a river view as instructed by my friend and 747 FO Dave Larsen. They graciously accommodated me and here's my view. But the problem was I'd constantly push my books aside to look out the window at river traffic that I found interesting. To make matters worse... downtown St Paul Airport is in the background! Airplanes and boats, how can I be expected to study?

Now out of my room and past the sign, here's the training center. I've spent much time here over the last 26 years checking out in or taking check rides in the DC-9, 727, DC-10, A-320, 757 and now the 747. I had the opportunity to visit the ATL training center when NWA pilots checked out in the 767 a year or so ago. By the sounds of things and a few local newspaper articles though, it appears that all training will be moving to ATL shortly and NATCO will be a thing of the past. I also worked here as a DC-9 and 727 sim instructor and check airman. The difference when you walk through the front door as an instructor rather than a student is entirely different. It's jeopardy versus non jeopardy. This is when you know if you've prepared well enough or wish that you'd done more if your anxiety level rises as you approach the door.

On the other hand, training departments seem to have become much more friendly over the last ten years, so much of this anxiety can be self imposed. With one exception, many years ago, every training event and checkride that I've experienced has been with instructors who have been nothing but helpful, if not encouraging. But that one guy always sticks in your mind.

We're inside the main reception area and many of you will recognize the blue/yellow Link Trainer from previous posts. This migrated here from Wisconsin Central Airlines, the predecessor to North Central Airlines. I had two of these trainers, stored in my barn for years and donated them to the National Museum of Commercial Aviation in Atlanta. Started by former NWA captain, now DAL A-330 captain Chuck Maire, he's accomplished great things with this new museum. I've also reincarnated my old flight bag and given it new work as I used it to transport my new manuals to MSP.

We're in classroom C211 outfitted with the basic podium, computers and aircraft panel layouts. We'll be in this classroom weekdays between 0800 to noon listening to lectures and watching videos with time available for questions and clarification from instructors. Most courses work on the 50 minute hour concept with a ten minute bathroom break or stroll to the cafeteria. I like this approach as it gives your brain a moment to rest, take a break and absorb information. I also appreciate the opportunity to get up and move a bit.

My seat perspective in room C211 as we discuss rudder control. These slides or schematics are generally very good and reveal much with just a glance. The upper and lower rudders are pretty straight forward. The upper rudder is powered from hydraulic systems two and three while the lower rudder is powered from systems two and four. All of the flight controls for that matter receive hydraulic pressure from more than one system insuring redundancy. The electrical system even lends a hand as a backup source of power for some flight controls.

The only component that you may be unfamiliar with is the "Rudder Ratio" system that controls rudder movement by airspeed. In other words the slower you're flying, the more rudder "throw" or authority you have. As airspeed increases your rudder authority diminishes to protect the vertical stabilizer from large movements at high speeds that could do damage. The ailerons operate in the same fashion. The inboard ailerons function at all times, but the outboard ailerons, to avoid unwanted rapid roll rates, diminish with airspeed and lockout entirely above a pre-determined airspeed. Years ago we'd be required to know that speed and likely have it surface during a type rating oral, but today it's enough just to know that they lockout.

During my DC-9 and 727 type rating orals many years ago, I'm convinced that if I'd brought my roll around tool chest with me I could have disassembled and reassembled both airplanes during the oral phase. Fortunately, check airmen rarely delve into such minutia these days. At this age I only have three brain cells left. I use one to remember my first name, another to remember my last name and the third to store everything else!

Generally when the electrical system of most any airplane surfaces you can hear an audible groan from the class. These systems are complex, but for some reason it's one of the systems that gives me the least heartburn. On the other hand I cringe when asked questions about pneumatics. I only hope the next guy to administer my annual training doesn't read this!

Here's the AC electrical system schematic concerning aircraft 6301 through 6314. Apparently aircraft 15 and 16 have subtle differences that require a separate schematic. It's pretty straight forward; we have four engines that drive four generators or IDG's as they're designated (integrated drive generators) that power a variety of AC busses, emergency busses and eventually DC busses through TR's or transformer rectifiers. A TR changes, or rectifies AC to DC and inverters change DC to AC.

The electrical system can as well be powered through its split bus system from ground power or from the APU. What's new for me, is that this is the first jet that I've flown that you're prevented from starting the APU in flight, nor can you use that APU's electrical capability in flight. You can take off with it running and pneumatically power a single air conditioning pack up to 15,000 feet but design engineers determined that with four generators supplying ample electrical power, the APU generator in flight was simply overkill. Three IDG's and even two with some auto load shedding can furnish all electrical capability needed.

On two engine jets, like the 757, 767 or the DC-9, the APU generator is considered a standby source of electrical power in flight should an engine fail or if one or both I suppose, generators should fail. An engine failure checklist or a generator failure checklist would direct you to start the APU and bring its generator on line. Engineers, they think of everything don't they?

Finally, here are my classmates: Randy seated, Steve standing to the left of the cockpit panel and Doug to the right. Robin to the left of the projector screen is our classroom instructor today. He's a former Naval Aviator, A6's and is the voice on most of our video and slide presentations. He's extremely knowledgeable and willing to share that knowledge; attributes of an excellent instructor.

This is the first time in my career that I've been to upgrade training with such a small class as I've generally experienced groups as large as 30 with a variety of captains and copilots. We're all captains here which presents a problem once we get to the simulator phase. We'll be switching seats depending upon whose turn it is to fly which is less than optimum. But once again... that's the way that it goes. Nearing the end of the simulator phase and for our type ride we'll be separated and have a fully qualified FO.

Randy and I were hired together in the same class on 22 April 1985 at Republic and hadn't seen one another in many years. Steve and Doug, whom we'd never met before were senior to us by several months and had been hired at NWA. With the exception of Doug who was coming off the A-330, Randy, Steve and I had years of experience on 757's and 767's certainly giving us a leg up. Probably the most formidable segment of training is learning the FMS or aircraft computer system which Doug, who spoke Airbus needed to learn from scratch.

Steve, Randy and Doug. Robin at the computer.

Earlier I referred to SIT training. It's also known as PT or procedural training. Although I have no idea what the acronym stands for here's what it is. In the afternoons, after classroom lectures, videos and computer work, we take that knowledge into this room and apply what we've learned with some hands on training. Robin, sitting at the control monitor, introduces problems that we discover in the normal course of flying. Using Volume 1 and our QRH we set about solving these problems while we fly, thus performing approved procedures, familiarizing ourselves with manuals and checklists and learning exactly where system controls are located in the cockpit. Solving just one problem covers a large area of learning.

Randy with Brian, another instructor whom we enjoyed. Brian (former Air Force) gave us our PV. Unfortunately I have no pictures of Deb who guided us through the emergency equipment and administered our SV.

This device is interactive and is touchscreen activated. As we solve fuel, hydraulic or electrical problems we can follow along on the systems pages to see our progress or watch exactly what occurs with that system as we move switches.

"Oh, so that's the valve that closes when I move this switch." A picture is worth a thousand words as they say.

Here's a better view of the screens set up like a cockpit. Everything works as it does in the airplane. It really is a great learning and procedural tool. Randy has Volume 1 open on his lap as we'd just finished solving a pneumatic problem.

As nice as our SIT trainer is, this is what the Airbus crews have to work with across the corridor... joystick and all. I remember using these devices when I checked out as an A-320 captain. Rather than using a touch screen, all the switches and computer inputs work exactly as they do in the airplane.

OK, we've had enough for a while so we'll shuffle down the corridor to the social center of NATCO and visit the cafeteria for lunch. It's rather empty now, but shortly will be a bee hive of activity as classes and sims break for lunch. The food here is rather good and the caterer provides a remarkably good variety including Starbucks coffee. I try to stick to the soup and salad bars for lunch to avoid over indulgence and that sleepy feeling that follows in the afternoon.

It's fun to run into old friends here that you've not seen in years attending for annual check rides or checking out in new equipment.

Lunch break times vary from 30 to 60 minutes depending on your afternoon activity and when the class wants to finish for the afternoon. I've even brought lunch back to a classroom and eaten during a lecture to expedite our release time.

A variety of on board life rafts

Today, after our lunch break we'll visit the emergency equipment room and learn about life rafts, doors, fire extinguishers and medical kits. My last visit here a year ago, we needed to travel to another building for this, but now Delta has moved all flight crew training (pilot and flight attendant) under one roof.

One of many door training assemblies

Fire extinguishers and medical kits

Deb is our instructor for our first PT briefing as we go over procedures and learn how to use the QRH, Quick Reference Handbook. We used this computer to practice navigational skills too. For the last eight years in the 757, practically, we pretty much were given "direct to" clearances in flight even though the computer is capable of so much more. But we spent a fair amount of time brushing up on how to fly radials to or from a point, intercept airways and fly non precision approaches. A quick thanks to Nicole for getting me up to speed in this area. It's interesting the information you forget when little used.

I'd mentioned earlier the manuals that DAL issues before the start of training. One of those is "The Student Guide" that lays out specifically what you'll be doing each day of training. It lists exactly what systems you'll cover during each day of ground school with a synopsis of those systems and source references for additional reading. It spells out in detail how your day in the PT trainer will go including flight paperwork that you'd normally receive on a flight. It's a fantastic organizational tool that eliminates guesswork. You won't be sitting in your room wondering "how should I prepare for tomorrows events?".

I found this partially reconstructed 747 cockpit trainer deep in the bowels of the building. It's not yet ready for use, in fact it's a long way from that, but I found it helpful to spend a few minutes each day, sitting in my seat finding switches, locating systems and learning flows and checklists. It helped with PT training and certainly gave me an advantage in the simulator phase.

Speaking of phases, let's discuss the different phases or events that occur during training. Times have changed; when I was typed in the DC-9 and 727 very little checking occurred until the last week or so of training when you'd experience an extensive oral and a type rating ride. This caused high anxiety because you'd still be burning the midnight oil preparing for your oral while in the simulator phase only days away from the type ride. Now, checking events are broken down, almost on a weekly basis rather than piling on at the end. It allows you to "check that box" and move on, far more efficient and far less stressful.

There are four hoops to jump through; the SV, PV, MV and type ride. That's it! Get through these and you graduate from the schoolhouse and move on to OE, or Operating Experience in the airplane.

The SV is the Systems Evaluation or a timed, 100 question systems written exam taken on the computer. An overall 80% is required to pass... but you also must score 80% on each section of which there are ten. In other words, you may score an 80% overall but less than that on say hydraulics or electrics or the dreaded pneumatics system. Fail a section and remedial training is administered by an instructor and a retake of that section follows.

Sounds ominous doesn't it? But you'll be very well prepared when you reach day seven if you've followed the course as designed. Put in a little extra effort ahead of time by studying before showing up and you'll ace the SV. The trick here is to RTFQ, "read the freaken question" entirely and carefully before selecting an answer. There are no tricks, but some answers are "close" particularly questions with diagrams that ask about valve positions.

The reward at the end of successful training... you get to fly this magnificent airplane.
Pushing back at Honolulu, bound for Narita

I probably need to give equal time to the Delta livery, so here's one awaiting departure off the "A" runway at Narita. The problem is that I just don't have that many "new paint" shots in my collection.

A few days later and you'll experience the PV or procedures evaluation. Again, you've been well prepared for this and if you've experienced a problem intercepting radials or airways or finding info in the computer... "what page is that on?" they'll happily give you individual, one on one time with an instructor until you're comfortable. This is administered on the computer as well and is simply an instructor giving you navigational problems and watching you solve them. The other evaluations, the MV and type rating I'll explain later as they're in the simulator phase of training.

And finally here's my "paper trainer" taped to the wall in my room. What's that you ask?

On day one we were issued these slick, colorful aircraft panels that we use to study and make notes on. Many of us tape them to our wall, pull up a chair and practice preflight cockpit setups, flows, checklists, normal, emergency and supplemental procedures. It's learning by rote. After practicing the preflight a dozen times I had it down and could competently perform in the simulator. Delta does things differently here. They have a pilot flying (PF) and a pilot not flying (PNF) cockpit preflight setup. At NWA we simply had a captains and first officers preflight.

Pulling out the QRH and solving problems planned for the next days PT or simulator sessions increase your comfort and confidence levels markedly. If you try to look upon the training experience as fun, or a challenge it will pass quickly and more easily. But if you find reasons to complain, you've done nothing but burden yourself.

With the help of a dedicated training department, many good friends, my family and staff at the hotel and NATCO who supported my every need, I successfully completed my SV and PV and we all moved on to the the simulator stage.

Standby for PART 3, The Simulator!

But before I go, I noticed that this propeller, that's been displayed at NATCO for years, is still here but in a new position. Few at NWA knew its significance so I suspect no one from DAL knows its historical background. Do you have any idea what kind of prop it is? What it came off of? or most importantly where did it come from and why? I only hope that it's not lost in the shuffle as NATCO is shutdown and everything is moved to Atlanta. Maybe they could donate it to Chuck Maire at the Commercial Aviation Museum or relocate it to the Delta Museum in Atlanta. I'm looking forward to your thoughts on "The Prop" or anything here for that matter.

Rand

Hughes Airwest Reunion

2011-06-20T12:46:00.013-04:00

ADDENDUM

I'd like to thank Stefan Sjogren from Sweden for sending along these pictures of a Hughes Airwest 727 and DC-9 that he took many years ago in SEA. They're scans of slides. After reading my post concerning Hughes Airwest he thought to share these shots with us. I spent many enjoyable hours flying this 727 from all three seats. I'm not sure if this DC-9 made it to Republic though, I'll need to do a bit of research.

Stefan just passed along this recent photo of an ex-NWA 757 landing on 19L in Stockholm. Note that he caught the strobe on the left winglet as it flashed... perfect planning Stefan! I miss this airplane. And speaking of great shots, click over to Mark Lawrence's site to learn about Lufthansa's A-380 arrival in MIA.

I just returned home from my first 747-400 trip after OE that included two, JFK - Tel Aviv round trips. This was a 10 day trip that introduced me to Middle Eastern airspace, was extraordinarily interesting to fly and exposed me to many new experiences. But before I get into that trip and my "promised" posts concerning my 747 checkout, I received this photo today from retired NWA captain Jack Kastien.

2011 Hughes Airwest Pilot Reunion

Kneeling-Rick Ames, Tom McGrain, Barry Eckenroth

2nd Row-Lou Smith, Bo Corby, Dan Buskirk, Larry Bingham, Gary Gabbard, Jim Jackson, Tom Flickinger, Don Burnham

Middle Row Kneeling-Tim Hemp, Rich Moynihan, Ernie Prosch, Gary Keilman, Hal Miller

Back Row-Glen Carlson, Bob Brunson, Ken Focht, Bill Crane, Greg Averill, Bob Boyd, John Cosgrave, Dave Trousdale, John Duston, Whitey Sorenson, Jim Bergman, Owen Gladfelder, Gene McClure, Jerry Helmey, Phil Mickelson

This is a photograph of "retired" Hughes Airwest pilots taken on 30 March 2011 in Las Vegas Nevada at a recent reunion. I have to qualify the term retired as I think a couple may still be active pilots today at Delta. Retired NWA and former Hughes Airwest captain Jack Kastien sent it along and I'm appreciative that he did. I flew with many of these fellows when I was hired at Republic Airlines in 1985 as a new 727 flight engineer.

Tom McGrain (first row) had a hand in that training and I later worked with him in the simulator when I joined the training department. Jerry Helmey (back row) was my OE instructor when I checked out as a 727 copilot. I as well spent many enjoyable hours in the simulator with Jerry. I also flew as a DC-9 copilot with Glenn Carlson (back row) who you may recognize as the author of Captain Carlson's Plane Talk and Angie the Aviator. Once again, these are just a few of the outstanding aviators I've met along my career path who have contributed to my success.

Here's Dan Buskirk (second row) on the left a few years ago when he participated in Dick Mott's retirement flight from Paris to DTW. Both were A-330 captains and started their careers at Hughes Airwest. Dan's father flew for Hughes Airwest as well and somewhere in my files I have an ALPA picture of Dan and his father in a HAW cockpit. You may remember a story I wrote a couple of years ago concerning meeting Dick in PHX during a layover when he kindly gave me a ton of Airwest memorabilia. I spent many enjoyable hours aloft with Dick in DC-9's. Kathryn, (who had nothing to do with HAW... she's too young) in the center between these two "old guys", was Dick's copilot on that flight and has recently checked out as a 757 captain at Delta.

If you're new to the airlines or are trying diligently to acquire a cockpit seat there, you may recognize Lou Smith (second row) a co founder of AIRLINE PILOT CENTRAL, the foremost authority on how to get hired at an airline. I took this photo of Lou shortly after his retirement when we had lunch while I enjoyed a Honolulu layover.

Here I am in a 727 cockpit shortly after being hired at Republic in 1985. The captain is Jack Kastien who sent me the photo above of the HAW reunion. Jack also served as a VP of flight operations at HAW before they merged with Republic in 1980. Kent Zimmerman, another HAW pilot is the copilot and retired himself just a couple of years ago. We'd just landed in DTW here completing a five day trip, terminating with a SFO-DTW red eye.

This is how the exterior of the 727 above appeared at that time. Note it's N number, N729RW making it an original Hughes Airwest airplane. For those familiar with 727's, the HAW machines all had -17 engines (JT8D-17) and were screaming machines. Our 727's at NWA on the other hand were -7 powered and lacked the muscle of these airplanes.

Some may be wondering, who was Hughes Airwest? Let me give a quick synopsis. In 1968, three regional airlines, SFO based Pacific Air Lines, PHX based Bonanza Air Lines and SEA based West Coast Airlines merged to form Air West. Just a couple of years later in 1970, Howard Hughes jumped in and purchased the company changing the name to Hughes Airwest. In 1980 Hughes Airwest, flying a fleet of 727's and DC-9's, merged with Republic Airlines formed just a year earlier by the marriage of MSP based North Central Airlines and ATL based Southern Airways. With deregulation and airline consolidation in full swing now, MSP based Republic Airlines was acquired by MSP based Northwest Airlines in 1986. Operations stabilised for more than 20 years until Delta Airlines merged with NWA in 2009. Do you have any idea how many airline uniforms some of these guys have hanging in their closets? An airline wing collector would salivate at their wing collection, still attached to a blouse with four stripes.

Hughes Airwest memorabilia, donated by captain Dick Mott

Anyway, thanks very much to captain Jack Kastien for sending along this wonderful photo and giving me the opportunity to stroll down memory lane. To learn more about Hughes Airwest, move over to my Vintage Airline Sites column and click them on. A little further down the column you'll also find an HAW advertisement.

My Last Hurrah! Part 1 of my 747 Checkout

2011-06-07T09:07:00.003-04:00

The Bruins Prevail!!

Welcome to my multi-part blogging attempt to bring you along on my 747-400 checkout. I'll try to condense what took nearly two months to complete into three or four blog posts. After 37 years of airline flying and enjoying some of the finest commercial jet airliners available, my number finally rose to the level of the Boeing 747.

As many of you know I'd received an advanced entitlement bid to fly the 747-400 out of DTW and anxiously awaited my class date of 27 March. But just before attending school in MSP, I flew a three day 757 trip with a long, downtown SEA layover. My goal was to visit the MUSEUM OF FLIGHT at Boeing Field and experience the number one B-747.

Here she is, Ship #1 and with the help of John Wegg at AIRWAYS MAGAZINE, I'd secured permission to have a cockpit tour of this historically significant machine. You've probably read about this in an earlier post, but I'm here with Evan Elliott, aircraft collections technician who rolled up the stairs and welcomed me aboard. How better to understand the historical significance of Boeings largest and most unique airliner, than to visit the actual aircraft that defined her lineage?

I was privileged to have been given this honor as we sit in the cockpit of Ship #1, The City of Everett, that first flew on 2/9/69 marking the beginning of a long and glorious history of the B-747 line. I'm sitting in captain Jack Waddell's seat here and thought that this would be a great way to kick off my 747 adventure... and I was right. After a couple hours of exploration throughout this ship I returned to my hotel to rest up to fly my last 757 trip back to DTW. I'd flown my last 767 trip to Frankfurt just a week earlier.

747 #1 Serial # 001

The development of the 747, lead by project engineer Joe Sutter, had more than the usual problems to solve for a new aircraft type. Before the worlds largest passenger airliner could take flight, 780 acres of land needed to be purchased, cleared and paved; a railroad spur built and a hangar constructed to house this gargantuan project. A hangar so large in fact, it would become the worlds largest building by volume encompassing 472 million cubic feet or 98 square acres. 747's, as well as 767's and the new 777's and 787's are built in the Everett plant, which is open for tours daily. Here's a Discovery Channel video that should peak your interest in the Everett Plant.

With my last 757 crew on 21 March 2011 leaving SEA for DTW to end my eight year run on the 757 and 767. I've loved flying these airplanes and never dreamed of holding the 747 before retirement, but as I've learned over my long career, you just never know what will happen in a system bid. I'll be junior on the seven-four, giving up excellent seniority on the 757/767, but how could I pass up this opportunity?

Departing SEA for DTW on the red-eye.

My last 767 trip from Frankfurt just a week earlier

And just a week later I've arrived at the old NWA flight training facility, formally known as NATCO, to start a five week training program that includes ground-school and simulator training. I've entered this building many times over the years when I checked out as a captain in the DC-9, 727, A-320 and B-757, but I have a somewhat nostalgic feeling as I know that this will be my final airline checkout. My last great airline adventure so to speak.

Come on in as we stand by the door to classroom C211 where the adventure will continue. The date is wrong for my class and I have some jitters wondering if I'll have the stamina to complete this course... I'm not 35 anymore and these courses are fast and furious. But with the help of several good friends and a dedicated training staff, my concerns are unfounded. I just didn't know it yet.

To be continued.....

Bobby Orr, Boston Bruins, 1970

But until I'm able to continue my story... GO BRUINS!

Leaving JFK

2011-05-31T07:29:00.000-04:00

I'll depart JFK for Narita in a couple of hours, completing a ten day Asian trip with stops in Narita, Nagoya, Manila and JFK on flight 173. This will be my line check, completing my 747 training. Then it's a matter of dead heading to DTW, clearing customs, running for my commuter flight to Boston and driving to New Hampshire. I should be in fine shape by the time I arrive home! More later with pictures.

Rand

My Last B-767-300ER Trip

2011-05-09T08:52:00.007-04:00

Apparently eBlogger has experienced problems the last few days. They're back up but I've lost my latest info, such as the pictures donated by Carl Cantrell and son and many readers comments.

I have good news, I've been able to retrieve Carl's photos below. Carl and his son visited SFO to witness Lufthansa's A380 arrival and sent me these pictures.

Yesterday, 10 May, the city of San Francisco celebrated LUFTHANSA, GERMAN AIRLINES DAY, to commemorate the airlines new A-380 service to the city. Lufthansa has been serving the Bay Area for 50 years and plans to have eight A-380's in service by the end of this year. I took the shot above several months ago in Frankfurt.

Congratulations to JB

Yes, between the sun and the heated windscreen I'm trying to melt my serving of ice cream that presently is as hard as a hockey puck!

Although I look forward with great anticipation to flying the 747-400, I leave behind two of the nicest jets that I've flown; the B-757 and B-767. They've been a pleasure to fly, reliably seeing me over continents and oceans and have taught me much about my craft. With that in mind let me tell you about my last 767 trip... or more accurately, my last two trips.

We're at gate 8 at Frankfurt Main. I flew the inbound leg and my FO's will fly us back to DTW, so as the pilot not flying, or more accurately the Pilot Monitoring, I'll do the exterior walk around inspection this morning. I know it's a beautiful day here in Deutschland, but yes, I do walk arounds in the rain too. I have noticed though, surprised looks from ramp agents when they see a captain doing the walk-around. I love getting out on the ramp with my camera and capturing as many aviation images as possible.

This was to have been my last 767 trip, so I coerced my crew into posing for a celebratory group shot in the first class cabin. As you can tell they're a gregarious lot and were a lot of fun to fly with.

But then a few days later, a FRA trip appeared on the open board and I grabbed it. I love Frankfurt layovers and enjoyed yet another fantastic crew. For this flight though we're out on a hardstand and gather in the shadow of our faithful 767.

Meet Ernie, a retired Naval aviator, an excellent pilot and good friend. In fact just two annual checkrides ago we shared the simulator and wowed our check-airman with our vast depth of knowledge and finesse. Or at least that's what he said! You may remember my post concerning this event with captain Don Schoblum as our examiner.

Say hello to Deb, our second First Officer who happens to live within a few miles of my home in New Hampshire. Her husband also flew for NWA, but after suffering through a few furloughs sought greener pastures elsewhere. Although he landed on his feet and has a fantastic corporate job at Bedford - Hanscom Field in Bedford, MA, I hate hearing of stories like this. It does emphasizes however, my theory concerning a fall back plan, a second career or a business should you persist in following your airline dream. Like Ernie, Deb was wonderful to share a cockpit with and made our nearly nine hour flight to DTW pass quickly.

When I told our FRA mechanic, whom I've come to know over the years, that this was my last 767 trip, he grabbed his step ladder, reached for my camera and told me to climb up into the engine intake. He even laid out a little rubber mat for me to stand on to avoid contact with the cowl. This Pratt and Whitney 4060 develops more than 61,000 pounds of thrust. That is of course later, after I've climbed down from here.

In fact, here's our friendly German mechanic/photographer right here. Deb's looking just a bit too comfortable in my seat don't you think!! It will be yours soon enough.

Deb from the FO window as I start my walk around. Though not as beautiful as the 757 with its distinctive dropped down nose and windscreen, the 767 is far more roll sensitive due to it's (dual) inboard and outboard ailerons. The 757 only has one set of ailerons.

We've pushed back from the gate and start our taxi to runway 25R. We have much to accomplish in the way of checklists and briefs and a very short taxi distance with which to complete them, so I'll drag my feet just a bit in order to get everything done.

We're holding short of 25 Right now as a Singapore -400 lands and Lufthansa is next in line to depart.

All checklist items and briefs are complete as we hold in position for an LNAV/VNAV departure. If I remember, this is a close in community departure as well that has us climbing to 3,000 feet before we start flap retraction.

We've flown past the UK and have joined a random track west of the Outer Hebrides Islands off Scotland as we fly past this DAL A-330 en route from Paris to DTW.

Deb's holding our oceanic chart here as Ernie has gone back into the cabin on First Break. We've actually duplicated this chart and I've taken many pictures of Deb today as she'll speak to her daughters fourth grade class next week concerning weather and oceanic flying procedures following this trip. I vividly remember my father coming in to speak with my fifth grade class many years ago when he was a Northeast Airlines DC-6B captain; it was a very proud moment for me. What made his appearance even more interesting was that my fifth grade teacher had been my Dad's second grade teacher! Miss Carney, you probably don't know her.

A little closer look at our oceanic chart indicating Shannon (EINN) and Goose Bay Labrador (CYYR) as our 180 minute ETOPS alternates. Unfortunately we're passing three degrees south of Greenland today and will miss one of the most beautiful, rugged, vistas on our planet.

Yup, a personal portrait of 'ol Rand as he enjoys his last 767 oceanic crossing. It's with mixed emotions that I leave the 7ER category for the 744A and my final, great airline adventure. I've flown the 757 for nearly eight years now and it fits like a comfortable old pair of shoes, the kind that you just can't bear to discard.

Some may wonder what I'm referring to when I use the term 7ER and 744A. Let me explain. As you know the 757 and 767 are a dual type rating and you can find yourself in either piece of equipment depending upon the route. For company purposes, the bid category for this combined position is designated as 7ER. 744 means 747-400 and the A means captain. A first officer would be a B. So, I'm leaving my bid position as a DTW 7ERA for DTW 744A as the sun slowly sets on my airline career. Yes... I'll miss it.

This is the flight plan from my previous trip. We passed 58N 30W two minutes late at 1309Z with 77,900 ponds of fuel. We're within our parameters, but just one more minute late and we'd have to contact Gander and notify them of our tardiness. This is a CPDLC flight which means all of our communications with Shanwick and Gander are automatically transmitted. There is an exception to this though. When you cross a FIR boundary or change controlling agencies, voice communications are required, in this case, accomplished on HF frequencies. If you look up the flight plan you'll see our primary and secondary HF frequencies listed for both facilities.

You'll also find other important information noted here as well, like when we expect to shut off the center tank fuel pumps and when the second break starts. You'll also see that we're flying at FL 320 at mach .81 too. Normally we're at mach .80, but due to headwinds we're trying to stay on schedule by flying a little faster. This will increase our fuel burn, but the dispatcher has taken that into account as an on time arrival is vitally important.

This raises another point that I'd like to clarify. Often, while commuting I'll hear a passenger remark, "we're late" as we're taxiing after "departure" time. The published departure time is the time that the boarding door must be closed by, not the time that the airplane becomes airborne. If you think about it, how could anyone really know what time we'll become airborne. With ground traffic at major airports like JFK, LGA, CDG and others, how could anyone correctly anticipate the taxi out time? Flight times are adjusted by historical data but keep in mind that if the boarding door is closed by the published departure time and our rotating beacon is illuminated (it used to be brakes released at NWA) you're on time. Gate agents and managers are scrutinized closely here for compliance to "on time" and scurry to make it happen. Ramp personnel have a countdown clock by the gate identifier visible to me through my windscreen that they take very seriously. After takeoff, if even just a minute late, I'll receive and ACARS message requesting information from the flight crew as to why we pushed late.

The last block indicates a "cost index" of 88. What does that mean? As you know, the cost of operation has to be weighed with on time performance. The dispatcher, with winds aloft and cruise altitude knowledge, has calculated that with this figure inserted into the FMS (computer) the airplane will be programmed to fly at a speed that will see us arrive on time with the least possible fuel burn. It works pretty well! We'll fly at a fixed mach .81 across the Atlantic today guaranteeing safe separation with other aircraft, but once feet dry we'll use a cost index of 88 to determine our thrust settings, thus airspeed.

The last note in the right margin indicates "55W 132.65." We'd received an ACARS message from Gander to contact Gander Center at 55 degrees west longitude on VHF, 132.65. We created a point on our Fix page at 58N 55W to visibly remind us to do this. To insure that we'd see this on our map, we added a 10 mile ring around this point to even make it more obvious. It worked!

Ninety minutes prior to your oceanic departure point, you send an ACARS message to, in this case Shanwick, requesting your oceanic clearance. Within moments they reply indicating that they've received your request and to contact them no later than a particular time by voice if we hear nothing further. That's never happened to me as I've always received my clearance within 10 or 15 minutes of my original request. We print the message, check the coordinates against our flight plan and the FMS and then acknowledge its receipt.

This is how it looks. DAL 143 cleared to DTW via PIKIL AND NAT (NAT TRACK) B via the listed coordinates at flight level 320 at mach .81. You can see here too that our ETOPS airports for this flight were, Glasgow, Scotland (Prestwick) and Goose Bay, Labrador.

Here's how the clearance appears on our ACARS screen after we've passed 59N40W en route to 59N50W. This page has been called up because we're sending a company position report to dispatch.

We're back in VHF contact with Gander Center now as we fly over eastern Labrador. Does anyone know what this is and why I'm doing it? I'll wait a few days and answer the question if no one arrives at the correct solution.

Once again, I'm going to miss this fabulous airplane.

but.....

.... onward and upward to new challenges.

As usual, thanks very much for reading along.

But before I leave, I'd like you to meet three very good friends who offered moral support as I navigated through 747-400 school. You've seen their pictures many times in previous posts in airplanes and during layovers.

Dave recently moved from the 7ER to the 747-400

Tom as well just checked out in the 747-400

And Wes is flying the 767-400 out of JFK.

Flying jet airplanes is great, doing it with great friends is even better.

Thanks fella's.

Rand

2011-05-01T20:48:00.001-04:00

Five weeks later....

Just arrived home a few hours ago after completing training, and with the help of many good friends and a dedicated training department I have a new type rating!

More later, I'm going to bed now and plan to sleep for a week!

Historical Flight Foundations DC-7B

2011-04-05T21:19:00.004-04:00

I've added a new LINK to my favorites site; passrider.com. This site has bailed me out several times when I've finished a trip in a city other than my domicile and want to fly directly to BOS. In seconds I know everything I need to know to quickly get home. It's also wonderful for any type of pass riding or planning after you've been bumped from several flights. Give it a try, I think it's a fantastic tool.

Meet Captains Frank Moss and John Brier.

Captain Frank Moss in the companionway of Historical Flight Foundations DC-7B, N836D, serial number 45345, delivered new to Eastern Airlines in 1958.

I'm still away from home, have about four more weeks to go, but I just received these photos from my friend John Brier and wanted to share them. Let me introduce you to a couple of good friends from my past. This is Frank Moss, he was hired with me in 1974 to fly at Hyannis based, later Boston based Air New England. I've written much about this historically significant commuter airline that at one time was the nations largest commuter airline. We flew an eclectic variety of airplanes that included Twin Otters, DC-3's, FH-227's and Convair 580's. It was a ball and as we age, friends like Frank and John become even more valuable to me.

In October 1981 we were given notice that our little airline would be shuttered shortly. We all scrambled to acquire, fill out and distribute resumes and applications to Eastern, Delta, Braniff, Piedmont and other major carriers. That is all of us except Frank, who marches to the beat of a different drummer; and I say that with great admiration. While most of us sought seats in DC-9's, 737's and 727's he had a different vision. Frank took off for Alaska in search of DC-3's, DC-4's and remote gravel runways. He found them! Other radial adventures saw him spanning oceans and jungles through skies over South America. He is a Renaissance Man.

Here's a little closer look at the cockpit of Historical Flight Foundation's historic Douglas Airliner.

Now this ladies and gentleman is an airliner. Round dials, muscular radial engines, prop levers, mixture controls and cowl flaps. Standing here I can inhale the intoxicating aroma; a mixture of leather, coffee, Lucky Strikes, oil and combusted high octane aviation gasoline that defines this magnificent flying machine. Her engines rumble easily, while the individual firing of her 18 cylinders, shrouded within these Wright R3350's is symphonic.

Captains Frank Moss and John Brier in the back "lounge of the "Seven." John flew with us at Air New England too, but left to fly at a variety of airlines before landing on his feet at People Express where he flew the 737 and 747, eventually retiring from Continental Airlines. Today he enjoys flying his Cessna Cardinal between his homes in Florida and Maine.

Eastern's been gone for a long while now (1926-1991) and many of you may be curious as to exactly where Captain Eddie's Great Silver Fleet flew. Look at this cabin divider and enjoy a wonderful display of their route map. If you're moved by the thunder from radial engines, the aroma of combusted aviation gasoline and the history of Douglas Aircraft and historic airlines, you may want to click over and visit those at The Historical Flight Foundation. If you'd like to see photography dedicated to this DC-7B, visit Chris Sloans website for a very enjoyable experience.

Thanks very much to John for sending me these photos. I plan to make a trip to Florida soon to visit Frank and see this beautifully restored DC-7B.

ADDENDUM

I've been listening lately to news reports concerning the SWA 737 that developed a hole in her fuselage last week. My first reaction is how ill informed our news sources are with regard to aviation matters. If they report dubiously here, why would I expect accuracy in other fields? Before I get into that though, let me express my congratulations to a professional airline crew who handled this emergency in stride.

One reporter expressed that she never wears her seatbelt while flying at cruise altitude and didn't think that it was necessary. She's changed her mind now though. Interestingly, I bet she wears her seatbelt in her car at all times. What she and most people fail to consider, is that at altitude they're flying through the earths thin, upper atmosphere at 80% of the speed of sound in a metal tube. We're generally flying in the troposphere over oceans, lakes, mountains, cities, forests, deserts and other land forms that contribute to uneven heating of the atmosphere above, creating turbulence. Now throw in a jet stream that often experiences speeds in excess of 150 mph and we can see that we're operating in an unpredictable environment. And we haven't even mentioned clear air turbulence yet!

So, when your flight crew advises to "wear your seatbelt anytime that you're in your seat, like we do in the cockpit," there's good reason to do so. Also, please pay attention to the flight attendants when they attempt to inform you concerning emergency procedures. From this incident we've learned that many passengers were unable to activate oxygen flow from their oxygen masks dispensed from the PSU above. Why? Because they were probably reading the newspaper when instructed in its use.

Once again, thanks for following along.

Rand

Will be gone for a while...

2011-03-27T09:09:00.008-04:00

Photo: Bruce Magnason

I'm here with Evan Elliott, Aircraft Collections Technician at the Seattle Museum of Flight Air Park across the street from the main Museum complex. Evan and his friends kindly rolled up a set of stairs to their 747, the City of Everett, and gave me an interior tour. I'd arranged for this a few weeks ahead of time when I first knew that I'd have this long SEA layover. So once again, thanks very much to Evan and his colleagues at the Museum for arranging this tour, as well as to John Wegg at AIRWAYS MAGAZINE.

This is the number one 747 that first flew on 9 February 1969 as we're joined in the cockpit by Bruce Magnason. This is far more than just a visual delight. The aroma in here speaks to "Old" airplanes and transports you back to an era of round dials, flight engineer panels and early jet engines. It's a fixed point in time, an undisturbed shrine to Bill Allen, Joe Sutter and others who accomplished the phenomenal feat of the Boeing 747.

The Museum of Flight

If you've not visited the Museum of Flight yet, you need to put it on your list of things to do, it's fabulous. The red building is referred to as the Red Barn, the original Boeing factory built in 1909. Everywhere you look here it's full of history, our history, aviation history.

More on all this later, but I'll be away from my keyboard for five weeks... yes five weeks. So, as usual, thanks for following along and I'll see you in a month or so. To learn more about the museum, click on the link above or click over to Chris Sloan's site, go to the Museums tab and enjoy his photography.

Rand

If you're enjoying a long downtown SEA layover it's easy to get here. Take the 124 bus with $2.25 exact change (each way) and 25 minutes later you'll arrive at the Museum on Marginal Way. The entrance fee is $16.00 but if you have a Triple-A card it's $14.00. I failed to, but take a moment and visit the Boeing Store nearby too.

A Saipan roundtrip and an email from a new B-767-300ER captain.

2011-03-22T22:17:00.001-04:00

I'd planned to introduce you to FO James Reeman in this posting but that will have to wait awhile as I've had a few problems attaching his photography to my blog. You're going to really enjoy it so stand by a while until I iron out a few problems.

In the meanwhile, join Greg and me as we flight plan, meet our crew and fly to Saipan and back to Narita.

We'd arrived in Asia a few days earlier via Delta 183, Seattle to Osaka in this B-767-300ER. Of course we had a relief pilot for this flight as it covered 4,617 nautical miles in ten hours 54 minutes. We carried a moderate load of 200 passengers with 7,200 pounds of freight and 143,500 pounds of fuel for a takeoff weight of just a little over 400,000 pounds. After takeoff from SEA we travelled north to Anchorage. I love flying through this area along the Aleutian Island Chain past Cold Bay and Dutch Harbor. Northwest Airlines pioneered this region during WWII in DC-3's and DC-4's and created an impressive history under extremely harsh conditions. In other words, other airline pilots paved the way for me today.

From here we made a slight westerly turn to join the North Pacific tracks, go feet wet and traverse Russian and Chinese airspace. Ten and a half hours later and more than ready to land, we started our descent after passing Sendai, Tokyo and Nagoya. The Japanese eastern coastal region is spectacularly beautiful and my thoughts go out to the many Japanese friends that I've made over the years as I write this. They've endured massive destruction in the form of earthquakes and tsunami's with their usual uncomplaining attitude. I've traveled the world, met thousands of people and have never met kinder or gentler people. Let me give you a few examples below of just some of my friends. Please notice, they always have a smile on their faces.

A crew from Osaka to Narita

Meeting a JAL crew while standing in the customs line at Saipan.

One of our gate agents at Nagoya.

"Ah, Pecksohn, konnichi wa."

Here are four of the six ladies who run the Radisson laundry service for our pilots and flight attendants. Every time I show up they act as if I'm the most important person in the world and they couldn't wait to see me. It's a nice greeting when you're 4,000 miles from home!

Well, Greg's still a little worn out from our long flight from SEA to Osaka and curled up in one of the Lazy-Boy recliners in the crew lounge. Kids!

But the slave driver that I am, gets him up to draw our oceanic chart down to Saipan.

And finally out to the gate to meet our flight attendant crew as we await the arrival of our 757. Yup, more smiling people. It's nice to fly with someone who has a sweet tooth as he passes out chocolate macadamia nuts.

Here's our route from Narita to Saipan: RJAA, MANGO, OTR20, ADKAK, A337, TEGOD, G205, GUYES, DCT PGSN. A337 is the yellow line to the far right. This is a relatively quick flight of just three hours eight minutes to cover 1,342 nautical miles. We'll be out of VHF range so will communicate via HF with Tokyo and San Francisco Radios. This will be a long day though because this is a SPN turn. We'll have an hour and a half on the ground and then it's crank it up and fly back to NRT. About a 12 hour duty day with nearly eight hours of flying. The southern flight will be uneventful, but the return trip will be spent dodging thunderstorms that build along this route as the day passes. They won't be imbedded so navigating past them is fairly easy, except for the HF radio work to coordinate it all though.

Here's what it looks like on a more conventional National Geographic map. We're the black line to the right. From Narita we'll fly pretty much directly to Iwo Jima and follow the Bonin Trench which becomes the Mariana Trench to the Northern Mariana Islands. This area encompasses the deepest point of the worlds largest Ocean, which according to National Geographic is 36,200 feet.

Approximately 200 miles north of Saipan, we've contacted Guam approach on VHF and received a clearance to descend, pilots discretion to 10,000 feet. In an attempt to stay high as long as possible and save fuel, we've built an intersection in our FMC to cross a point 30 miles north of Saipan at 10,000 feet and 250 knots. This will give us an economical, power off descent of 29,000 feet. We've added the 250 knots by habit, because if more than 12 miles offshore it's not necessary to slow to this restricted speed. But 30 miles at 250 will pass quickly enough so we'll keep it in and plan as usual. Besides, we're a little early so it's not necessary to come screaming in and then have to use the boards.

In the distance you can see the runway at Saipan, but do you see those parallel strips just over our nose? They're what remains of old "North Field" from where Enola Gay launched on 6 August 1945 with its nuclear load code named "Little Boy" en route to Hiroshima. Three days later Bockscar launched with her load "Fatman" for Nagasaki. The next day, 10 August 1945, Japan capitulated and WWII unofficially came to an end. Saipan and Tinian here are just two of the 14 islands that make up the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands that stretch some 300 miles.

Saipan, straight ahead. But what's that over in the far corner just beyond the airline ramp?

Greg and I have about 1:45 minutes on our hands so after completing our shutdown checklist, wolfing down lunch and preparing for our return trip to Narita, we abandon the cockpit in search of other aircraft.

And this is what we found. Andy, our station manager piled into his truck and drove us to the other side of the field where we found this. It's a Volga-Dnepr IL76TA, just one of a varied fleet designed for heavy lifting.

This is a Russian based company, that I've seen all over the world that specializes in moving large, bulky, heavy objects. This aircraft normally has a crew of seven with a MTOW of 346,000 pounds and a range of 3,650 miles. I think that this is the smallest aircraft in their fleet. A rather ungainly looking flying machine, but it gets the job done I suppose.

Four tires per main truck for 16 tires on the main landing gear. Look forward and you'll see the nose wheel assembly with four tires. I'd love to see all these wheels retract!

Andy and Greg beneath the tail. Look closely... you'll see them.

Anyway, this is why the IL 76TA is here today in Saipan. This Shanghai Airlines B-767 blew the right engine shortly after takeoff and returned to land. A few days later a new engine was shipped in and maintenance was working on it when we arrived.

OK, we have to run and head back to our 757 to launch for Narita, but before we do, Andy gives us a quick tour including this WWII Japanese bunker. After the Marines secured the island on 7 July 1944, this airfield became known as Isley Field, home to the 73rd Bomb Wing, 21st Bomber Command of the 20th Air Force. Picture if you can 180 B-29's on this site.

Thanks for following along on this quick Saipan turn, but before I shove off, let me leave you with an email I received regarding recent events in Japan. This is a first person account from a brand new 767 captain on his first Asian trip. He and his crew did a fantastic job... my hat's off to them.

PIREP Airline flight on approach to Tokyo during earthquake

Subject: Report from an airline pilot on approach to Tokyo during earthquake
I'm currently still in one piece, writing from my room in the Narita crew hotel.
It's 8am. This is my inaugural trans-pacific trip as a brand new, recently
checked out, international 767 Captain and it has been interesting, to say the
least, so far. I've crossed the Atlantic three times so far so the ocean
crossing procedures were familiar.

By the way, stunning scenery flying over the Aleutian Islands . Everything was
going fine until 100 miles out from Tokyo and in the descent for arrival. The
first indication of any trouble was that Japan air traffic control started
putting everyone into holding patterns. At first we thought it was usual
congestion on arrival. Then we got a company data link message advising about
the earthquake, followed by another stating Narita airport was temporarily
closed for inspection and expected to open shortly (the company is always so
positive).

From our perspective things were obviously looking a little different. The
Japanese controller's anxiety level seemed quite high and he said expect
"indefinite" holding time. No one would commit to a time frame on that so I got
my copilot and relief pilot busy looking at divert stations and our fuel
situation, which, after an ocean crossing is typically low.

It wasn't long, maybe ten minutes, before the first pilots started requesting
diversions to other airports. Air Canada , American, United, etc. all reporting
minimal fuel situations. I still had enough fuel for 1.5 to 2.0 hours of
holding. Needless to say, the diverts started complicating the situation.

Japan air traffic control then announced Narita was closed indefinitely due to
damage. Planes immediately started requesting arrivals into Haneada, near Tokyo ,
a half dozen JAL and western planes got clearance in that direction but then ATC
announced Haenada had just closed. Uh oh! Now instead of just holding, we all
had to start looking at more distant alternatives like Osaka , or Nagoya .

One bad thing about a large airliner is that you can't just be-pop into any
little airport. We generally need lots of runway. With more planes piling in
from both east and west, all needing a place to land and several now fuel
critical ATC was getting over-whelmed. In the scramble, and without waiting for
my fuel to get critical, I got my flight a clearance to head for Nagoya , fuel
situation still okay. So far so good. A few minutes into heading that way, I was
"ordered" by ATC to reverse course. Nagoya was saturated with traffic and unable
to handle more planes (read- airport full). Ditto for Osaka .

With that statement, my situation went instantly from fuel okay, to fuel minimal
considering we might have to divert a much farther distance. Multiply my
situation by a dozen other aircraft all in the same boat, all making demands
requests and threats to ATC for clearances somewhere. Air Canada and then
someone else went to "emergency" fuel situation. Planes started to heading for
air force bases. The nearest to Tokyo was Yokoda AFB. I threw my hat in the ring
for that initially. The answer - Yokoda closed! no more space.

By now it was a three ring circus in the cockpit, my copilot on the radios, me
flying and making decisions and the relief copilot buried in the air charts
trying to figure out where to go that was within range while data link messages
were flying back and forth between us and company dispatch. I picked
Misawa AFB at the north end of Honshu island. We could get there with minimal
fuel remaining. ATC was happy to get rid of us so we cleared out of the
maelstrom of the Tokyo region. We heard ATC try to send planes toward Sendai , a
small regional airport on the coast which was later the one I think that got
flooded by a tsunami.

Dispatch then sent us a message asking if we could continue to Chitose
airport on the Island of Hokkaido , north of Honshu . Other company planes were
heading that way. More scrambling in the cockpit - check weather, check charts,
check fuel, okay. We could still make it and not be going into a fuel critical
situation ... if we had no other fuel delays. As we approached Misawa we got
clearance to continue to Chitose. Critical decision thought process. Let's see -
trying to help company - plane overflies perfectly good divert airport for one
farther away...wonder how that will look in the safety report, if anything goes
wrong.

Suddenly ATC comes up and gives us a vector to a fix well short of Chitose and
tells us to standby for holding instructions. Nightmare realized. Situation
rapidly deteriorating. After initially holding near Tokyo , starting a divert to
Nagoya , reversing course back to Tokyo then to re-diverting north toward Misawa,
all that happy fuel reserve that I had was vaporizing fast. My subsequent
conversation, paraphrased of course...., went something like this:

"Sapparo Control - Airline XX requesting immediate clearance direct to Chitose,
minimum fuel, unable hold."

"Negative Ghost-Rider, the Pattern is full" <<< top gun quote <<<

"Sapparo Control - make that - Airline XX declaring emergency, low fuel,
proceeding direct Chitose"

"Roger XX, understood, you are cleared direct to Chitose, contact Chitose
approach....etc...."

Enough was enough, I had decided to preempt actually running critically low on
fuel while in another indefinite holding pattern, especially after bypassing
Misawa, and played my last ace...declaring an emergency. The problem with that
is now I have a bit of company paperwork to do but what the heck.

As it was - landed Chitose, safe, with at least 30 minutes of fuel remaining
before reaching a "true" fuel emergency situation. That's always a good feeling,
being safe. They taxied us off to some remote parking area where we shut down
and watched a half dozen or more other airplanes come streaming in. In the end,
Delta had two 747s, had two 767's and a 777 all on the ramp at Chitose.
We saw two American airlines planes, a United and two Air Canada as well. Not to
mention several extra Al Nippon and Japan Air Lines planes.

Post-script - 9 hours later, Japan air lines finally got around to getting a
boarding ladder to the plane where we were able to get off and clear customs. -
that however, is another interesting story.

By the way - while writing this - I have felt four additional tremors that shook
the hotel slightly - all in 45 minutes.

Cheers,

* * * *

And for those who think that we just push buttons once in a while, maybe you'll think of "ghost-rider" (I love that reference) and his crew should that misguided thought ever pass through your brain again.

Thanks for following along.... until later, Rand

Just a few more of my fellow crewmembers.

2011-03-02T07:34:00.011-05:00

- NEWS -

as of 03/11/11 @ 1330 EST

According to our Delta employee news, all flights inbound to Narita and Haneda have diverted safely. All 1,200 Japan based employees are safe and have been accounted for as well as all flight crews. Both Narita and Haneda have re opened for departures only. There was no mention of when company departures may start though. Thanks to those who have emailed to ask of my whereabouts. I'm safely home in New Hampshire, but leave for Frankfurt tomorrow. To learn more about what's going on with regard to the Japanese earthquake and Asian flight Operations, click on Terry Maxon's aviation blog.

Want to see a great video? It has nothing to do with flying... but everything to do with living.

I think that I've accurately explained why I enjoy airline flying, but click here to see why a younger airline pilot enjoys his job as well as I do. He see's it from a more youthful perspective.

But a quick note first if I could. CONGRATULATIONS to Ricardo Carvalho from Brazil, a regular blog reader, who just obtained his private pilots license and plans to move forward to earn his commercial pilots license. Congratulations Ricardo.

If you remember the old TV show The Naked City about NYC from the late sixties, you'll recall the opening scene when a narrator would say, "There are eight million story's here in the naked city, here's one of them," as the camera zoomed in and focused on a particular NY City resident.

As you know, one of the reasons that I enjoy my job so much, is due to my fellow crew members. There are millions of airline employees out here... here are just two of them.

Dean, whom you met in the previous posting, and I have flown frequently with one another over the years. He's an expert, even though he cringes when I say that, but he is. Actually, more accurately I should refer to him as a scholar.

We left our hotel, located near the Eiffel Tower and with the help of Dean's Metro Map, went in search of the nearest station. We all have our shortcomings and mine, without a doubt is trying to figure out how to purchase metro/train tickets. In France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands and even the States, I'm flummoxed when I stand before an auto ticket dispenser. Fortunately, we've both visited Paris many times and had a good idea of where we were going.

We resurfaced at Saint Michel Square, in the Latin Quarter half way between the Louvre and Notre Dame on the Left Bank (Rive Gauche). Dean was in search of a French bookstore that he frequents to purchase specific books for friends of his. But before we hit the book store we need to eat.

We found a french bakery on a side street and indulged to our hearts desire. Did I need to preface it as a french bakery? I suppose all bakeries in Paris are French. I should have taken a picture of their display counter though, as their food presentation skills are second to none. You may remember my bakery pictures from Dusseldorf and Frankfurt; I'm addicted to these places.

Dean chose this apricot "fat pill" while I chose a more reasonable french croissant (that I'm sure had no more than two sticks of butter) with strawberry jam. But wait... Deans not only ordering in French, he's holding a conversation in French with the baker! The two of them are bantering back and forth and having a grand old time. It turns out that Dean spent several years in Algiers working construction to earn money for his "flying habit" as he puts it and speaks the language fluently.

We parked ourselves a short distance away on Saint Michels Square, on a beautiful day and watched the world go by. Saint Michels is the bohemian section, the site of many anti-war protests, the anti de Gaulle rally's of 1968 that nearly toppled his government and is filled with students who fancy themselves intellectuals. The Sorbonne is nearby too and the Seine River is but a few steps away. After visiting the major attractions that Paris has to offer, the narrow, winding streets surrounding Saint Michel are full of fascinating shops, history, architecture, restaurants and people that will drive your curiosity.

Behind Dean is Notre Dame, (Our Lady of Paris) completed in 1345, but note the green vendor boxes too. On warm days, vendors hawk from these structures selling books, magazines, pamphlets postcards and an interesting variety of other items too. It's difficult to walk past some of the more interesting displays but we must, we're on a mission and time is growing short as we walk the Left Bank north, towards the Petite Palace.

Another museum, difficult to walk past is Musee d'orsay, The Temple of Impressionism, but I've visited here before with my family on vacation and during other layovers, so we press on.

We've now reached our objective, L' Hotel des Invalides where construction started under Louis XIV, the Sun King in 1670.

Built as a hospital and rest home for France's war veterans, today it houses the nations military history museum (Musee de L'Armee) as well as Emperor Napoleon's Tomb (1769 - 1821). Many other notables are interned here as well such as Marshal Ferdinand Foch, Supreme Allied Commander during WWI. Others, such as General Jean Baptiste Kleber who served Napoleon during the Egyptian campaign, is buried in Strasbourg, but his heart lies here in a vault beneath the chapel. Apparently Jean Baptiste never visited San Francisco!

Dean, a 1975 VMI (Virginia Military Institute) graduate, inspects the artillery in the Cour d'Honneur, just one of 15 majestic courtyards in this sprawling complex. I went to Norwich and am more than casually interested in our surroundings as well. There are 60, bronze artillery pieces here that span 200 years of technology.

As we gaze up upon the Emperor, let me tell you a little about Dean. He's a WWII scholar and I don't use the term lightly. Like many I've read and been moved by Steven Ambrose's Band of Brothers, D-Day and Citizen Soldiers, but he's traveled well beyond that. His WWII library, that houses books written by combat veterans is awe inspiring. He's sought these men out, interviewed many and had them autograph their books. He's met and interviewed original members of Easy Company, 506th PIR, (Parachute Infantry Regiment,) 101st Airborne Division. I'm sure you know of Major Winters and Easy Company.

He's acquired and studied original "After Action Reports" concerning battles in the European, Pacific and North African theaters of operation, journeyed to these sites and walked the battlefields. In fact he's so learned that he conducts tours along the Beaches of Normandy, through the hedge rows and into St. Mere Eglise. This summer he'll conduct tours for the first time on Iwo Jima and around Mt. Suribachi.

Operation Detachment, Battle of Iwo Jima, 2/19/45 - 3/26/45

I'm sure that you're familiar with Joe Rosenthal's 1945 Pulitzer prize winning photo of five Marines and one Navy Corpsman raising the US flag on Mt Suribachi during the battle of Iwo Jima. I've read Flyboys and Flags of our Fathers by James Bradley and have flown over the site en route from Saipan and Guam to Nagoya and Tokyo... but Dean has been there and walked on hallowed ground.

Five hour flights from Honolulu to San Francisco and nine hour flights from Paris to Cincinnati pass in a flash as I'm enthralled and educated by Dean on the finer points of WWII history, Operations Overlord, Market Garden, Torch and Sea lion. He'll be embarrassed when he reads this, he's very modest, but the depth of his knowledge, his passion for history and those who lived it, fought through it and died during it is unparalleled.

Do you know the term Band of Brothers? Dean asked me if I knew from where it sprang and I was thrilled that I could answer him. It derived from William Shakespeare's St. Crispin's Day speech in Henry V.

Here it is.

And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered-
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he today that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in England now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap while any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.

We're standing on the main esplanade of Invalides looking below to Napoleons Tomb. Constructed of red porphyry (slate) from Russia, Napoleon was laid to rest here in 1861.

Napoleons tomb with the Eglise Du Dome Chapel in the background. The architecture surrounding us is spectacularly ornate and involved. The chapel had been constructed years earlier so much excavation and thought needed to be applied to "fit" the Emperor in.

This museum is huge so we concentrated on Napoleon's Tomb and the WWII exhibition which took us many enjoyable hours to navigate.

And just to let you know that I was there, here I am standing before Gustav Eiffel's masterpiece that stands 1,063 feet tall, built for the World Exposition of 1889. Interestingly, Eiffel designed the "internal frame" for our own Statue of Liberty, a gift from the people of France in 1886.

This was a very long but productive day as we spent more than eight hours on our feet before returning to our hotel. A petit grocery store nearby supplied me with a ham and cheese baguette, an orange, a chocolate bar and a small bottle of red wine. It was a great day!

Holding short of runway 27R at CDG the following day behind an Air France A-330, as we prepare to journey back across the North Atlantic. Destination, North America.

We're operating today as Delta 43, back to CVG. Our flight time is 9:32 to cover 3,651 nautical miles. That strong tailwind that aided us eastbound yesterday is now a detriment westbound today.

We've just been cleared to "line up and wait behind this departing A-330" as I call for the final items. But before we take off, let me back up to when this crew boarded the airplane an hour and a half ago.

Robin came into the cockpit to say hello and per my usual operation, I had her pose in the FO's seat. Nice girl, enjoyed talking with her, she's Cincinnati based. But when I went back on my break a few hours later I had the chance to really get to know her and what I learned was extraordinary. She sends packages, cards, letters and those of others too to our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

She also asks passengers via the PA if they'd like to add comments to her latest book that she passes around. Her overtures are very well received and passenger comments are wonderful. But I still didn't understand the depth of her commitment until she handed me the presentation below.

Open this up and read the inscription!

Now read the letter inserted on the left by Master Sergeant Marcus R. Dawson, USMC, First Marine Expeditionary Force.

I have to tell you and I wasn't embarrassed either, but it brought a tear to my eye. Her level of commitment to men that she doesn't know and will probably never meet was deeply moving. I've seen these "kids" in their desert camo at airports throughout the world, shipping out and returning home and I've experienced a few coffins loaded on board too. I won't even try to describe my emotions, but knowing that Robin is there to help is comforting.

This is just one more example of how lucky I've been, to have been surrounded by fellow employees like Robin who have richly enhanced my last 30 years. Would you like to learn a little more about Robin? Click here to see just how committed she is.

Thanks Robin, it was a pleasure to meet you!

And finally, on a little lighter note here are Dean and Erik, nine hours 32 minutes later back in CVG. (Erik is a former Navy C-130 pilot by the way) The reason that I've taken this photo is to show you our flight bags. This is the last day that we'll be carrying them, a throw back to pre-glass, round-dial cockpits, so you'll no longer see them in future photography. Mine is in the middle.

For years I carried a leather bag that saw service at Air New England, Orion, Republic and NWA until sadly, it just couldn't perform any longer. I switched then to my Dad's old leather bag that he'd used at Delta and Northeast Airlines before that, until the bottom fell out and it too was forced into retirement... a second time. This bag, of nylon construction, has performed satisfactorily, but I've never developed an emotional bond with it. My leather bags, scrapped and worn, battered and torn had personality and when brought home on rare occasions filled my office with the pleasant aroma of cockpits. You know, that odor of leather, oil, coffee and jet fuel. The same intoxicating scent I sensed in my Dad's office as a boy, dreaming of flying DC-6's and Vickers Viscounts along the Eastern Seaboard one day. I had no idea that the dream would carry me this far.

My original flight bag that went from ANE to NWA

Sarah, like those cartoons that ask, what's the difference between two "nearly" identical pictures... Can you see a subtle difference between Dean and Erik above? Give Sarah a couple of days and then anyone who see's it can feel free to jump in.

I have one more crewmember who I'd like to introduce, I know that you'll love his photography. But I'll save First Officer, aka LTC James Reeman until next time. As usual, thanks for following along.

Rand

Would you like to read about a more detailed Paris trip? Visit My Most Popular Posts just below the visitors locations map, drop down eight postings and join Dave and me in the City of Light for another day in Paris.

Only a few more to fly...

2011-02-26T12:19:00.042-05:00

I may have mentioned this a time or two... but isn't this just about the most beautiful design flying today? I only have a few trips remaining to fly the 757 and 767 and intend to enjoy them to the greatest extent possible. It's been nine years of pleasure, exploring North America, Asia and Europe in a fabulous airplane with wonderful crews.

I leave for Frankfurt tomorrow and hope to have Part II of my previous Paris trip up and running before I leave home.

Until then I hope that you enjoy this little video of a 757 parking in SFO. This is a 757-351, N595NW, ship 5815 built in September 2003 that we'll turn and venture off to Honolulu in shortly. I look forward to my new aircraft assignment, but this ol bird will be hard to beat.

Off to Paris... via ATL and CVG of course!

2011-02-15T00:01:00.006-05:00

Apparently I spoke too soon when I mentioned that my last trip included my first visit to the de-ice pad. We leave DTW today on a five day Paris (CDG) trip... with stops in Atlanta and Cincinnati of course, but re-aquaint ourselves with the de-ice pad once again. Our de-ice coordinator, you can see him just outside my window, will connect his headset in just a moment as this former North Central Airlines (NCA) DC-9-50 leaves the pad.

And here's the dash 50 again as they rotate off runway 22L in light snow. In just a moment the non flying pilot, referred to as the PM (pilot monitoring) will call positive rate as soon as he or she sees the altimeter climb AND the vertical speed indicate a positive rate of climb. All of the -30's have been retired leaving only five -40's and 34 -50's flying with Delta as of 1/1/11.

Here's how 'ol 761 looked just a few years ago.

This particular DC-9 was delivered new to NCA on 4 March 1976 as N761NC, MSN 47709. She has 16 first class and 109 coach seats and is powered by two JT8D-17 Pratt and Whitney engines. Do you know what JT8D means in Pratt and Whitney speak? Answer, according to my very first 727 ground school many, many years ago when such topics were raised is; Jet, Turbofan, Model 8, Smokeless. Yes smokeless!

When the DC-9's finally retire we'll still have JT8D's on the property in the form of the -219 powering our MD-88's.

OK, we're off to ATL from runway 22L in DTW. The temperature has risen to 8 SAT with drizzle and fog so the engine anti-ice has been selected on since taxi and remains on for the takeoff. Our procedure is to operate engine anti ice any time it's below +10 SAT in moisture. That includes on the ground with a visibility less than 1 mile or with snow or ice on the ramps.

After ATL, Dean and I deadheaded to Cincinnati, laid over downtown and met Erik, our relief pilot the next day for our flight to CDG. The last time I was in CVG was in a DC-9 many years ago and taxiing out after not having taxied in was an exercise. Usually the taxi in gives you a pretty good idea of the airport layout, but we didn't have that luxury today. Erik is in the right seat and Dean is in the jumpseat acting as relief pilot on this leg.

You might think that Erik is studying!! Well in a manner of speaking yes, but today is the first day of our change over to Shipsets, which means that our personal Jeppesen's, that we've hauled around for years is coming to an end. Keep in mind that we're flying both the 757 and 767 which literally fly everywhere in our system, domestic and international. Revision day which I think is twice a month, is looked upon as a bad toothache day. It's horrendous! In fact, you can't carry all of these manuals in your bag so after determining where your rotation visits you select the manuals and leave the others behind in a box marked with your name.

But for this rotation, even though the new shipsets are here we have to carry our bags one last time. With three men, three suitcases, three flightbags AND the shipsets, the cockpit is VERY crowded.

We're in a Boeing 767-300ER today and as agents board the flight, Erik, Dean and I complete walk around, preflight, pushback and performance checklists. We've also discussed how we'll handle emergency procedures, the SID or the ROCKT5 departure procedure which is an RNAV operation requiring both LNAV and VNAV. And most importantly our taxi route to runway 18R.

"Let's see I'm facing north, 18R is to my left going the opposite direction...."

This sign appears on the terminal building before us advising that flight 44 to CDG is due off the gate in 14 minutes to meet an on time departure at 1545... and we did! I understand that there have been complaints recently with regard to DAL's on time performance... I don't know who's flying those flights, they couldn't be friends of mine. Seriously though, Delta used to delay the pushback until the final numbers were delivered via ACARS to the cockpit, thus jeopardizing an on time departure. They've since adopted the Northwest procedure of pushing on time, regardless of the disposition of these numbers. Now we'll set these critical numbers (V1, V2, Vr, stab-trim and flaps) after the push, during de-icing or waiting in line to depart which should significantly improve our ratings. In order though to insure that flaps are extended, we'll set them to a default setting during the initial taxi stage when the captain calls for a "taxi clearance." We did this for years at NWA and it consistently landed us in the top tier of on time airlines.

Today's flight will cover 3,767 nautical miles in 7 hours 38 minutes; we have tremendous tailwinds and will arrive in Paris some 45 minutes early. Our dispatcher knows this and has flight planned us on a more southerly route to take advantage of the jet stream and a slower than normal airspeed (not oceanic though, that will remain at 80 mach) thus saving fuel and still arriving early. Our block fuel equals 90,800 pounds including two alternates of Orly (LFPO) where Lindbergh landed the Spirit of St. Louis in 1927 and Brussels. (EBBR) These identifiers are the FMS identifiers, the ICAO airport identifiers are ORY and BRU respectively.

CORRECTION: Dan thanks, I can't believe I made that error. Lindbergh landed at Le Bourget in 1927 not Orly.

Why a second alternate you may be wondering? A second destination alternate is required whenever a primary alternate is considered "marginal." It's all about planning!

But before we leave... yup, another visit to the de-ice pad as we pass by this A-320.

This is my first time flying from CVG to CDG and according to our procedures, we're to send for our oceanic clearance 90 minutes prior to our Oceanic Entry Point of DOVEY. This is located at 42N67W east of Boston. In my mind I'd planned, as usual to contact Gander via ACARS for this information. But I was mistaken, we're still in New York airspace and they don't have ACARS capability so we'll do it the old fashioned way via voice. After acclimating to ACARS clearances this is a somewhat cumbersome and time consuming exercise. To make matters worse, we are not CPDLC equipped either and will make all of our position reports via HF frequencies.

Oh Boy!

Our flight plan has us on NATX or Nat Track X-Ray according to the latest (TMI) track message. The track message changes a couple of times a day and defines the latitudes and longitudes that define the airways across the North Atlantic. The TMI is part of our flight plan paperwork that we use to load the computer and construct the map above. One pilot loads the computer and the other checks it insure that we'll fly our defined course. Once airborne specific procedures are followed approaching, crossing and departing each fix to insure that we're on course and that our fuel is as it should be.

After DOVEY we'll fly via 42N060W, 44N50W, 46N40W, 48N30W, 50N20W and exit at SOMAX, 280 miles southwest of Shannon, Ireland. In fact, our first landfall will skip the UK entirely and find us over southern France near Normandy and the Contentin Penissula. I've never arrived this far south before and only wished for clear skies to have been able to have seen Gold, Sword, Juno, Omaha and Utah Beaches where on 6 June 1944, under the command of General Eisenhower, the Allies waded ashore through Hitler's Atlantic Wall. The weather did not cooperate.

Further inspection of our North Atlantic Orientation Chart indicates that our 180 minute ETOPS alternates tonight are CYYT, St John's in Newfoundland and EGPK in Prestwick, Scotland. This is where we'll go if we suffer an engine failure or some other catastrophic failure. Again... planning, planning.

Position Page 2 indicates that we've arrived at SOMAX, our Oceanic Exit point and are in VHF contact with Shanwick. It's time for breakfast before starting down and flying the CVG arrival procedures. These can be a bit complex and require a thorough pilot briefing to ensure compliance. Today we'll descend on the CDG DVL 4W (plate 20-2N) for the MERUE Transition for runway 27R. This is a LONG taxi to the gate!

There are many little "gotcha's" on these arrivals with regard to speed and altitudes. You build this arrival by selecting the DVL 4W first, then the runway and finally the MERUE transition to construct the proper picture on the map. As much as I'm looking forward to not have to carry my own Jepps, I'm concerned about loosing my personal notes that I've scribbled on them over the years to help clarify and remind me of how to do it right. I'll just have to save my notes elsewhere. I can see it now... "where did I put that little book??"

Also, like many professional pilots, I look over departure procedures that are unique to many of these European airports before I leave my hotel room for the return flight in order not to be surprised by some little detail. Ah yes... there's that planning again!

As usual, thanks for following along on another North Atlantic crossing. In a few days I'll follow up with how we spent our Paris layover time and introduce you to a couple of interesting crew members.

Until then, au revoir.

Rand

London Heathrow via FLL and ATL.

2011-02-05T17:38:00.002-05:00

The picture above was taken just west of Anchorage, Alaska en route from San Francisco to Nagoya, Japan.

I'll have a new post up tomorrow... see you then!

Rand

I recently came home from a London Heathrow trip, that as you know with DAL now includes domestic flying either before or after a crossing. At least in DTW anyway, I'm not sure about other domiciles. I'm less than enthralled with this arrangement as I find I'm considerably more fatigued now at the end of one of these excursions. Also, my brain bag must weigh more than 50 or 60 pounds with both domestic and international Jepps "squeezed" into limited space. There is good news on this front though. By mid February the 757 and 767 Jeppesens will be maintained on board by the company, so the need to lug around a flightbag will be going the way of the dinosaur.

I've received my 747 class date and start school on 27 March. This aircraft has already transitioned to the new Jeppesen program so my flightbag will see no duty there either. I think that it will take a little while though to acclimate to this concept. Maybe I'll list it for sale on Ebay!

Anyway, I'm starting a four day London trip here, but need to visit FLL, Fort Lauderdale for an hour or so before departing for ATL and laying over. With all the snow we've experienced in the northeast, this will be my first visit to the de-ice pad this season. Let's see, where is my de-ice info and hold over time guide? It's crowded into my bag here somewhere. Actually I pulled it out, dusted it off and reviewed it a few hours ago in anticipation of needing its guidance.

We've just pushed off of gate A18 in a B-757 and have been cleared by ramp control to taxi north on Uniform 9 towards Spot 3 North where we'll switch to ground control. We have limited snow on our wings, but our leading edges are pretty well iced over and need attention.

After Spot 3 North, we taxied via Uniform, Kilo and Juliet taxiways to find spot 6 in the 4R deice pad where "iceman" was prepared and waiting for us. Prior to our push from A-18, we called "iceman" on a dedicated frequency to advise that we'd need their services. They know our departure runway and coordinate with ground control to sequence us for the appropriate de-ice facility. There are several on the field, but "holdover" time after being "anti-iced" is limited so the closer to the departure runway the better.

We've pulled into Spot 6, set the brakes and have configured the aircraft for spraying. You may wonder what that means. The flaps and slats are extended to the takeoff position, the air conditioning packs are shutoff to avoid ingesting fumes into the cabin and the engines are running at idle. Now the de-ice coordinator plugs his headset into the phone jack in the nose wheel well and advises me of the sequence of events. Today, we'll need to be de-iced and then anti-iced before continuing our journey to runway 21L.

A 737 next to us in spot 5

What does that mean?

This is a two step procedure. First, they'll spray the aircraft with a mixture of heated glycol and water to "de-ice" or remove contaminant from our wings and fuselage. If it were not snowing, that would be the end of it, we'd be on our way to FLL. However, it's snowing moderately now so we need to "anti-ice" too. The anti-ice procedure lays on another coating of heated glycol and water that acts as a repellant to the snow. The time of effectiveness depends on the weather and mixture which they vary to meet the conditions. If we expect a ten minute taxi from here, there's no need to anti-ice for 30 minutes as these procedures are very costly.

It is possible, with delays, to out live the planned time of effectiveness, but a captain can go back and personally check the wings through the window to determine if a departure is safe or a return trip to the pad is necessary.

We've just finished our two step procedure and the coordinator advises the types of fluids used as well as the start and end times. Consulting my chart, which I enter from the current outside air temperature, move to the precipitation column and finish at the fluids column, I've determined that we have 25 minutes of effectiveness. Perfect... our taxi from here to the departure end of runway 21L should be fewer than 10 minutes.

We've left the pad and are currently on Kilo taxiway to hold short of Uniform behind a Regional Jet as this B-777 makes his way out to the runway. Something that I've noticed that's new this season is that they often de-ice the large airplanes at the gate, as they've done here.

This regional jet is holding short of Uniform for the triple-7, but will continue shortly for a de-ice pad dedicated to this type of aircraft. When they move, we'll make a left turn on Uniform and a right turn on Yankee and follow the triple-7 to 21L. We'll also cross runway 9L which now requires a specific clearance to cross. Until a year or so ago, a clearance to taxi to a runway implied that you were cleared to cross all intermediate runways too. No more.

We've adopted ICAO procedures for uniformity much like the "Line up and wait" phraseology versus cleared into "position and hold." The phraseology that I've not heard in the US yet and don't like is "cleared into position to hold behind the departing/arriving aircraft." I see room for errors here!

I think that this triple-7 is leaving for Hong Kong as it goes into position on 22L and dramatically reduces visibility behind it in blowing snow.

In position on 22L at DTW

OK, now it's our turn to 'line up and wait." Not that it's a problem today because we have sufficient ceiling and visibility, but those center line lights play a significant role in determining departure minimums.

We're airborne off DTW and headed towards FLL. Is this a Delta or Northwest 757?

We've broken out on top of a very interesting winter sky. Wispy clouds at altitude with a mackerel sky below.

We're DAL 1153 cruising at FL 370. We crossed Volunteer (VXV) at 2214Z, the OAT was -50C, estimating Jacksonville (CRG) at 2300, cruising at Mach .80 with a wind out of 254 degrees at 110 knots. Our fuel at VXV was 19,900 pounds and we're estimating FLL at 2358Z. Just about everything you need to know on the Progress Page 2 and Position Report page.

We're not the only ones out here!

Now at ATL on Ramp five, we're awaiting access to our gate. As soon as this B-777 moves we'll be able to pull in, secure the aircraft and complete another on time flight. Off to Heathrow tomorrow.

Where does the time go?

2011-01-11T11:55:00.000-05:00

I'm sorry that so much time has passed since my last posting, but I've just been so darn busy that it's hard to squeeze everything in. I've flown several European trips to London and Paris recently, as well as a couple of Asian excursions with some fantastic crews and garnered some very good photography.

Here are just some of the crews that I've enjoyed.

Waiting to depart 34L at Narita for San Francisco.

In the forward galley at Narita headed for Saipan.

This layover in Kensington, during a London Heathrow trip had additional benefits. See the young fellow to my right? He's my cousin Jan's son who is spending a semester in London. I was a little worried that he might find dinner with four (old) guys a bit boring. I was wrong though as we enjoyed a spirited conversation.

On our way home from Paris. Next stop, Salt Lake City.

In Frankfurt as we seek after dinner entertainment.

To read a little about my last Asian trip and why I've been so busy, click here.

Thanks for reading and I hope to have more up soon.

Rand

Happy Thanksgiving.

2010-11-25T08:40:00.000-05:00

I've spent many Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday's aloft in a variety of airplanes over the years, but thanks to seniority I get to spend them at home with my family now. That's about to change however with my latest aircraft bid, but what the heck.

Both NWA and DAL have been very good about supplying turkey dinners to working crews.

And so have layover hotels who feel the plight of junior crews away during holidays. Thank-you, it's much appreciated.

So to all my friends out flying and to those who take the time to read my blog, thanks very much and Happy Thanksgiving.

Rand

The (fabricated) news that's fit to print according to the LA Times.

2010-11-22T12:15:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since I've written a post and I'll get a new one up shortly, but I'm compelled to address this news account by the Los Angeles Times. Here's the headline.

"DELTA AIRLINES PILOTS GET LOCKED OUT OF COCKPIT FOR NEARLY FOUR HOURS."

Somewhere over America in a pilotless jet airplane!

What???

I don't know how you read this, but I had visions (see above) of a pilot at 35,000 feet, sweat poring from his brow, feverishly beating on the cockpit door trying to regain entry as his B-767 sped through the atmosphere at mach 80, mothers with young children crying and praying for help. How could this have happened I wondered? Well, rest assured... it didn't.

OK, I really didn't think that, but I'm certain that many, unaccustomed to air travel, had visions of a drone commercial jet floating through their mind. And it's exactly what the writer intended when he wrote it and the editor hoped for when he approved this misleading caption. But after you read the article you eventually learn... Oh, they were on the ground, at the gate at LAX and the flight was delayed. Here, you can read it for yourself.

I don't mean to minimize the situation; an unspecified number of paying passengers, people whom I depend upon for my livelihood were regrettably inconvenienced, as well as others downline whose transportation was linked with this aircraft or crew. From my viewpoint though, the reader has been mislead purposefully in an attempt to sell newspapers. This is journalistic sensationalism at its best and the news media wonders why readership is down and trust in their product is low.

Headlines that once only appeared in the ENQUIRER are surfacing in mainline publications like the LA Times these days. I'd hardly consider them a news source after reading drivel like this.

Returning to Asia

2010-10-26T09:46:00.000-04:00

Let me address a point made earlier by Mark Lawrence.

Mark asked about the farmers home located smack dab in the middle of Narita Airport.

Here it is.

Mark, here's the photo to which you referred. This is the farmers home who absolutely, unequivocally, with out hesitation, refused to move as eminent domain forced others out. The story goes that the emperor gave either him or his family this land and he wasn't leaving and that's that! So they constructed NRT around him and cordoned him off. His home is located between taxiway Charlie and the JAL maintenance hangar. The main terminals are located to my back in this picture. To the left you can see the guard tower, manned 24 hours per day to keep an eye on this fellow. But here's the interesting or clever aspect of this situation. Do you see the little tower that rises from the roof of the building? It's a clock tower that faces directly at the guard tower. The guard is forced to observe a clock all day long and time drags when you constantly check the time. I'd like to meet this clever farmer, although I've never seen any activity around this property.

Here's a different angle that better depicts the guard and the clock tower as a JAL 747 taxi's past in the background.

And finally, here's an aerial view of the compound that really shows the position of the farmers home with regard to aircraft activity. He's situated between two major taxiways with the main terminals and the JAL maintenance hangars nearby. Mark... you and your son would never have to leave home again to take an aircraft shot if you lived here!

Before I get into my new post, let me send my congratulations to Justin Schlechter, who just had his first story, HOMECOMING, published in the December 2010 issue of AIRWAYS MAGAZINE. Justin is a 747-400 copilot; to learn more about him and his world-wide adventures, visit his blog at POSITIVE RATE. Congratulations Justin, you'll enjoy a wonderful relationship with the Weggs and everyone at AIRWAYS.

OK, after a fantastic Paris layover with Dave and Thad it's back to Asia again with layovers in Beijing, Narita and Guam before returning to SEA and commuting home.

Bill, to the right, and I had flown into SFO the afternoon before in a 757 and enjoyed a downtown layover where I indulged in another fine Italian dinner at my favorite San Francisco Italian restaurant on Polk Street. As good as it is though, no one beats my wife's Italian cooking. Bill and I met John here at the International terminal at SFO the next day to plot our course to Narita. We flew the Pacific on a random track south of Anchorage as Bill reads the coordinates and John plots them on our Pacific Orientation Chart. I'd flown the Quiet Bridge arrival the day before, so this would be Bill's leg uploading the route, leaving me to check and confirm the waypoints.

The Final Product

And this is how our orientation chart looks after completion. It's a little hard to see, but we leave SFO and fly north up the coast towards Seattle before turning out to sea over the North Pacific. We'll pass well south of Anchorage and turn more westerly near the end of the Aleutian Island Chain. You can see the fixed tracks above ours at this point. We'll fly south Sea of Okhotsk and skirt the Russian coast before entering Japanese airspace.

This route, chosen by our dispatcher, will keep us away from the strongest winds aloft and avoid several areas of scattered thunderstorms and turbulence. Our total flight time is predicted to be 10:52, ten hours fifty-two minutes to cover 4,573 nautical miles. Today's fuel load equals 144,700 pounds or roughly 21,600 gallons of gas... Jet-A to be specific.

As I'd mentioned earlier, this is Bill's leg so I'll go out and do the walk around inspection. This is a Boeing 767-332ER that since the merger hasn't seen the paint shop yet. I've always liked Delta's old red/blue widget tail; it was distinctive and easily recognizable in the marketplace and I could never figure out why they went to this wavy colored tail design. I suspect that it was change for the sake of change and didn't serve the corporation well.

On the other hand, Northwest created it's image (not necessarily always good) in 1948 with the "Red Tail" and maintained it until the merger with DAL on 2009. I've heard stories from business travelers arriving at Asian airports after being away from home for months, seeing the NWA red tail and feeling like they were home. It may sound corny but it's true and this is an excellent example of a marketing department creating a recognizable image.

Frankly, I'd like to see DAL return to its roots and resurrect the original widget and it's previous red/blue pilot wings; distinctive, marketable and recognizable images. At NWA we enjoyed the industry's most unusual pilots wings in the form of our "US Airmail" wings designed in 1929. I've written about them many times so won't bother to go into it again except to say that they set us apart.

Here's a little more information about our airplane that we'll fly today.

I've returned to the cockpit where Bill and John have finished most of their preflight assignments. In Bill's case, he activated the flight computers, fixed the aircrafts current position at the gate via the GPS and uploaded our flight plan, winds aloft and descent winds. John checked the aircraft logbook, checked the potable water level, waste tanks and is available to do anything else that crops up. After I get into my seat I'll preflight several panels, discuss the logbook with John and review the route uploaded into the computer and call for the Preflight checklist as passengers board and flight attendants make them comfortable.

I've also met with our Purser to discuss our route, weather, ETA and aircraft cabin systems. I always finish my brief with, "If it's important to you, it's important to me," which is my way of letting the purser know that I value their input. Let's face it, I'm very much removed from what goes on back here and will make decisions based on the flight attendants judgement.

We've pushed back from gate 10 at the International Terminal at SFO, have completed the before start checklist and have been cleared to start the engines. That's the first officers job now as I communicate with the tug driver, set the brakes and monitor the start.

Bill's completed both starts, we've been waved off, completed a before taxi checklist and I asked Bill to obtain a taxi clearance. This also signals him to extend the flaps to the five degree position. We've just been cleared to taxi to spot seven behind this Virgin America A-320. Believe it or not, but this is my first time leaving from the International Terminal at SFO as my previous Honolulu experience departed from the domestic terminal.

We're north of SEA and Vancouver headed towards Anchorage when United passed us by.

Nearly eleven hours later we broke out of a high overcast to land on runway 34R at Narita

Now we're at that hold point called "the north hold point" if I remember correctly as a DAL A-330 lands on 34R. As we taxied to the gate we saw five.... yes five company aircraft land so we need to scoot right along so we don't get stuck in the back of the customs line.

We're looking for gate 14 just around the corner past this 747. The great part about arriving at NRT is that the hotel will have several busses waiting in the pickup area for us. No waiting! This is only a nine day trip so Bill and I will spend six days in Asia flying to Guam and Beijing before flying flight 174 to SEA. That flight will cover 4,822 nautical miles in ten hours 52 minutes.

Once again, thanks for reading.

Rand

Photos from Chris Sloan

2010-10-08T13:01:00.000-04:00

I'm working on posting pictures from my latest Asian trip. In the meanwhile here are a couple of galleries from Chris Sloan that I'm sure you'll enjoy.

This is a gallery of shots that Chris took from a recent visit to SEA and the Boeing Museum of Flight.

The 787 (Dreamliner) recently visited Ft. Lauderdale and Chris ventured over with his camera to create this Gallery

Want to learn more about Chris Sloan? Visit his fantastic site at AIRCHIVE.COM

Just in case you're unfamiliar with Boeing Field and the Museum of Flight, here's an aerial shot taken while landing at SEA, just at the top of the photo. You pass directly over Boeing Field when landing to the south at SEA. The museum (glass enclosure) is located on the right side, near the departure end of runway 13R

The City of Light

2010-09-27T08:18:00.000-04:00

This is a fairly long post but if you have the time, buckle up and join Dave and me as we fly a five day trip with layovers in Philadelphia, Paris and Salt Lake City before returning to Detroit to commute home. The first day was fairly long as we departed DTW for ATL before arriving late at night at PHL in a B-757. I hadn't been to either ATL or PHL since my 727 days and looked forward to a Philly Cheese Steak near Independence Hall.

The next morning Dave and I met in the lobby and walked over to visit the Liberty Bell with Independence Hall in the background. The Liberty Bell, probably the second most iconic symbol of American freedom behind New York's Statue of Liberty, was cast in London in 1752, migrating to Philadelphia shortly thereafter. It weighs 2,080 pounds and first hung in the Philadelphia Statehouse, now called Independence Hall behind us here. It rang loudly on 8 July 1776 as the newly drafted Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson, was read for the first time to the citizens of Philadelphia where we stand. The bell has tolled commemorating the deaths of Washington, Franklin, Madison, Adams, Jefferson and other notable founders of our Republic. When the British occupied Philadelphia in 1777, citizens removed her from the bell tower and hid the bell so British troops wouldn't melt it down for shot and cannon. Removed from her perch in 1852, the Liberty Bell spent the next 63 years traveling the U.S. visiting Boston, New York, Atlanta, San Francisco and other cities to mark significant events.

Independence Hall, behind us, was built over a period of time spanning from 1732 until 1756 and was home to the Second Continental Congress. Congress at that time enjoyed a favorable rating of greater than today's 111th. congress of 19%. George Washington received his appointment as Commander in Chief here in 1775, the Declaration of Independence was adopted from this building in 1776 and our Constitution (a document many of our present day politicians seem to know little about) was drafted here in 1787. Our framework was developed here, our constitutional history begins here and men of integrity toiled here to form our great Republic.

Later in the afternoon Dave and I arrived at PHL, met Scott (in the right seat) pushed back and we were underway to Paris in a 757. Our takeoff weight is 231,000 pounds with 61,600 pounds of fuel and two arrival alternates; Paris Orly and Brussels, Belgium.

We'd depart on 27L on the far side of the field. Ground Control made it easy for us, "follow the USAirways Airbus." We can do that.

Air France Concorde F-BVFF on permanent display at CDG north of the terminal buildings. A few facts: First flight, 12/26/78. Last flight 6/14/00. Total hours, 12,421. She's displayed in a takeoff configuration pointed towards JFK.

After takeoff we flew over JFK, Long Island and Boston before reaching KOBEV our oceanic entry point northwest of Halifax and joining the X-Ray track. So far we'd flown very close to the route followed by Charles Lindbergh in 1927. After an uneventful six and a half hour flight that covered 3,289 miles across the North Atlantic, we've landed at Charles DeGaulle (CDG) and during our taxi in see this Concorde landing on... oh, it's not landing it's on stanchions. It's on static display as we contact south ground on 121.8. Not knowing of this display, I was pleasantly surprised as I approached it from the north... reaching for my camera.

From the north runways, it's a very long taxi to terminal two and the signage here at CDG is minimal. All three of us had our taxi charts out and followed along as we navigated our way to the hardstand. One nice feature though about the hardstand, the bus picks us up at the airplane and takes us directly to the hotel avoiding the terminal buildings. The ride downtown takes approximately 50 minutes, but we're in France and the sightseeing is great.

The crew followed its usual pattern of behavior as we dispersed for our customary four hour nap before reuniting downstairs for a day in Paris. Many don't understand the four hour nap, let me explain. By the time we arrive at a European city between 0900 to 1100 we've been up nearly 24 hours and are fairly tired. If we slept a full eight hours we'd lose the day and then be unable to sleep that night and be rested for the return trip. After fours hours of sleep, you DRAG yourself out of bed and force yourself to enjoy the local flavor. It's hard, but the alternative of tossing and turning all night during normal sleeping hours is worse. Besides, you're in Paris, or Rome, or London, or Frankfurt and there's too much to miss. Anyway, Dave and I are off for a day of exploration in one of the worlds most beautiful cities.

It's a short walk from our hotel to the Eiffel Tower. What a sight! Ready for a few facts?

Designed by Gustave Eiffel and built for the 1889 Worlds Fair, marking the centennial celebration of the French Revolution, this is the tallest structure in Paris at 1,063 feet and the worlds most visited "paid" monument. Criticised in its day by citizens and artists as an ugly metal eye-sore, today it's Paris' most iconic structure.

An eye-sore, what were they thinking?

It was built however with a 20 year permit, with the understanding that it would be dismantled eventually. It's still here and I suspect not going anywhere soon. As Allied Armies approached Paris in 1944, Hitler ordered the destruction of the tower and a general burning of the city. Fortunately his orders were disregarded as German forces fled Paris, retreating behind the Rhine River.

From the Eiffel Tower, Dave and I walked towards the Champs Elysees crossing the Seine River at Pont de Invalides. The river traffic with tour boats is heavy and on one of these trips I plan to indulge and see the city from this perspective. Here we're standing at Place Charles DeGaulle in front of the Arc de Triomphe where the Champ Elysees and the Avenue of the Grand Armee meet. For a fee you can purchase tickets and visit the military museum inside the arc and step outside onto the roof for a spectacular vista of the city. It's well worth the cost and is a great way to orient yourself with all the city's landmarks.

Just a note, I took a million pictures but have limited myself here for brevity.

We're standing beneath the arch now looking down the Champs Elysees. Let me tell you a little about this monument. Built in 1833, but commissioned in 1806 by Emperor Napoleon to celebrate his victory at Austerlitz, it as well commemorates soldiers who'd fought in the Napoleonic wars. It stands 162 feet high and shelters the tomb of the unknown soldier from WWI. In this picture you're looking at the eternal flame for that grave. It's a magnificent structure and has seen many victorious armies march through it. On 29 August 1944 the US Army's 28th Infantry and 2nd Armored Divisions led the parade by the Arch down the Champs Elysees celebrating Paris' liberation from German control as WWII entered its final days. And as a point of interest to pilots, Charles Godefroy flew his biplane THROUGH the arch in 1919, a feat that was captured on newsreel. Some 25 million tourists visit the arch annually.

We've left the arch and have started our trek down the Champs Elysees towards Place de la Concorde and the Louvre. Avenue de Champs-Elysees, also known as La plus belle avenue de monde (the most beautiful avenue in the world) is 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) long and commands some of the highest rents in the world. Lined with chestnut trees, gardens, parks, historical monuments, restaurants and outdoor cafes, this is the ultimate "strolling and watching the world go by" promenades that I've yet visited.

I knew when we sat down that this would cost me dearly, but I wanted Dave to experience a refreshment at an outdoor cafe along the Champs Elysees and its associated ambiance. No ones in a rush here as citizens and tourists enjoy conversation as the "floor show" parades past. I used to think that you haven't lived until you've been upside down in an open cockpit biplane. As I age however, I realize that you haven't lived until you've spent a summer afternoon on the Champs Elysees watching the world go by. The history that's unfolded on this broad boulevard and surrounding environs is impressive. So was the bill for two beers.... 35 euro!

We're still on the Boulevard with the Grand Palais to our back. Built in 1897 for the Universal Exposition of 1900, this glass enclosed national museum is spectacularly beautiful. The Petit Palace directly across the street and Pont Alexander that crosses the Seine nearby were all constructed at the same time. Talk about urban planning! The statue of General de Gaulle, erected here in 2000, is called The Lonely Walk, referring to a walk the General took through the city on 22 August 1944, unarmed to prove to the citizens that WWII was over.

de Gaulle, 1890-1970, much like his WWII counterparts Roosevelt and Churchill was a fascinating man, an ardent nationalist who was in the right place at the right time. Interestingly, when he retired as French president he accepted only the pension of an army colonel and refused that of a general and president that he was due, even though he was nearly broke. Would any modern-day politician ever think of such a thing?

Dave is resting here in one of the most beautiful spots in Paris, the Tuileries Garden, located between Place de la Concorde and the Louvre. Catherine de Medicis commissioned its construction in 1564 when she moved from her palace near the Bastille to this location along the Seine River. Of Italian Renaissance design, it was 500 meters by 300 meters and is considerably larger today. Filled with fountains, pools, statues, trees, shrubs and flowers, Catherine's garden became public after the French Revolution in 1799 and is where Parisians go to enjoy the outdoors. It's delightful, but I've got to get Dave going because we're loosing light and there's more to see.

The Louvre... what more is there to say?

I'm sure I'll think of something!

"Musee de Louvre" housed in the Louvre Palace and opened in 1793 is the most visited art museum in the world. It's most famous exhibition of course is Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa. The building, constructed late in the 12th century, as you can see here is grand and started life as a fortress. Later when Louis XIV moved to Versailles in 1682 it housed artists and became a public museum at the end of the French Revolution when Louis XVI was executed. He fell from favor and heads rolled! More than 380,00 objects are on display here in eight curatorial departments. Our time was limited, we saw fewer than five of them!

The Louvre Pyramid

Opened in 1989, the pyramid solved problems concerning huge crowds entering the facility and leads to an underground lobby or reception area. Designed by noted architect I.M. Pei who created The John Hancock Tower in Boston, The Baltimore World Trade Center and Bank of America Tower in Miami among many of his projects, was not without controversy. Detractors condemned its futuristic facade as ugly and incongruent with the Palace but it has survived to become a Paris icon... rather like the Eiffel Tower I suspect.

Another, more pertinent controversy of epic proportions raged in 2009 though.

Sacre Blue... MacDonald's opened!

Louvre aficionados were prepared for a new French Revolution when Starbucks opened, I can only imagine their ire when McCafe debuted.

Here's a view of the pyramid from down in the lobby area looking up. It's spectacular! How many panes of glass are there?

We've reemerged from the Louvre and are heading to the Seine River to find Notre Dame Cathedral. But before we leave the museum grounds this picture will do much to describe our walk from the Arc de Triomphe.

Our back is to the Louvre and we're looking through the Petit Arc de Triomphe, over the Tulleries Garden, past the Obelisk at the Place de la Concorde up the Champs Elysees and finally the Arc de Triomphe de lEtoile.

Do you see the Obelisk through the arch? That's Place de la Concorde and the obelisk is called Cleopatra's Needle. Weighing in at 230 tons, this granite structure, covered with hieroglyphics was a gift from Egypt and installed here in 1836. In 1792 another monument stood here, The Guillotine! The area was known then as Place de la Revolution during the French Revolution and some 1,100 heads were lopped off, including those of King Louis XIV, Marie-Antionette of "let them eat cake" fame and Robespierre.

We've finally reached Notre Dame... you know, where Quasimodo lived and rescued Esmerelda from the executioner, right here on this very square.

Construction started here in 1163 and was completed in 1345 and the cathedral has seen several restorations since. Notre Dame is located on Ile de la Citi (an island) in the Seine River that separates the famous left and right banks. This picture barely scratches the surface of the visual delight that this edifice offers. We were loosing light, but a walk down the Seine to see her flanks reveals huge flying buttresses, gargoyles and magnificent stained glass windows.

Quasimodo and Esmerelda, depriving the executioner of another head.

From Victor Hugo's The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Dave and I are entering the Latin Quarter to seek out a restaurant that he enjoyed on a previous layover. Dinner here in Paris is a thing to enjoy, slowly, with conversation and wine.

After dinner I splurged and for 10 euros we took a taxi back to our hotel near the Eiffel Tower. In fact here it is at 11:00 pm (2300) as the flickering lights go on. On the hour from 2100 to 0100, for five minutes, these flashing or flickering lights illuminate the tower. It's quite a sight. Watch this You Tube video to see what I mean.

The next morning we met our new crew in the hotel lobby and shoved off for the airport to fly DAL 171 from CDG to SLC. (Salt Lake City). We're holding short of runway 27L behind Qatar Airways, but before we go a few words about Paris. My photography doesn't even begin to do it justice and for the sake of brevity displayed only a few. This is a beautiful, historically significant city that one could spend years exploring.

And those stories you've heard about French rudeness... I've never experienced it. I do however make an attempt to learn how to say "please," "thank-you," "hello" and "good-bye" in the language of the country I'm visiting. I'm not unique in this, most crew members seem to do the same and it goes a long way towards a pleasant experience. I've been here many times, hope to layover many more and have enjoyed each visit.

OK Dave, tell them were ready for takeoff!

Dave got a 747 FO position on the last entitlement bid.

We're airborne and Dave enjoys lunch as we've passed our oceanic entry point of CYMON on the Charlie track west bound for North America. Would you like a few facts about flight 171? No... sorry, you'll get them anyway!

We're flying a B-767-300ER, ship 1605, N1605 with 221 passenger seats built in May 1999. Our takeoff weight today is 382,710 pounds with 139,000 pounds of fuel. We'll cruise at 32,000 feet for 11 hours and 16 minutes over a distance of 4,722 nautical miles. Our actual flight time, due to stronger winds aloft than forecast and the long Paris taxi turned out to be 11:46. Rain showers were forecast for our arrival so Hill AFB is our destination alternate.

I'd planned to get out and visit Temple Square while in SLC. I'd been here once before, years ago while on a 727 layover and the architecture is quite spectacular, but the nearly 12 hour flight the day before restricted my energy level to dinner in the hotel with Dave and Thad and then off to bed. ZZZZ......

Anyway, the next day, this is what a mechanical problem looks like at ramp level. You'll notice that not only are the cowls open, but the leading edges are extended too. We had a hydraulic leak that line maintenance was unable to solve, but everyone reacted quickly, found us another 757 and though we departed a little late, we arrived in DTW right on time.

Taxiing out past the Delta hanger towards runway 16L at SLC.

We're off and this is what the Great Salt Lake looks like as we depart on the LEETZ TWO (RNAV) departure and climb to altitude.

After a short 3:10 flight, that felt like a hop, skip and a jump after yesterday, we've arrived back in DTW and taxi past a pair of 747-400's as we make our way to the gate.

And finally back on J9 as we make our way to A8. This is how it appears these day's, not one red tail in sight any longer. As usual,thanks very much for following along, I hope that you enjoyed the quick Paris tour. It's off to the other side of the world in a few days with layovers in San Francisco, Narita, Guam and Beijing.

Once again, thanks for your comments and sharing your enthusiasm with my latest bid award, hopefully I'll be able to document the training.

Rand

A new advanced entitlement bid just closed.

2010-09-24T19:24:00.000-04:00

An advance entitlement bid closed a few days ago and the results were posted just a few hours ago....

and this is what I got.

Needless to say, I'm thrilled and can't wait to start school.

Off to Paris tomorrow with Dave...

2010-09-10T09:21:00.000-04:00

Another

- UPDATE -

Sorry that it's taking so long to get my Paris pics up but I've got this little building project that's taking up some of my time. Hopefully by Monday or Tuesday they'll be posted. Thanks!

Dave and I enjoyed a great late summer day in Paris the day before yesterday as we walked the city with thousands of others enjoying the parks, museums and wide, historic boulevards. After an 11 hour 46 minute flight to Salt Lake City yesterday, we leave for Detroit today and finish this five day trip. Another great trip with outstanding crews, great restaurants and an historic city to explore. I'll post Paris pictures soon as we scoured the city in search of Jean Valjean and Cosette.

I leave on a five day Paris trip tomorrow with Dave, shown here in a 767 on a recent FRA trip. I'll pass through ATL for the first time as a Delta pilot; I haven't been to there since my 727 days, I suppose I should bring my hat! As soon as I get home I'll work on a new post, until then, thanks very much for reading.

It's Dave's leg back to DTW. When it's the FO's leg I always go out and do the walk around. They think I'm being a nice guy... I have an ulterior motive though, it gives me an opportunity to take pictures!

Airborne approaching PIKIL our oceanic entry point. We'll be there at 1150Z with 83,400 pounds of fuel. We're exactly on fuel burn but running one minute early according to our flight plan. If we gain another minute, we'll need to notify ATC of a possible early arrival. There's much west bound, North American traffic that needs to be coordinated over this and other entry points. We gave them our PIKIL estimate 45 minutes ago, they're planning on that so may slow us down to keep us on estimate.

Our paperwork for our westbound crossing.

I needed a good "through the windscreen" shot for this post but didn't have one, so borrowed one from another trip. Any ideas as to where we might be?

Part of our crew in FRA.

Thanks for reading

Bonjour!