The Trip to Germany Part 2

Hi there again! I’m writing from the airplane now. Just 3 hours to go!

Back there in the bar I saw the 767-200 being towed to our gate. So, I decided to go and hopefully meet the crew. There were not many people, but some started to arrive. I did see the crew, but didn’t meet them. Our scheduled departure was at 5:45pm, but the flight was delayed for 50 minutes. The aft restroom was inoperable and maintenance fixed it. We started boarding and my seat was originally 15C, but when I sat there, a guy asked me if we could change seats, because his wife and kid were on the next seats. I said yes and the good thing was that the middle seat was empty.

Pushback and startup were quick. I think they started the engines before pushing back. I began to chat with the guy on the other seat of my row as we taxied to runway 05R. The takeoff was very cool (of course) and there was some rain and clouds. As we reached cruising altitude (35000ft), the flight attendants gave us the flight kit. I don’t remember at what time after that began giving dinner. The option was pasta or chicken. I chose chicken and it was good.

The 767 is an awesome airplane and powerful of course. I just love when we have light turbulence and you move very cool. It’s just me you know. ^^


Sometime after dinner, I took some pictures and the lights were out so that we could sleep. I cannot sleep very easy on a plane. The “in-flight entertainment” sucked: One documentary about Las Vegas, a cartoon movie and then another shite cartoon movie. I tried to sleep, but did well after all. At about 7:00 GMT everybody started to wake up. I think the breakfast will be soon. Now 8:32 GMT and 2:08 hours to go…


Breakfast was eggs with beans. I didn’t eat them all, they weren’t tasty. We started descending and I could see land for the first time. It was an overcast sky and as we descended through the clouds, the turbulence began. The passengers next to me were nervous hehe it’s funny. The speed brakes came out and then the first degrees of flaps. The plane moved quite cool with the turbulence and there was some wind. The landing was cool and it seems we had some crosswind and some gusts. Major cool! Finally in Europe!



We taxied to the gate and we disembarked the airplane. As we walked in the jetway, I took a last look to our 767-200. It was the XA-MXO. We walked through ways to immigration. The passport control was very fast and we went to take our bags. Everything is very nice and organized, I like it. It took a while to have our bags and then we searched the Easyjet check-ins for our flight to Köln. When we found them, we had to form in the queue. It was quick and we had to check-in all bags. We received our boarding passes and walked to the departure gates. We had to go through security and it was very quick. We had to wait until the departures screen showed our departure gate. We waited some 10 minutes… gate number 2, let’s go!


We walked to our gate through some halls and we waited in the waiting room. There was some small delay and we started to board the cool Airbus A319. I sat three rows before the last one (I had an excellent wing view, but I wanted to seat in the front…). The passenger next to me was African-European and I thought it would be interesting. He was reading a book of Jeet Kune Do (Martial Arts). Pushback started and engines came to life. As you know, I like all kinds of airplane sounds and the engine-start and PTU sounds are very cool. We taxied to the runway and we hold short. We saw some airplanes taking off and landing and we got our takeoff clearance. Germany, here we go.

The takeoff was very cool because we had a crosswind. We turned to the right and looks like we flew over Dover. We crossed the English Channel very quick and I started chatting with the passenger next to me. We had a cool talk and I began to take pictures. Once above land, the descent began very quickly. We used speed brakes to descend more quickly without gaining speed. As we approached the airport, I could see the Rhine and the city of Köln. This landing was also windy (More fun for me! ^^).




We taxied to the gate and went through passport control, where everything was ok and we took our bags. My brother was waiting for us and as we got into the car, my trip was finished.

I hope you enjoyed my trip posts! Stay tuned for more.

The Trip to Germany Part 1

Good morning! Today I began my journey to Germany. I'm writing now from the Mexico City airport and I'll be waiting here until it's 4:00pm.

I woke up at 5:30am and took a shower. After having a quick brakefast, we drove to the airport and proceeded to the check-in where everything went fluently. I said good-bye to my dad and we went through the security checkpoint. Strange they didn't say anything about my netbook and monitor. The original gate for our Mexicana Click flight 7473 was number 10, but it was changed to number 14. We still had a jetway :D I listened my scanner while waiting and then our beautiful Fokker 100 arrived. It was 5 minutes late, but what the heck!! ^^

I asked the captain if I could take a look into the flight deck and I did :) He told me that it wasn't allowed, but I could visit it when cruising. Pushback and start was very quick. The taxi to runway 28 too. We began the takeoff roll and I enjoyed the awesome symphony of those Rolls-Royce Tay 620-15. Of course, like every takeoff and ascent, it was amazing.

Just after leveling at FL330, the captain got out of the flight deck and told me to come in. He explained me the whole flight-deck panels and the MCDU (Mulifunction Control Display Unit) with all it's pages. We began our descent and just before passing through 17,000 feet, I returned to my seat (17,000ft because MMMX is at 7300ft and 10,000 AGL is the sterile flight deck rule).





We made the famous ILS-DME 05R approach procedure and landed. Taxiing to Gate 8 was pretty long and when the plane stopped and turn the engines off, the passengers started to disembark. I wanted to say good-bye to the captains, but the door wasn't open. I got out of the airplane and the flight-deck window was open, so I said bye to the crew hehe. It was funny.


After that, hmmm first impressions the Terminal 1 of Mexico City Airport: No platform/runway view, the concourse is very narrow and there are just too many stores!! Holy ...!! It's a mall.
But oh well... we are waiting and eating now in the restaurant/bar "Sala 21". Our flight to London-Gatwick (Boeing 767-200) MXA1594 departs at 17:45.

Next post in London! Have a good day.

Airbus A321 Videos

Hello! I found these Youtube videos. They are awesome! The quality is :o no words.









Remember to check this channel: http://www.youtube.com/mmmpetersen It has a lot of HD videos. Excellent MD-80 videos too.

The Airport Diagram

Hi, in this post I will show you three different types of chart formats: Jeppesen, AIP Germany and NACO. Who's first?

Bremen Airport (Flughafen Bremen) EDDW:

This is a German AIP (Aeronautical Information Publication) chart format. On the top left of the chart, you can see the coordinates and elevation of the airport. Top right, the chart number and the airport name.

This is a German AIP (Aeronautical Information Publication) chart format. On the top left of the chart, you can see the coordinates and elevation of the airport. Top right, the chart number and the airport name.
Bremen has two runways: 09/27 and 23, which is only for VFR takeoffs for airplanes no more than 5700kg (05 is not available for takeoff and landing). Runway 09/27 is 2040 x 45 meters long and runway 23 is 700 x 23 m long. You can see the taxiway designators in letters and the CATII/III holding points. The CATII/III holding points are used when the CATII or III approaches are in use (So, when there's very low visibility). Inside the green area is in responsability of the DFS (Deutsche Flugsicherung. The german ATC), because they manage all departing and arriving traffic (Takeoffs and landings). The apron control is resposible outside the green area, because they control the traffic on the apron=platform. The lights are drawn at the centre/edges of the taxiway or runway. The big X means, that taxiway or runway or area is not available/usable. Oh, I forgot something. The small box on the bottom left is the intersection takeoff distances. For example, if we want to take off from runway 27 E intersection, we would have a TORA (TakeOff Runway Available) of 1610m. A TODA (TakeOff Distance Available) of 1670m and an ASDA (Accelerate-Stop Distance Available) of 1610m. Quite simple.

Now the NACO format chart; San Antonio International Airport KSAT:

And the Jeppesen format of Guadalajara International Airport (Aeropuerto Internacional Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla) MMGL:



Of course, there is the Mexican AIP format, but they don't publish it online.
Hope you liked this post :) Good bye.

The ILS or LOC Rwy 12R

Hi, this is a NACO (National Aeronautical Charting Office) Chart:
When I saw a NACO chart for the first time , I was overwehlmed. There is just too much information in the chart! But no worries :) I'll explain it step by step.

HEADER:
Top left part, the city: San Antonio, Texas. Top right, the approach and airport: ILS or LOC RWY 12R, San Antonio INTL (SAT). Left from it, a small box with the ILS identifier (LOC/DME I-ANT and the frequency 110.90 Mhz), the approach course is 124º. Runway 12R landing distance is 5519 feet (1672m), touch-down zone elevation is 797 feet and airport elevation is 809 feet ASL.

The A symbol means: Alternate Minimums not standard. Civil users refer to tabulation. USA/USN/USAF pilots refer to appropiate regulations.
The T symbols means: Takeoff Minimums not standard and/or Departure Procedures are published. Refer to tabulation (The Tabulation is a page in the approaches booklet where the Alternate and Takeoff Minimums of the airports are published. Take-off minimums in KSAT for example, in page 7).
The missed approach procedure is to climb to 3100ft via the heading 124º and intercept the SAT 160º Radial outbound to EMBOW intersection and hold. EMBOW int is abeam the SAT 160º Rdl and the SSF 097º Rdl, so it's a bit difficult to know where it is if you don't have a GPS. The box below is the communication frequencies.

In the PLAN section, they've included the MSA. The IAF navaid (Navigation Aid) for this approach and the reference point for the MSA, is the ALAMO NDB (AN with frequency 368). So, how do we fly this approach? The San Antonio ATC will give us radar vectors to REUBE (another IAF). If there is no radar for some reason, we will have to fly direct to the AN NDB and follow the ILS backcourse. We will have to tune the ILS frequency (I-ANT 110.90) and proceed with the backcourse approach:

"When you fly a "conventional" Localizer Approach, or any approach for that matter, a needle deflection to the left means that your desired course is to the left, and that you as the pilot must correct the plane's heading to the left to recapture the approach course. The opposite applies for right deflection of course.

However, in a Localizer Back Course, if the needle deflects to the left it means that your desired course is to the right, and that you must correct in the opposite direction to recapture the desired approach course. In other words, left is right and right is left."

As we fly on the 124º backcourse (heading 304), we will have to make a procedure turn over HASDO (13.7 from I-ANT=The ILS' DME) so that we intercept the normal approach course of the ILS. The PT is shown as a thick line with a 259 and a 079. The 259º is the outbound leg of the procedure turn and the 079º is the inbound leg of the procedure turn. As we see in the PROFILE section, we must maintain 3200ft in the PT and when reaching HASDO, we must descend to 2800ft. As we fly over AN, we capture the Glideslope and descend to our minimums.

In the MINIMUMS Section of this format, we see the different types of categories divided in columns. For a Straight-In (S-) ILS approach to Rwy 12R, we need to see the runway by 1009 feet ASL or 200ft Decision Height. The 1009/18 means that 1009 is our Decision Altitude and 18 is 1800ft RVR. The 200 is our DH. What is in brackets is for military use.
If the GS is unserviceable, we would have to refer to the S-LOC 12R (Straight-In LOC approach) minimums. Our MDA would be 1440ft and RVR 2400ft. Minimum Descent Height is 631ft.
If we want to make a sidestep to the parallel runway (12L), our minimums would be 1600ft and with a visibility of 1 mile. 803ft above airport elevation.

On the left side of the Minimums section, we can see an airport diagram. This small diagram shows the runway lengths, the tower location, etc. The booklet also gives us an Airport Diagram page. It is very important to see the location of the taxiways, terminals, hangars, etc.
You can get a bit confused with this chart format and it takes a while to fully understand the content.

Most of the NACO charts are sold in booklets and they issue a new cycle every 56 days (for Terminal Procedures Publication and Airport/Facility Directory). You can find the Terminal Procedures Publications HERE and the Airport/Facility Directory HERE.

Taken from the National Aeronautical Charting Office - NACO http://naco.faa.gov/ (USA ONLY)