08-15-2010, 04:42 PM
Hangin' out in Seattle for a couple of days after my stop there from the last flight about a week ago, I thought it would be great to get back into the action...
And as it happened... my cellphone was ringin'.... Snowboss was on the other end of the line... or for that matter, is it OK to speak of a line when you're using a cellular ? <G>
He said he'd arranged a contract for a special flight series that would start out of KPAE, Paine Field near Everett Washington the day after.
Now Paine Field being so close to the Boeing plant and just a short drive away from Seattle I definitely wasn't going to say no.
I tucked in early so that I would make a bright appearance the next morning.
I was expected to arrive at Paine Field operations around 05.00 local time for the briefing and preparations for the flight.
That early all was still pretty quiet when arriving at the airfield so I went for a strong cup of coffee and then headed to operations.
How lucky I felt when I realised that I was going to take NASA's brand new B747-400F to KONT, Ontario International airport, where I will be briefed with further instructions...
Got a feelin' I'll be taking on board some precious material there...
Preflight went smooth and soon the sound of those new GE's was like music to my ears...
Flying a nearly empty 744F meant that we could easily get to a cruising level of FL390 for this short flight.
Fuel was topped off at 80.000 lbs and take off power set at TO-1/CLB-1.
We were cleared to taxi to RWY 16R for a PAINE2 departure to EAT, followed by a direct to FMG. The rest of the routing would take us via J5 to EHF.
So at 0635 local time we were off blocks and taxied to RWY16R
[attachment=1928]
[attachment=1929]
[attachment=1930]
Clearance for take off came quickly upon holding short, and light as we were, the bird was eager to get us off the runway... off into the wild blue yonder...
[attachment=1931]
Climbing out and being vectored to EAT soon after departure...
[attachment=1932]
Our TOC at FL390 was reached shortly after waypoint EAT at 0657 local time
[attachment=1933]
[attachment=1934]
Passing over Reno, we were greeted by Alaska 502...
[attachment=1935]
[attachment=1936]
Shortly after EHF we were instructed to descend on the ZIGGY4 arrival into KONT so as to cross MAJEK intersection at 240/14000. Furthermore we were given the approach to RWY 26R.
Near 14000 ft with a view at the Sheep Mountain Wilderness Area
[attachment=1937]
Over Lake Arrowhead near HITOP intersection turning south...
[attachment=1938]
followed by ZIGGY intersection and then turning to intercept the localizer
[attachment=1939]
Passing 2500 ft RA stable on the ILS, gear down flaps 20
[attachment=1940]
With such good visuals on the runway, at 1000 ft I turned of Otto and took over manually, autothrottle still on...
[attachment=1941]
After rollout and leaving the runway we were instructed to follow taxiway N and further on via taxiway W towards the UPS ramp on the east side of the airport
[attachment=1942]
[attachment=1943]
Blocks on at 0858 local time for a total flying time of 02h23 burning 47.200 lbs of fuel.
After shutdown, we were awaited by some NASA officials who were eager to check out their new 744F.
Then they asked us to join them for a further briefing on what's to come...
To be continued...
Flown using MS Flight Simulator 9
And as it happened... my cellphone was ringin'.... Snowboss was on the other end of the line... or for that matter, is it OK to speak of a line when you're using a cellular ? <G>
He said he'd arranged a contract for a special flight series that would start out of KPAE, Paine Field near Everett Washington the day after.
Now Paine Field being so close to the Boeing plant and just a short drive away from Seattle I definitely wasn't going to say no.
I tucked in early so that I would make a bright appearance the next morning.
I was expected to arrive at Paine Field operations around 05.00 local time for the briefing and preparations for the flight.
That early all was still pretty quiet when arriving at the airfield so I went for a strong cup of coffee and then headed to operations.
How lucky I felt when I realised that I was going to take NASA's brand new B747-400F to KONT, Ontario International airport, where I will be briefed with further instructions...
Got a feelin' I'll be taking on board some precious material there...
Preflight went smooth and soon the sound of those new GE's was like music to my ears...
Flying a nearly empty 744F meant that we could easily get to a cruising level of FL390 for this short flight.
Fuel was topped off at 80.000 lbs and take off power set at TO-1/CLB-1.
We were cleared to taxi to RWY 16R for a PAINE2 departure to EAT, followed by a direct to FMG. The rest of the routing would take us via J5 to EHF.
So at 0635 local time we were off blocks and taxied to RWY16R
[attachment=1928]
[attachment=1929]
[attachment=1930]
Clearance for take off came quickly upon holding short, and light as we were, the bird was eager to get us off the runway... off into the wild blue yonder...
[attachment=1931]
Climbing out and being vectored to EAT soon after departure...
[attachment=1932]
Our TOC at FL390 was reached shortly after waypoint EAT at 0657 local time
[attachment=1933]
[attachment=1934]
Passing over Reno, we were greeted by Alaska 502...
[attachment=1935]
[attachment=1936]
Shortly after EHF we were instructed to descend on the ZIGGY4 arrival into KONT so as to cross MAJEK intersection at 240/14000. Furthermore we were given the approach to RWY 26R.
Near 14000 ft with a view at the Sheep Mountain Wilderness Area
[attachment=1937]
Over Lake Arrowhead near HITOP intersection turning south...
[attachment=1938]
followed by ZIGGY intersection and then turning to intercept the localizer
[attachment=1939]
Passing 2500 ft RA stable on the ILS, gear down flaps 20
[attachment=1940]
With such good visuals on the runway, at 1000 ft I turned of Otto and took over manually, autothrottle still on...
[attachment=1941]
After rollout and leaving the runway we were instructed to follow taxiway N and further on via taxiway W towards the UPS ramp on the east side of the airport
[attachment=1942]
[attachment=1943]
Blocks on at 0858 local time for a total flying time of 02h23 burning 47.200 lbs of fuel.
After shutdown, we were awaited by some NASA officials who were eager to check out their new 744F.
Then they asked us to join them for a further briefing on what's to come...
To be continued...
Flown using MS Flight Simulator 9
