Back to the "Beech"

So I have been in jets for months now and I decided it was time for a change. I  jumped into a Continental express Beechcraft 1900D and headed out from Nassau for FT. Lauderdale and South Beach :) One Mooney landed just before I departed and there was no weather to worry about at all. Had some traffic following me in at KFLL but it was way back and was not a factor. I am gonna be flying out of Naha on Okinawa here soon so keep an eye out!

Happy Holidays!

I have been doing a bit of flying outside the US in the last couple of months. I flew to Tokyo in a 747-200 for the now defunct Flying Tiger lines and then on to Okinawa in a JAL express 734. Just a bit ago I flew USAir 734 from Charlotte Douglas to Nassau in the Bahamas. Quite fun and I plan on staying around Japan and China for a bit and also gonna try to do some island hopping too. By the way I hope you have a very Merry Cristmas and a Happy New Year!!

Stormy Stormy Stormy

Flew Southwest flight741 from Norfolk to Chicago. Severe thunderstorm warning covering all of the metropolitan area of Chicago. I threaded the needle down through the storms and lined up for an RNAV approach to 22L. So I come in over the stadium and downtown and start looking for runway lights. 15 miles out no lights. 10 miles no lights. 5 miles and descending no lights, still. About 3 miles out the clouds part and I see the runway come into view (Thank God!) Heavy crosswind as I come down to the tarmac. I slide her down to the asphalt and start slowing down. I turn off at the end of the runway and taxi back to the gates on the other side of the airport. I breathe a sigh of relief as I shut down the plane.

Takin it easy.

Well readers, I have been taking it easy from flightsim. It is fall and the fish are moving up in the shallows and actively feeding so I have been wetting my line as much as possible. I caught a 5.5 pound bass the other day and a few small ones the day after that. I will be in the skies soon so stay tuned and we will be haulin frieght again shortly.

Another runway challenge done.

Flyvirtuals runway challenge for Oct. was a good one! Tioman airport in Palau. Really nice sweeping turn and quick descent to get in there. Berjaya Air flies a dash 7 in there and that is IT! So I am in my dash 7 and I have leave from Kuala Lumpur and head east to Palau island. WAY too many CBs(thunderstorms) around me on my way over. I climbed out to FL200 and then started my descent immediately. Heavy ICING conditions all the way down to about 8000 feet. Coming in the island was obscured by clouds for miles finally once I drop down to about 3000 feet AGL I see the island and the clouds cleared. Coming into the final turn I hit a hrad crosswind from the north coming over the rear corner of the A/C. I get the old turboprop lined up and get her down on the deck with no real problems. Time to head fro the pilots lounge for a hot cup of Joe and a bagel.

Back to the grind

OK so I flew a Southwest flight on my Birthday from San Antonio to El Paso. Had to scrub the first flight. Number 1 engine shut down at 500 feet off the end of the runway due to a bird strike. I shut down and called an emergency and circled around. I made the approach and threw the rudder to the right to counteract the thrust of the number 2 motor and descended in. Got it on the first try and slowed to a stop at the end of the runway and then turned off and taxied back to the gate where I shut down the remaining motor. After we switched planes I tried it again and this time the flight was worry free. IFR conditions on the landing but no bad wind to contend with.

It's my birthday!

I'm gonna take tomorrow and the next day off because I will be aging a year. I can hear it now...

Happy Birthday to me.
Happy Birthday to me.
Happy Birthday dear a**hole!
Happy Birthday to me.
And many mooooooorrrrreeeee!