Down by Dubya

FlyChicaga

FlyChicaga

Vintage Restoration
Well tonight is my first flight in the Embraer Jet! Down in Midland, TX... meeting up in 30 minutes with my captain, we are going to take the jet out around Midland for some approaches and whatever else I guess. Coming it was pretty cool... I was sitting outside the airport waiting for the hotel shuttle when the only flying B-29 Superfortress did a low pass over the airport, climbed out at a steep angle and did some wing wags. THEN, a B-24 Liberator comes across under a minute later doing the same thing, only a little more aggressive! VERY cool.

I just checked my schedule, and I have my OE trips in there. It's really weird to see some airport identifiers on there... just not used to saying "oh, I'm flying there." Going to JFK, White Plains (HPN), Toronto, Cleveland, Newark, Reagan (DCA), Norfolk, Raleigh, Detroit, Houston, Birmingham... quite different than Madison and Toledo. Needless to say I'm pretty excited.

I'll take some pictures during my trip. Maybe I'll get lucky and we'll shoot the river visual, or even a CAT II approach. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
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Going to JFK, White Plains (HPN), Toronto, Cleveland, Newark, Reagan (DCA), Norfolk, Raleigh, Detroit, Houston, Birmingham

[/ QUOTE ]Dude, you will LOVE flying this airplane, and those are some cool places. On the river visual just keep it center of the river and descend 3:1 reference the DME from the DCA VOR. When you hit the first of the three bridges closest to the airport, roll in a 30-degree bank and you'll pop out right on centerline with a good 1/4 to 1/2 mile final. Works like a charm and is probably one of the most fun approaches you'll do in this airplane. JFK can be cool too ... last time I was there had to do a go-around off the VOR 13L ... controller screwup. The scenery is always good there too. YYZ is really cool, I always like going in there ... if you get an overnight Toronto is a fun town.[ QUOTE ]
Maybe I'll get lucky and we'll shoot the river visual, or even a CAT II approach.

[/ QUOTE ]You guys are Cat II certified?? Now I'm jealous ...
 
Yeah, Cat II. It's pretty interesting actually how we do it. Not sure other airlines procedures, but we use a "monitored approach." I, as the FO, fly the approach, and the missed approach... however, at 100 feet, if the captain sees the runway, he takes over the controls and lands.

Last night was awesome. First landing in the jet was simulated single engine at night. Did some local IFR work, shooting three ILS approaches and one VOR approach. There was some weather about 20 miles or so away from airport, just kinda sitting out there... had a nice light show to the south during our vectors to the north.

Gotta commute to CLE tomorrow to start a 4-day on Thursday. Hopefully our hotels will have wireless internet!!
 
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