Pannon Tu-154 Budapest To Athens

By Pete Cracknell

Taxiing out at Budapest with an Alitalia MD-83 also taxiing to runway 31R

Hi again flightsimmers. Judging by the amount of e-mails I had saying that you liked my last article (Condor A320 Dusseldorf-Tenerife) and that you would like to see more of that kind of thing on FlightSim.Com I'm guessing that the article went down well amongst you fellow virtual pilots. Well here is another article, another account of a flight, hope you enjoy it. The flight is Pannon flight 1271 from Budapest to Athens.

Holding short for the Alitalia MD-83 to depart

It was 8:12 am when I first took sight of my equipment for the journey to Athens, there at the gate, with the dew just about melting in the morning sun was a beautiful Tupolev Tu-154.

My passengers were all in the departure lounge waiting to board. Myself, my first officer Elliott Foster and the rest of the crew boarded about 1 hour 10 minutes before departure. As F/O Foster started to prepare the flight deck I opted for the walk-around inspection. It was bitterly cold but everything seemed to be in order with the aircraft. I re-entered the aircraft and entered the flight deck. My flight's slot time was 9:22 am. The passengers started to board around 8:45. With all of my passengers boarded and all of the pre-flight checklists complete I contacted clearance.

Rotating off of runway 31R and on our way to Athens

I was cleared to Athens and told to contact ground for taxi clearance. I was cleared for the push. "Hello Ground", ground replied "Ground to flight deck good morning" I replied. "We are ready for push standing by for your checks". Ground replied "OK, all ground equipment is removed, beacons rotating and all engine intakes clear" so I replied "OK we are cleared to push and start". Ground replied "OK brakes off please". I replied "brakes released clear to push". Ground replied "OK you are cleared to start turn 1 on the push" so I replied "OK turn 1 on the push". The tug slowly but surely started us on our way. As we pushed backed I started the engines and they roared into life. As the push came to a end ground said "can I have parking brakes set please". I replied "parking brakes set" and then "OK ground, 3 good starts hand signal on the left please" and finally ground replied "OK, hand signal on left I wish you a good flight".

Leaving a nice vapor trail at FL330

With the push completed I asked ground control for taxi clearance. I was told to taxi to runway 31R using taxiway R S P4 A8 A9 and hold short. I slowly increased the throttles and started to roll for the first time under my own power.

I now addressed my passengers for the first time "Good morning ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard this Pannon flight 1271 to Athens. Our flying time today will be approximately 2 1/2 hours. I am your captain Pete Cracknell, my first officer today is Elliott Foster. We hope you enjoy your flight with us today and anything you need please don't hesitate to ask". As I taxied I performed the pre-takeoff checklist. The wind was at a heading of 358 and a speed of 8 knots, the visibility was reduced to 3 miles and it was a overcast sky. I was taxiing behind an Alitalia MD-83 which was outbound to Milan.

Banking over Greece, getting ready for landing

Just as I reached runway 31R an MD-83 of German Wings was on final so I had to wait for the German Wings plane to vacate the runway and for the Alitalia to depart. The Alitalia received takeoff clearance and rumbled down the runway sending an ear shattering rumble through my flight deck. I received takeoff clearance and lined up and sat idle on the runway for a few seconds. Finally I advanced the throttles to full, the aircraft shook and shuddered down the runway. At around 140 knots "Rotate" was called by F/O Foster and Pannon flight 1271 was airborne and on its way to Athens.

On the approach to Athens Runway 33R, cleared to land

As we gained altitude F/O Foster called out "positive climb, gear up". We were cleared straight through to 33000 feet. We flew through the overcast clouds to be greeted by a beautiful blue sky. We climed to 33000 feet and leveled out and were on our way to Athens. I addressed my passengers again. "Hello again from the flight deck, we are now at our cruising altitude of 33000 feet. We'll be turning the selt belt signs off in a few minutes but this may be quite a turbulent flight so we may put them back on during the flight. The weather at the moment in Athens is a scorching 30 C. Please enjoy the flight". I turned the selt belt signs off to gave the passengers a bit of freedom, not that there is much freedom at 33000 feet.

Landing at Athens with an Alitalia MD-83 and an Aer Lingus 737

The rest of the cruise was good. A bit of turbulence as anticipated but nothing major. At around 10:59 we began our descent into Athens. We descended to 16000 feet. I addressed my passengers again "From the flight deck this is your Captain speaking, we are now descending into Athens and should be landing in about 15 - 20 minutes depending on ATC restrictions." We then descended to 2600 feet and turned onto the heading for runway 33R. We were all set to land. F/O Foster and I went through the pre-landing checkist. We contacted Athens tower; we were told to make straight in. There was a Hapag-Lloyd 737 departing ahead of us but we had plenty of time. He rotated and left the runway rapidly. We received landing clearance and continued our approach. We glided down on the visual approach.

The beautiful beast resting in the sun

At around 30 feet I set the throttles to idle and set the aircraft smoothly on the center line. I engaged the reverse thrusters and the spoilers and we slowed unbelievably quickly and vacated the runway all in the space of around 10 seconds after landing. I contacted ground and was cleared to taxi to the gate. I addressed my passengers for the last time "Welcome to Athens, the weather outside as you can see is very nice and a very nice 31 C. Thank you for flying with us today, on behalf of me-Captain Pete Cracknell, your F/O Elliott Foster, all of the crew on board and everyone else here at Pannon Airlines we hope you enjoy your stay here and we hope to see you again, once again thank you for flying Pannon".

We taxied to the gate. We approached the gate and stopped at the chocks 2 hours and 10 minutess after takeoff from Budapest. My passengers departed the aircraft whilst myself and F/O Foster prepared the aircraft for the return flight home.

That's it. I hoped you liked it. Any comment's good or bad please e-mail me. Thanks for reading this adventure.

Pete Cracknell
Cracknellpete@hotmail.com