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Feature: Get Real 4 By Jose Octavio (24 April 2012) I have lived all my life in Rio. But today I'm in Brasilia and it is July 1986. At that time I belonged to the technical team of the Brazilian Tourism Authority and the main office was in Rio, however we often had to go to Brasilia to deal with official matters in different levels of the Government. I mean, me and everyone else, federal officials from different states, did the same. By Friday all those, plus a number of congressmen wanted to go back to their states - but consider that a good number of them had their main residences in Rio. Basically, Friday afternoons meant crowded airport and flights, although nothing that compares to now a days. On this particular Friday I didn't think of my reservations to go home until it was too late: I just took a taxi and when I arrived at the airport I noticed that there were a lot of people. Herds of people. I rushed to Varig's counter and of course, they were sold out to Rio or any nearby destination. Same with all the other companies. Oh well, I thought, and walked to the bar to relax. When I was on my way, there comes the taxi driver that had brought me from the hotel and he sees me (I must have had a very sad expression in my face) and says: Any problem? Did you get your ticket? Next, we were negotiating how much gas we would spend to drive the 1300 km (800 miles) all the way to Rio. He said he wanted to see his family and he would do it for the gas. We went to the bar and took a table, trying to figure out some numbers including the mileage of his thirsty Dodge Dart V8! Then, a little miracle happened: Varig announces on the speakers an extra flight, the 707 flight coming from LA had was going to do a technical layover in Brasilia and had many vacant seats, so "those interested please rush to our international counter". Zwish out the door I went, my taxi driver (looking very disappointed) says have a good trip and gave me his business card. Got my seat and half an hour later I watch the 707 landing from the bar balcony, a sign of good old times: airports were so much more civilized. The speakers buzzed and it's time to board the PP-VJK. 1986, and the 707s were aging - not as in "getting too old", but the new turbofans that ran the newer aircraft were a lot more economical and silent. On board of that flight, must have been that a lot of people knew each other or were regular commuters on Friday's Varig flight to Rio. It was pretty much a cocktail party, with the passengers enjoying the great Varig on board service with quality drinks and snacks going. I was sitting on 'smokers' side by a window and enjoying the ride as the 707 took off. There were politicians whose families lived in Rio, businessmen and officials like me - most of which knew each other and possibly Varig people, because the flight ended up with a couple of passengers more than there were seats. I only became aware of this when we started our descent on approach to Rio: some guys were still standing or seated in the seats arms, still talking as they put their drinks back as the cart was passed by. No big deal, it was a fine approach with barely any shaking and there was the city, in all its splendorous lights awaiting for us, as the Rolls Royce high pitched turbines became more and more audible on revs down. This time, during this approach which is over the city of Petropolis on the mountains of the Serra do Mar near Rio, you clearly see the Guanabara Bay and Rio itself, which is a very beautiful view on a clear night, like this one was. However I was comfortably sitting at a right side window on this flight, and as it descended towards SBGL runway 10 I could enjoy all the great view and the loud clicks and noises from the electrical motors moving the flaps, and the big weee-klunk of the undercarriage opening and locking in place. For me, flying like this, on a 707 was the state of the art fly. The 707 would barely vibrate or move, let alone shake (needed a BIG turbulence to make you feel anything at all). I'm saying this, because I was, before that, used to fly when I was a kid, accompanying my father, usually to Sao Paulo and sometimes to some other State Capital (he was a Lawyer). In these short distance trip but sometimes long trips, we use to fly DC3 Dakota, C46 Curtis Commander and later, Convair 240, 340 and if I got lucky a 440 (which was oh wonder pressurized! But there was still a lot of noise, vibration and shaking, especially on the Convairs. Bad weather and "vacuum bumps" were routine on lower altitude flights, but sometimes they left the cabin door open and you could see the pilots handling the beast. Amazing pilots looking into dozens of instruments and dealing with levers, radios, carburetor mixtures and all sorts of buttons. And then, suddenly, prepare to land. Signs on, no smoking and fasten seat belts: here we go! As time passed, I got used to Constellations, Caravelles and Electra II before stepping into a 707. It's like riding a noisy Volkswagen bug, shaking on the road, with poor brakes and etc., and then being thrown into a 2000s Cadillac and getting used to it. No more bugs for me! On the other hand, now they put you in even smoother planes, real wonderful machines, but the comfort - oh well, we big guys won't ever forgive this: comfort is gone. The airports are super crowded, you have to stand in a line forever and the seats! Oh man, the seats. If I could shrink 40% each time I fly I wouldn't say anything but today's seats really take all the fun out of flying. Although I didn't know anyone on board, I could hear chatter, and it was about Varig getting rid of the 707s - to be replaced with more modern aircraft (mostly 737s - international routes were being handled by 747s already). But one of the 707s would still be in business serving FAB - the Brazilian Air Force. The exact one we were flying, PP-VJK was going to fly back to Boeing to be overhauled and become FAB 1 to serve the President. But history wouldn't allow it: in the last month in service the VJK crashed on approach to Abidjan, Ivory Coast, this accident being a total loss. Because of this unfortunate event, Varig honored the sale by delivering the PP-VJY, which was a little newer, to the Air Force. This sample was overhauled and served the President for several years, and it was nicknamed - after its age in years - the "sucatao", in Portuguese "the big junk". The nick was given by President Fernando Henrique Cardoso (1998-2002). This PP-VJY Boeing 707-345C has the serial number cn 19842 and it's in service still today as a regular Air Force passenger transport. The next President, Lula, would authorize the purchase of a brand new Airbus 320 on his second term, after being re-elected (2006), thus replacing the VJK. So, it became a part of my FSX activity to fly trying to reproduce some of the flights I was on, and I started with this flight, since I had become a great fan of the 707, with its maneuver capacity, typical high pitch turbines and all the modern features that for me made flying a lot more comfortable than before with everything happening in the right time and almost no surprises. But I also had good kicks with the fast Electra II, one of the nicest planes I used to fly in real life (a little more adventurous than the 707 on FSX). For those who remember, there was a bar on the back of the cabin, about where the rear door was. Oh man (and I smile). Here's a video as well: Jose Octavio Ron Blehm pretendpilot@yahoo.com -
Feature: Get Real 2 By Ron Blehm (October 4, 2011) Welcome to "GET REAL" where we are asking sim pilots to tell us the story (through their sims) of a memorable REAL WORLD flight they have taken. This time we are hoping to successfully complete the famous Runway 13 approach into Kai Tak Hong Kong! It was ten years after my last story, 1983, and I was on another church-related trip, this time to the Far East. We had flown from Los Angeles to Taipei (my first 747 flight) and after several days on the northern end of Taiwan we were moving down to Hong Kong. I had my perfect seat, on the right side, just behind the wing. The plan was to get the full experience of a Kai Tak approach! I did not realize at the time that this was to be my last-ever ride on the great 707. We departed Taipei under clear skies at mid-day and in that decade could still expect a decent snack, even on a flight of under 500 miles. When I load the flight plan into FSX, I am careful to select the former Kai Tak airport for this feature. I went ahead and downloaded real-weather for this first portion of the flight and screen shots. In due time the captain announced that the weather in Hong Kong was wet, rainy and very windy and we should expect a pretty rough descent and landing. The flight attendants brought around warm towels for us to wash our faces with (so we looked rested for the coroners I'm sure) and then everything was battened down. We sank into the clouds and began the buffeting! (Really not conducive to screen shots is it?) Having never been to Hong Kong before I really wasn't sure what to expect, I didn't really have a geographical bearing as to how the approach would look but I had my face plastered firmly to the little window looking for anything recognizable. As the plane bounced back and forth and the wings flapped up and down my forehead kept banging into the plastic window frame. I caught glimpse of a green hilltop. Then an island peaked through the clouds before being instantly smothered again (above, left). Dark green water intermittently popped into view through scarce holes in the cloud and then we were out of the clouds and into some of the heaviest rain I had ever flown in! I craned my head to look ahead and right for the airport, anticipating the sharp right turn. All I could see was water below, some boats, and STEEP green mountains that rose into the clouds (above, right). Still we were being battered by gusty winds and pounding rain! Lower we sank, skimming junks and sampans (above, left). Suddenly there were tall buildings visible, I felt some quick rudder corrections and then (above, right), rocks ... runway ... bang! We were down (below, left). The spoilers popped up, the brakes grabbed and the reverse thrust powered up as we ground to a halt having safely landed on runway 31. DOH! (below, right) We parked out on the tarmac somewhere and had an interminable wait for the airstairs. We then scurried through the tremendous downpour onto the waiting bus. "Welcome to Hong Kong" someone commented. "Yea," I muttered "what a grand disappointment." What real world aviation story can you share with us through your simulator? Ron Blehm pretendpilot@yahoo.com -
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Feature: Get Real By Ron Blehm (June 2, 2011) Welcome to a new feature on FlightSim.Com, "Get Real". Flight simulators are great fun for a variety of reasons but one thing that anyone can do is to try and recreate or fly some flight that you have done in the past. Whether you are a pilot or a passenger I'm sure that we all have memories of some flight that sticks in our heads. My wife took a rough flight on a Dash-8 once, lots of windshear, and to this day she gets nauseated whenever we even talk about the aircraft type! Several years ago I received a video from a simmer in Texas - I guess back in the 1970's he and some friends had a stag party in Mexico. The video was a flightsim recreation of that flight in the appropriate 727 repaint and all. This feature gives you (the simmer) the chance to share some of your most profound REAL WORLD flight experiences through the sim. Maybe it was your first-ever flight, or your most recent one. Maybe you remember your first time on a BAC1-11 or the last time you were on a DC-3. Whatever it is, you've had the real-life experiences, now you'll recreate that experience in the sim and submit the story to us; we'll share your story here in the GET REAL feature. I guess since this is a new feature I'll start us off. In 1973 I was lucky to be able to accompany my parents on a several months-long mission trip to Central Africa. One of our first major stops was in Ethiopia and one of the missions we had to fulfill was to fly up north (about 90 minutes each way) to a medical clinic. After some overnight showers in Addis the little 4-place Cessna arrived in the morning to pick up three of us; one of the local church leaders, my father, and me. I was not really excited about general aviation and so I really couldn't tell you what kind of Cessna we were in - maybe a 182 turbo? I was big into commercial aviation and I remember waiting at the hold short point while an Ethiopian Airlines 707 landed! One problem with our plan was that no one had bothered communicating that there was a dentist (and supplies) also coming along which made us five in the four-place Cessna. So, the supplies were carefully packed and repacked into the little cargo area behind the seats and I (being the smallest of the group) climbed up on top of the luggage - then the others loaded up. Hey, it was the 70s in Central Africa, who was going to stop us? I do remember the pilot asking us each how much we weighed and writing on a piece of paper ... I assume we were just under the MTOW? At any rate, we taxied out, waited for the 707 and departed to the east. We made a right hand turn and came back downwind of the airport seen in the picture below/left (which is above 7,000 feet ASL by the way) before finally heading off to the north. In the years since 1973 I have tried to find out more information about this clinic and its exact location, but have always come up blank. We are going on vague memories here but it was about 90 minutes out, north or northwest of Addis, north of Debra Marcos, a place called N'Ma Tabor (I think "Tabor" means mountain?), below/right. I can tell you that there was no airport there! There was a field, with grazing cows and a couple of herdsmen. I couldn't feel my legs at this point and just wanted to land! We buzzed low over the area three or four times to ensure that there were no obstacles in our way and then ... one of the bumpiest landings of all time! I remember thinking that the wheels must surely get torn off at this point (below/left). We bumped over to the little tin shack and shut down (above/right). It must have looked like clowns climbing out of a little car as we piled out onto the short brown grass. By the time I could feel my legs again we heard the horn of the World War 2-era jeep that bounded down out of the trees with happy smiling faces peering out to greet us. That's right, the medical clinic was another 15-20 minutes up into the hills! (Sometimes it's an odd situation or setting that makes a flight memorable.) We loaded us and our stuff into the jeep and headed off. The plane left. We tried desperately to not get thrown from the back of the jeep while the local Ethiopians joyously ran alongside or helped to push the jeep over the biggest roots and rocks along the path. By the time we arrived at the clinic it was lunchtime - I really had no appetite at that point. Then, the afternoon rain showers started. It was phenomenal to watch the villagers, some walking miles to come through the clinic. We were told that it was odd for the showers to last through the day but the rain continued. At dusk the clinic closed but the rain continued. The grounds and offices were cleaned and readied for the next day. It grew cold. We sat around the table at the director's home eating Ingira and Wat and drinking hot tea. The rain continued through the evening and all night. (pretty loud on those tin roofs!) By morning the clinic grounds had been turned into intertwining muddy trails but there were more patients coming to see the dentist and doctors running clinic that day. We had a 2 PM date back at the cow field with the Cessna so after lunch we piled back into the jeep and headed down the slippery, muddy hill. This time the dentist stayed and the doctor came along as he needed supplies from the mission headquarters in Addis. 14:00 came and went. I talked with the cows. 15:00 came and went. I walked around, overlooking this amazing land (below/left). 15:45, we heard something. Yes? Yes! Our little plane had returned to fetch us (above/right). As soon as he landed I knew this was going to be difficult. The mud reached up, grabbed the little wheels and simply sucked the plane to the ground! Fewer bags meant two things: We were lighter I'd have more room in the back We said our good-byes, had prayer and loaded up again. The motor started with a lurch and then we taxied over to the edge of the trees. I distinctly remember that when we landed the bumps were vertical (hit your head on the roof kind) and now the bumping was horizontal (whiplash kind) as the wheels alternately stuck and then broke free of the muddy, hoof-printed holes. The pilot revved the engine and we were off. Jerking, lurching and bumping across the field (below/left). Then ... we left the field (above/right)! Now we were plummeting down the hillside, dodging trees and boulders! (Sometimes fear makes a flight memorable!) The downhill run gave us more speed which allowed us to just clear the grove of trees looming ahead. (notice the vertical speed in the screen shot below/left?) We turned to the right and followed the canyon down ... down ... and out of the highland area (above/right). Darkness came over us before we reached the international airport but the sight of the flashing lights (below/left) and the silky smooth feel of the runway were glorious at that moment (below/center). Sometimes it's a visceral feeling that makes a flight memorable! Truly, one of the most amazing 36 hours of my life - and not one I'd be anxious to EVER do over (below/right)! Along with the FSX screen shots here, (I found an open patch near N13-18.74, E38-10.86, about 12,200 feet ASL) you should know that I've tried to reproduce this flight in every sim I've ever owned - some more successfully than others. It was our Flight Club's Feature flight in May 2009 and FS2004 was my first attempt at making a video of the N'Ma Tabor experience. So, what's your aviation story? Don't you have some memorable real world flight experience that you could submit? If you'll send your stories and FS screen shots here, we'll see if we can't get them published on the next issue of ... GET REAL! Ron Blehm pretendpilot@yahoo.com -
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