Hello friends, it has been a long time, but here is a new visual diary of my travels in the NGX, this time, replicating a real world vacation flight from last year. I love to imitate real world flights, usually taken from past flights in flightaware, but it's especially a fun challenge to try to duplicate flights I've been a passenger on. As it turns out, my 2012 vacation to Honduras utilized United 737 NGs for all 4 legs, from my homebase of KPHL to KIAH on 737-900ERs, where I then switched aircraft for a 737-800 for the flight to San Pedro Sulas, Honduras MHLM. I flew all four flights at various times last year on the PMDG birds, and just recently, I completed the last flight, the return trip to KPHL from KIAH, using the PMDG 737-900. Shame it is not the ER like the real bird, but what can I do?

 

Since it was a night flight, there was not much for me to see at my window seat, and I was exhausted from the travel thoughout the day, but I remembered some key points about the flight that I was able to see in the sim. For one, winds aloft at cruise were strong with tailwinds exceeding 100kts, and the captain made sure to emphasize that our flight duration would be much shorter than usual. Planned time was supposed to be 2 hours, 55 minutes, the realized duration was 2 hours, 16 minutes. Also, when we arrived at KPHL late at night, there was little traffic to compete with for a landing slot, so we were given an earlier base turn than normal to intercept the runway in night visual conditions. I was very surprised to see this from the window seat, and I knew this was going to be a challenge for me as I am used to to a 30 degree vector at or before the published FAF (JALTO), but this time we cut corners and turned to final past the FAF by 2 or so miles. So I had to keep my sights steady on the approach lighting while I made a very tight turn at 1500 feet, only a few miles from the runway. Think of the sharp turn to runway 13L with the famous Canarsie approach at KJFK, this felt similar.

 

As mentioned above, the real flight was 2 hours 16 minutes. My time in the sim was close, at 2 hours 26 minutes. I find most of my flights are very close to the real times, a testament to the accuracy of the PMDG flight model and weather provided by HiFi's Active Sky Evolution.

 

Here is a screen capture of the Google Earth track of my flight. One line is the track of the real flight retrieved from Flightaware, with my path in FSX superimposed over it. Aside from some nasty S-turns from the dreaded bug in FSX during the first 1/3 of the flight, which for some strange reason happened when I was in heading mode,not LNAV, I was able to match the real path pretty closely!

 

At Houston Bush Intercontinental gate C30, at about 7:00 PM on March 3rd, 2012.

 

Taxing to runway 15L, with a fellow United NG getting ready for takeoff.

 

On the GUSTI2 SID at about 1000 feet, I begin to retract flaps, reduce engine thrust to climb thrust and turn to the east.

 

At this point, I intercept the TOD near Washington D.C.

 

On base turn, following ATC instructions to descend to 2000 feet, keeping an eye out the left hand window for the approach lights to runway 27R for the visual approach.

 

Here is the Walt Whitman bridge. Anyone who is a frequent visitor to KPHL will testify that it is very unusual to be approaching runway 27 at this 360 degree vector at this point south of the bridge. Usually, aircraft are routed on the 268 heading some distance east of the bridge, dropping the gear shortly before passing the bridge. Apparently, the cockpit crew was in a rush to arrive early and were confident they could make the tight turn. I'm about to find out if I will as well.

 

I straighten out after the tight turn, trying to correct a slight overturn on base. I'm rewarded with a prime view of the City of Philadelphia skyline, as well as the stadium park where all of Philly's sports are played. Credit goes to Sunskyjet's KPHL for FSX, where the scenery designers saw fit to include so much landmark scenery at the periphery of the airfield that adds to the ambiance of this freeware scenery.

 

Spoilers out and my feet flooring the brake pedals to make the first high speed turnout exit from the runway.

 

Welcome to Philadelphia! At gate D3, the time is 11:15pm.

 

And with that flight, I have concluded my sessions in FSX operating as United NGs. I'm about to move to Alaska Airlines flights for a change of scenery, and will be sure to share those adventures here in the near future.

 

Thanks for your views!

Great story, thanks for posting. Looking forward to the Alaska flights.

Nice terminal lighting in the last two images! Night flying is special in its own way. . . .

The night textures are really something in Sunsky KPHL. If you don't have it, I suggest you get it, it really is the finest freeware scenery of all time. Payware quality, and lots of extra scenery outside the airport make it a real gem in the freeware world!

The night textures are really something in Sunsky KPHL. If you don't have it, I suggest you get it, it really is the finest freeware scenery of all time. Payware quality, and lots of extra scenery outside the airport make it a real gem in the freeware world!

I do have it, but do not fly to or from it often, as my flights are concentrated in Europe. Once I have the patience and time for long-haul flights, I will fly the PMDG B747 or B777 between KPHL and LSGG.

The story around the screenies enhanced it for me. Nice job!

 

Also us DX10 users don't get to see SSJ PHL at night, but after seeing this, it may be time for a dx9 flight for me!

Also us DX10 users don't get to see SSJ PHL at night, but after seeing this, it may be time for a dx9 flight for me!

I forgot about this. It's too bad, as I do not want to lose DX10's performance benefits. Regardless, SSJ KPHL looks excellent at all times of day!