The A340 Part 9 - To Cape Town

[iwebber 207]

Following on from my previous post (here) there were more A340 flights to do, Air Mauritius use their A340-300's for the service to FACT, MAU843, leaving late afternoon and arriving late evening.

This was flown before FSDG released their marvellous rendition of FACT so I'm using the NMG one.

Looking at our aircraft from the terminal, lovely green rolling hills in the background.

Pretty little Air Sechelles A320 parked up but nearly ready to go.

Company regional service bringing more pax to the airport.

Pushing back.

As we taxi away the earlier Airbus takes off int he background.

Looking out of my window at the coastline.

And again,

Crusty Old Pilot : "Stop looking out of the window and fly the plane you 'orrible little child of the magenta line!"

Me : "But the line is green"

Crusty Old Pilot : "Shut up and carry my flight bag!"

Admiring the A340's legendary climb performance... eh?, let's try that again.
Admiring Wilco's A340 legendary climb performance, the real thing is more... gentlemanly, old gentlemen, old gentlemen with arthritis.

Turning on the SID after passing Blue Bay.

Emirates A380 inbound (and quite why it was using the reciprocal runway I'll never know)

I believe this one is over Reunion, if I'm wrong it's over Madagascar.

Singapore A350 making it's way down to Cape Town.

Sun starting to set as we cruise into South African airspace.

Some local traffic, a Comair 737-800, Comair is a BA franchise (hence the livery) operating regional and domestic flights around South Africa. Kulula is their low cost brand.

An SAA 737 also goingto Cape Town but from Jo'burg.

Don't see many of these these days, an RJ85, this one operated by Airlink.

Heading downwind for runway 01 overhead the eastern areas of Cape Town. Unfortunately there was a little murk so you can barely make out Table Mountain in the background.

Final Approach.

Had trouble with parking on arrival so ended up not taking any on the ground.

Next flights though, another A340, this time the ever efficient Lufthansa, they still have a handful (12) of the old 300 series and they often use it on the FRA CPT FRA route.

 

 

[P_7878 6,593]

Nice narrative and beautiful shots of Mauritius...yes, hard to stop looking out the window!

Also, glad to see the Wilco A340 in flight, I do fly it once in a while...thanks for posting this series!

[Peter Webber 339]

Great pics! Thought that was you flying over my house during your approach to FACT!