It's midweek, and chores galore around here...🙂...e.g., our kitten (about to become an adult) is a bit sick in the stomach. BTW, his upcoming adulthood made me think how old is a 1-year-old cat in human years? It's not as easy to convert cat age to human age, as you might think. Here below are the formulae, I found, where X(N) is the human equivalent age of an N-year old cat. So, here we go:

• X (1) = 15 
• X (2) = X (1) + 9 [Note: It seems, though "15" is universally agreed upon, opinion divided among the Feline experts, whether the increment for age 2, should be "9" or "10"...🙂...] 
• X (N>2) = X (2) + 4 * (N-2) [So, e.g., at age N=17, the cat would reach 84 years of equivalent human age.]

For another example, when my (first) cat was 11 years old, setting N=11 in the formula, we find X (11) = [15 + 9 + (4 * 9)] = 60 (Note: However, per my observation above, some experts may argue it's "61". So, be ready to defend your calculation...🙂...Anyway, it is good to know that X (11) was within a decade of my own (current) human age...🙂...Oh well...)

Now what's all this digression got to do with this PMDG 777 post...🙂...? You see, if my cat has not been sick, I would not have had to look in multiple stores today, for a can of (Organic) Pumpkin Puree (that, without any other ingredients in it) ...🙂..., and I would have had time to fly the PMDG 777 on a much longer route. Neither would I have looked for the shortest 777 route in the world. Indeed, British Airways currently flies the world's shortest Boeing 777 route between St. Kitts (SKB) and Antigua (ANU), covering about 50 nautical miles (57 statute miles) in under 30 minutes. If you look today in FlightAware for flights between TKPK and TAPA airports, you'll find 3 flights listed and operated by B772, E120, and AT72 aircraft. The 777 (BA2256) service is by British Airways (see my screenshots below, #3 and #4, for MSFS EFB Map and SimBrief Route, respectively). 

For this post, I fly my most favorite big airliner in MSFS (the PMDG 777, this variant here though is a -777F which uses the structural design and engine specifications of the -200LR along with fuel tanks derived from the -300ER; noting also that the mnemonic acronym B772 is for B777-200/ER that flies in RW for this route, whereas the B777F below in my images is denoted as B77L). 

I lift off Runway 07 of Robert L. Bradshaw Airport (TKPK), located on the island of Saint Kitts, In the eastern Caribbean Sea, and fly this extremely short distance eastward to the Runway 07 of V. C. Bird International Airport (TAPA), an international airport located on the island of Antigua. So, this is an island-to-island hop, but NOT in a tiny BN2 Islander...🙂...rather in a massive Boeing 777.

The published approach chart for RNAV RWY 07 of TAPA airport, lists the following fixes:

1. EMALI (IF/IAF) at 2,500 ft and 10.9 nm
2. BOPAR Fix at 2,000 ft and 5.9 nm
3. 40THR Fix at 900 ft and 4.0 nm...and, so on, down to the runway threshold of 58' elevation...

In my images below, you may be able to spot all these waypoints, on the screenshots of the cockpit ND Display, FMC Legs Page, or/and on the MSFS EFB Map.

Few cautions and special instructions are also noted on the chart:

1. Caution: High Terrain north and south of aerodrome.
2. Turbulence on approach with east or southeast wind.
3. Arriving aircraft will enter hold only when instructed by ATC for spacing...etc...

However, within my (virtual) Pilot-in-Command's discretion...🙂..., I wished to add a bit of twist (literally speaking) to my short flight and chose to set up a low-speed Hold pattern anchored around the Fix "EMALI" (see an ND screenshot below). In recent times, I normally do not deploy Holds but just wished to test the (entry and exit) HOLD capability with this 777 (and it passed with flying colors; of course, within my limited aviator's knowledge...🙂...). Moreover, the plane under LNAV/VNAV control, flew this RNAV RWY 07 Approach (pre-defined on the FMC), remarkably well too, safely guiding me in for a smooth touchdown (no manual altitude intervention was warranted, except for a reminder to deploy some speedbrake). Mind you, if you do not nail the proper touchdown, you will find yourself (and your 777) swimming in the Atlantic Ocean, as the far end of Runway 07 is precariously close to the Oceanic waters. This brings back some distant (and ignoble...🙂...) memories of such debacles in landing at the old Kai Tak airport, from my FSX days...where I had (once or twice) ended up in the waters of Victoria Harbor...🙂...while in the command of my PMDG 747...in the Cathay Pacific colors...

Today, this was indeed an exciting flight. Most significantly, I noticed that this route may be a short one, but it packs in some (pretty) beautiful island scenery (see images), flown along the valley sandwiched between the two set of lovely (low-level) mountain ranges. I can only imagine the unique experience of the RW BA pilots flying this short route in a (heavy) B777 on a daily basis.  

Hope you enjoy this collection of images of my short B777 flight today (in fact, I invite you to try this route if you own the B777), while I now get back to the more urgent task of treating my cat...with some nourishing food...🙂...wish me well...

Thanks for viewing...and happy flying in the SIM of your own choice...!

Nice set of photos...of course...my mind might be on a virtual tropical get-away!  🙂 

I wonder how the (real world) flight crew feels when the flight planning takes longer than the actual flight!  🙂 

Many, many years ago, I flew to Punta Cana (Club Med) for a vacation with Air Transat in an A330. On the return trip, we left Punta Cana (MDPC) with a scheduled stop in Porto Plata (MDPP) before returning back to Vancouver...about 140 miles as the crow flies...probably about the same distance between Vancouver and Seattle...of course, those flights are typically "puddle-jumpers".  🙂

Lots of pretty scenery packed into a short space. (Hey, don't blame the pumpkin puree for your time crunch. Just composing your intro...and doing the math..probably took longer 🙂.)

3 hours ago, rmeier said:

Nice set of photos...of course...my mind might be on a virtual tropical get-away!  🙂 

I wonder how the (real world) flight crew feels when the flight planning takes longer than the actual flight!  🙂 

Many, many years ago, I flew to Punta Cana (Club Med) for a vacation with Air Transat in an A330. On the return trip, we left Punta Cana (MDPC) with a scheduled stop in Porto Plata (MDPP) before returning back to Vancouver...about 140 miles as the crow flies...probably about the same distance between Vancouver and Seattle...of course, those flights are typically "puddle-jumpers".  🙂

Appreciated the comment, rmeier...!

Yes, the B777 flight prep surely would take longer than the real flight duration...🙂...here. Interesting recall of your 140-miles short hop in an A330. Indeed, such short hops (referred to as " fifth freedom" flights) are always part of a longer service, here e.g., from or/and to London Heathrow.

Always nice to let the mind roam to a tropical gate-away...at least virtually ....🙂...

 

2 hours ago, John F said:

Lots of pretty scenery packed into a short space. (Hey, don't blame the pumpkin puree for your time crunch. Just composing your intro...and doing the math..probably took longer 🙂.)

Thanks, John....🙂...At least the time spent on finding the (right) Pumpkin Puree, while keeping me away from (significant) pilotage duties, seems to be working. Nature is the best cure sometimes rather than modern medicine...🙂...Cheers...!

Edited September 3, 2025Sep 3 by P_7878

Fine set, thanks for sharing !

Nice landscape around..

cheers 😉

On 9/4/2025 at 12:53 AM, pmplayer said:

Fine set, thanks for sharing !

Nice landscape around..

cheers 😉

Thanks, pmplayer. Yes, one cannot go wrong with Caribbean scenery...with its white beaches, turquoise waters, and lush green landscapes...🙂...all together in one place...

(Though this Pilot was overwhelmed a bit with the T7 flight duties, to enjoy the scenery properly, on this extremely short flight...🙂...)

You are a good storyteller buddy! Enjoy reading them.

20 hours ago, RobJC said:

You are a good storyteller buddy! Enjoy reading them.

Thanks, Rob...🙂...

Cheers...!