Mediterranean Cruise

The title can be misleading. If you are expecting to read about a trip on a fancy cruise liner, you will be disappointed.

I'm off to Reus, Spain for this one. My last flight ended with an arrival at LIRN, I love this scenery so much I'm going to start this one there too.

I made a silly mistake on my last flight and forgot to install 2 flatten bgls. Therefore, some buildings and vehiculs along with a part of the apron was sunken into the ground. No problems this time though.

Flight NO7253 was bound to LERS. I flew the 630NM over the Mediterranean at 41000 feet, an altitude I rarely ascend to. I usually fly at around 35K. The FMC calculated it as the optimal flight level so I though I might give it a shot, see how the NG performs.

Block time was 2 hours and 3 minutes.

I kept the load factor low on this fligh , my GW was around 128K.

Weather at LIRN was winds 269/10 with clear skies and 30C which called for an Iskia6A departure from runway 24.

[Stand 15, AZ 7910 is pushing back. Alitalia, eat your heart out, the Neos livery looks much cooler]

Traffic was light at Naples, only a couple of evening company flights. The Maddog in the above shot was bound to Linate and got pushed back just as I finished my preflight. Alitalia operates a lot of MDs as does SAS.

After a short taxi to runway 24, I lined up and took off after another AZ MD landed and vacated the active. Among the limitations of FS ATC is one that won't let you line up until the landing aircraft vacates the runway, even if there is no other arrival.

[Cleared to go, rwy 24]

No turbulence this time, the 737 being lightly loaded and TO thrust not derated, climbed out powerfully over the city of Napoli where plenty of tourists were munching on their pizzas as it was dinner time.

LIRN departures include an initial climb procedure which takes you to the SOR VOR. The SIDs start from there. You can find initial climb procedures at most airports in Italy and France. This makes it easier when rewriting the departures.

[Climbing over the city of "Napoli"]



Reaching FL410 took some time, around 30 or so minutes, I had a mild headwind on the way. Nothing much to report, the cruise flight was smooth and uneventful (as most of them are!).

The humble yet firm FS ATC instructed me to descend at the same time as my FMC which was around 120NM from LERS. I got clearance for the ILS approach for runway 25, just as I had initially planned and proceeded with the BCN2Q STAR which takes you over Barcelona airport. Needless to say, the ATC didn't stop over LEBL, plenty of traffic coming and going.

Clouds formed up over LEBL and passing through them I had some mild turbulence.

[Approaching Reus, 10000 feet, spoilers deployed, slowing down]



There is no ATIS frequency at LERS, I could have added one with the AF2 program but realism prevailed and I kept it that way. The metar for LERS on my approach phase showed calm winds with clear skies and 23C. This corresponded perfectly to what I could gather from my instruments on final approach and on the ramp after landing.

On a side note, the SID/STAR file by Manuel Pina and Manuel Perez for LERS was perfect and didn't require any editing.

[Intercepting the localizer 25]



No traffic inbound for LERS, all the better... I don't think Reus gets a lot of traffic in real life anyway.

My approach being stabilized and conditions obviously VMC, I went manual at 1500 feet.

[Very short final, last corrections]



The landing was a bit too hard, you know, one that bounces you back up a little. I could have done better. It's not an excuse, I know, but flaring with flaps 40 is not like flaps 30, the aircraft tends to float more.

I just love these smaller airports with their short taxi distances and simple layouts. Reus kind of reminds me of LCEN and LTFJ where you get off the aircraft and walk to the terminal. This also gives you the opportunity to snap off a couple of close photos of the aircraft.

[Parked at stand 1]



I may head to Africa and the Middle-East for my next flight which will probably be a cargo run with the 757.

Thanks for viewing