CaptainStark
11-05-2004, 06:11 PM
PHX-BNA
Phoenix WX: Low overcast, light with intermittent moderate rain, winds westerly at 10 knots, visibility about one mile.
Nashville WX: 1 ¼ mile visibility and fog, 300 foot (to cloud bases) overcast, southerly winds, 68 degrees. Forecast for our arrival, rain showers. Alternate for Nashville, Louisville, KY. Shortly after takeoff, Louisville WX deteriorates so SWA dispatch relays to us a change of alternates: New alternate, Birmingham, Alabama.
Weather depiction shows clear flight path across AZ, NM, TX panhandle, and into OK. In eastern OK, a band of thunderstorms extends it’s southern flank across our route of flight. The turbulence map shows this area as a possible area of chop. Knowing the rain showers over PHX may be choppy, we ask the FA’s to remain seated until we find smooth air.
We takeoff into the rain and climb westerly along our designated departure procedure. Initially cleared to 3000 feet, departure clears us to 7000 feet where we level off for a few minutes due to conflicting air traffic. Once clear we climb to 210 (21,000). As we break out of the clouds at 12,700 feet (about 5 minutes from brake release) the ride immediately smooths from constant light chop to near glass-like smooth. We advise the FA’s that they are free to begin cabin service. Just prior to leveling off at FL210 we are handed off the ABQ center (Albuquerque Center) who clears us to climb to 290. We enter the lower portion of the jetstream at about 20,000 and find light chop until we climb into the jet core at about 330. Our cruising altitude to BNA is FL 410 (41,000 feet). Over central Arizona we ask for and are cleared direct Little Rock, AR. Over the Texas panhandle we are cleared directly to the start of the arrival at Nashville. Cruise ride is very smooth at 410.
In OK, we begin to see the weather depicted on our WX maps. This is the area we have been warned may be choppy. We briefed the FA’s about the potential for chop in the ground in PHX, so they are aware of the area ahead. We call them to remind them but relay that ATC (Air Traffic Control) has not had any bad ride reports from planes in the area ahead of us. As we move further east, we see we’ll be descending into an area of clouds. As we get handed off to a new ATC sector, we ask the new controller about the rides at the lower altitudes. He tells us to expect constant chop in the descent. Accordingly, we brief the passengers, turn tha fasten seat belt sign on, and ask the FA’s to pick up the cabin and secure it early for landing so they can be seated during the descent. With rain showers in the BNA area, it may be choppy there too and they probably won’t have time to secure the cabin if we wait until we are lower.
The descent is smooth until about 37,000 feet where we pick up the start of the chop with an occasional good moderate bump. The flight attendants have secured the cabin in time and are now seated. Passing 25,000, the ride smooths out –for awhile. More chop is encountered in the final maneuvering to the airfield. I am glad we have the FA’s seated with the cabin secure.
The latest airfield WX broadcast mentions overcast but no rain. As we descend, we see rain showers all around the vicinity of the airport . Within 10 miles of Nashville, we see heavy rain located right in our arrival path on a 5 mile final to the runway we are being vectored to. We inquire about the ride encountered by preceding aircraft and are told the ride is light chop in moderate rain. We encounter the rain and it is intense and loud. In about 30 seconds we break out at 1000 feet and see the airport ahead. We land and taxi to the gate as the rain begins at the airport.
BNA-ISP (Islip, NY)
Knowing the ride is choppy in the Nashville area, we advise the FA’s to remain seated on departure. We blast off in light rain and are turned to the east. Moments later we are advised by ATC to turn further east. As we turn we are instructed to maintain 5000 feet for arrival traffic passing right to left ahead 1000 feet above us. As we level off at 5,000 feet, our TCAS (Terminal area Collision Avoidance System) sings out “TRAFFIC” and displays a SWA 737 on our situational display. We see the plane in the clouds passing right off our nose above us. Once he passes, we are cleared to 10,000 feet. Nothing more than light chop as we climb out to the east and are cleared to our first en route navigation point. We encounter moderate rain just prior to popping out in the clear around FL180. The remainder of the ride is in the clear with smooth air all the way to ISP.
The descent into ISP is picture perfect with a carpet of fall leaves below us. The temperature is 55 degrees under sunny skies. We park our jet at the gate and give it to another crew who will fly it from ISP to Baltimore to PHX where another crew will pick it up for two more legs to Seattle.
We head for the hotel for a long overnight with nearly 14 hours to rest up before our next days flying that will end in Sacramento after four legs. The third and last day of this trip will be four legs from Sacramento, to Seattle, to Reno, and finally back home to Phoenix.
:ray
Phoenix WX: Low overcast, light with intermittent moderate rain, winds westerly at 10 knots, visibility about one mile.
Nashville WX: 1 ¼ mile visibility and fog, 300 foot (to cloud bases) overcast, southerly winds, 68 degrees. Forecast for our arrival, rain showers. Alternate for Nashville, Louisville, KY. Shortly after takeoff, Louisville WX deteriorates so SWA dispatch relays to us a change of alternates: New alternate, Birmingham, Alabama.
Weather depiction shows clear flight path across AZ, NM, TX panhandle, and into OK. In eastern OK, a band of thunderstorms extends it’s southern flank across our route of flight. The turbulence map shows this area as a possible area of chop. Knowing the rain showers over PHX may be choppy, we ask the FA’s to remain seated until we find smooth air.
We takeoff into the rain and climb westerly along our designated departure procedure. Initially cleared to 3000 feet, departure clears us to 7000 feet where we level off for a few minutes due to conflicting air traffic. Once clear we climb to 210 (21,000). As we break out of the clouds at 12,700 feet (about 5 minutes from brake release) the ride immediately smooths from constant light chop to near glass-like smooth. We advise the FA’s that they are free to begin cabin service. Just prior to leveling off at FL210 we are handed off the ABQ center (Albuquerque Center) who clears us to climb to 290. We enter the lower portion of the jetstream at about 20,000 and find light chop until we climb into the jet core at about 330. Our cruising altitude to BNA is FL 410 (41,000 feet). Over central Arizona we ask for and are cleared direct Little Rock, AR. Over the Texas panhandle we are cleared directly to the start of the arrival at Nashville. Cruise ride is very smooth at 410.
In OK, we begin to see the weather depicted on our WX maps. This is the area we have been warned may be choppy. We briefed the FA’s about the potential for chop in the ground in PHX, so they are aware of the area ahead. We call them to remind them but relay that ATC (Air Traffic Control) has not had any bad ride reports from planes in the area ahead of us. As we move further east, we see we’ll be descending into an area of clouds. As we get handed off to a new ATC sector, we ask the new controller about the rides at the lower altitudes. He tells us to expect constant chop in the descent. Accordingly, we brief the passengers, turn tha fasten seat belt sign on, and ask the FA’s to pick up the cabin and secure it early for landing so they can be seated during the descent. With rain showers in the BNA area, it may be choppy there too and they probably won’t have time to secure the cabin if we wait until we are lower.
The descent is smooth until about 37,000 feet where we pick up the start of the chop with an occasional good moderate bump. The flight attendants have secured the cabin in time and are now seated. Passing 25,000, the ride smooths out –for awhile. More chop is encountered in the final maneuvering to the airfield. I am glad we have the FA’s seated with the cabin secure.
The latest airfield WX broadcast mentions overcast but no rain. As we descend, we see rain showers all around the vicinity of the airport . Within 10 miles of Nashville, we see heavy rain located right in our arrival path on a 5 mile final to the runway we are being vectored to. We inquire about the ride encountered by preceding aircraft and are told the ride is light chop in moderate rain. We encounter the rain and it is intense and loud. In about 30 seconds we break out at 1000 feet and see the airport ahead. We land and taxi to the gate as the rain begins at the airport.
BNA-ISP (Islip, NY)
Knowing the ride is choppy in the Nashville area, we advise the FA’s to remain seated on departure. We blast off in light rain and are turned to the east. Moments later we are advised by ATC to turn further east. As we turn we are instructed to maintain 5000 feet for arrival traffic passing right to left ahead 1000 feet above us. As we level off at 5,000 feet, our TCAS (Terminal area Collision Avoidance System) sings out “TRAFFIC” and displays a SWA 737 on our situational display. We see the plane in the clouds passing right off our nose above us. Once he passes, we are cleared to 10,000 feet. Nothing more than light chop as we climb out to the east and are cleared to our first en route navigation point. We encounter moderate rain just prior to popping out in the clear around FL180. The remainder of the ride is in the clear with smooth air all the way to ISP.
The descent into ISP is picture perfect with a carpet of fall leaves below us. The temperature is 55 degrees under sunny skies. We park our jet at the gate and give it to another crew who will fly it from ISP to Baltimore to PHX where another crew will pick it up for two more legs to Seattle.
We head for the hotel for a long overnight with nearly 14 hours to rest up before our next days flying that will end in Sacramento after four legs. The third and last day of this trip will be four legs from Sacramento, to Seattle, to Reno, and finally back home to Phoenix.
:ray