Special flight 9714 KBKF ....

[TCA2050]

Loading during our intermediate stop at Buckley Air Force Base went by the book, and in no time we found ourselves on preflight for the final leg.
Destination: KTTS, Nasa Shuttle Landing Facility Airport.
   

Planned routing: GLD PEABO J110 BUM J112 EUNIK J41 VUZ J52 ATL J45 OMN, cruising at FL370.
Fuel was topped off at 100.000 lbs.

Take off power setting TO-1/CLB-1 with flaps 10 giving us V1-122, VR-130 and V2-150kts.
At 11.23 local (1723Z) we were ready and cleared to taxi to RWY 14 so this would be a very short taxi again.
Pushed back
   

and taxiing
   

1729Z, positive rate.... gear up..
   

After departure we were vectored to GLD from where we joined our planned routing.
Traffic departing DEN is visible in the background
   

At 1746Z we reached our TOC. There was quite a bit of haze during the whole flight.
Here we're about to pass Memphis TN.
   

And further on Atlanta GA
   

Soon after ATL we prepared for our arrival at TTS. ATC cleared us for the the BITHO7 arrival followed by the RNAV RWY 15 approach.
Bitho7:
  00571BITHO.pdf (Size: 239.01 KB / Downloads: 3)
RNAV RWY15:
  TTS RNAV RWY15.PDF (Size: 284.41 KB / Downloads: 2)
Airspace around TTS was being monitored so that we got a clear passage... :-)

Near YULEE intersection and the approach has been set up. TOD is closing in fast near CRG
   

Passing Daytona Beach while getting on with the descent, so as to get to LAMMA intersection at 12000ft.
   

Passing LAMMA intersecton nicely at 12000ft, now having to call in a bit of speedbrakes to slow us down while on a direct to the runway extension point 10.6 nm out of RWY15, and being cleared to arrive there at 2500ft.
   

   

Taking into account our fuel estimate upon arrival and our ZFW, I got to a landing weight of 488.800 lbs, giving me flaps 30, Vref 134 and opting for autobrakes 2.

I was planning for a constant descent and made sure to reach the 10nm runway extension point at:
-Target speed (roughly 140 ias in this case)
-Landing flaps
-Gear down
So descending in these conditions at V/S about -500/-600 feet per minute would give me the descent angle I'm looking for.

Nearing the 10 nm from the runway and set up for the constant descent, level at 2500 ft with 400ft selected and V/S at 0000
   

   

Starting the descent by dialing -600 fpm as V/S.
   

Off course, this type of approach needs constant monitoring, slightly adjusting V/S as needed.
Here we get the aid of the VNAV path since I could compare it to the altitude required at the STARS intersection, 1500 ft.
After STARS, autopilot and autothrottle off and going in manually.
   

Near our MDA, all under control... landing.
   

   

Definitely enough room to roll out... the runway exit being at the far end... nice view of the NASA assembly building though..
   

   

So, we've reached the final destination of this contracted flight... nice view of the Shuttle launch pads in the distance..
   

All shut down and running on external power.
Blocks on at 1630 local time (2030Z) for a total flying time of 03h07 burning 64.700 lbs of fuel.
Gonna spend the night in Orlando and tomorrow we'll head over to Miami for regular line flying, back to Seattle:

TCAA Flight 17...Miami, FL (MIA) to Seattle (SEA)...0835-1212 (6:37) 737-800


The End.
Flown using MS Flight Simulator 9

[CBreuer]

Hey Stefaan.

Again a very impressive and fun to read report. I hope some more pilots would join in with these...