And you thought I was going to talk about "number one!" LOL
Nope, I'm talking about Mother Nature and her nasty convective attributes last night. She gave Captain D a run for his money during the wee hours of the night. She tried to seduce me into her lightning infested build ups...but "Metman Morris" had no part of it!!!
She even tried to throw me a curve ball enticing me with open arms by supplying a falsified hole to see if I would take the bait. She flirted, but I flirted in hesitation. She began to wrap herself around me. Shit! I gotta get out of here and that we did.
How's that for the opening lines to post number 400!!!! No more..."I pulled back, we began to fly" posts! LOL Okay, okay, I had way too much coffee during breakfast. :)
Last night we dodged her nicely while inbound from Winnipeg, Manitoba to home base. She sprawled Cbs (thunderstorms) peaking at 45,000 feet across Southern Ontario. But I did notice she was rearming with more weather ammunition upwind of Toronto. I said to my F/O while being vectored onto runway 05, "there is going to be a 'red alert' when we launch for Montreal." And sure enough!
It came down in buckets as we sat and watched the strobe lights flash confirming thunderstorms were within 3 miles of the airport...we were under a "RED ALERT." Captain D explained the term to our awaiting passengers. After all, it sounds like the Russians are finally invading or Martians have landed. :)))
Finally, she moves off to the Northeast but she looked back "skirt flirting me" knowing full well Captain D will be setting course toward her.
We launch off 23, yes the winds reversed as Miss Moody moved off. Instead of taking a turn to the usual south, our dispatch suggested we try to outrun her to the north.
Boy, did she put on a light show! We were in dense cloud so I turned off our strobes to get a fix on her seductive light show. The moon rose in the East giving enough light to see her bulging augmenting tops.
We were flight planned at FL 270 to Montreal and I knew we would be requesting higher. Just a bit of cloud to climb above and we were free of her wickedness. But no, she built underneath me heaving her fullness to my A321 rocking me in moderate turbulence. Request FL 330 I curtly averred to my F/O. The conversation was to the point...no idle chit chat tonight at 1:00 a.m. We had a "bitch" to contend with!
But she wasn't giving up. Her tops built. Request 350! She now threw lightning underneath while she enticed. Finally, at flight level 370 she relented! We kept the seat belt sign on for the remainder of the flight in case she cussed at us as a bad loser would.
But the weather charts below depict she is still lurking. I will have to contend with her again today enroute to Mexico City. I'm not going near that moody woman! And flight dispatch better make it so. :)))
|
| Note the large comma shaped cloud indicative of an intense system. The curvature of the "comma" is located over the Great Lakes where a surface low pressure system sits. An elongated trough and front lies southwestward all the way to Mexico. |
|
| Latest surface analysis with some radar returns. Note the stuff in the Gulf of Mexico. Guess where Captain D is heading? Getjets can you move some of that stuff out of the way over your neck of the woods? lol |
43 comments:
I like the way you wrote this... :))) It seems as though you like dealing with Ms Moody. She's a challenge for you, Metman.
Be careful though...always respect her.
Congrats on the 400th post. Wow!!!
And another big milestone is coming up--5-0! Whoa...big! :)
Captain (NC-17) Doug, there's NO way I am moving the "TAIL END" of that beautiful storm out of the way....not when I may get a front row seat....after that story......!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hell, i got the popcorn on already....ha ha
Just about the time she'll(HER TAIL END) be rocking you back and forth on your way down to the MMEX......look down, I'm the one with the bright pink bloomers on....you won't miss me, I'll be one withOUT the "BIG UGLY AZZ BLACK HAT" on!!!!!! LOL
course I will be ready to take cover....God only knows what you'll drop on my head.....YUKKKKYYYYPOOO
so bring it on....I'll be looking for ya.....
oh and Captain.........................................."LIVE LONG____ AND PROSPER" || ||
misstwa on the lookout ;)))))))
Hello Captain Metman!!!
Kick a** post for #400 sir! That's the stuff that brought me in the first time I read your blog, and a couple years later I still come back daily!
Too bad you didn't have the option of FL 40! Might have made life easier lol...... moody indeed!
Like I've said before, it seems to me these moody systems are getting more so as the years pass. Let's hope ATC doesn't get moody as well and make you fly closer than you'd like, or the passengers , like this writer included!!!! Do you hear that AC flight planning?!?!?! Steer us around this crap!!!!!! LOL
Sounds like anon might be giving you a shot about 5-0??!! FL500....that's getting "up there" CB topping territory if you know what I mean LOLOL
Take care Captain! Show Ms Moody what your A320 is made of :) and be careful as always.
CAT III Approach
and I just noticed.... you had the "dog" on the end of your reins trying to contend with that mess....even more fun .... NOT!!!!!
bootleg a copy of your CVR for that night....and post it! I'm sure it would make for an interesting listen!!!!
Safe flying...
CAT III Approach
Captain....I know you won't read this till your in MMEX....
I am going to do my best not to take that "FLIGHT PLAN" ,someone just filed, PERSOANLLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
;))))))))))))))))))))))))
still be watching your green loopdiloops though
^J^
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/ACA991/
history/20110623/2045Z/CYYZ/MMMX
@ANON....check out the Captain's flight plan....talk about avoiding me....
I live south of New Orleans.........think I hurt his feelings with the black blimp comments....LOL ::::::)))))))
safe flying Captain!!!!
Air Canada 991...."CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF, NO DELAY ON THE ROLL"
"AC991..... CONTACT DEPARTURE....??????.....SQUAWK 2221"...
(i think)
Captain Doug,
Great post, just how I like them! It certainly is that time of the year again.
YYC Dispatcher
@ Getjets...he would never PURPOSELY avoid you,darling. :) I told you...he loves the challenge. :)))
Loved the NC-17 comment! Ha ha ha...
@ CAT III...:)) Yes,a bit of a shot at 5-0.
I've heard the term "Red Alert" is not to be used anymore. The new term is "Lightning Advisory". Red Alert freaked passengers out.
hey, just wanted to let you know I'm reading your book again. Also last tuesday I passed my private pilot checkride......one step closer to flying for a living.
Anon. Au contraire as far as dealing with Ms Moody. I try to stay away from her as much as possible.
It's like dealing with the law, the best way to deal with it, is stay away from it. :))))
I'm now at flight planning and flight dispatch must have been listening. We will be 10 minutes over sked
as our routing goes much farher west than usual.
Having said that, Ms Moody will be ogling me with a Mexican accent when I arrive. Ole.
Yes, there's is lots to talk about but again I am in negots as far as my blog with number one. :)))
Getjets. I'm now In MEX. I must have lead you astray.
I flew out of Montreal on flight 995. But our routing did take us far enough away from your bloomers. LOL
Ms. Moody heckled at me just on descent into MMMX.
She even threw St. fire Elmos at our windscreen.
But she calmed down since last night. In fact, she let me weave around her without much fuss.
CAT III approach. My F/O was saying that very thing...he thinks thunderstorms are getting more frequent and bigger. For me, I really don't know.
Flight dispatch cut me a huge swath today. In fact we flew right over Toronto from Montreal, then Illinois and through the centre of Texas to get to Mexico City.
The extra distance translated into an 15 extra minutes.
Last night I couldn't get much higher. I thanked my lucky stars the A321 which needs bigger engines and
more wing had a light load. Even then the "coffin corner" encroached.
Tonight we had a peppy A319.
Thanks for checking in!
Doug in Mexico City
YYC Dispatcher. I concur...tis the season. :)))
MikeYYC. You are correct, Calgary decided to change the terminology but the rest of the system did not. All the talk in Toronto last night was the "red alert." I suspect Toronto and others will follow suit. Sounds like you are in the "know." :))))
Getjets (Anon) I must get out more often because I did not know what NC-17 meant. I guess my kids would know about the movie codes. :)))
Last movie I saw was, Slum Dog Millionaire. I loved it.
So you think 17 year olds shouldn't be reading post #400? :)))
F.Y.I I will be heading to Montreal in the morning and then to Toronto to end a four day pairing. It's going well, the F/O and I are still talking. :))))
Scote1992. Congratulations on your private pilot license! Just heard a "reader" from my blog made the cut to join Air Canada in July. Things are looking up.
Great post, Doug. Thanks. While dispatch rules, the Captain commands. In the end, it is mostly about boarded fuel: With enough, you cam squiggle around the weather and get to point B with out an interim stop. If they force you short, they get an expensive stop. I say again, "That's why they call you Capatin." Fly smart and well-fueled, please. I want to see next week's posts. -C.
Hey there Captain, both flight plans were well west of the pink bloomers...yes....:))))
best to be safe...then to go for Ms Moody, she still might had tryed to pass ya good smack knowing her....ha ha
what 17 years old know these days, would put hair on a bowling ball!!!!!!
for those generations....I don't think, there's much more to shock, and certainly not many more adventures to live out....but what do I know..
not with "instant access" to everything know to man and beyond electronics!!!!!....
my VCR still flashes 12:00 from the last storm we had at my house....LOL,
do ya think, you could get a couple of pics of "St Elmo's fire", next time he comes knocking?????????
that would be a thrill....
safe trips today Captain(49...tick tock, tick tock.....)Doug...lol
one and only misstwa
^J^
http://flightaware.com/photos/view/8247-ad9b419c58c691710a66ca47936401001600972e/
aircraft/N2522F/sort/votes/page/1
copy and paste these sites to top bar..., if you have the time....this one particularly warm and fuzzy!!!!!
misstwa
Congrats on #400!
I remember one aviation joke goes: 1 pilot and 1 dog is suffice in modern cockpits (dog to bite the pilot when he touches the autopilot)... certainly not true. It takes all the experience and skills of REAL pilots to battle that nasty "bitch".
Great post, Captain D, enjoyed it!
Wannabe Mike
Thanks Doug, thought it was system wide. Even though I've been gone from the ramp for almost 4 years, I'm still in touch with a lot of the guys and attend most AC events.
Hey Captain!
Congratulations on your 400th post! I can't believe I read all of them haha. (I remember first visiting your blog, read them all and then started commenting haha. I was so happy I found another flying/pilot blog) Now I realize this is not 'just another' blog, you rule!
Weather sounds a bit like what we've had here in Europe for the past week :( Forecasts are better though!
Safe flying!
Bas
http://www.flickr.com/photos/flightblogger/
5856001849/in/photostream/
TALK ABOUT "TOO BIG FOR YOUR BRITCHES"
it's not an Airbus problem....it's an A-380 problem.....OOOOppppssss!!!!..had to hurt....says "LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT"...on the side of fuselage....
it's not the "Plane" Dumby....it's the wings...right in "PLANE" sight....should have just 'dismantled the building'
miss(yes, still with a day job)twa
Looks to be a crazy day at YOW. All kinds of diversions to YUL according to the flight tracker.
Any more moody weather for you today, Doug?
- Craig M
Craig M. I was looking right at Miss Moody over YOW tonight. The controller wanted me to go north and we wanted to head southwest.
There was a tug of war on the radios. We flew into Toronto via Buffalo from Montreal. They closed Ottawa.
I am getting very tired of that woman! :)))
I'm tired of that woman too. My husband was waiting for 2 hours to get off his plane at the YOW airport. I don't like those strobes so much anymore.........
That YOW airport was rocking!!! Never seen it so busy! Ha ha...
Hmmmm...quality time with kids screaming for 2 hours: "are we home yet?" ?!?!?
Pass. :)
Anon. When I was sitting on the ramp in Montreal I heard some of the flights diverting from Ottawa.
Your husband is lucky he made it home. You may have been driving to Montreal to pick him up.
You could have spent some quality time together. :)
Hey Doug, got a question for you: What kind of procedures are necessarily to fly a higher planned altitude? Do you have to find a new ETA of does a computer do that for you?
Brett.
Kind of unsure what you are asking. While enroute we just ask ATC for higher altitudes. Flight dispatch files the altitude and I rarely challenge them on it. I might query them more on the routing but the altitude is determined to be the most efficient according to the flight planning program. Our ETAs are updated to within the minute. Plus, flight dispatch has a direct ATC link so they can watch us on the computer screen. Through 10,000 feetod descent our datalink asks us to update our ETA or sometimes we do it before the prompting. Hope this helps. :)))
you know Getjets....I'm sure you're aware that some vehicles have back up sensors etc, blind spot warning systems ....
It begs the question when I looked at your photo link, why in the world does a multi million dollar state of the art airplane that obviously is massive, did not have proximity warning systems on the wings for taxi???!!!!! The engineers DROPPED the ball hard here....more like didn't even bring the ball to the game!!!!!! LOL.....
Glad you showed Ms Moody who's boss again Captain! As a passenger I'm always thankful I have a Captain and F/O who are smart enough to make safe decisions on behalf of themselves and their cargo...... no cowboy stuff just to prove you or the airframe can handle it.
Cudo's for the safe flights to you and your F/O!
Enjoy the days off with #1!!
CAT III Approach
CAT III APPROACH. Yes, ATC did not like our heading choice. As you know the YYZ-YOW-YUL triangle is very busy. There is a northern corridor for inbounds into YYZ and a southern corridor outbound. By heading southwest we encroached on the southern outbound corridor. Let's say there were some curt words shared back and forth.
Because of it, we were sent into American airspace by 250 miles and flew to Toronto via Buffalo. The F/O and I talked things out and we were glad we made the decision. The storm over YOW was a black ominous convective nightmare. It was our last leg on day four and I didn't want any part of it.
Sure we arrived 15 minutes late but at least I'm not filing a report due to severe turbulence.
Captain D is no cowboy nor should any pilot be.
Just call me "Mr. boring straight and level. "
The beer math in the last four days was disgusting. Actually non-existent.
You can guess what I had when I arrived home after contending with Ms. Moody the last few days. :)))
Great to see post #400 blasting onto my screen as it did! Kinda thought I was reading about a rough night with a former girlfriend...heh
Sometimes ya need to tackle the mean ones and run from the evil ones.
Lakotahope. During the last four days, Ms. Moody has been hanging around..big time. Now I know what the guy went through in the movie Fatal Attraction....you can't get rid of her....LOL
Getjets.
I thought the same thing about getting a pic of the St. Elmos fire. A video would be better.
Two more weeks and Captain 50 is getting a new camera. :)))
You know when you see that phenomena Ms Moody is near by. She is in the next room waiting to pounce.
Boy the last few days have been a work out in the "thunderstorm avoidance" department.
Don't know if Ms Moody is going through a "meteorological menopause" but she's been letting everyone know she's cranky and mean.
Captain ^D^
Ahh 2 more weeks and you'll have a new camera! Cool! Make sure to shoot ton's of pics :)
Bas
Bas.
I better get a camera instead of the usual for my birthday. Every year I have the honour
of renewing the registration to our two cars on my birthday.
Just got my July schedule and I even have the 7th off. :))))
Doug!
I'm sure you're not the first captain she's winked at, but you do seem to be a favorite.
__________________________________
Keep your eyes on your instruments, my friend. And move along...
P.S. All that angry lightning.
Are you sure that's from
her?
[Could be her boyfriend]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgeT-F9-1KI&feature=player_embedded
Captain Doug, yea I should just shut up.....but
it's Saturday
a deer camp widow
eating chicken gumbo
see that TITANIC(the movie)is on ..so go get the kleenex...
check in with my other aviation friends(yes,,,there are others...lol)
check in on my PPRN site....and on the JFK runway incursion thread(happened this week)...
I run accross this CAT III approach video...
HOLY SHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have never been so happy to be on solid ground in my life....
and I thought I'd seen every avia video.....NOPE...
THANK YOU CAPTAIN DOUG AND ALL....FOR KEEPING IT THAT WAY:))))))))))))))))))))
miss(consider this a PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT)twa
Daniel.
Well said, it could be her jealous boyfriend knowing full well a pilot is flirting! LOL
I think she is like a "Venus Flytrap." She looks pretty and docile from a distance, but as soon as you get
up close you soon realize your plight.
I like your take on things.... :)))
Getjets.
You are home alone again? Are you sure he is hunting? LOL I should take up fishing and hunting. :))))))))
Watched the video. It's a classic example of trusting the instruments, trusting your airplane, trusting the airport facilities, trusting your partner (the other pilot) .... yes, it's all about trust.
You must set up your own aviation consulting firm!
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