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ameya · Posted: Fri Dec 20, 2013 2:00 pm Post subject: Sharklet to Bangalore

Background

A lot had been written by me, about how I can possibly clock 28 flights this year and the moment is here, when I can claim those missing 2 flights to make it 28 but stare at a possibility of cancellation of my flights next week due to some impending personal things in Pune. Fingers crossed, prayers requested to let me fly from IXU to DEL and do a JAI-IDR-PNQ

A quick meeting came up which had the potential to spoil my weekend and thankfully got delayed, first to Tuesday and then Thursday. All said and done, I waited and waited for the confirmation which finally came on Tuesday morning – meeting in BLR on Thursday.

I initially planned to have just 1 TR, but I thought of keeping them separate since it was getting too complex for me to write.

Flight Planning and Rotation

PNQ-BLR has three flights in the morning, S2 at 0535 – too early, SG at 0645 – I don’t like SG and 6E at 0745. So the decision was simple to fly 6E. The S2 flight flies onwards to CCU-GAU-IXA/JRH and comes back the same way. Its another option to the popular 6E 523 connection to CCU from PNQ. SG 0645 dep comes in from SHJ at 0600 and does BLR-DEL (SG 114 ? )

Outbound : 6E 409 PNQ BLR 0745 0910 A320 D

Rotation : 408/409/464/464/463/463/114 – BLR PNQ BLR BOM IXC BOM BLR DEL
Another popular flight which operated at similar times of 6E was IT 3409/3410 arr PNQ 0720/Dep PNQ 0750. It was the most popular flight to BLR back then.

Airport & Spotting

I would miss the base departures in PNQ would get to see SG x 2, AI double bogey, 9W at PNQ and EK, WY & MI at Bangalore.
No NOTAMS worth considering at both the airports
Sector distance is 720kms and the air route is straight W28 – the snap to be added later will show the route generally taken.
There was no METAR for PNQ available.
BLR METAR was as below
VOBL 190100Z VRB01KT 3000 HZ BKN005 18/18 Q1016 TEMPO 1500

Day of departure

The new cab company which I book these days, sent the cab 15 mins before time and I was all set to head to the airport.

I reached the airport at 0635hrs and quickly went in. Since the counter was empty I went to the counter and took a printed boarding pass even though I had a print of web boarding card. The security line was long but moving very fast and I quickly entered into the SHA and headed to level 1 to await arrival of my flight. FR24 was showing the flight to have left on time and the registration as well, which made it clear that it was another sharklet for me. *Delighted*

VT-SZC was on the ramp, waiting to go to BLR having arrived from SHJ. VT-SGG arrived from MAA to go to DEL. At 0652, VT IFW landed, where did this come from ? This was air turn back of 6E 523 PNQ MAA CCU flight which did a precautionary landing for fuel sensor warning. The entire 6E team, engineers were busy on that aircraft. The pax were not de planed. VT-ESD AI double boget landed at 0655 followed by 9W VT-JFG from MAA.
VT-IFO, my incoming aircraft landed at 0700, 15 mins before time.

Boarding & Flight

The boarding was efficient and well before time. Had two guys In front of me, who saw the line on the left moving fast and decided to skip this line and go in the other one, only to be told that it is 9W line for flight to DEL and they are travelling by IndiGo to BLR ! Poor chaps had to join in the line at the back of the queue

Hassle free boarding into a clean well lit plane. I settled in my seat and dares to click a snap, thankfully no issues there.

We pushed back at 0740 and did a short taxi to runway 10 and took off in easterly direction. A very short take off roll IMO for a load of 179 and a lot of cargo.

Service started soon there after and I opted for a Veg Sub marine cream and cheese and it was nice. The IndiGo catering has improved a lot from the initial disaster

We followed the BOM-BLR NH4 for a long time till HBX mostly, seeing the wind mills all across in that area and a lot of dams all around. I slept off for a while after that and then the captain announced the start of descend
After a few twists and turns, we landed on runway 09 at Bangalore and taxied to Bay 31. The deplaning was fast but the bus ride to the terminal was a long one. Now that the terminal has been extended it takes even longer to go take a turn and drop you back. The terminal work is still not over but more on that in the TR for the return journey.
I quickly took a cab and headed to the area where I had my work.

Flight Summary
Aircraft A320
VT-IFO (MSN 5641)
Delivered 26/06/2013
Load 179/180
STD 0745
ATD 0740
STA 0915
ATA 0910

Overall a good flight ! On Time departure, On time arrival, Clean aircraft, decent service, food of my choice available. What more would I want ?

ameya · Posted: Fri Dec 20, 2013 2:04 pm Post subject:

My incoming bird has departed

Screenshot_2013-12-19-06-00-01 by ameyajoshi, on Flickr

And its a sharklet !

Screenshot_2013-12-19-06-00-13 by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/20525875@N08/]

The air route

BLR pnq air route by ameyajoshi, on Flickr

Extreme daring ! at PNQ

20131219_064508 by ameyajoshi, on Flickr

Daring continues

20131219_071912 by ameyajoshi, on Flickr

20131219_072020 by ameyajoshi, on Flickr

The sharklet in the morning

20131219_081618 by ameyajoshi, on Flickr

Nimish · Posted: Fri Dec 20, 2013 3:08 pm Post subject:

Lovely TR - thanks for posting. Seems like this route is doing very well for 6E - 179/180 is absolutely brilliant!
_________________
We miss you Nalini!

sukritmunjal · Member Joined: 23 Jan 2013 Posts: 178 Location: FMO

me111993 · Member Joined: 04 Sep 2009 Posts: 3225 Location: MAA/AMD

Very nice TR boss!

Suddenly wing view shots on 320s look beautiful because of the sharklets.
_________________
Causal Determinism : We are hardwired to need answers. The Caveman who heard a rustle in the bushes and checked out to see what it was, lived longer than the guy, who assumed it was just a breeze.

- Greg House

ameya · Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2013 4:02 pm Post subject:

jbalonso777 · Posted: Sun Dec 22, 2013 9:48 pm Post subject: Re: Sharklet to Bangalore

Nice crisp TR as usual sir, with the extra technical details making it better Smile

Nice pictures from PNQ as well - I don't remember seeing any pictures of the tarmac from PNQ, so I guess good that you went a mile ahead by clicking those pictures! Razz

ameya · Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2013 3:04 pm Post subject: Re: Sharklet to Bangalore

avbuff · Member Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 5031

nice TR ameya ... love those CJs at PNQ!!!

stealthpilot · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 2325 Location: BLR, DXB

Nice TR.
PNQ in the morning must be a fish market .... hows the terminal now?
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eP007

sumantra · Member Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 4685 Location: New Delhi

Ameya Sir! The real disadvantage of my hectic travelling is missing out on superb TRs in my favourite section of AI.net. What a coincidence: you are in North India, and the haze clears out on 25 Dec, Christmas. What a coincidence: I reply to your 27th air trip, on 27th Dec. Thanks for a lovely TR, replete with the usual Ameya-esque details, and some nice pictures, especially the sharklet in the air. It is nice to see 6E improving on the one aspect which they have always been bad at - food. I am not too sure whether this is a new trend, since some of my friends have travelled recently on 6E, and have been served some rather stale food. it is unfortunate that the only LCC with some really nice food (SG) has gone down in this respect also. Not just my friends, I have also been served food that wasn't exactly fresh, on a recent trip. However, Rishul's experiences with food on SG shows that there can be good days as well! I look forward to reading the other reports, including yours!
Thanks once again for sharing these experiences with us.
Cheers, Sumantra.

ameya · Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2014 10:40 am Post subject:

sri_bom · Member Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 2365 Location: Singapore

Thanks for posting this report.

Sri_Bom