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ameya

Background:
After having started work on a consulting and IT system implementation project for a client who works under JNNURM and runs city bus service at multiple locations in India, I had made a quick visit to Bhopal via Indore in November. Post the finalization of some process changes report and discussion in Pune, it was time to over see the implementation process in Bhopal.

The cut off date was 1st of April and the scheduled travel was last week of march. However, things dint go as well as expected for the project and there was some delay which crept in, initially it was post poned to 1st april and later to 7th. This meant spoiling the Sunday 

Booking:
The client was supposed to do the booking. The plan to go the same way we had gone last time, PNQ-IDR and then by road. However, with SS-13, the PNQ-IDR flight had shifted to an ATR.

Rotation:
Starting SS-13, the CCU-BOM-PNQ-IDR-DEL rotation with another plane swapping in the reverse direction changed to CCU-BOM-PNQ-DEL and v.v on the same aircraft. The IDR connection came online with MAA-HYD-RPR-IDR-PNQ and v.v milk run. This also meant change in timings on the sector.
With an ATR planned, will it by any chance mean I get to fly the AT72-6 ? No, I checked on FR24 that the only ATR flights being captured were those of a rotation in Mumbai. The previous generation ATR are not picked up on FR24.
One more thing to write in here, the flight number for this flight ? 9W 2822. Anybody who is following flight numbers on this forum would recollect that the KF flight from IDR to PNQ had the same number. IT2811/2812 which later became IT 2821 / IT 2822 when IT ceased operations. The rotation for that flight was HYD-NAG-IDR-PNQ-GOI and v.v.

Schedule:
9W2822 PNQ-IDR
STD : 1505, STA 1635
Eqpt : AT72

I updated the FFP online after the client sent the tickets and also did the web check-in, which was quick. The cost was 4200INR per person.

Day of departure:
I reached the airport at 1325 for a 1505 flight. There was a lot of commotion and a lot of crowd. On seeing the FIDS ( The old Style), I figured out that IndiGo flight to Delhi was cancelled. I screened my bad thru the x-ray machine and went to the empty 9W counters.
On showing the ticket and identity, I informed that I have done web check-in on which the staff rudely asked me why I am not carrying my printout. I told her that on multiple occasions my printout has been taken by the staff and they handed me over a boarding card, so I don’t believe in taking a printout anymore. The staff was more rude in her actions after that.
None the less, I looked at the long queue in front of IndiGo counters and there was more than usual presence of CISF personnel, I proceeded towards security which was quick. Its now that I realized what the IndiGo commotion was all about, an aircraft was grounded.

VT-INS performing DEL-PNQ-BLR-COK and v.v was grounded. Its right side cockpit window broke during descent into PNQ. This lead to some stranded via pax as well as PNQ-BLR-COK pax. There was multiple routing changes done by IndiGo. VT-INT which was operating AMD-PNQ-NAG-DEL was re routed AMD-PNQ-BLR-COK and PNQ-NAG leg was delayed, which was later operated by MAA-PNQ aircraft. The return PNQ_MAA was operated by HYD-PNQ aircraft. VT-INS eventually was ferried as 6E-350 departing PNQ at 22:30 hrs.

There wasn’t much action on the ramp, besides the engineering attending to the grounded plane. An IL-76 landed and taxied to the secondary runway for parking, followed by an Avro of the IAF, which went to the dispersal next to the ATC.

Runway 10 was in use and VT-SCR landed from GOI as AI-518, before time. This was followed by VT-SPT from Jaipur at 1435 and by VT-JCP which will take me to Indore.

Aircraft:
VT-JCP
Type: ATR72-212
MSN: 841
Seating Capacity: 62
Year of Manufacture: 2008

Airport:
Pune [VAPO/PNQ]
Nature: Military with Civil Dispersal
Bays: 08
Runway – 10/28
Length: 2535mtr

Weather:
VAPO 070830Z VRB02KT 6000 FEW040 36/14 Q1016 NOSIG=
VAID 070830Z 25006KT 6000 SCT250 39/10 Q1010=

It looked like Indore is going to crazy hot by looking at the METAR.

Notam:
There were no active NOTAMS for either Indore or Pune.

Flight:
The crew changed at PNQ and Capt Ravi and FO Dinesh were in command along with two FA.

The loading of cargo took long and boarding started at 1450 for a 1505 departure. Considering how SG is turning around their Qs in 20 minutes, I was expecting Jet to perform better with 10 pax less. However, that was not the case. Doors closed at 1510 and we pushed back right away and taxied to rwy 10, starting take off roll at 1520, turned left and set our course to Indore.

The aircraft was not very clean, the arm rest were scratched and dirty. The carpet also wasn't clean and seat pockets had cups from previous flight. This was a shocker since they had taken more than budgeted time for turn around and yet couldn't clean them.

The flight was uneventful. Cruising at 17000feet, I enjoyed the view below. The flight was 100% full and the ATR took the same route I had seen the IDR-PNQ IT flight take 2 years ago. We flew northwards till Ukai dam and then turned N-E to reach Indore. Descend started few at 1620 and I knew we would be reaching late into Indore. The pilot came on PA estimating our touchdown at 1645.

We touched down at 1650 on runway 25 came to a halt and taxied on the active back to the terminal. As we taxied back, a 9W boeing operating to BOM was waiting to take off. The ramp had no action. Ventura Air aircraft was parked at the dispersal of old terminal and I could not figure out which aircraft that was. There was no other aircraft other than ours on the ramp.
We were bussed to the terminal and luggage took some time to arrive.
We did a pre paid cab to the chartered bus terminal to take the Volvo to Bhopal but all the busses for the day were full. The journey from airport to this bus terminal involved the taxi driver dashing 2 ricks and 1 bike, and this wasn’t a surprise since the experience was same last time around.
Everybody in Indore is used to saying that you would reach place A to B in “bees minute” and riding like there is no tomorrow.

None the less we settled in an Innova which would take us to Bhopal and after scary 3.5 hours on road, reached Bhopal. On the road, there was a “Angreji Sharab ki Dukaan”, some 85 kms from Indore in the middle of no where and a truck coming full speed on the rightmost wrong lane.

The toll plaza had employees who would just wander around when vehicles are waiting in line and each vehicle could take as long as a minute to pay the multiple tolls on the way. The pit stop for food at a place named Doddi, we couldn’t get chole bhature because the cook who prepares bhature had gone for dinner at 2045hrs !

There was a lot of work ahead of us as we settled into the hotel. . more about Bhopal in the TR for return flight.

ameya · Posted: Sat Apr 13, 2013 11:18 am Post subject:

20130407_165549 by ameyajoshi,

20130407_165602 by ameyajoshi,

20130407_165420_2 by ameyajoshi,

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

What a superbly crafted trip report! It is nice to see you writing TRs for this forum, after a very long time. Very nicely structured, and composed, as usual. Very nice build-up to the trip, from an aviation enthusiast's point of view. It is amazing how you are able to remember small details of routings, rotations, and historical routes! 9W's OLCI and airport experience: this is disappointing. 9W has such a list of pre-conditions for an allowed OLCI, and even when these conditions are met, they find some lame excuse to deny one the 250 points what would have been accrued. This has been my personal experience. Of course, I do not patronise 9W that often, so I seem to remember my bad experiences better. AI is a bit better - at a few other stations (apart from DEL and BOM), they are game to stamping the OLCI printout.
On the other hand, the Flying Returns point accrual has gone a bit tardy now, some flights get missed out in spite of an online booking and OLCI, and the web booking points often seem to get missed.
A 9W plane not clean? I have usually seen relatively clean planes on 9W, but then as I have written above, I do not patronise 9W that much.
How did you find the new terminal at IDR? I liked it on my last trip there, circa Apr 2012.
Thank you for sharing some bits and pieces of this trip with me, before you structured it, and put it on this forum. I eagerly look forward to your return trip description. Bring it on, Ameya!
Cheers, Sumantra.

Optimus.Prime · Posted: Sat Apr 13, 2013 2:21 pm Post subject:

Well written Ameya!

Just a small niggle = JCP (and infact most of 9Ws fleet) is an ATR 72-212A a.k.a the 72-500.
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ameya · Posted: Sat Apr 13, 2013 4:43 pm Post subject:

avbuff · Member Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 5031

nice report ameya, PNQ - IDR is one of the routes that my cousins fly pretty often. PNQ - NAG and IDR boon for us!!!

Nice pic of the ATR! thanks for sharing.

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

Wow a lot of work looking at METARs and NOTAMS etc!

Great detail in the TR of all the aircrafts+rotations .... adds a lot of fun information. Thanks a bunch.
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eP007

ameya · Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 5:50 pm Post subject:

jbalonso777 · Posted: Sun Jun 09, 2013 5:17 pm Post subject:

This is a very informative TR, thanks for sharing this one!
Interesting that a 2008 manufactured aircraft is not captured on FR24.
I admire your knowledge of the aircraft rotation, NOTAM, Radar, weather, etc, which clearly stands out from our TRs.

Regards
Jish
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http://www.youtube.com/c/JishnuBasu777

ameya · Posted: Mon Jun 10, 2013 1:30 pm Post subject:

Nimish · Posted: Mon Jun 10, 2013 6:22 pm Post subject:

ameya · Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2013 1:43 pm Post subject: