Gloomy Tivat. Part 2/2

We have reached 5000 feet. Extended the flaps to 1 and then to 5. Podgoritsa sent us to Tivat Tower, so, the most interesting things are going to happen right now.

Who will become a winner - the Nature or the green Bird with the busy crew and a quiet cabin?



Yes, we still have another option - even if we wouldn't be lucky we have enough fuel for flying over the field for another hour and then go to Belgrade. This option warms the mind - you should always have the path to retreat!

So, we starting to descend. Let's check out what the rival is worth for!



I've never seen Tivat to be so gloomy before! We got out of the clouds, that gave us some fresh air, but saw that the clouds over Tivat are definetely below our level! Tivat has built the fortress with the mountains, clouds and rain.

Greeting Tivat Tower. The controller gives us the weather - visibility is 5000m, few clouds at 1600 feet, scattered at 2000. Wind is from 160 degrees at 11 knots, gusts up to 23.

These conditions are very close to the mimimum acceptable for us. We are so "lucky"!

The controller clears us for the LOC/DME approach for Rwy 32, followed by Circling for Rwe 14. This is the Option 2, which is not suitable for us, because we don't have any wish to fly into the gorge (there obviously would be the turbulence). Moreover, as the cloud base have been
reported at 2000 feet, with few at 1600, there would be a rare chance to make a visual contact with the ground.

Ok, let's check out my belief that the controller will surely clear us for the Option 1. Requesting him for NDB circling Rwy 14, telling that it would be prefferable because we could fly a little bit lower. Of course, we got the clearance: "...if it would suit you more".

So, this is one more argument for a shy pilot not to be very modest if you think that there is something unpleasant on the approach (or anywhere). If you see the better way - do not keep this as a secret! Tell it everybody! 

First of all the Pilot isn't that guy who flies because of the Controller, but the Controller is that man who works because of the Pilot. The Controller have to provide your comfort, but you are not flying just for the comfort of the Controller (yes, sometimes you are, but not in any situation!)

As for me, it is much more comfortable to circle over the sea, having the ground in sight (rocks and water in our case) than to fly into the clouds, which are shown on the photo above.

Extending the gear and setting flaps to 15 before TAZ. So, now we are fully ready for the circe-to-land.



Passing TAZ, turning left on track 304. Controller shows his interest wether we have the contact with the ground and the airport or not. He is a Joker, definetely! The airport isn't visible from this position even when the weather is good, because of the mountain that we are now flying over. Therefore, I tell the controller, that we do have the ground in sight but not the airport.

The controller calmly tolds us to advise the contact with the Rwy before reaching 3.9nm from DME. Of course we have to see the Rwy at this moment otherwise we should break the approach and follow the missed approach route and then hold over the sea.

We are still in clouds though we are below 2000 feet on which the cloud base have been reported by the Joker. Unable to see anything ahead or any other direction though we see the trees glimpsing below. Heh, what would we be doing now if we selected the Option 2?

Another minute has gone, we can start descend to MDA to reach it at 3.9 DME.

It's so bumpy here! It makes the flight to be very uncomfortable even for us. I wonder what those kings on 28th row are now thinking about?.. Do they still want to see the Captain and have him to explain them the luggage placement issue?

--==(о)==--

Desended to 1700 feet. Yoopi, we are below the clouds now! Not below all of the clouds, I still see the "tongues" which are licking the peaks but they are somewhere far away.

It is so rainy outside! The rain prevents us from seeing anything which is located distantly from us. We really do not see the mountains which surround the gulf that we should enter in 5 miles! The controller didn't joke about the visibility!

RUNWAY!

I see it!!

Announcing the good news to the Captain and Controller. The last confirms that he sees us also. So, we have the runway, we have the ground, and everything remained deals with the techniques only. Extending flaps to 30, the landing position. Slava disengages the autopilot, the autothrottle and decreases the speed to 155 knots - the speed which should be targeted during the final descent. Strong wind blows from behind and hurries up to commence the base turn.

Because of a heavy rain we still are unable to see the mountaings which surrounds the gulf . But I still keep them in my mind and know that they are totally higher than our level. When I've tried this approach for the first time, Dima, my First Officer had been admiring these mountains so, that forgot to tell me about the position of the runway (you still remember that the rwy isn't seen from the left seat in the initial part of the final turn, don't you?)

And now I am in that right seat where Dima was and telling my today's Captain how we are on this approach. As he is doing such approach I've asked if he wanted to give me the airplane, but he refused. Ok, sounds good though (God sees!) I feel very uncomfortable - I preffer being a pilot flying in such a weather, it may sound strange, but it is really easier to fly the Bird than to sit looking how someone else, whose skills aren't known very good, is doing it.

My eyes "sprint" the gauges - bank, speed, pitch, MAP - and then go outside... and, againg, start "sprinting". Ok.. going higher - the rate of descent isn't high enough. "Slava, descend, go, go! Ok, looks good!".. found that we are not turning well onto the centerline of the Rwy: "Increase the bank!.. Ok, enough!"

Rain still spreads over the windshields but as we aproach the runway "the picture" becomes more and more clear.

It is so gusty outside that the indicated airspeed seems to live on its own. +5... -5... + 10.. 0... -5 - you really do not mind about it much, relying more on your feelings than on the trends. Russian pilots use to say: "Flying with the ass" - because this part of the body connects you with he Bird and really well provides the information to the pilot's head.

The main deals in this moment are not to land on the gulf shore (located just ahead of the runway threshold) and not to overfly the normal landing zone. We definetely do not want to swim today because we haven't worned the swimming trunks. Also, we do not want to frighten the grannys which could drive their cars on the road that is located behind the opposite threshold. We've selected the maximum brakes, but the speed is rather high and rain is still watering the surface - everything effects the landing distance negatively!

The air is very bumpy, winds are chucking our 737, so the landing becomes a great challenge as we are descending towards the firm layer of the planet.

Slava is cool! He remembers to do the checklist! Engaged by the approach, I  obviously wouldn't remember about it if he didn't remind. Quickly doing it, checking out the answers.

Gone slightly below the slope. Advising to reduce the descent rate, but suddenly the gust blows from ahead forcing the Bird to go higher... It really isn't needed here, just above the Planet! Slava is doing well, and we continue getting more and more closer to the runway.

100 feet... threshold... 50 feet.. Got just slightly higher. The speed suddenly has fallen down and Slava made a try to move the throttles forward, but I quickly prevented such action. There is no need to do it, we already have been flying on the increased speed just for such an occasion. Moreover - in such circumstances I would prefer the firm touchdown than to overrun the runway which looks to be totally flooded (heh, the Joker told it was just "wet'!).

Bump! Spoilers on! Nice firm landing - the best way to land the Birds on flooded runways instead of the silly "smoothies"! 100 kmots.. 80! 60!

We stopped after running 2/3 of the runway - in full accordance with the calculation I 've made before commencing the descent.

Thats all.

Welcome to Tivat!

--==(o)==--

The only challenge remained is to bring the plane to the parking stand. Slava have never been here before, so, he have never did the taxi in which could be interesting for a regular captain. When you are taxiing after landin in Tivat you should follow the Follow-Me Car untill and than make two turns - first to the left, and then a very deep to the right. The Captain doesn't see the marshaller at the beginning of the second turn, and the First Officer should help him by transmitting the commands.

On the stand.

Now we can finally blow off the steam...

- It wasn't so fearful today. We didn't see those high mountains around the gulf.

I am the Joker, too.

--==(о)==--

If it would have been my first visit of Tivat - could I fall in love with it? I don't know. I was lucky in 2006 when I've visited it for the first time, the weather was sunny, the air is calm. Tivat is one of my most loving places to fly.

We arrived from that side. Do you see the mountains? Same we didn't. Not very frightened :)




Looking around. Is it really that place that always admired me with the sights? Yes, I have been here in worse weather, but it had never been such bad!



Ok. Now we need to go out of here. I want to "drive" myself this time, the departure from Rwy 14 seems to be very interesting in such conditions as well as the upcoming night landing in Domodedovo.

So, I will fly the Bird now. Moreover, it would be a good additional training for the First Officer, Yuri, who have got the permit to carry out the international flights recently. It would be useful to him to train his English one more time.





Seems that the drivers are chatting about "those crazy Russians" who arrived in Tivat in such bad weather - the only Birds on the apron are our 737 and A320 of Ural Airlines.



And soon the Urals started their run towards the Motherland.



You told me it was "wet"? Heh, Joker.





Airborn



Bye!



The guys have gone to the Duty Free and I am feeding the Computer by the numbers, needed for its work on the upcoming flight. Finished it, raised my head - wow, seems that the winds had calmed down and the visibiliy increased!



Much better!





The boarding started. We've finished all procedures and I start feeling the pleasure from doing my job. I really love it, and all those weathers, inspectors, kings on 28th rows, or any other problems aren't able to dislike it ever.

I wonder - if I wouldn't have risked to become a cadet in anarchic 1996 how could my life be today without the aviation?

Cannot even think about it!

--==(o)==--

Welcomes the passengers. Telling them that it's a little bit rainy in Moscow but rather warm, and morever it have been forecasted to become even wormer next day - up to +16!

Our doors are closed. Got the start up clearance.

Yuri is in a hurry. He wants to switch of the air condition though he have to select the correct display view first. Advised him to do it, but he presses the button for two times and the needed mode goes off again.

Smiling.

- Yuri. Do not be in a hurry. We-are-not-needed-to-hurry-up. Please, count until 10.

He looks at me surprisingly. He thinks i am joking. But I am not.

I need to show him that I'm not going to hurry up, that we have plenty of time. There is no need to fuss. We are still facing the need to depart in rainy turbulence - this is a fact. If we will be in a hurry, we may miss something, and it wouldn't be good.

- Go, go. Until 10.
- One, two, three

Smiling

- Do not be in a hurry!

-...eight, nine, ten
- Brilliant! And now... Start sequence is "two, one", start engine number two!

--==(o)==--

Engines are running, we get the taxi clearance. Smoothly driving the Bird onto the taxiway, rolling to the lining-up position.

Beaming the vicinities - no significant weather returns. Only the green rain paintings.

The Joker cleared us. No reason to stay here.


- Check Engines Stabilized!

Lets face the challenge!

We used the full power, so my Bird was like a Ferrary. Usually we take off on a reduced thrust, it saves the maintenance costs, but its a poor decision to decrease the power when taking off in such conditions in which we could easily get into the windshear. Moreover whan you depart into the mountains you wish to get clear of the Planet as soon as possible.

It became very bumpy just after airborn. The speed became to live its own life again, going up so fast that I had to increase the pitch greately, then it stops and masked to be stabilized... but I am familiar with this old joke - I pushed the yoke forward just before the speed started to drop down. A couple of actions and the speed is at a nice V2+20 knots.

At the same time checking the lateral movement with a respect to the required path. If you will mantaing the takeoff track after airborn in Tivat - you will meet the Planet very soon, but it would be your last time to check its firmness. All straight departures here lead to the rocks, so you must take care about them and not forget that you'll need to turn out short after the take off.

That is what I'm doing now.

Cleaning the wings. So, we are at 3000 feet and it has become less bumpy now - we are exiting the gorge and I switch the Autopilot.

Turning as prescribed for that departure route. See, that we would quickly pass all that clouds in layer between 7000 and 15000 feet. May be we could even reach this altitude over the sea, it would be good because the radar doesn't show any significant returns over there.

It happened so. We are rising into the sky leaving the troubles somewhere a side. The flight returning to a routine, it becomes even boring just a little...

But to much adrenaline isn't very good also.





Reaching 35000 feet. Making the passenger announcement, providing the flight information. While we had climbed Moscow already warmed up from 7 to 10 degrees with no respect to the evening time! Seems that the synoptics were not the Jokers and the old temperature record for Moscow is ready to be renewed.

--==(о)==--

The night approach in Domodedovo brought me a pleasure. The Controller, another Joker, could contrive to put us 3nm behind the Easy Jet A320 and we had to lower everything to achieve the lowest possible speed even before commencing the final descent. It seems a strange deal - they create a crazy big intervals between the birds when the weather is good, but today, when it is cloudy and rainy (ceiling was reported at 500 feet) he have put us very close! Moreover, as we have seen the traffic on TCAS display we already started to slow down without waiting for the Joker's instructions. We reduced to unusual 150 knots even before the final point, and moreover, kept slowing down to 140.

Easy Jet was coming from the north and we were approaching from the East. But does it really make the calculations harder in this case? What was the reason to command us to keep speed 200 knots, while SAAB, which was flying behind us, has already lagged for 7 miles? Maybe there was a possibility to forecast that we will meet with A320 over ABMAS making another challenge during the approach?

So, we had to extend flaps 40, and than to fly tacks just to increase the distance from the Easy. Fortunately, Easy Pilots have vacated the runway quick so we could land the bird without going around.

But the approach challenged us again. The autopilot was switched off, the wipers were on. Approximately at 400 feet we started to see the glimmering of the approach lights, and from 300 we got totally out of the clouds.

But not the rain. It was fallen until the end, so we had to make another wet landing. When you land the Bird on the flooded runway in the night it is very difficult to see the heigt over the runway - because the water on it creates the Well Effect. Everything is black - the sky, the runways and its surrounding as well. Such circumstances could lead to a hard landing which pleases the federals greately, you know.

But it wasn't about me today. I won the challenge with the strong crosswind, brought the Bird close to the Planet and landed her just 1 meter right of the centerline. Not a perfect landing but almost good for such conditions.

At home.

Hooray!





Put the Bird on the stand 67A. Shut down the engines, bye-byed the passengers. And finally, I felt so tired that recalled the old pilot's joke:"Its not so difficult to deliver the airplane but how will I then drive the car?"

It is the truth - while you're meeting the challenges, while you're fighting the winds, the rains, etc, the body gets a lot of adrenaline portions. But when it all comes on and there remains nothing to fight with, you suddenly feel all that fatigue, which was gained today.

After all you should drive your car via unlit roads. For me it looks rather simple, as I live close to the airport, just 25 minutes to go. But what about that guys who live on another side of the Moscow Regiom? They should be a real fans of their towns if they still live there...




The flight is over. Telling the thanks to the cabin crew for their work today, then go out of the airplane.



Thanks, Quebec Delta! I love you, my Bird!



And I was not surprised that I met Dima, my FO in my memorable flight to Tivat, after all that. Nowadays he is an instructor, too. It took me just a couple of phrases to explain what we've faced today and he understood me fully.

All the best!