DavidkunzVIE From Austria, joined Mar 2007, 431 posts, RR: 5 Posted (6 years 2 months 1 week 4 days 4 hours ago) and read 10581 times:
Hi everyone!
I'm glad to finally be with you after three years of reading the forums!
I'd like to start off my a.net career with something rather nice: My first trip report.
I'll kick it off with my city trip to Helsinki last summer.
I was lucky enough to meet the captain of the first leg on an Austrian aviation forum, so after some bureaucratic efforts, it was settled that I could enjoy the flight up front.
Check-in was done at a self-check-in counter in Vienna's terminal 1, which predominantly serves the Star Alliance carriers.
After having a coke and an aspirine at the beautiful Panorama Café (highly recommended), we proceeded towards our gate, with the expected A320 waiting for us to board. Like usual, we were greeted by the Senior FA and the Captain himself. He recognized me from my passport image and showed me the way to the cockpit. (I believe I'd have managed it without his help as well, but it had more style that way.
Pretty tough to get good pictures in this kind of lighting conditions...
The FO was a young German who was actually working for LH and was about to return to Berlin to fly for DE. We had a nice chat about Vienna and Berlin while we had to wait for a missing pax. The Captain then decided to offload his bags in order to secure a punctual departure. So, the 107 pax in the loadsheet were wrong.
Upon taxi, the crew introduced me to my headset and my seat and welcomed the pax aboard. Pretty cool to witness the same old phrases (blablabla) from the other side as well...
A handsome fella from Renton:
We surprisingly had no typical rush-hour q in front of us, so we could perform a rolling takeoff on RWY 29, which is the most common runway before noon:
Passing the GA hangars:
Like always, a left turn was carried out to follow the SID that avoids overflying the city. After that, however, to the southwest of the city, we got on track pretty directly towards FRA:
Passing through 7,000:
Beautiful clouds along the river Danube, above the Bavarian/Upper Austrian border:
The crew was obviously having loads of fun, poking fun at certain collegues and ATC. Highly enjoyable, as was the relation between the Cabin and the Cockpit.
I was lucky enough to be presented the captain's C class breakfast (Omelette... mmh), even though I was on a Miles spending trip, booked in Y. What's better than enjoying something you haven't paid for in a place you love to be but usually can't???
Weather in FRA was less than friendly. I never knew rain could be that loud when it's pouring at the windscreen of a descending Airbus...
We passed to the south of the airport and city and approached the 07ers. We expected a 07R arrival, but fortunately we were given 07L which meant we wouldn't have to wait to cross one runway.
Our approach, showing a pretty nasty cell to the east of the airport:
Procedure turn:
On final, with some LH widebody just having rotated off 07L:
On shorter final, with an American Beauty waiting:
This is FRA, no doubt:
Hey there!
D-ABEE blocking our way into the gate:
After engine shut-down, I said goodbye to the crew as I unfortunately had a rather tight connection to HEL...(due to an ATC delay...)
This was to be my third flight (only!) on an A319. I was expecting nothing grand from LH, even though they are among my favorite airlines (I must admit, I don't know CX, SQ, TG or NH...).
The aircraft was equipped with the (then) new leather interior which I found to be very classy yet it was providing the sleeker look that LH desperately needs inside the cabins.
Sitting idle:
Taxiing out to RWY07L again:
Waiting for a 733 to land. Fortunately we were give TO clearance ahead of the 744, speeding things up a bit:
Rotate:
After a left turn we were flying overhead the city by the Main, already on our northeast-bound track:
After an eventless flight (FAs were friendly and quick, food was bland but sufficient, no airshow, no nothing) above a thick cloud layer (the route lead us over Germany, the East Sea and Sweden), we approached HEL on time.
This, Ladies and Gentlemen, is Estonia:
A nice view of the Finnish capital:
I can't remember ever seeing anything that flat...
MSNYX From United States of America, joined Dec 2006, 127 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (6 years 2 months 1 week 4 days 4 hours ago) and read 10576 times:
First off, welcome to ANET! Very nice report and pics. I hope to see many more reports in the future.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me
Incidentally, I found the whole crew waiting at the gate. I pulled up to the captain and asked him whether he could fill in my fact sheet and, of course, he agreed. We then talked about my interest in aviation and his job.
At the gate, waiting to be pushed:
Once again, we performed a rolling take off, this time on RWY15R:
A nordic sunset:
This time, our route took us over entirely different parts of the continent. We crossed the Bay of Botnia, coasted in over the Baltics and made our way across Poalnd and germany to FRA.
We were treated to excellent weather and lighting conditions and memorable sights outside the window that turned a standard LH flight into an experience.
Without words:
Due to very heavy rain over parts of Hessen, we circled through the highest cloud level for about 45 mins which caused us to worry about our connection to VIE. However, the FAs announced that there was absolutely no nedd to, since the weather (obviously) affected and delayed departures as well and most planes for connections had not yet arrived at FRA.
The shaky approach was quite challenging for us photogs...
Through the soup:
On final RWY25L, the city to our right:
The gorgeous Waldstadion:
De-celerating with another A320 on take-off:
Loads of planes behind us:
Deplaning via stairs, allowing us to take closer looks on certain Latin beauties:
Our flight to Vienna was indeed delayed for more than an hour, so there was no need to panic. FRA was quite a mess at that time, but one is used to that.
After a flight onon of LH's youngest airbusses, it was funny to be on board of one of the 89er Busses this time. I honestly didn't notice any difference, LH knows how to keep their planes in shape.
I've only got two pictures to share from this flight.
Alongside a company A321 in FRA:
And at the gate in VIE, next to a KL F100, which, just like our A320, is staying in Vienna for the night:
All in all, LH has once again proven to me that it is a very reliable, friendly (yes, friendly), conveniant and enjoyable airline, the OS jumpseat was fan-tas-tic!
And no, I'm not lazy, but there was nothing more to report on. Standard European flights, always a pleasure, even without surprises.
767747 From United States of America, joined Jan 2005, 1748 posts, RR: 26 Reply 5, posted (6 years 2 months 1 week 4 days 2 hours ago) and read 10303 times:
Great report and pictures!! I flew Austrian Airlines in '99 from JFK-VIE on an A340. What a great flight that was.
Contact Air From Germany, joined Apr 2001, 1154 posts, RR: 14 Reply 6, posted (6 years 2 months 1 week 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 9736 times:
Great report and a brilliant start on A.Net - welcome! I really enjoyed your pics, especially the ones taken from the jumpseat, offering a view that you usually don't get as an ordinary passenger.
I agree with your opinion about LH - despite offering nothing spectacular on European routes, I have always made positive experiences with LH.
Andaman From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 10, posted (6 years 2 months 4 days 23 hours ago) and read 8870 times:
Cool jumpseat pics, lucky you!
And thank you for the link to the Helsinki pictures, my home city looks cool through your camera! ...made me missing the summer, so grey & wet now...
SandroZRH From Switzerland, joined Feb 2007, 3382 posts, RR: 51 Reply 12, posted (6 years 2 months 3 days ago) and read 8531 times:
Welcome to a.net!
Excellent TR for a first try. The approach shots bring back memories (let alone your city-report), as i frequently travel to HEL myself How did you like the city? I absolutely love it, along with the finnish people. Also, your english is impeccable if i may add.
B747forever From United States of America, joined exactly 6 years ago today! , 16574 posts, RR: 11 Reply 14, posted (5 years 1 month 3 weeks 2 days 16 hours ago) and read 7143 times:
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How did you like the city? I absolutely love it, along with the finnish people. Also, your english is impeccable if i may add.
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