Flight 4591
New York – LaGuardia, NY (LGA) – Washington, DC (DCA)
Embraer E-175
Scheduled Departure Time – 2:00pm
Actual Departure Time- 3:20pm
Scheduled Arrival Time – 3:24pm
Actual Arrival Time- 4:09pm
49 minutes
While the plane was on the ground, maintenance had to come and fix two things. So when the captain arrived, there were two open write ups. We had to get them MEL’d, and amended the release to reflect it. We finally pushed back at 2:55pm. 55 minutes late. I started one of the engines, and a few minutes later we were in a line of planes waiting for departure from runway 4. On this flight we went up to 20,000ft, for the short flight down to Washington, DC. This flight is on the shorter side, and by the time we got the ATIS, sent for our landing numbers, briefed and set up for the approach, we had a few minutes to talk with the Check Airman. After this, it was time for the descent into DCA. I checked in with tower on the Mount Vernon Visual for runway 1. Tower asked the PSA CRJ-900 ahead of us if they could land on Runway 33, and they declined. Then as we approached a 5 mile final, tower asked us if we could land on runway 33. The captain decided that she was okay with it, and with that she clicked off the autopilot and flew a circling approach. It is a pretty short runway, so it was heavy braking. Once we were off the runway, it was a quick taxi to gate D43B. When we got to the gate the Check Airman debriefed us. Even though obviously it’s more of a check of the captain, he said we both did a good job and said I did well given the amount of time I had in the plane. This captain and the Check Airman were going somewhere else the next day. They headed to a hotel. The next flight was a different plane. I went with the flight attendants, to the next plane. We had a different captain, and he was a little late coming in from an earlier flight. So we got to the next plane, and I got the plane set up again. Boarding started around the time, the captain showed up
Flight 4644
Washington, DC (DCA) – Columbia, SC (CAE)
Embraer E-175
Scheduled Departure Time – 5:05pm
Actual Departure Time- 6:32pm
Scheduled Arrival Time – 6:43pm
Actual Arrival Time- 7:42pm
1 hour 10 minutes
We had everyone on board, bags loaded and the door closed by 5:30pm, 25 minutes late. I went to call the ground controller for clearance to push, he advised us that they were in the process of switching the airport around (from Runway 1, to Runway 19) and it would be a few minutes. The airport got pretty busy, and the ground controller had a lot of planes calling for push, as well as multiple planes coming in and out of the different ramps. I called several times, and was told a plane was blocking us. By the time that plane would move, and I would try to get a call into them another plane would be blocking us. It took 40 minutes for us to finally get our clearance to push, as well as another 20 minutes until we were off the ground. Tower had us pull into the pad, and let a few planes pass in front of us
N245WN took off ahead of us to New Orleans
N670DN was heading to Salt Lake City
Tower told us to pull up to the runway, when we were next in line. Once a Southwest 737 landed, we were told to Line Up and Wait, and be ready for takeoff since traffic was three miles out. Once Southwest was off the runway, we were cleared for takeoff and advised traffic was on a two mile final. After a quick takeoff roll, we were in the air. I checked in with Potomac Departure, and we were cleared to 15,000ft. A few minutes later we were cleared up to FL210 and to the JDUBB intersection, before being handed off to Washington Center. We eventually reached our cruising altitude of FL300. It was a relatively smooth flight, until we started descending. The controller gave us a late turn, and it was a tight tun to join the localizer. We slightly overshot it, but a quick correction and a few minutes later we were at the gate. I went out to do the walk around. It had just been raining, and it was very hot and humid outside. I then came up, and started to set up for the next flight. A few minutes later the new captain came down. It was the third flight of the day, and this would be the third captain
Flight 4785
Columbia, SC (CAE) – Charlotte, NC (CLT)
Embraer E-175
Scheduled Departure Time – 7:30pm
Actual Departure Time- 9:00pm
Scheduled Arrival Time – 8:31pm
Actual Arrival Time- 9:27pm
27 minutes
Since we had been delayed leaving DC, we arrived after we had been scheduled to depart. We ended up pushing back at 8:25pm, 55 minutes behind schedule. As we were pushing back the ground controller informed us that we had an EDCT time to CLT, in another 50 minutes. We started the engines, and taxied on taxiway A and A1 to runway 11, and held short for a while. The tower controller told us our time had been moved up and to be ready, but then we ended up sitting for another 15 minutes before we were finally cleared for takeoff. It was my leg, so the captain taxied us onto the runway and gave me controls. The winds were calm, and we quickly accelerated as we rolled down the runway. As we climbed out of the airport, there was a cloud layer we climbed through and broke out as we passed 8,000ft to a pretty sunset with a dark purple and blue sky surrounded by dark purple clouds. As we passed 10,000ft, I called for the autopilot. We only went up to 12,000ft. It was a really short flight. We only had a few minutes to load the approach, set up, brief the approach. It was also my first time flying into CLT, so we talked about it quick. Just as we were finishing all these tasks, Center cleared us to the BANKR intersection, then to descend via the BANKR2 arrival. CLT was landing to the south, so we flew past the airport before being cleared for the approach. I took the autopilot off passing the Final Approach Fix. We were following an Airbus a few miles ahead of us on the approach. We got a little bit of their wake short final, and I made a decent landing on runway 18R. We rolled down to W3, and taxied via S and held short of 18C. An Airbus took off, and we were cleared to cross. We taxied on M, and we went from ramp frequency to ramp frequency until we were on the other side of the airport and cleared to gate E25.
Flight 4528
Charlotte, NC (CLT) – Columbia, SC (CAE)
Embraer E-175
Scheduled Departure Time – 9:35pm
Actual Departure Time- 10:30pm
Scheduled Arrival Time – 10:38pm
Actual Arrival Time- 10:53pm
23 minutes
When I went down to do my walk around, there was this truck. I still kind of miss US Airways
When I came back up I met the fourth and final captain of the day. I had flown one flight with him back in June. This was my first time flying with someone for a second time. I got along well with him, so it was a good flight. He asked if it would be okay with me if he could hand fly the entire flight, since it was another really short flight. It was fine with me, but it meant that I would be busy. Since the autopilot wouldn’t be engaged, his obvious responsibility would be flying the plane. I would be responsible for just about everything else. We pushed back at 10:10pm, about 35 minutes late. A lot of times we will taxi out on one engine. But we were close to the runway, so the captain had me start both engines since it would be a very short taxi. Once we started taxiing, it was less then 5 minutes and we were in the air. I checked in with Charlotte Departure, and we were cleared to 10,000ft (our “cruising” altitude). I set 10,000ft in the altitude selector and we were already in VNAV (Vertical Navigation). Once the captain called for the flaps to be retracted, I got the ATIS frequency and listened to the weather at CAE, since there was no digital ATIS at the airport. They were still using runway 11, so we would be doing the same approach as earlier. By the time I had the weather, we were leveling off at 10,000ft. I set up the approach, briefed it (since the captain was hand flying), got our landing speeds, ran the checklist. As I was running the checklist we were given a descent, and handed off to Columbia Approach. The controller told us to expect the ILS to runway 11. The approach controller pointed out a helicopter at our 11 o’clock position in 25 miles. We both thought it was funny that he expected us to see it, and even mentioned it that far away. As we got closer, he pointed it out again at our 9 – 10 o’clock. We looked out the captains side and didn’t see it. I looked out my side and saw someone on my side at our 2 o’clock. I asked the controller if that was the traffic, to which he replied “ummm oh yeah, I guess he’s is at your 2 o’clock”. As we were approaching the airport, he wasn’t giving us our turn. So, the captain wanted me to ask him, if we could join the localizer. But as I went to call him, some other guy checked in and he kept talking and we blew right through the localizer while he was talking. He didn’t even notice. When I asked him for another turn, he said “Oh I’m sorry, that was my fault” and he gave us a 270 degree turn to the right to rejoin the localizer. By the time we rolled out from the turn we were back on the other side of the localizer, and low as we were at 2000ft and all red on the PAPIs. The captain quickly corrected, and we were cleared for a visual approach and then landing. Earlier in the day we had parked at a gate, but now we were parking at a remote spot, and would use a ramp instead of a jetway. It had been a really busy flight. If it hadn’t been for the extra turn at the end, the flight would have been under 20 minutes. I used to fly skydivers and it would be 20 -30 minutes for me to takeoff, climb to the altitude, drop them and then descend and land. Now in the same amount of time, I flew between two different cities.
The plane flew back up to Charlotte early the next morning
It had been a long day. It was off to the hotel for a 21 hour overnight. The next day I went on a long walk on a trail near the hotel, since we didn’t have to be at the airport until late in the afternoon
Flight 4644
Columbia, SC (CAE) – Washington, DC (DCA)
Embraer E-175
Scheduled Departure Time – 7:29pm
Actual Departure Time- 7:33pm
Scheduled Arrival Time – 9:00pm
Actual Arrival Time- 8:46pm
1 hour 13 minutes
Today we would be having the same captain for both flights. He had flown in from Charlotte and had been sitting around for a few hours, so we met him at the gate. We did the briefings, I did the walk around, and then got everything set up. Shortly before pushing back we got a message from our dispatcher that there was a sink hole on runway 1-19 at DCA. There was a ground stop, and they were only allowing departures that could accept runway 15 for landing. It was decided that this wouldn’t be a problem, and the dispatcher had already given us holding fuel since they were putting some planes in holds. We pushed back a few minutes early, and taxied out to runway 11
Once we were in the air, we were cleared to the SCAMS intersection. As we climbed to our cruising altitude, Jacksonville Center pointed out thunderstorms 100 NM ahead. We were looking at it, and made the necessary deviation to get around it. When we sent for the ATIS at DCA, it was showing runway 19 as the active and The River Visual. I hadn’t done this approach yet. It was the captain’s leg, but he asked if I wanted to do the landing. So right before descending, we swapped roles. I would be flying, and he took over the radios. We talked about the approach, and how to fly it. The captain gave me a few tips on how to fly it. Potomac Approach took us northwest of the airport, before asking if we had the river in sight. We were cleared for the approach, following a jetBlue E190 to the airport. I followed the approach, and disconnected the autopilot at 1,000ft. I made the last turn, and looked down and saw a lot of people at the park, just off the runway. I got a little high, but quickly corrected and actually made a decent landing. As we slowed through 60 knots the captain took back the controls, and we exited on runway 22 and then a right turn on taxiway Juliet. It was a quick taxi to gate E52. Once we got to the gate, the gate agent tried to connect the jetway. There was some issue, and they couldn’t get it to move. Maintenance had to come and fix it. After about 25 minutes they were able to connect it, and the door was opened and people started to deplane. We had a little over an hour until the last flight of the night to Atlanta
Cruising on the way to DCA
We had just under an hour in between the two flights
Flight 4625
Washington, DC (DCA) – Atlanta, GA (ATL)
Embraer E-175
Scheduled Departure Time – 10:02pm
Actual Departure Time- 10:20pm
Scheduled Arrival Time – 11:56pm
Actual Arrival Time- 11:38pm
1 hour 18 minutes
The plane at the gate in between flights
A PSA CRJ-900
While we are on the ground, they closed runway 1-19 to fix the sinkhole. In between flights we checked with dispatch, to make sure that we would be able to depart runway 15
By the time we pushed back runway 19 was open again. Once the door was closed, I called the ground controller for clearance to push. He advised us that an A319 was pushing behind us. Once they started moving, we could begin the push. We started pushing right at our scheduled departure time. I started engine #1, and we taxied towards runway 19. There were a few planes ahead of us. A few minutes later once we had crossed runway 33, I started engine #2. Once both engines were running, I started the time for the required two minute warm up. It was the captain’s leg so he ran through the departure one more time, and then we completed the taxi checklist. The timing worked out well. Shortly after the two minute warm up was complete, we were cleared for takeoff. We climbed up to Flight Level 300 for the flight down to Atlanta. We got set up early for the arrival and approach. The rest of the flight was quiet and uneventful. The winds were reporting out of the northeast at 8 knots, but it seemed a little more gusty then that on short final. The captain made a decent landing, and after crossing 8R it was a quick taxi to gate D25. Once everyone had deplaned, the captain shut the plane down for the night. He would be doing something else the next day, so we would have yet another captain for the last day.
The next morning after a short overnight, it was back to ATL for the first of three flights that day starting with a deadhead to LaGuardia
American Eagle “Republic” 4609
Atlanta, GA (ATL) – New York, NY (LGA)
Embraer E-175
N109HQ
Seat 10A
Scheduled Departure Time – 11:41am
Actual Departure Time- 11:53am
Scheduled Arrival Time – 2:01pm
Actual Arrival Time- 1:55pm
2 hours 2 minutes
We pushed back a few minutes early, and quickly taxied out to runway 27L. On this flight we cruised at 33,000ft, Runway 4-22 was closed at LGA, so they were landing and departing runway 13. This would be my first time ever landing on runway 13. As we got closer to New York, ATC put us in a holding pattern due to congestion at the airport due to the one runway in use. The captain said we would be holding for 30 minutes, but we only ended up doing two laps in the hold before continuing on the arrival
Descending
Short final Runway 13
Touchdown
The America West plane was supposed to be going to Chicago, but the flight ended up being cancelled
We had an hour and a half sit until the last two flights of this trip, a Montreal turn. I was waiting at the gate with the flight attendants, when we met the new captain. Shortly before boarding a storm moved over the airport. It brought gusty winds, heavy rain and stopped departures just as we were getting on the plane. The inbound crew said they had just made it in, and all other arrivals were put in holds. The captain told the gate agent he would let them know as soon as we could start boarding, based on when flights started departing again
Flight 4772
New York, NY (LGA) – Montreal, Canada (YUL)
Embraer E-170
Scheduled Departure Time – 3:42pm
Actual Departure Time- 4:16pm
Scheduled Arrival Time – 5:15pm
Actual Arrival Time- 5:12pm
56 minutes
The storm passed quicker then we were expecting, and flights started taking off again. Luckily departures to the North weren’t having any delays, as opposed to other departures that were stopped. It wasn’t a full flight, and we boarded everyone up quickly. We only ended pushing back 11 minutes late. We taxied out to runway 13, and took off without having to wait. It was my leg to fly. The runway was still wet, and it was a fairly long takeoff roll. As we got closer to the end of the runway, I pulled back and we quickly climbed through a few low cloud layers. As we accelerated, I called for the flaps to be retracted. I hand flew to 10,000ft, and then called for the autopilot to be engaged. We climbed via the TNNIS6 Departure before being cleared to GREKI. 29,000ft was the final cruising altitude for the flight. The weather cleared up about half way through the flight, and it was a nice approach and landing in Montreal. It would be a quick turn, before the flight right back to New York
Flight 4772
Montreal, Canada (YUL) – New York, NY (LGA)
Embraer E-170
Scheduled Departure Time – 6:00pm
Actual Departure Time- 6:30pm
Scheduled Arrival Time – 7:29pm
Actual Arrival Time- 7:21pm
51 minutes
Once boarding had started, we still hadn’t been fueled. I called operations and they told us they had notified the fuelers and we had to wait until they finished with another plane. By the time they got there everyone had boarded and we were just waiting on the fuel. We ended up pushing back 10 minutes late. We started engine 1, and began the taxi out to 24L. There were some rain showers that had just moved over the airport. We had to hold behind an A330 and E-175 because there was “standing water” on the runway and the A330 couldn’t depart. While we waited a double rainbow appeared
After about 10 minutes it was finally time to takeoff. It was the captain’s leg to fly back to LaGuardia. The tower controller cleared us for takeoff, and told us to contact departure once we were in the air. That’s different then when they usually give us the handoff once we are in the air. Montreal Departure cleared us to FAWNS, then handed us off to Boston Center who informed us we could expect a smooth ride and cleared us to climb 28,000ft. It was a quick flight down to LGA. I’ve done this flight several times, so I was used to the route. The weather had mainly cleared up by the time we were back to NY. It was a nice evening by this point, and it was a visual approach to runway 22. This was the end of the trip for me, but the captain had to go over to EWR since he had one more flight that night.
