Crazy Approach to Mexico City

[KDAY]

Here's a toast to FSP and FTC ATC for making this approach into Mexico City fun and crazy. I was operating a flight from Denver Intl [KDEN] to Benito
Juárez International Airport [MMMX] on a 737-800 in the evening hours. Everything was going fine on the ~3 hour flight aside from some borrachos in
the cabin who got a bit tipsy during the trip. About 150 nm out from Mexico City ATC directs me to start bringing the bird down and vectors me to a
visual approach to 5L. I check active radar and see some clouds in the area (at night as well) and opt for the 5R ILS approach just for some added
comfort. (I do most of my approaches by hand anyways with the glidscope as a guide).

All is fine until ATC vectors me to the glide scope intercept. It tells me to turn and descend to 8,800 so I comply like a good little pilot. However,
due to Mexico City's hilly terrain and high altitude (MMMX stands at ~7,500 ft) this would be a fatal mistake if I had not looked out the windows. I
see my altitude light pop on and see the trees out my left view window getting ominously closer. I rapidly disengage auto pilot and auto throttle,
push to max throttle and pitch up 15 degrees to avoid the death descent into the terrain below. Unfortunately, the auto pilot had the pitch trim very
high so when I went to pull up on the stick I very jerkily pitched up, causing the passenger's adreneline to soar up. I think to myself, there goes
any positive points I had. After this, I decide to ignore any of ATC's further instructions and makeshift my own approach into 5R. I hit the glidscope
and end up bringing her down visually after auto pilot lined me up. I landed softly, and despite almost crashing into the ground, it was fine. I
thought (due to the drunks and the pitch up) I'd get some points off but I end up getting a perfect flight and a nice cash bonus to boot. It was still
a crazy moment though, and wouldn't have meant anything without FSP being there to make my would-be crash meaningful. (nothing like crashing after a 3
hour flight)

Here's the landing shot and flight report.
[img]
http://img276.imageshack.us/img276/1484/mmmx6fx.jpg[/img]

Flight JO160 flight report log Date May 06 2006

Flight ID: JO160
Pilot: Santa Claus
Company: jonair
Aircraft: Project Opensky - Boeing 737-800 Jonair
Flight Date: May 06 2006
Departure: 17h38 (23h39 GMT)
Arrival: 20h53 (02h54 GMT)
From: KDEN - Denver Intl - Usa
To: MMMX - Licenciado Benito Juarez - Mexico
Nbr of Passengers: 121

Report:

Flight Distance: 1,259 Nm Landing Speed: 129.91 kt
Time Airborne: 02h59:09 Landing Touchdown: -229.23 ft/m (nice)
Flight Time (block): 03h15:56 Landing Pitch: 4.82°
Time On Ground: 00h17:39 Landing Weight: 146997 lbs
Average Speed: 421.72 kt Total Fuel Used: 26468 lbs
Max. Altitude: FL 340 Fuel Not Used: 9995 lbs
Climb Time: 00h15:32 Climb Fuel Used: 5449 lbs
Cruise Time: 02h13:19 Cruise Fuel Used: 17757 lbs
Average Cruise Speed: 483.51 kt (M0.79) Cruise fuel/hour: 7991 lbs (calc)
Descent Time: 00h30:18 Descent Fuel Used: 3261 lbs


Passenger Opinion: Exceptional flight (100%)
-Are relieved to have landed safely after the extreme weather they experienced during landing.
-Were highly entertained by the movie.
-Were in a better mood because they had food.
-Were pleased by the music on ground. A very nice addition to their flying experience.

Financial Report:

Ticket Income: +$112,687 (1,259 Nm)
Cargo Income: +$78,166 (24614 lbs)
Services Income: +$1,663 (0 sandwich 1 hot food 3 drink)
Services Cost: -$1,159 (41% quality)
Fuel Cost: -$10,560 (26468 lbs Jet-A1)
Airport Taxes: -$198 (Large Aircraft)
Insurance Costs: -$8,244 (4.32% rate)
Total Real Income: $172,355
Total Income: $8,617,750 (real x50)
Fleet Bonus: $1,034,519 (1 aircraft)
Total Sim Income: $9,652,269 (total income+fleet bonus)

Company Reputation:

Considering that the flight was perfect the ticket price normal, the service price good and the service quality good, passengers on this flight think
that your company's reputation should be 100%
Your company reputation is now: 96% (+0.33 increase)


Overall Flight Result: Perfect

Pilot Bonus points: 479 points
You made a very nice landing. (+50)
Perfect Flight, no problems and very satisfied passengers. (+150)
You landed at the scheduled airport. (+30)
Long flight (02h59) without using time acceleration, without any problems and with satisfied passengers. (+149)
Extreme weather conditions during approach, but a safe landing and satisfied passengers. (+100)



Post Edited ( 05-08-06 23:47 )

[RonMac]

MMMX is a cracker of an approach.

Tried La Paz Peru??

Innsbruck?

St Martins landing?

[Air France]

[KDAY]

RonMac wrote:
MMMX is a cracker of an approach.

Tried La Paz Peru??

Innsbruck?

St Martins landing?

I have landed at St. Martins, and its really not all that hyped up to be. Just another runway near water. It is however quite lovely. I will get
around to doing the others as I continue hopping around the globe.

However, I was not asserting that MMMX is a crazy approach at all, but rather stating that ATC's instruction to descend into the ground combined with
fog and night made it a bit of a fun recovery and approach. Thanks for carefully reading.



Post Edited ( 05-09-06 22:42 )

[greendotspeed]

Did you actually sit there for the whole 3 hours ?
I know I can never manage a flight longer than 1 hour

Edited to ask: Where did you get your 737-800 looks nice and is it freeware or do you have to buy it ?



Post Edited ( 05-09-06 22:46 )

[highlander]

That's Project Opensky's 737-800 - available for free from http://www.projectopensky.com

[KDAY]

greendotspeed wrote:
Did you actually sit there for the whole 3 hours ?
I know I can never manage a flight longer than 1 hour

Edited to ask: Where did you get your 737-800 looks nice and is it freeware or do you have to buy it ?

Nah, I acceled through a fair amount of the cruise, while doing takeoff, ascent, descent, and approach in real time. I'm like you, I can't sit and
stare at cruise level for very long.

And like highlander said its the Project Opensky (POSKY) 737-800 in my custom repaint. (And it is freeware)



Post Edited ( 05-10-06 22:02 )

[RonMac]

However, I was not asserting that MMMX is a crazy approach at all

I realise that, but in conditions you describe, all qpproaches are hell! Often think about just how small runways are from 500 feet!

Took a real points hit couple of days ago, with standard ILS approach, manual take over at 500ft, an dgust of wind blew me off centre line
onto grass. Ususally I would have aborthed, went around etc, but sheer stupidity made me try and rescue 737 at 150knots from mised
approach to landing on runway.

#Neeldess to say I made correction only to trundle off other side! Hence lost points, quite correctly I must say.

737's are not good at straightening up at 150knots either!(loL)

They are also rubbish at freeway driving as well.

[greendotspeed]

Thanks for the repley. I know I cant stand cruise flight for very long.

[Navymmw]

I do 6 hour flights alot, non time accelerated, just T/O, reach cruize, and leave the Autopilot on. Come back in a couble of hours and bring
her in for Landing.

[ariccsr]

I flew an L45 into MMMX today and had to do the same thing when I saw the trees getting closer and clocer. I also had the same problem
flying from EHAM to LSGS, Sion, Switzerland. It's a good thing I was watching and ignored ATC and flew my own route through the
mountains there.

Aric