Fourth entry for the Christmas Challenge.
Click to reveal AAR
Prepping the aircraft in MisterX’s wonderful KABQ airport.
The sun is rising at the Sunport
Plugging in the flight plan. Pretty straightforward.
Good engine start.
Checking left and right before taxiing
On Runway 8
Full power!
Up we go
Leaving the land of Breaking Bad
Climbing to 18,000 ft
I gotta say… the LES Saab 340A is a pretty sweet-looking plane. Systems modelling is solid too.
Progress
Crossing the desert… the sun is hot!
Time to put the sunscreen up
Climbing
As I reach my cruising altitude, I set my condition levers back to maintain a steady prop RPM of 1300
New Mexico, the home of the Navajos, is beautiful in its own dry, desertic and inhospitable way. Approaching the El Malpais National Conservation Area before crossing Zuni Pueblo.
Turning towards Phoenix
X-Plane lighting is always quite impressive
The Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest
Theodore Roosevelt Lake
Getting closer to Phoenix
Contacting ATIS. Looks like we have perfect weather.
On Final for runway 25L
Coming in pretty low, but speed is good and I have plenty of runway. If all else fails, I still have my reversers.
Touchdown is smooth as butter. My first landing in the Saab! I gotta admit… The autopilot seemed to behave kinda funky, so I landed the bird manually. It is very easy to handle. Looks like my time in the Q400 paid off!
Finally down.
Man… that’s a LOT of Southwest planes.
That 340 barely took any runway. Nice little plane.
To the gate we go.
Don’t mind me! Just passing by.
Now THAT is cool: you can actually click on the door lock and door handle to unlock the door and move your view through the whole aircraft!
Same goes for the side door
Aaaaand full stop.
