Florida Leg Two

For Leg One click HERE.

At the gate KTPA

Ready for leg two now with SWA#2323. KTPA (Tampa) to KFLL (Fort Lauderdale). A quick turn around at KTPA and we were ready to go, adding 4'400lbs of fuel for 10'400lbs total on this short hop over Florida.

KTPA weather was a little different for departure with wind 012/08kts and CAVOK with temperatures at 18C. This was what I was expecting on arrival as they were now using the 36's at KTPA. Departure was the TPA.3 SID (vectors) off 36R it also happens to connect me direct to the arrival route into KFLL this pair is so close together.

Ready for taxi at KTPA

I was only planning a climb to FL250 where the wind was a little better than FL380 at 262/61kts. I was not in cruise very long but I was kept busy as the weather at KFLL was wind 012/08kts, clouds 4'200 few and a very mild 20C. No matter how I sliced it I was looking at a cross wind landing on either 27R or 09L.

Of course what ever I added to the FMC was going to be wrong and I would need to change it en route. True to Murphy's law, KFLL ATIS reported 27R in use and I had selected 09L. On a positive side the change in arrival would take me almost over KMIA (Miami Intl) and the excellent view of Miami beach on my arrival. For a real world shot of Miami Beach that I took while coming in to land at KMIA last spring click HERE. It is an amazing view flying north or south.

Arrival route over Miami

I encountered much more traffic in the Miami area due to the two major hubs in close range of each other. KFLL had much more traffic active than KTPA did on this Sunday. I had an AAL MD80 and US Air A320 ahead of me in the pattern for 27R.

This flight was much more orderly with a great flow to it and at the 1'000ft call I hand flew the final with the light crosswind that really did blow me off to the left as you can see in the shot below. I also found I had trouble on this landing with floating, not used to the light feeling the PMDG 737 has after flying the LVD 767 and PMDG 747 of late.

Short final 27R KFLL

After landing I took the long taxi back to the SWA gates near the 27R threshold and got a great view of the city of Fort Lauderdale in the distance.

KFLL gate and city of Fort Lauderdale

Quick note fellow simmers, I used two freeware city add on packages from Free Flow Scenery. Fort Lauderdale City and Miami City, both add fantastic cityscape to the airport areas around KFLL and KMIA respectively. I also used the Shipping scenery they have that adds shipping traffic in and around most of Florida. It really adds to the immersion as the buildings are a great back drop at both airports in the real world as is the shipping traffic, with many cruise ship ports in the area.

Check out the real world pics I too around KFLL/KMIA last spring by clicking HERE.