Norwegian Air Shuttle

Ever since I watched the Norwegian Air Shuttle DVD many years ago I have wanted to do a flight with them for the blog. But we lacked a good Oslo for FS9 to make that happen. Now that the NGX is out great use could be made of Aerosoft's version of ENGM (Oslo) and ENVA (Trondheim).

At the gate ENGM

Today's flight is a common one for Norwegian Air Shuttle, NAX746 ENGM (Oslo) to ENVA (Trondheim) in the 737-800WL version of the NG.

Weather at ENGM was wind 128/03kts with clouds 200 few and 4'500 scattered and a cool 10C. Using the BBU6D departure off runway 19R sees us make a right hand turn just after take off to the BBU VOR and then onto the UM609 airway.

Ready to go at 19R ENGM

It was a bumpy ride out all the way up to FL280 and as quickly as we climbed up we settled in for five minutes and started coming back down again on the short leg we are flying this morning.

Short ride up to FL280

Arrival weather was calling for rain as ATIS reported ENVA was wind 083/09kts with clouds 3'300 broken, 4'400 overcast and light rain at 14C and only four miles visibility. This would use the TOGA3L arrival onto runway 09 and take us right over the Strindfjorden on our arrival. With only four miles visibility we would not get to do much sight seeing unfortunately.

Just over four miles out from runway 09

Again the PMDG NGX flew like a dream, she is much more slick than her older FS9 version and takes some time and effort to get her slowed down. You have to pay much closer attention to her speed management upon arrival for sure. Do not expect her to fly anything like the old one in that sense.

Hand flying on short final

Once I got a good view of the runway just after the 1'000ft call out I hand flew her in. All went well until I was just above the runway and I floated it again making the great arrival and approach I made moot as I plunked her down hard after floating. UGH! Still have to learn to fly this girl but having a blast doing so.

On the ramp at ENVA

I hanker a trans Atlantic flight soon. And of course testing out the IFly 737NG in FS9. Hmmm the great conundrum in flight simming these days is that we have so many choices and so little time....

And BTW, hats off to Captain Gunleiksrud who did the landing at Alta (ENAT) in the Norwegian Air Shuttle DVD. Onur and I both agree that the landing this guys does there is worth the cost of the DVD alone! I also hear Onur may be back in action soon after his move!