27 November 2010
Now based Geneva!
Shortly before summer holidays my airline decided to upgrade myself to captain, but therefore I had to move to Geneva - it was the conditio sine qua non...
As you can imagine, this doesn't get us closer to our home country (Metz was still quite close to Belgium), but alas, life is full of compromises...
As far as accomodation is concerned, rental-pricing is quite high here due to the proximity of Geneva city, so in the meantime a comfy hotel room with kitchen-unit at 600€/month all included (even internet!) will do the trick, albeit cheaper is still possible.
Thanks to my work colleagues who negociated that price - and also mom, aunt with rest of family who moved my appartment from Metz to Belgium, as I plan to come back again... well at least in the near future, hopefully...
If Belgium still exists lol ;-)
In the 'downwind' of runway 23 you have also a nice view of Geneva city and its airport of course...
Welcoming the Alps at dawn, just after initial climbout of Geneva bound to Milan, time around 7:15am...
The sun really pickles your still not-fully-awaked eyes on this leg honestly, sunglasses are handy even at this hour ;)
Finals RWY 35L at Milan Malpensa on the morning flight, no fog patches on this one...
Copilot nice on the glidepath (he likes to do it manual instead of autopilot, great!), as PAPI is 2 whites, 2 reds...
Passing abeam Nice airport on the leg Milan-Marseille
If you can remember October, strikes were going on in France, due to new laws willing to move the retirmement age a bit further. Oil refineries were blocked to close, and in flight we could see the big tankers waiting to deliver their precious cargo - here in the bay of Fos-sur-Mer.
Sometimes it looked rather like a big D-day 'Overlord' rehearsal...
Dusky contrails, always nice...
My work colleagues on the ramp in Milan
View from our critical midway point of the Milan-Geneva leg, aka AOSTA
Special procedures have to be set in case of an engine failure as we can't keep the assigned high level, so as to ensure a safety margin to cross the Alps... call it 'Drift Down procedure'...
Overflying Geneva airport after a RWY 05 departure to Marseille...
View from the Reculet (1719m), one of the Jura hills overlooking Geneva...
A bit gutted as a photographer as once on this hill Geneva-valley was hidden under a dense cloudlayer
My right hip was aching after this tricky trek by feet, deep snow over there and a mere 700m altitude difference...
of course I went over there as complete tourist, totally unprepared physically... pushing myself to the limits :)
Car is now fitted with snowtires, a necessary investment over here - and as my particular Honda is equipped with the Torsen differential I can safely pretend that driving in snowy conditions will be fingers in the nose!
View from my appartment today, fun to see how people try to drive up the slopes in these conditions lol
13:55 Posted by Bepilot | Permalink | Comments (1) | Email this
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11 August 2010
Last news from Metz...
Well, this post should be have done within ages but I always forgot about it, although pictures were ready to be transferred, anyways... enjoy with some delay, sorry for that...
Metz airport crew saying hello in front of the Regional ATR before leaving...
Overtaking the Lyon-bound ATR 2000ft above, I contacted the captain of the plane through the air-frequency, got his email and sent him the pictures afterwards - he was quite happy with this souvenir ;)
A great view of Avignon and its Cité des Papes and its unfinished bridge, during the 13L arrival on Marseille
A busy ramp at Metz on July, invaded by Air Algérie planes
Canadair showing off its belly on its typical 31R short VFR pattern at Marseille
Plenty of frogs around Marseille airport, at least around the runways 13 threshold, wandering around to kill time - something you have to be acquainted to with Twinjet when you're off your typical homebase ;)
But Twinjet has good its sides (has to be said!) - this charter to Ancona in Italy, where we abused from the swimming pool, perfect weather, typical seafood... I can definately recommend hotel Federico II at Jesi, excellent value for money due to special crewrates I presume... http://www.hotelfederico2.it/
Here on the way back from that charter, we overflew Le Castellet and its HTTT aka High tech test track...
Finals 13L at MRS...
One of my colleagues found this child-figure in the plane, became our mascot for a few days ;)
Fiddling around with my sister's GPS in an empty plane bound to Farnborough for a free weekend over there - I smile as car GPS tend to go mad as they can't cope with the speed aboard despite the headwind haha ;)
The Be1900D on the rainy ramp at Farnborough...
... and after a very big journey by feet under miserable rainy, moisty, humid (typical?) English weather I got hand on this very cheap Honda Civic Aerodeck to replace my Nissan Sunny GTI as daily driver... After bringing it back through ferry at Dover it was very quickly codenamed "the copilot's car" by my work colleagues as it is right hand drive, but I don't care - it is quite fun and original to drive like this honestly... and its 169 ponies like the high rpm-figures...
White Be1900D from our company at Metz, F-GTVC being a 'special' visitor, transporting 'special passengers'...
Say hello to Nicolas, new born child since 1st March 2010 of my sister, I happen to be its godfather - captured one of his first smiles :)
Zorro was here (silly I know!)
Overflying Cité de La Défense out of Le Bourget bound to Le Mans on a weekend charter mission...
My first 'live' 14th of July (National day in France) experience at Paris, a bit rainy for sure, but worth it at least for the flybys if you're an aircraft buff like me... the fireworks at night were quite spectacular too, stressy Paris traffic is just stopped due to the people gathering to see it, this is quite fun to experience honestly...
See you on the next episode in Geneva this time, I was promoted with my airline but have to move from Metz...
One must give and take!
12:35 Posted by Bepilot | Permalink | Comments (2) | Email this
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