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CO/NW: FAR-MSP-IAH-SJU & SXM! (50+ pics/17 vid/xtra-long!)
Hi,
My name is Mark and I am a fifteen years old. I enjoy all aspects of aviation and hope to match my interest with a related career (hopefully a pilot!). Living in West Central, Minnesota, creates lofty fares and a great drawback with air travel. Graciously, I was fortunate enough to be able to fly on a total of six flights with a funfilled vacation in the Caribbean this fall.
Along with this awesome opportunity, I was dedicated to put together the best trip report I possibly could. I put many, many hours into authoring this lengthy report, so I would greatly appreciate your feedback (feel free to skip around some parts). It wasn't easy uploading 120MB of video footage and 50+ photos on a 56k Internet connection in my free-time! Your comments would mean all the best to me.
Thanks!
Frankly,
Mark Becker
[email protected]
**********************************************************
NOTES
My camera was used to shoot still photos and video footage during the time cabin crew request to forbid the use of portable electronics. During that time among my flights, several flight attendants acknowledged and witnessed myself with my camera in use and made no remark whatsoever. Therefore, please refrain on commenting on this topic. I know it is occasionally brought up in various discussion forums so I wanted to make this assertion.
VIDEO INFO
All video footage was shot using a Canon PowerShot A70 digital camera and is of perfect quality with sound. The video files are .avi format and depending on what type of player you use to play the videos, the quality can vary. A few videos may seem meaningless, but they are just available to give you a feeling of what my surroundings (sight, sound) were like. I recommend right-clicking on the download link and selecting "save target as" and downloading the video to your computer. This usually works best for those like me with a dial-up connection.
PHOTOS
All photo and video links have been checked and should display. If not, try refreshing your page.
All photos and video footage may not be used or redistributed without the author's permission.
******************************************************
An exotic cruise vacation in the Caribbean was a great way to celebrate the end of my first term of my freshman year in high school. It was also going to be a real treat to finally visit the famous aircraft approach in St. Maarten after seeing hundreds of spectacular photos that the opportunity and tropical atmosphere creates there. Geared with a digital camera with video capabilities and a laptop I found while dumpster-diving, my mom, dad, and I hit the road for the first leg of our journey that would influence my aviation fascination like no other adventure before.
Friday, Oct. 29, 2004 - Fargo, North Dakota
Flight: NW712
Aircraft: N8929E / DC-9-30
Seat: 16A
Depart: FAR - Fargo, ND (6:55 AM / 0655 hrs.)
Arrive: MSP - Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN (7:52 AM / 0752 hrs)
I awoke to the Microtel Hotel wake up call at 4:45 AM for our 6:55 departure. I had been surprised I feel asleep so easily; we had driven one hour northwest to Fargo last night from our Minnesota home to depart from Fargo's convenient airport. The Weather Channel had also forecast scattered patches of fog for the Midwestern area and I was worried our flight would be delayed which would cause us to miss the once daily flight to San Juan from Houston. Fortunately, when I peeked out the window, the fog was sparse; yet, I wanted to rest assured that everything was on-time. So, I dialed Northwest's flight status line, a number I have memorized for years, and found out the 5:18 AM flight had left on time for the Twin Cities just a short while ago.
We took the very short drive to the airport and my dad dropped my mom and I off with our luggage at the terminal and went to park the van. Welcome to a perfect airport I thought as I passed through the sliding doors and into the bright and spacious terminal. It was once again a wonderful feeling to be at Fargo's Hector International Airport, composed of five gates. Earlier this year I met the Northwest station manager and was able to access an A319 and DC-9-30 for some photographing opportunities. Prior to that, the airport director has also toured me throughout the entire airport grounds. Basically, I knew this airport pretty well.
(Taken after returning home.)
During a renovation of the main runway this summer, aircraft size was restricted and Northwest only operated DC-9-30's. Now that the construction has been completed, normal operations have resumed and Northwest continues to operate many flights to Minneapolis using DC-9's, RJ-85, A319, A320, and Saab 340 (nearly the entire fleet). United Express, the less active of the two carriers at Fargo, operates several flights to Denver and O'Hare with CRJ's. Fargo also has many charters in the winter with destinations to Mexico and Las Vegas on Trans Global/Ryan using 737-400's and A321's; Sun Country using 737-800's; and Casino Express using 737-200's. And occasionally, international widebodies are diverted to Fargo such as an Air China 747 that once paid a visit due to weather at O'Hare.
When my dad returned from parking, we approached the check-in desks. There were a few people in line, which gave us time to tag our luggage. The same check-in agents have been working at Fargo for as long as I can remember. However, an unfamiliar agent briefly told us to use the E-Ticket machine. Within minutes we had our luggage checked in and the male agent cheerfully wished us good flights before we proceeded to the second level.
Before we entered the longest security queue I have ever seen at Fargo, we sat down a moment for my parents to get a light snack. Foolishly, I instantly remembered I had forgotten a few routines of mine. One of them was to hit the arcade and take on a game I have been playing there for years, but time was a factor now and I could only make-up the one tradition I had forgotten about. I dashed back out of the terminal and went around to the side. Only fifty-feet and a chain-link fence separated me from N8929E, the DC-9-30 that would soon take us to the Twin Cities. I stood there observing this beautiful antiquated bird trying to get a decent photo before returning to the terminal.
I took once last chill of the temperature and escalated back to the second level to find my parents. We entered the security queue with approximately twenty other individuals, the lengthiest wait we have had in Fargo. Within ten-minutes and after my carry-on was searched, we were now in the gates area. I proceeded to Northwest's designated side of the boarding area, consisting of two operative jetways (one is unused). On the identical opposite half of the terminal is United Express.
I sat down behind the gate's boarding desk in a secluded area and shot some brief video footage of N8929E at the gate with the initial boarding call in the background.
Soon enough, our portion of the aircraft was announced. I excitingly strolled down the jetway and entered the clean and spacious blue cabin. I plopped down in seat 16A with my mom next to me and my dad across the aisle -- just the arrangement I choose for on nwa.com several months ago. Two reasons supported my selection for seat 16A: a beautiful view of the sunrise and an excellent perspective to witness and photograph the wing's activity.
I glanced around the cabin for a while and shot some more brief video footage. I concluded it was a full load.
Our flight closed on-time and we taxied to the renovated runway. Takeoff was uneventful and for a moment I was able to gaze at the city's lights before we reached the clouds. Soon, a male flight attendant distributed juice and water. Often, the beverages are frozen on the flight to Mpls., but today they were perfectly refreshing. Afterwards I gazed out the window anticipating the sunrise and shot a bit of in-flight video footage.
After the usual fifteen-minutes at cruising altitude, we began a smooth descent into Mpls./St. Paul. Approach in MSP in a DC-9 has always been enjoyable -- sometimes smooth, sometimes rough, and sharp banks. The city lights of this unique city at dawn also adds to the excitement. I prepared the camera to capture this spectacular landing footage.
After a bumpy touchdown, we taxied to our revised gate assignment at the Charlie concourse and I continued to shoot footage of our stroll to the gate.
Once again, I entered another great airport as we deplaned the aircraft and the North Dakota locals spread out to catch their connecting flight. According to nwa.com, our flight to Houston was scheduled to depart at the opposite side of the airport and so we confirmed our gate assignment with an agent who greeted our flight's arrival.
So, for the first time we crossed over from Charlie concourse to Golf concourse via a long skyway. The view while crossing was beautiful from the combination of sunrise and fog and the sight of the busy airport morning fashion occurring outside. From the skyway I caught a glimpse of some cargo aircraft and the massive Northwest hangars.
By now it was 7:45 AM and we entered the Golf concourse and found our gate with the absence of our aircraft. I have good memories of this part of the airport and the unique Northwest Airlines mural on the hangar directly aside from the terminal seen from the window. I instantly remembered we departed from the adjacent gate for Tampa, Florida, a year ago.
With time to spare, I announced to my parents that we would walk to the center of the airport, called the 'Northstar Crossing,' surrounded by dozens of shops and restaurants. I had been dreaming of getting a breakfast sandwich from Burger King and eating it overlooking Foxtrot and Echo concourses, and I did just that.
We glanced around at the Northstar Crossing before heading back to our gate. On our way back, I stopped in the middle of Golf concourse and recalled when my mom and I left for London on a DC-10 in '99 from this gate area. That journey remains to be one of the best memories in my flying experiences. Unfortunately, to catch the DC-10 (and other heavy metal) you had to be there in the afternoon or depending on the season.
Flight: NW1153
Aircraft: N322NB / Airbus A319
Seat: 16A (original), 22A
Depart: MSP - Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN (9:22 AM / 0922 hrs)
Arrive: IAH - Houston, TX / George Bush Intercontinental (12:19 PM / 1219 hrs)
We sat down near our gate and relaxed. Our A319, N322NB, had arrived while we were away. When I last checked nwa.com yesterday, the back of the bus was open and I was determined to nab one of the open rows. Usually that section is reserved for Platinum frequent flyer members, but once the flight is closed, it is anybody's.
Boarding began, and we entered the boarding queue once our row was announced. I entered the Airbus and took my seat in same old seat 16A, and later proceeded to the last row once all of the passengers were on board. In the back galley was a jumpseating female pilot who was chatting with the cabin crew. I was literally ecstatic I had my own row again. I hadn't had this opportunity since we flew MSP-YVR two years ago.
We pushed back shortly later than scheduled and took a relatively long taxi. During that time, I planned out my flight: snack and nap. After a short tour past the tower, we rolled onto the runway and set off for Texas.
Immediately after takeoff, the lady in front of me covered herself with a blanket, reclined her chair, and dozed off. I guess that is all you can really do on Northwest.
I was looking forward to a cold and refreshing ginger-ale, and soon enough a friendly female attendant granted my wish with the entire can. Instead of mini buttered pretzels, we were given not-so-fresh Chewy Quaker bars.
Afterwards, I paged through the SkyMall shopping magazine and put myself to sleep in an unreclinable chair and recapped on my awesome day so far -- it wasn't even near halfway over.
Two-hours later I awoke to an announcement from the flight deck. Surprisingly, I had slept virtually the entire flight and we were already descending into Houston. Our approach was identical to the first time I flew into IAH with my dad in March of '03 with the sight of downtown in the distance. We touched down gracefully and shortly taxied to terminal Bravo.
There was a little more activity going on than my last visit at IAH but it still seemed quiet on this side.
I finally made my way off the aircraft as one of the last passengers and greeted my parents who had already deplaned. We glanced at the on-time status for flight CO1212 to San Juan on the flight monitors, and began to walk down the long corridor. Bound for terminal Charlie, we hopped on the 'TerminaLink' and I took one last glimpse of N322NB while taking video footage.
We followed a young girl, her mother, and grandmother out of the TerminaLink station area who was also on our flight to SJU and saw occasionally throughout the next week on our cruise. We hiked around the much more active and busy Charlie terminal looking for a bite to eat knowing that our in-flight meal wouldn't satisfy our hunger. Now that is was lunch time already, everyone else had the same idea and lines were a mile. We finally discovered Panda Express and sat down in a food-court area overlooking the tarmac near our gate.
From there, I spotted the sleek-looking 737-800 at our gate being catered for our flight to San Juan. Likewise, I quickly scribbled down it's registration in my notepad.
We proceeded to our gate as my parents trailed me while I observed the diligent activity throughout the terminal. I came across a huge circular gap in the ceiling lined with dozens of television screens that displayed a dynamic synchronization of shapes and colors. It was among the most unique things I have seen in an airport and added a fascinating touch.
Before we sat down at the gate, I quickly changed out of my jeans and into my shorts. Despite my thought that this flight would be made up of tourists, most of the passengers were Puerto Rican and Caribbean locals.
Flight: CO1212
Aircraft: N27213 / Boeing 737-800
Seat: 22A
Depart: IAH - Houston, TX / George Bush Intercontinental (1:40 PM / 1340 hrs)
Arrive: SJU - San Juan, Puerto Rico / Luis Munoz International (7:17 PM / 1917 hrs)
We boarded as soon as we could, and I entered my first Continental plane. Thoughtfully, the cabin crew had closed each window shade to keep the plane cool. My mom, dad, and I sat down in our row, and I began to perceive of this pleasant cabin. I immediately noticed the comfort of the seat and the adjustable headrest. All while I was getting comfortable, a light rainfall began and the cabin crew welcomed us aboard followed by the first officer. As our near full flight pushed back the flightdeck mentioned this rainfall would cause a brief delay. Just then, the LCD screens folded down from above us and I watched the famous Gordon Bethune passenger commitment and safety video. So far Gordon's message had lived up to it's expectations, but I couldn't make such an early justification until I experienced it all.
The rain became much heavier and the flighdeck made informative announcements. He mentioned a few runways were now temporarily closed due to the weather. Fortunately, the rain passed over quickly and we were off to Puerto Rico.
I anxiously awaited dinner. I kept my patience by randomly flipping through the in-flight magazine. Even if the meal isn't good, I always love the joy of eating in-flight.
Dinner consisted of a delicious 'Philly Style' Cheesesteak, a light salad, and dessert bar. Although not fulfilling, the freshness and taste was exceptional. And while the cabin ate, headphones were distributed for the movie and music. I thought the headphones came with a price, but there was no charge. The movie "The Day After Tomorrow" began, and though I am not into sci-fi, I unsuccessfully tried to watch it. Either way, I had reached the peak of the best in-flight comfort and entertainment I have ever experienced. With my seat reclined and a blanket nearly completely covering my six-foot body length, I checked out the nice variety of music Continental offered with the poor complimentary headphones. I was now 100% relaxed as we soared 35,000 feet over the Gulf of Mexico. Well done Continental.
I pulled out my laptop for the first time ever in-flight and uploaded all of the photos and video I had taken so far.
Continental offers a service called 'JetConnect' through Verizon that allows a passenger with a laptop to connect to MSN Messenger, AIM, and news for only $5 from take-off to landing. I passed and decided to give it a whirl on the return leg.
We began approach and San Juan instantly appeared to be a very large city. The lights of the city provided a spectacular approach and I spotted an amazing sight of two large ballparks lit up. We landed quite roughly, but the poor runway conditions might have been a factor. While taxiing, the tarmac also felt like it was in poor condition.
We deplaned and entered a fair looking terminal. I looked to my right and saw an Iberia A340 resting at it's gate. I was looking forward to returning to the airport so I could explore it much more. After passing through a few long-term construction zones we reached the baggage claim. Luckily, we received all of our baggage and proceeded out of the terminal to catch a wild taxi ride to the Wyndham Hotel before boarding our cruise the next night. What a fun day!
Monday, Nov. 1, 2004 - St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles
I woke up to a majestic view of St. Maarten aboard Royal Caribbean's 'Serenade of the Seas.' Previously we had stopped in St. Thomas and after St. Maarten we would follow on to Antigua, Barbados, and St. Lucia. I couldn't believe today was the day I was actually going to Macho Beach to witness an Air France Airbus A340 glide just above me.
It was a nice day, but very windy. Our taxi ride took over half an hour, but once we reached the beach, I was amazed to finally be here. The following is among the best photos I took along with three clips of video footage of landing aircraft, including the AF A340.
Saturday, Nov. 6, 2004 - San Juan, Puerto Rico
Sometime around 6 AM our ship docked from where we departed a week ago. Just across from the cruise ship embarkation/debarkation building was an active municipal-sized airport. Our balcony provided an excellent overview of it, except there was nothing special flying in or out to watch. At around 8 AM we sadly left our cabin for good and ate at the ship's buffet until it was announced that we were allowed to get off. That moment came at around 9:30, and everyone who had a flight departing from 1 PM to 3 PM left the ship. Then, we went through the whole customs, luggage, etc. procedure and took a taxi to the airport. Despite that is was the end of my vacation, I was excited to be flying again today.
We easefuly checked in at the Continental check-in desks and were ticketed all the way through Fargo. The check-in area for this terminal had a simple layout but it seemed to lack enough light.
We passed through security smoothly without having to wait in line. So far I have considered San Juan Airport as a tourist's delight! We continued through the very quiet terminal and found our flight at Iberia's gate.
A crowd of passengers and a Continental 767 sat at the gate we arrived at awaiting for the flight to Newark. The JetBlue gate also showed activity for the flight to JFK.
How did he get past security?
Well now I had plenty of time to spare -- three hours from what I recall. So, I headed over to American Airlines's hub terminal first. While walking through the corridor that connected the two terminals, there was also an inoperative moving sidewalk. It was now obvious that the airport was cutting back on energy to save money (I'm sorry if I judged wrong). The American Airlines terminal was impressive and very active. The entrance to the terminal from the check-area gave the terminal a real international gateway look.
I was eager to check out the last terminal, which served United, Delta, and a few others. This side was active also, but wasn't near the size of the AA terminal. Overall, the airport left me with a prominent impression and I regret I didn't take more photos.
Flight: CO1112
Aircraft: N36207 / Boeing 737-800
Seat: 23F (orig), 28A
Depart: SJU - San Juan, Puerto Rico / Luis Monuz International Airport (1:50 PM / 1350 hrs)
Arrive: IAH - Houston, TX / George Bush Intercontinental (?)
After my personal two-hour airport tour, I grabbed a burger and returned to our gate. Boarding came around and I was welcomed aboard N36207. According to continental.com, several rows in the back of the plane were completely open so I immediately went to row 28 and took my new seat. The gate agent approached a man near me to notify him that he could be upgraded. And stunningly, he denied and wished to stay back in economy.
Shortly before pushback, I estimated the passenger load was about 70-80% with the last three rows completely open.
[
And once again, the Gordon Bethune video.
A short taxi, and we were off. Almost immediately after we left the runway we took a sharp left turn which allowed me to capture some amazing photos.
After I took the photo above, a male flight attendant of Latin descent asked if I got some good pictures. I affirmatively replied. A short while later the flightdeck announced we were flying over some islands and the male flight attendant came and stuck his head right at window and said, "Niiiiiiice." Very strange and rude, I thought. There were plenty of other rows he could have looked through.
Later, I began to relax and reclined my chair. However, I realized I was in the back row and my seat actually did recline unlike my inbound MSP-IAH flight on Northwest. Then lunch service began and I was happy to have another very good meal. This time, consisting of a 'Stromboli' Four Cheese calazone, a light salad, and Milano cookies. Very delicious! The movie "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" began, and though I am not a huge fan of the series, I watched half of it. After the movie, an interesting news segment was showed followed by some television series show.
I took out my laptop to give the JetConnect a try with a free session code I found on their website. I hooked up my phone cord and plugged it into the phone in the middle seat. Then, I launched my Internet browser and simply typed in my free session code into the JetConnect website that immediately appeared. Although the Internet is not available, I was able to enjoy chatting with some of my friends and other aviation enthusiasts that I know on MSN Messenger and AIM for a while. Several other features were available also. Then, a female fight attendant also of Latin descent came to my row and frightened me when she curiously said,
"Hey, what's up?
Confusingly, I replied, "Oh, nothing much."
"Is that a simulator or something," she said in regards to the cockpit photo of my desktop background. Then I realized I should have changed the background for a couple of reasons.
"No," I said.
"I am an aviation enthusiast."
She questioned if I wanted to become a pilot and I of course said yes.
I began to see big oil rigs as we began to descend over the gulf into Houston. Once we came to 10,000 feet, I decided to move to the other side of the aircraft and ended up making a good decision from the outcome of some nice photos.
We touched down a little late and it seemed as if the pilot stressed to make a smooth landing.
While taxiing, we passed a British Airways 777 pushing back on the opposite side I was sitting. I didn't dare move to the other side to get a simple photo knowing one of the cabin crew would freak. I zoomed in across the row and managed to get a decent photo.
Once we reached the gate, I realized we had a pretty short connection time and still had to make our way across the airport to Northwest's terminal. Plus, I would be the last passenger off the plane.
I met my parents and we quickly paced our walk towards the TerminaLink. Even though I knew we would make it, we were not used to tight connections.
Flight: NW1541
Aircraft: N302NB / Airbus A319
Seat: 16A (orig), 22F
Depart: IAH - Houston, TX / George Bush Intercontinental (5:15 PM / 1715 hrs)
Arrive: MSP - Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN (?)
We arrived at the gate with about ten-minutes prior to the initial boarding call. My parents grabbed a snack and I charged up my laptop. Once boarding did commence, we waited a few minutes before getting on. Soon, I entered the same old disapointing Northwest cabin I hadn't been used to after flying with Continental. My mom, dad, and I took our seats in row sixteen and I later proceed to the back of the bus. Another row to myself. This has been a real pleasure.
(Before proceeding to the back)
The man in front of my row watched me carefully as I proceeded to the back along with every other action I made with my camera from the corner of his eye. He and his seatmates didn't move a single body part the entire flight and it wasn't because they were asleep -- I think they pretty nervous flyers. We departed on-time and I shot some nice video footage of take-off.
During our roll down the runway, two of the nervous flyers reclined their seats. I don't know if they did that intentionally or if it was from their white knuckled grip on the armrest activating the recline button. They probably didn't know either.
Now that two seats were reclined in front of me and I couldn't even recline my own chair, I moved to the other side of the row. The classic mini buttered pretzels came around along with beverages and the friendly flight attendant gave me two pretzel packs and the entire can of ginger ale. I pulled out my computer and uploaded the photos and video clips I had taken so far today to give me something to do. I was actually pretty relaxed and spent my time just enjoying myself at 35,000 feet and listening to my music.
On approach into Minneapolis was beautiful, and we came in parallel (until landing) with another aircraft seen in the video clip below.
Unfortunately I somehow lost the camera case somewhere in the back row and we deplaned the aircraft. MSP was nice and quiet and it took us no time to find our next gate for our flight to Fargo -- right next to the one we arrived from. With an hour to spare, I knew I couldn't forget to visit the observation tour, a tradition I never forget to make on my way back through MSP. So, I retraced the steps we took after arriving from our inbound flight from Fargo over a week ago and trailed a group of pilots. One of them seemed to be complaining about his vacation time.
As I made my way towards the observation tower, I heard a passenger being paged over the PA system by the name of 'Brad Radke.' If you are unfamiliar with baseball, he is a good pitcher for the Minnesota Twins (along with Johan Santana). I reached the secluded observation deck and relaxed in the comfortable setting for a while. I love it up there. Soon I had to return and find a bathroom to change back into my jeans.
Flight: NW1661
Aircraft: Airbus A319
Seat: 16A
Depart: MSP - Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN (9:04 PM / 2104 hrs)
Arrive: FAR - Fargo, ND (?)
We boarded the A319 and took our seats in row sixteen for one last time. The back row was open, but I was too exhausted and knew it wouldn't be worth it for the fifty-minute flight. I looked out my window and watched the A319 we came in on from Houston board for a quick turnaround flight to a Canadian city that I don't recall remembering.
Take-off was uneventful. We encountered some severe turbulence halfway into flight which put a face on some passengers. It was a cloudless night, and I tried to keep my head poked out the window to see if I could see our hometown. Amazingly, I did manage to find it and I could tell by it's layout. The sight was perfect and I could see it clearly. I could even pinpoint just about where I live using a small lake we live near as a reference.
Our trip came to an end as we touched down gracefully in Fargo. Despite our quick connection in Houston, we received all of our luggage except for one piece which arrived at our doorstep the next day. While the car warmed up and as my dad stopped at the counter to report our missing luggage, I walked around the peaceful terminal as it continuously played automated announcements recapping on my awesome vacation.
The six flights I took were all a blast and this whole journey would had a great impact on my aviation interest. I couldn't wait to put together a photo album of the ninety-two photos I took of just flying and put together this awesome trip report. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much I enjoyed putting it together for you.
My name is Mark and I am a fifteen years old. I enjoy all aspects of aviation and hope to match my interest with a related career (hopefully a pilot!). Living in West Central, Minnesota, creates lofty fares and a great drawback with air travel. Graciously, I was fortunate enough to be able to fly on a total of six flights with a funfilled vacation in the Caribbean this fall.
Along with this awesome opportunity, I was dedicated to put together the best trip report I possibly could. I put many, many hours into authoring this lengthy report, so I would greatly appreciate your feedback (feel free to skip around some parts). It wasn't easy uploading 120MB of video footage and 50+ photos on a 56k Internet connection in my free-time! Your comments would mean all the best to me.
Thanks!
Frankly,
Mark Becker
[email protected]
**********************************************************
NOTES
My camera was used to shoot still photos and video footage during the time cabin crew request to forbid the use of portable electronics. During that time among my flights, several flight attendants acknowledged and witnessed myself with my camera in use and made no remark whatsoever. Therefore, please refrain on commenting on this topic. I know it is occasionally brought up in various discussion forums so I wanted to make this assertion.
VIDEO INFO
All video footage was shot using a Canon PowerShot A70 digital camera and is of perfect quality with sound. The video files are .avi format and depending on what type of player you use to play the videos, the quality can vary. A few videos may seem meaningless, but they are just available to give you a feeling of what my surroundings (sight, sound) were like. I recommend right-clicking on the download link and selecting "save target as" and downloading the video to your computer. This usually works best for those like me with a dial-up connection.
PHOTOS
All photo and video links have been checked and should display. If not, try refreshing your page.
All photos and video footage may not be used or redistributed without the author's permission.
******************************************************
An exotic cruise vacation in the Caribbean was a great way to celebrate the end of my first term of my freshman year in high school. It was also going to be a real treat to finally visit the famous aircraft approach in St. Maarten after seeing hundreds of spectacular photos that the opportunity and tropical atmosphere creates there. Geared with a digital camera with video capabilities and a laptop I found while dumpster-diving, my mom, dad, and I hit the road for the first leg of our journey that would influence my aviation fascination like no other adventure before.
Friday, Oct. 29, 2004 - Fargo, North Dakota
Flight: NW712
Aircraft: N8929E / DC-9-30
Seat: 16A
Depart: FAR - Fargo, ND (6:55 AM / 0655 hrs.)
Arrive: MSP - Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN (7:52 AM / 0752 hrs)
I awoke to the Microtel Hotel wake up call at 4:45 AM for our 6:55 departure. I had been surprised I feel asleep so easily; we had driven one hour northwest to Fargo last night from our Minnesota home to depart from Fargo's convenient airport. The Weather Channel had also forecast scattered patches of fog for the Midwestern area and I was worried our flight would be delayed which would cause us to miss the once daily flight to San Juan from Houston. Fortunately, when I peeked out the window, the fog was sparse; yet, I wanted to rest assured that everything was on-time. So, I dialed Northwest's flight status line, a number I have memorized for years, and found out the 5:18 AM flight had left on time for the Twin Cities just a short while ago.
We took the very short drive to the airport and my dad dropped my mom and I off with our luggage at the terminal and went to park the van. Welcome to a perfect airport I thought as I passed through the sliding doors and into the bright and spacious terminal. It was once again a wonderful feeling to be at Fargo's Hector International Airport, composed of five gates. Earlier this year I met the Northwest station manager and was able to access an A319 and DC-9-30 for some photographing opportunities. Prior to that, the airport director has also toured me throughout the entire airport grounds. Basically, I knew this airport pretty well.
(Taken after returning home.)
During a renovation of the main runway this summer, aircraft size was restricted and Northwest only operated DC-9-30's. Now that the construction has been completed, normal operations have resumed and Northwest continues to operate many flights to Minneapolis using DC-9's, RJ-85, A319, A320, and Saab 340 (nearly the entire fleet). United Express, the less active of the two carriers at Fargo, operates several flights to Denver and O'Hare with CRJ's. Fargo also has many charters in the winter with destinations to Mexico and Las Vegas on Trans Global/Ryan using 737-400's and A321's; Sun Country using 737-800's; and Casino Express using 737-200's. And occasionally, international widebodies are diverted to Fargo such as an Air China 747 that once paid a visit due to weather at O'Hare.
When my dad returned from parking, we approached the check-in desks. There were a few people in line, which gave us time to tag our luggage. The same check-in agents have been working at Fargo for as long as I can remember. However, an unfamiliar agent briefly told us to use the E-Ticket machine. Within minutes we had our luggage checked in and the male agent cheerfully wished us good flights before we proceeded to the second level.
Before we entered the longest security queue I have ever seen at Fargo, we sat down a moment for my parents to get a light snack. Foolishly, I instantly remembered I had forgotten a few routines of mine. One of them was to hit the arcade and take on a game I have been playing there for years, but time was a factor now and I could only make-up the one tradition I had forgotten about. I dashed back out of the terminal and went around to the side. Only fifty-feet and a chain-link fence separated me from N8929E, the DC-9-30 that would soon take us to the Twin Cities. I stood there observing this beautiful antiquated bird trying to get a decent photo before returning to the terminal.
I took once last chill of the temperature and escalated back to the second level to find my parents. We entered the security queue with approximately twenty other individuals, the lengthiest wait we have had in Fargo. Within ten-minutes and after my carry-on was searched, we were now in the gates area. I proceeded to Northwest's designated side of the boarding area, consisting of two operative jetways (one is unused). On the identical opposite half of the terminal is United Express.
I sat down behind the gate's boarding desk in a secluded area and shot some brief video footage of N8929E at the gate with the initial boarding call in the background.
(When downloading videos, right-click on the link and click 'save target as.')
Soon enough, our portion of the aircraft was announced. I excitingly strolled down the jetway and entered the clean and spacious blue cabin. I plopped down in seat 16A with my mom next to me and my dad across the aisle -- just the arrangement I choose for on nwa.com several months ago. Two reasons supported my selection for seat 16A: a beautiful view of the sunrise and an excellent perspective to witness and photograph the wing's activity.
I glanced around the cabin for a while and shot some more brief video footage. I concluded it was a full load.
Our flight closed on-time and we taxied to the renovated runway. Takeoff was uneventful and for a moment I was able to gaze at the city's lights before we reached the clouds. Soon, a male flight attendant distributed juice and water. Often, the beverages are frozen on the flight to Mpls., but today they were perfectly refreshing. Afterwards I gazed out the window anticipating the sunrise and shot a bit of in-flight video footage.
After the usual fifteen-minutes at cruising altitude, we began a smooth descent into Mpls./St. Paul. Approach in MSP in a DC-9 has always been enjoyable -- sometimes smooth, sometimes rough, and sharp banks. The city lights of this unique city at dawn also adds to the excitement. I prepared the camera to capture this spectacular landing footage.
Not yet uploaded
After a bumpy touchdown, we taxied to our revised gate assignment at the Charlie concourse and I continued to shoot footage of our stroll to the gate.
Not yet uploaded
Once again, I entered another great airport as we deplaned the aircraft and the North Dakota locals spread out to catch their connecting flight. According to nwa.com, our flight to Houston was scheduled to depart at the opposite side of the airport and so we confirmed our gate assignment with an agent who greeted our flight's arrival.
So, for the first time we crossed over from Charlie concourse to Golf concourse via a long skyway. The view while crossing was beautiful from the combination of sunrise and fog and the sight of the busy airport morning fashion occurring outside. From the skyway I caught a glimpse of some cargo aircraft and the massive Northwest hangars.
By now it was 7:45 AM and we entered the Golf concourse and found our gate with the absence of our aircraft. I have good memories of this part of the airport and the unique Northwest Airlines mural on the hangar directly aside from the terminal seen from the window. I instantly remembered we departed from the adjacent gate for Tampa, Florida, a year ago.
With time to spare, I announced to my parents that we would walk to the center of the airport, called the 'Northstar Crossing,' surrounded by dozens of shops and restaurants. I had been dreaming of getting a breakfast sandwich from Burger King and eating it overlooking Foxtrot and Echo concourses, and I did just that.
We glanced around at the Northstar Crossing before heading back to our gate. On our way back, I stopped in the middle of Golf concourse and recalled when my mom and I left for London on a DC-10 in '99 from this gate area. That journey remains to be one of the best memories in my flying experiences. Unfortunately, to catch the DC-10 (and other heavy metal) you had to be there in the afternoon or depending on the season.
Flight: NW1153
Aircraft: N322NB / Airbus A319
Seat: 16A (original), 22A
Depart: MSP - Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN (9:22 AM / 0922 hrs)
Arrive: IAH - Houston, TX / George Bush Intercontinental (12:19 PM / 1219 hrs)
We sat down near our gate and relaxed. Our A319, N322NB, had arrived while we were away. When I last checked nwa.com yesterday, the back of the bus was open and I was determined to nab one of the open rows. Usually that section is reserved for Platinum frequent flyer members, but once the flight is closed, it is anybody's.
Boarding began, and we entered the boarding queue once our row was announced. I entered the Airbus and took my seat in same old seat 16A, and later proceeded to the last row once all of the passengers were on board. In the back galley was a jumpseating female pilot who was chatting with the cabin crew. I was literally ecstatic I had my own row again. I hadn't had this opportunity since we flew MSP-YVR two years ago.
We pushed back shortly later than scheduled and took a relatively long taxi. During that time, I planned out my flight: snack and nap. After a short tour past the tower, we rolled onto the runway and set off for Texas.
Immediately after takeoff, the lady in front of me covered herself with a blanket, reclined her chair, and dozed off. I guess that is all you can really do on Northwest.
I was looking forward to a cold and refreshing ginger-ale, and soon enough a friendly female attendant granted my wish with the entire can. Instead of mini buttered pretzels, we were given not-so-fresh Chewy Quaker bars.
Afterwards, I paged through the SkyMall shopping magazine and put myself to sleep in an unreclinable chair and recapped on my awesome day so far -- it wasn't even near halfway over.
Two-hours later I awoke to an announcement from the flight deck. Surprisingly, I had slept virtually the entire flight and we were already descending into Houston. Our approach was identical to the first time I flew into IAH with my dad in March of '03 with the sight of downtown in the distance. We touched down gracefully and shortly taxied to terminal Bravo.
(When downloading videos, right-click on the link and click 'save target as.')
There was a little more activity going on than my last visit at IAH but it still seemed quiet on this side.
I finally made my way off the aircraft as one of the last passengers and greeted my parents who had already deplaned. We glanced at the on-time status for flight CO1212 to San Juan on the flight monitors, and began to walk down the long corridor. Bound for terminal Charlie, we hopped on the 'TerminaLink' and I took one last glimpse of N322NB while taking video footage.
We followed a young girl, her mother, and grandmother out of the TerminaLink station area who was also on our flight to SJU and saw occasionally throughout the next week on our cruise. We hiked around the much more active and busy Charlie terminal looking for a bite to eat knowing that our in-flight meal wouldn't satisfy our hunger. Now that is was lunch time already, everyone else had the same idea and lines were a mile. We finally discovered Panda Express and sat down in a food-court area overlooking the tarmac near our gate.
From there, I spotted the sleek-looking 737-800 at our gate being catered for our flight to San Juan. Likewise, I quickly scribbled down it's registration in my notepad.
We proceeded to our gate as my parents trailed me while I observed the diligent activity throughout the terminal. I came across a huge circular gap in the ceiling lined with dozens of television screens that displayed a dynamic synchronization of shapes and colors. It was among the most unique things I have seen in an airport and added a fascinating touch.
Before we sat down at the gate, I quickly changed out of my jeans and into my shorts. Despite my thought that this flight would be made up of tourists, most of the passengers were Puerto Rican and Caribbean locals.
Flight: CO1212
Aircraft: N27213 / Boeing 737-800
Seat: 22A
Depart: IAH - Houston, TX / George Bush Intercontinental (1:40 PM / 1340 hrs)
Arrive: SJU - San Juan, Puerto Rico / Luis Munoz International (7:17 PM / 1917 hrs)
We boarded as soon as we could, and I entered my first Continental plane. Thoughtfully, the cabin crew had closed each window shade to keep the plane cool. My mom, dad, and I sat down in our row, and I began to perceive of this pleasant cabin. I immediately noticed the comfort of the seat and the adjustable headrest. All while I was getting comfortable, a light rainfall began and the cabin crew welcomed us aboard followed by the first officer. As our near full flight pushed back the flightdeck mentioned this rainfall would cause a brief delay. Just then, the LCD screens folded down from above us and I watched the famous Gordon Bethune passenger commitment and safety video. So far Gordon's message had lived up to it's expectations, but I couldn't make such an early justification until I experienced it all.
The rain became much heavier and the flighdeck made informative announcements. He mentioned a few runways were now temporarily closed due to the weather. Fortunately, the rain passed over quickly and we were off to Puerto Rico.
I anxiously awaited dinner. I kept my patience by randomly flipping through the in-flight magazine. Even if the meal isn't good, I always love the joy of eating in-flight.
Dinner consisted of a delicious 'Philly Style' Cheesesteak, a light salad, and dessert bar. Although not fulfilling, the freshness and taste was exceptional. And while the cabin ate, headphones were distributed for the movie and music. I thought the headphones came with a price, but there was no charge. The movie "The Day After Tomorrow" began, and though I am not into sci-fi, I unsuccessfully tried to watch it. Either way, I had reached the peak of the best in-flight comfort and entertainment I have ever experienced. With my seat reclined and a blanket nearly completely covering my six-foot body length, I checked out the nice variety of music Continental offered with the poor complimentary headphones. I was now 100% relaxed as we soared 35,000 feet over the Gulf of Mexico. Well done Continental.
I pulled out my laptop for the first time ever in-flight and uploaded all of the photos and video I had taken so far.
Continental offers a service called 'JetConnect' through Verizon that allows a passenger with a laptop to connect to MSN Messenger, AIM, and news for only $5 from take-off to landing. I passed and decided to give it a whirl on the return leg.
We began approach and San Juan instantly appeared to be a very large city. The lights of the city provided a spectacular approach and I spotted an amazing sight of two large ballparks lit up. We landed quite roughly, but the poor runway conditions might have been a factor. While taxiing, the tarmac also felt like it was in poor condition.
We deplaned and entered a fair looking terminal. I looked to my right and saw an Iberia A340 resting at it's gate. I was looking forward to returning to the airport so I could explore it much more. After passing through a few long-term construction zones we reached the baggage claim. Luckily, we received all of our baggage and proceeded out of the terminal to catch a wild taxi ride to the Wyndham Hotel before boarding our cruise the next night. What a fun day!
Monday, Nov. 1, 2004 - St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles
I woke up to a majestic view of St. Maarten aboard Royal Caribbean's 'Serenade of the Seas.' Previously we had stopped in St. Thomas and after St. Maarten we would follow on to Antigua, Barbados, and St. Lucia. I couldn't believe today was the day I was actually going to Macho Beach to witness an Air France Airbus A340 glide just above me.
It was a nice day, but very windy. Our taxi ride took over half an hour, but once we reached the beach, I was amazed to finally be here. The following is among the best photos I took along with three clips of video footage of landing aircraft, including the AF A340.
(If photos do not display, please try refreshing the page)
(When downloading videos, right-click on the link and click 'save target as.')
Saturday, Nov. 6, 2004 - San Juan, Puerto Rico
Sometime around 6 AM our ship docked from where we departed a week ago. Just across from the cruise ship embarkation/debarkation building was an active municipal-sized airport. Our balcony provided an excellent overview of it, except there was nothing special flying in or out to watch. At around 8 AM we sadly left our cabin for good and ate at the ship's buffet until it was announced that we were allowed to get off. That moment came at around 9:30, and everyone who had a flight departing from 1 PM to 3 PM left the ship. Then, we went through the whole customs, luggage, etc. procedure and took a taxi to the airport. Despite that is was the end of my vacation, I was excited to be flying again today.
We easefuly checked in at the Continental check-in desks and were ticketed all the way through Fargo. The check-in area for this terminal had a simple layout but it seemed to lack enough light.
We passed through security smoothly without having to wait in line. So far I have considered San Juan Airport as a tourist's delight! We continued through the very quiet terminal and found our flight at Iberia's gate.
A crowd of passengers and a Continental 767 sat at the gate we arrived at awaiting for the flight to Newark. The JetBlue gate also showed activity for the flight to JFK.
How did he get past security?
Well now I had plenty of time to spare -- three hours from what I recall. So, I headed over to American Airlines's hub terminal first. While walking through the corridor that connected the two terminals, there was also an inoperative moving sidewalk. It was now obvious that the airport was cutting back on energy to save money (I'm sorry if I judged wrong). The American Airlines terminal was impressive and very active. The entrance to the terminal from the check-area gave the terminal a real international gateway look.
I was eager to check out the last terminal, which served United, Delta, and a few others. This side was active also, but wasn't near the size of the AA terminal. Overall, the airport left me with a prominent impression and I regret I didn't take more photos.
Flight: CO1112
Aircraft: N36207 / Boeing 737-800
Seat: 23F (orig), 28A
Depart: SJU - San Juan, Puerto Rico / Luis Monuz International Airport (1:50 PM / 1350 hrs)
Arrive: IAH - Houston, TX / George Bush Intercontinental (?)
After my personal two-hour airport tour, I grabbed a burger and returned to our gate. Boarding came around and I was welcomed aboard N36207. According to continental.com, several rows in the back of the plane were completely open so I immediately went to row 28 and took my new seat. The gate agent approached a man near me to notify him that he could be upgraded. And stunningly, he denied and wished to stay back in economy.
Shortly before pushback, I estimated the passenger load was about 70-80% with the last three rows completely open.
[
And once again, the Gordon Bethune video.
A short taxi, and we were off. Almost immediately after we left the runway we took a sharp left turn which allowed me to capture some amazing photos.
After I took the photo above, a male flight attendant of Latin descent asked if I got some good pictures. I affirmatively replied. A short while later the flightdeck announced we were flying over some islands and the male flight attendant came and stuck his head right at window and said, "Niiiiiiice." Very strange and rude, I thought. There were plenty of other rows he could have looked through.
Later, I began to relax and reclined my chair. However, I realized I was in the back row and my seat actually did recline unlike my inbound MSP-IAH flight on Northwest. Then lunch service began and I was happy to have another very good meal. This time, consisting of a 'Stromboli' Four Cheese calazone, a light salad, and Milano cookies. Very delicious! The movie "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" began, and though I am not a huge fan of the series, I watched half of it. After the movie, an interesting news segment was showed followed by some television series show.
I took out my laptop to give the JetConnect a try with a free session code I found on their website. I hooked up my phone cord and plugged it into the phone in the middle seat. Then, I launched my Internet browser and simply typed in my free session code into the JetConnect website that immediately appeared. Although the Internet is not available, I was able to enjoy chatting with some of my friends and other aviation enthusiasts that I know on MSN Messenger and AIM for a while. Several other features were available also. Then, a female fight attendant also of Latin descent came to my row and frightened me when she curiously said,
"Hey, what's up?
Confusingly, I replied, "Oh, nothing much."
"Is that a simulator or something," she said in regards to the cockpit photo of my desktop background. Then I realized I should have changed the background for a couple of reasons.
"No," I said.
"I am an aviation enthusiast."
She questioned if I wanted to become a pilot and I of course said yes.
I began to see big oil rigs as we began to descend over the gulf into Houston. Once we came to 10,000 feet, I decided to move to the other side of the aircraft and ended up making a good decision from the outcome of some nice photos.
(If photos do not display, please try refreshing the page)
We touched down a little late and it seemed as if the pilot stressed to make a smooth landing.
While taxiing, we passed a British Airways 777 pushing back on the opposite side I was sitting. I didn't dare move to the other side to get a simple photo knowing one of the cabin crew would freak. I zoomed in across the row and managed to get a decent photo.
Once we reached the gate, I realized we had a pretty short connection time and still had to make our way across the airport to Northwest's terminal. Plus, I would be the last passenger off the plane.
I met my parents and we quickly paced our walk towards the TerminaLink. Even though I knew we would make it, we were not used to tight connections.
Flight: NW1541
Aircraft: N302NB / Airbus A319
Seat: 16A (orig), 22F
Depart: IAH - Houston, TX / George Bush Intercontinental (5:15 PM / 1715 hrs)
Arrive: MSP - Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN (?)
We arrived at the gate with about ten-minutes prior to the initial boarding call. My parents grabbed a snack and I charged up my laptop. Once boarding did commence, we waited a few minutes before getting on. Soon, I entered the same old disapointing Northwest cabin I hadn't been used to after flying with Continental. My mom, dad, and I took our seats in row sixteen and I later proceed to the back of the bus. Another row to myself. This has been a real pleasure.
The man in front of my row watched me carefully as I proceeded to the back along with every other action I made with my camera from the corner of his eye. He and his seatmates didn't move a single body part the entire flight and it wasn't because they were asleep -- I think they pretty nervous flyers. We departed on-time and I shot some nice video footage of take-off.
During our roll down the runway, two of the nervous flyers reclined their seats. I don't know if they did that intentionally or if it was from their white knuckled grip on the armrest activating the recline button. They probably didn't know either.
Now that two seats were reclined in front of me and I couldn't even recline my own chair, I moved to the other side of the row. The classic mini buttered pretzels came around along with beverages and the friendly flight attendant gave me two pretzel packs and the entire can of ginger ale. I pulled out my computer and uploaded the photos and video clips I had taken so far today to give me something to do. I was actually pretty relaxed and spent my time just enjoying myself at 35,000 feet and listening to my music.
On approach into Minneapolis was beautiful, and we came in parallel (until landing) with another aircraft seen in the video clip below.
Not yet uploaded
Unfortunately I somehow lost the camera case somewhere in the back row and we deplaned the aircraft. MSP was nice and quiet and it took us no time to find our next gate for our flight to Fargo -- right next to the one we arrived from. With an hour to spare, I knew I couldn't forget to visit the observation tour, a tradition I never forget to make on my way back through MSP. So, I retraced the steps we took after arriving from our inbound flight from Fargo over a week ago and trailed a group of pilots. One of them seemed to be complaining about his vacation time.
As I made my way towards the observation tower, I heard a passenger being paged over the PA system by the name of 'Brad Radke.' If you are unfamiliar with baseball, he is a good pitcher for the Minnesota Twins (along with Johan Santana). I reached the secluded observation deck and relaxed in the comfortable setting for a while. I love it up there. Soon I had to return and find a bathroom to change back into my jeans.
Not yet uploaded
Flight: NW1661
Aircraft: Airbus A319
Seat: 16A
Depart: MSP - Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN (9:04 PM / 2104 hrs)
Arrive: FAR - Fargo, ND (?)
We boarded the A319 and took our seats in row sixteen for one last time. The back row was open, but I was too exhausted and knew it wouldn't be worth it for the fifty-minute flight. I looked out my window and watched the A319 we came in on from Houston board for a quick turnaround flight to a Canadian city that I don't recall remembering.
Take-off was uneventful. We encountered some severe turbulence halfway into flight which put a face on some passengers. It was a cloudless night, and I tried to keep my head poked out the window to see if I could see our hometown. Amazingly, I did manage to find it and I could tell by it's layout. The sight was perfect and I could see it clearly. I could even pinpoint just about where I live using a small lake we live near as a reference.
Our trip came to an end as we touched down gracefully in Fargo. Despite our quick connection in Houston, we received all of our luggage except for one piece which arrived at our doorstep the next day. While the car warmed up and as my dad stopped at the counter to report our missing luggage, I walked around the peaceful terminal as it continuously played automated announcements recapping on my awesome vacation.
The six flights I took were all a blast and this whole journey would had a great impact on my aviation interest. I couldn't wait to put together a photo album of the ninety-two photos I took of just flying and put together this awesome trip report. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much I enjoyed putting it together for you.
Stop Searching. Start Traveling. southwest.com 
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