Carrier: Saudi Arabian Airlines(SV/SVA)
Aircraft: Boeing 747-168B(classic yeah!)
Registration: HZ-AIC
Commanding Pilot:Capt. Farhan al Shehri/Tahir
Flight No: SV 0734
Origin: Madinah-Prince Mohammed (MED/OEMA)
Via : Riyadh -King Khaled (RUH/OERK)
Destination: Lahore -Allama Iqbal (LHE/OPLA)
Sched Dep : 0125
Actual Dep : 0245
Sched Arr 1: 0300
Actual Arr 1: 0400
Sched Dep 1: 0400
Actual Dep 1: 0440
Sched Arr 2: 1000
Actual Arr 2: 1050
As promised my 747 classic report.....
I reached the airport at around 2200 hrs.Already had boarding passes
so proceeded to the international counters to have the luggage checked.
only one counter was open with 30 people infront of it in 4..yes 4
lines!There were two international flights, one to Islamabad and one
to Lahore.After having the luggage checked, I proceeded to the
international departures lounge(had to see the ramp).There were 4
planes, 1 M90 in the newly opened maintenance facility, another M90
operating to Jeddah, and still another M90 operating to Tabuk.The 777
HZ-AKW headed to Islamabad was parked infront of int'l departures.
Both M90's left soon after.At 0020 the pax for Islamabad were called
to board, and the lounge was left with just 24 pax in it.
As the Islamabad pax left the terminal, our pretty little boeing 747
landed on runway 35, and taxied to the ramp.She looked soooooooo
beautiful under the yellow ramp lights...
HZ-AKW taxied out at 0040 for departure to Riyadh then Islamabad,
and at 0050 we were called to board.Everyone boarded a bus, and headed
out towards Charles(uh..charlie..i mean AIC).
When the bus stopped everyone headed towards the stairs against L1, I
was the only one to board through L2 and I was welcome aboard by a
so and so arabic FA and 2 saudis.I headed towards 34L, and at 0115
doors were closed...then I smelt something burning and brought it to
the attention of an FA, who immediately called his colleagues, and
the purser...everyone smelt it, doors were re opened, maintenance
personnel were called and the F/E came down too.
The maintenance guys said that the smell was of burning metal,
not plastic.
I was asked to move to the opposite side of the cabin, while the
crew checked out the overhead bins, the projector, the AC vents
and the overhead panels.It was really cool to see them from the inside.
Finally they said that one of the cabin lights was burning.All pax
were then asked to leave the plane, and headed to the lounge, while the
FA's positioned themselves around the faulty light with fire
extinguishers in hand.
Everyone headed back to the lounge, and stayed there for more than an
hour.The 'refreshment served at 1 30 in the morning consisted of
2 cup cakes and a carton of apple juice.....oh god.....
at around 0215 we were called to board again.
Doors were closed at 0230 and catering was loaded.We pushed back at
around 0240 and slowly taxied out to runway 17.Flaps and slats were
extended, and we turned on to runway 17 and slowly increased
throttles to full.You have to love the sound of those RR's.
We climbed real soon, and turned 90 degrees to the left.The landing
lights were left on and their beams looked extremely beautiful in the
dark sky above miles and miles of barren land.I bet you havent
travelled on an empty jumbo!
about 1 hour later we started descent into Riyadh...passed by the
stadium, and then some roads and made a nice landing on runway
something.We then taxied out through the overfly with a few cabs
passing below.Then we passed a few parked 743's, a 744, 3 777's and
2 airbuses(real rare!) parked at the remote ramp and another airbus
parked at the domestic terminal.All the other terminals were also\
deserted,with just the Lahore pax in the airport.We parked next to
a napping 777 HZ-AKJ.The other gates were empty.
After doors were opened, the crew collected their luggage and left
the aircraft while a fresh crew boarded.Ground crew boarded with
pillows,blankets, boxes of tissue, perfume, tooth brushes and other
stuff.
Once everything was in its place, the excess was kept in those huge
overhead bins which are right next to the doors...they are really
really cool too....the way they open,their size, and the noise they
make...wow!
boarding started just after the captain entered with a bewildered
expession on his face....you'll find out later why.
The people were boarding haphazardly, blocking the aisles, taking
other people's seats,etc.,etc. while the FA's kept yelling at them
to make room for the other pax.....
and then the lead FA made an announcement in Urdu:
"Attention!Gentlemen while you were offering prayers, someone took
the captain's shoes by mistake.If you have them, please come to the
front of the aircraft and take your own shoes"
Everyone was laughing their heads off, I thought I might go, just to
meet the captain, but I realised I wasnt wearing black shoes or the
uniform shoes
.....maybe next time.......I dont know if the Captain got his shoes back or what...
The doors were then closed and we were slowly pushed back..then the
guy who backed us up waved with whatever thing they have, and we taxied
out through the overfly again, passing a biman DC 10, and a few M90's
all parked at the second remote ramp, and lots of traffic, some cars
even stopped to admire the sight!we then cotinued to runway 17 again
and made a beautiful take off.Then we turned towards Lahore, with a
little turbulence every now and then.I tried to sleep and surprisingly
I did...for a whole 4 hours, the longest I have ever slept on an
airplane.The flight attendant woke me up telling me to sit upright for
landing(my seatbelt is always buckled).
During Descent, full thrust was being applied.Soon the fields outside
Lahore came into view,then I saw the city,Then the defence housing
society and finally made an extremely smooth landing on runway
something.We taxied towards the terminal and there was one PIA 772,
a 743 at the terminal, two fokkers at the ramp, and the grounded 742
AP-AYW at a remote parking spot.
Anyway We left the plane real quick through the jetways,immigration
was a breeze but our luggage came 20 minutes late!!!
anyway, thats all.
thanks for reading.