Realistic Commercial Flying with Flight Simulator
by John Rafferty
Chapter 22
Air Express Service: Chester to La Guardia
You're an undergraduate at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. Your studies keep you busy, but when you have free time you spend it at the airport up in Chester, where you're always looking to earn a little cash.
You've had your commercial pilot's ticket since your senior year of high school, and whenever you can you take on special flying assignments for Chester Flight Services-the small general aviation and air express service here on the field. This week, Yale is on Thanksgiving break, so you've been staying around the Chester hangar for the past three days, logging lots of commercial time on a variety of assignments.
Right now it's another clear, crisp afternoon. You're returning from a late lunch and have just stepped from your car when you notice a flurry of activity out in front of the hangar. Several of the Chester Aviation employees are milling about, apparently inspecting a strange-looking pile of luggage that's been stacked helter-skelter near the far end of the open hangar door.
As you approach, you notice with amusement that it's a pile of outdoor equipment—fishing-rod cases, tackle boxes, even a small outboard motor. You scratch your head, wondering who's going on vacation, when Skip, the manager, waves you aside.
The equipment is an air express shipment destined for Canada. Chester Aviation has the first leg of the trip and Skip assigns you the job. You're to drop the shipment off at the Marine Air Terminal at La Guardia in New York. From there it will be loaded onto a float plane or amphibian to be provided by a Canadian firm, which will then deliver it to some remote fishing camp up on Lake of the Woods.
So, while they load and stow the equipment on Four Six Foxtrot, you head toward the office to check the weather, prepare your log, and file IFR. Chester has no facilities, so when you're ready to go, you call back and copy your clearance on the phone.
Preflight
You have excellent VFR conditions with no change expected through the evening. Winds are from the northwest. You select the likeliest route to La Guardia—direct to Madison, then Victor 475 all the way. From Madison, the airway proceeds outbound on R-282 to Seamo Intersection, where it bends to pick up the Hartford-La Guardia R-242. Three thousand feet should be fine.
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Predeparture
On the Phone with Flight Service, Ready to Copy
Cessna Three Zero Four Six Foxtrot
Cleared to La Guardia Airport
Flight-planned route
Maintain three thousand
When airborne contact New York Approach
On one two zero point eight
Clearance void if not off by sixteen hundred
You confirm.
Departure
On the Ramp, Engine Running
You notice the wind is from the northwest, so you taxi to depart on Runway 35.
While taxiing:
Chester Unicom, Cessna Three Zero Four Six Foxtrot, radio check please.
Four Six Foxtrot Chester we have you loud and clear.
Chester, Forty-Six Fox, thank you.
While Taxiing into Position on Runway 35
Chester Unicom, Four Six Fox departing on 35.
You depart, then home on Madison.
At 1000 Feet, After Contacting New York Approach
Four Six Foxtrot squawk two two two zero.
You comply and pause.
Four Six Foxtrot New York Approach
Radar contact
And ah Four Six Fox we have an amended clearance for you
Ready to copy?
You reply affirmatively.
Cessna Three Zero Four Six Foxtrot
Cleared to La Guardia Airport
Direct Madison
Victor two twenty-nine to Kennedy
Then Kennedy R three one six to Dials Intersection
Maintain three thousand.
You confirm.
- You consult your chart: V-229 runs from Madison to Kennedy—a distance of 76 nautical miles—on R-242.
- You set up to take R-242 from Madison and estimate your ETE for Kennedy.
On Kennedy R-316, Just After Station Passage at Kennedy
Four Six Foxtrot New York Approach
Descend and maintain twenty-five hundred
Expect the expressway visual approach to Runway 31.
8 Miles DME After the Kennedy VOR
Four Six Foxtrot contact La Guardia Tower
On one one eight point seven so long.
Switch.
Four Six Foxtrot La Guardia
You're cleared for the Expressway Visual to Runway 31
Altimeter two niner point niner five
Wind three one zero degrees at ten
Visibility twenty
Temperature 48.
On the Runway
Four Six Foxtrot turn right at the Runway 4 intersection
And hold on Runway 4
Contact Ground on one twenty-one point seven good day.
Switch.
Off the Active Runway and Holding on Runway 4
Four Six Fox La Guardia Ground where to?
You request the Marine air terminal.
Four Six fox you're cleared to the Marine terminal ramp
Continue ahead on Runway 4
Then turn left at the last intersection
And pick up the yellow follow-me truck.
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