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France 2023

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Jetliner, hand sketch illustration

3 May

Bois de Boulogne (Third Visit)

Since our departing flight isn't until the evening, I had time to make one last trip to the Bois de Boulogne.

Ave de l'Hippodrome, Bois de Boulogne, Paris Chem. des Reservoirs, Bois de Boulogne, Paris Etang du Réservoir, Bois de Boulogne, Paris

Monument de la Cascade

The Monument de la Cascade was erected in memory of a group of 35 young French partisans who were caught by the Gestapo and executed on this very spot on 16 August 1944, just a few days before the liberation of Paris. The monument was built in 1946 after a public subscription raised 600,000 francs.

Monument de la Cascade, Bois de Boulogne, Paris

La Grande Cascade de Longchamps

The Grande Cascade de Longchamps is the largest waterfall in the Bois, built using several tonnes of rock imported from Fontainebleau. The adjacent restaurant occupies a small hunting lodge which was built for Napoleon III as part of the original design of the Bois de Boulogne.

Grande Cascade, Bois de Boulogne, Paris Grande Cascade, Bois de Boulogne, Paris La Grande Cascade Restaurant, Bois de Boulogne, Paris

Aéroport de Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle

Like many European airports, Charles de Gaulle makes substantial use of remote stands accessed by apron buses to supplement its jetbridge-equipped terminal gates. It's the first time I've ever seen this highly specialized type of bus, although subsequent research indicates that the COBUS 3000 is one of the most common models in use. It's easily the biggest non-articulated bus I've ever seen, and configured for an almost all-standing passenger load.

Departure Level Lobbby, Aéroport de Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle Air Tahiti Nui Check-In Counter, Aéroport de Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle Aéroport de Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle Security Checkpoint, Aéroport de Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle Aéroport de Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle Duty-Free Store, Aéroport de Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle Terminal Map, Aéroport de Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle Customs Checkpoint, Aéroport de Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle Gate B12, Aéroport de Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle Apron Bus, Aéroport de Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle

Air Tahiti Nui Flight TN 507

The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner waiting for us at the remote stand is Tupaia (F-ONUI), the very same plane which brought us to France three weeks ago. She pushes back from the remote stand and taxis out at 1808, then takes off from runway 26R-08L at 1821.

Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner "Tupaia" (F-ONUI) Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner "Tupaia" (F-ONUI) Air Tahiti Nui Flight TN 507 Taxiing Air Tahiti Nui Flight TN 507 Takeoff Air Tahiti Nui Flight TN 507 Climbing Over France Air Tahiti Nui Flight TN 507 Over France Air Tahiti Nui Flight TN 507 Over England Air Tahiti Nui Flight TN 507 Over England Air Tahiti Nui Flight TN 507 Over Greenland Border Air Tahiti Nui Flight TN 507 Over Greenland Air Tahiti Nui Flight TN 507 Over Greenland Air Tahiti Nui Flight TN 507 Over Canadian Border Air Tahiti Nui Flight TN 507 Over Canada Air Tahiti Nui Flight TN 507 Over Midwest United States
1846
We cross the Channel border of England near Folkestone, already cruising comfortably at 11,000 metres and 860 km⁄h.
1916
We depart England near Blackpool and are now over St. George's Channel. Unlike our approach, our departure course runs north between Ireland and Scotland, skimming past (east peninsula) and the coast near Ballymoney.
1940
Dinner is served, and we cross the somewhat nebulous border to the Atlantic Ocean proper. Unfortunately, dense cloud cover has left nothing to be seen since we passed England.
2205
We reach Greenland and the cloud cover breaks for some absolutely spectacular view of mountains, ice, and snow.
2315
We reach Canada, which has just as much ice and snow as Greenland but less dramatic mountains.
0310
Breakfast is served. We're over the United States now, although it's impossible to tell exactly when we crossed the border since it's not marked on the flight map and there's no associated landmarks that are visible from this high up.
0415
Final descent is announced and passengers are instructed to start putting things away and getting settled for landing. I check the virtual cockpit data in the entertainment system and note that we're at 40,000 feet.
0430
Descent is initiated, with 250 kilometers left to go.
0456
Tupaia's leading-edge slats deploy as our descent continues, followed by the outboard flaps at a low setting.
0500
Tupaia now extends both sets of flaps to the fully deployed position for landing. The Dreamliner uses simpler (thus lighter and lower-maintenance) single-slotted Fowler flaps on both the inboard and outboard sections of the wings, a significant divergence from the vast majority of Boeing airliners which use single-slotted Fowler flaps outboard but more sophisticated double-slotted Fowler flaps inboard.
0502
Tupaia touches down for Los Angeles, spoilers and thrust reversers engaging immediately and remaining engaged for much longer than I'm used to seeing with narrowbody flights -- after all, she's a big lady.

4 May

Alaska Airlines Flight 1294

The aircraft for my flight home to Portland is a Boeing 737-9 MAX (N961AK), making this the second time I've been on a MAX. For now, they're still a minority of Alaska's fleet, wwith 45 MAXes delivered versus 158 older “regular” 737s. However, this is rapidly changing with Alaska having placed *absolutely massive* orders for new MAXes last year to replace every single Airbus in their mainline fleet.

Alaska Airlines Flight 1294 Alaska Airlines Flight 1294 Alaska Airlines Flight 1294 Alaska Airlines Flight 1294
1240
At this time, boarding is complete and we push back from the gate.
1246
At this time, there is a cabin announcement that we are returning to the terminal for an unspecified passenger issue "in the back". No further details are given, but I think it's a medical rather than behavioral situation.
1320
At this time, we push back again. There is a cabin announcement that we'll need to stand by briefly to recieve new weight and fuel calculations, but they do not expect this to take long.
1335
At this time, we take off. The flight is smooth and uneventful -- domestic coach definitely feels a lot more cramped now that I've experienced international premium economy, but the brand new 737-9 interior is really quite comfortable despite the limited space.
1503
At this time, there is a cabin announcement to stow belongings for landing.
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