Remarks: (1st of 4) Left hand visual approach rwy 09. Downwind leg at 45° in reference to runway (NOT parallel), ONE single turn, starting at 600 feet (600 !) and still 2 white and 2 red pappi lights ! See how LOW we are !!!
Remarks: Passing the road at Maho Beach. That was LOW, Folks ! This super pilot made it RIGHT on the threshold. Hat off, Sir ! Almost took the fence with the gear.
Remarks: Inflight from Paris to Miami. Big change in the upper deck section of the 747's since the reconfiguration of the cabins: what used to be a cosy, quiet, classy business cabin has now been turned into an additional economy class cabin.
Remarks: Nose section of the aircraft. Seats 01A and 01B, new business seats. 01A is in the maximum reclined position. They are very comfortable in a "seating" position (comfort equal to a club armchair) although they badly (!) miss the classical moving metal bar as a footrest at the end of the legrest. A major problem. In the sleeping position they are no that comforatble either. So, on the whole, and despite their terrific look, I would not be too crazy about them (we're talking about business seats only, of course).
Remarks: View of business class seats 7J and 7K. Now, the special thing is : those are still the "old" seats, but the seating plan has already been reconfigured so that the new larger seats can fit in there. If you add a little luck you see this huge privacy that you have in the second cabin, with this only business row, little closets and everything. By the way the 1st class and the Alizé class (Economy plus) have been removed.
Remarks: When we tell you they fly LOW, it means sometimes very LOW, don't you think ? A (low flying) AF A340 captain wrote to me that the PAPPI lights could possibly not be calibrated the same way on both sides of the runway. Flying two white-two red on the right side he came to my opinion very low. Maybe the same here ? Motion blurr on the usual beach road chaos.
Remarks: (2nd of 4) we are almost on the runway and we have still a serious bank angle. The Capt is flying and, Lord, that was an acute landing. WOW !!!
Remarks: I am standing outside of the airfield and this aircraft is airborne (not on the ground), landing on rwy 09. Would you call it low, Folks ? Really low ?
Remarks: (4th of 4) now levelled, we are about to perform a perfect touch down, on the central line. Hat off, Captain, great skills ! FYI : my wife suddenly thought we were gonna stick the left wing in the grass when he made the final turn (see 1st picture of 4).
Remarks: In flight - Very short after take off you get instruction to remain at 2000 feet for a while .... strange ! But it allows you to see the Punta Cana coast (as always, let's be discrete for pilot's protection). After a while, we will understand why : a Corsair 747 will make a large turn in front of us (other altitude) while approaching Punta Cana !
