Belgeode presents... STEELER AIR!

belgeode · Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 7:52 pm Post subject: Belgeode presents... STEELER AIR!

Our story:

Intrepid entrepreneur and virtual pilot extraordinaire Bel Geode hit upon a brilliant idea to create a new airline based in his hometown of Pittsburgh PA VUSA (virtual USA)... and proceeded to get the backing of world famous Pittsburgh Steeler franchise to lend the airline their moniker and likeness for the liveries... of course the Rooney family could not refuse such a deal, since they get a virtual cut of the virtual money Mr. Geode makes. Contracting Boeing to start him out with ONE 737-800 and hiring the best in livery artists (the firm known as FSRepaint), Steeler Air was born.

Christened "The Spirit Of Heinz Ward" or ST-86LR for short... the flagship of the Steeler Air franchise took its maiden voyage a day ago, flying an extended circuit around the greater Pittsburgh area, and flying out past West Virginia to do maneuvering exercises and what not. The resulting log is a photo story of this inaugural flight:

Still unsure of what the official ATC-ID would be controllers opted to refer to the jet by its flight number 0086. Captain Geode got his clearance to put the girl through her paces...

Cheered on by compatriots at newly christened Playboy Airlines, the brand spanking new 737 took to the active and proceeded to take off.

and...

Liftoff! And an exhilarating sigh of relief from both Captain Geode and his trusty copilot... we'll call him "Fred", since he is a bit shy about publicity...

Climbing to a cruise altitude of only 15000 ft, the exuberant Captain charts a course over West Virginia to put the 737 through a series of flight tests, making sure that everything checks out for when there are actually FSPassengers on this thing.

A pilot could not ask for better weather... well as far as Western Pennsylvania goes... this is as good as it gets. Our one day of sun per year.

METARS indicated cloud buildup over southern Ohio and Western West Virginia, so our duo decides to take a new course to the east.

Perfect time to test out the flight director as the path takes us back past KPIT and on past the downtown Pittsburgh area... The majestic aircraft does a flyby at about 6000 ft past downtown Pittsburgh so the bigwigs can see how their money was spent... then a flyby on KPIT in preparation to bring her home.

All the final checks complete our Captain.. and Fred... bring the plane down on runway 28R for a chirper of a landing. (Sorry no pix on that one... too busy trying to land you know). All systems check out fine...

With approval from the controllers... all Pittsburgh natives mind you, we get permission to bring the flagship home to our offices at KPIT... and one final test to do.... the built in Air Stairs!

Works fine to me.... Just a few more papers to sign off on, get the rest of that startup cash that was promised, a little marketing and some more publicity flights, and we are ready to start booking flights....

My next task... interviewing flight attendants. LOL.
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US AIR TALES- Stories of one man's virtual life as a pilot

VegasFlyer · Chief Captain Joined: Jul 14, 2005 Posts: 2162

Marvelous shots and great commentery Belgeode! Thumbs Up!

The only weird thing is the tail livery. One side has the logo and the other doesn't?! Great job, man! Very Happy

AO001 · Trainee Joined: Mar 03, 2006 Posts: 86 Location: KSNA

jpalmer2004 · Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 10:49 pm Post subject: Cool

nice pics...............but.............Go Cowboys!! Romo Romo Romo Laughing

belgeode · Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 11:48 pm Post subject:

belgeode · Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 3:49 am Post subject:

Steeler Air... phase 2: Publicity

Ok so now that we know the thing can fly and fly well... our next task was to take Steeler Air on the road to drum up support for cities we flew into. Believe it or not we actually had a plan... visit as many football towns as possible and try and talk them into making their city a spot where Steeler Air can fly regular routes to.

Kinda feels like being a door to door salesman... can we fly to your city? I had a list in mind of where all we were going to and I knew it would be a couple weeks to hit them all... a good way to break in the new plane, and maybe even ferry some VIP passengers before the general public gets a taste of the black and gold.

First on the list... Chi-town... the windy city... Chicago... hub to United. If we could get in there we got the gateway to the entire midwest open to us.

So here we go. Fred has his shades ready, and yours truly Captain Bel Geode is ready for his first flight to Chicago under his own company's steam.

Off we go, into the wild umm... bluish grey yonder? No worries METARS reported scattered clouds all along our path this afternoon... and with a slight tailwind we should make chicago in about 45 minutes or so. To be on the safe side, I called our rep in Chi-town just to be sure we did not have any surprises ahead of us.

So far... so good. Friday the thirteenth has been lucky for some other pilots I know flying international routes... so we should be ok too... It does kind of make me wonder though... what happens if a black cat crosses the path of a black plane?

Into and through Akron, Ohio... things look good to me... nice puffy clouds, sun in our eyes... to be expected... and friendly controllers directing us on past KCLE... aka the "mistake by the lake"... Cleveland.

Brief check on the overhead... turning off the fasten seatbelt sign as we reach cruise altitude of 20,000 ft. Which reminds me... when I hit Chi-town I need to hit up some of the women I had met last time I was there who told me if ever I started an airline they would come work for me.

Ah yes... Cleveland... my ex wife is from there... no love for the place lol. But on our way back home I will make it a political and diplomatic point to stop there to drum up support... though we will probably get shot down by members of the Dawg Pound...

Not long after Cleveland and Toledo we end up over Indiana... you know... I realize something... there is one thing I do not like about Indiana... it is FLAT. I guess that is why I live in Pittsburgh... I need my hills. Anyways... Indy is on the list for the return trip.

I am so proud of the work done by that firm FSRepaint... outstanding job on "the spirit of Heinz Ward".

I think you can see me beaming with glee over it. Oh yeah, that is Fred to the right of me... he thinks he is cool with his aviator shades.

Almost out of Indiana... I go over my landing checks and make the calls to the tower... we're coming in... get the chipped ham and primanti brothers hoagies ready... and a pop! (soda) Somehow I do not think they appreciated my humor... but they let us approach anyway.

Ok everything checks out... Fred takes a potty break real quick, and it's off to the races... next stop... runway 14L.

Ok I am gonna level with you all (or as we say in Pittsburgh... Yinz)... Last time I was in Chi-town I was in a Cessna Skylane... I recall getting vectored in to 14R, and being able to bring her in with no issue... with more than enough time to pull up leisurely to GA parking, and grab some grub.

Umm NOT so this time... The moment I tune in Chicago Approach the com is abuzz with traffic. Took me like 5 minutes just to announce hey we are there and coming in!

I guess there is a reason why this is the third largest city in the USA... Well... as long as they will allow us to have a regular route here we should be ok... I won't ALWAYS have to fly in here.

All the same though... it is a beautiful city. Anyways back to work... I announce to the tower... Steeler 0086 inbound to land.

I get the call... Steeler 0086 you are number 9 to land... WHAT?!?!?!?!
You got to be kidding me... there are 9 other aircraft coming in to 14L? I do what every self respecting flight captain would do at this point... have Fred take over flying in traffic pattern... I am going to the bathroom.

To his credit... Fred is a superb pilot... he will make a great captain one day... just not today...
Round and round we go... waiting... calling to tower... waiting... flying around in circles.... waiting... and by this point I am really starting to think... if we ever land this thing my first stop is that pizza place downtown! Fred can close up shop and talk business... brotha hungry! Finally I hear... Steeler 0086, clear for landing runway 14L

THANK GOD!!!!

As we pull up to gate B28 I am thinking ok so the business meeting will have to wait... my stomach cannot. I ask Fred if he has any plans, and invite him to this pizza place I know.

Wait... is that a black cat that just ran across the tarmac in front of us?

naaaah... happy Friday the thirteenth all!
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US AIR TALES- Stories of one man's virtual life as a pilot

VegasFlyer · Chief Captain Joined: Jul 14, 2005 Posts: 2162

bawls327 · Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 6:42 am Post subject:

I love the shots and repaint, I remember when you were working on it. Very good job.

Welshflyer · Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 11:56 pm Post subject:

Superb job on the commentary, shots and livery belgeode. Really enjoyed this thanks for sharing it with us! Very Happy

AO001 · Trainee Joined: Mar 03, 2006 Posts: 86 Location: KSNA

Very well done! I really like the Chi-town skyline at sunset!
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Will
"now, bring me that horizon..."

belgeode · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2007 3:46 am Post subject:

One of myfavorite skylines too anytime of day... next stop... Dallas.
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US AIR TALES- Stories of one man's virtual life as a pilot

belgeode · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2007 4:55 am Post subject:

Steeler Air: Into the soup...

OK I admit it... I should not have partied last night... I don't even remember half the details... all I know is what began as an impromptu business meeting in a popular Chi-town Pizza place became a bar hopping frenzy with the movers and shakers of the aviation industry... not to mention free drinks! So here it is .... about 10AM and Fred and I got to go to our next stop on the list... Dallas Texas... yeeee haw!

Would I be lying if I said I really do not remember the pushback? Good thing Fred was there... and the flight attendant trainee we picked up that happened to give me a double espresso before the door closed.

Now I remember why I do not come to Chicago often... too many excuses to party. As we pull away from the terminal and head to 14R for west departure I am constantly reminded why it is NOT a good idea to party within 12 hours of flying.... oh my head.

Thank God for small mercies... it is a busy morning... seems like American Airlines has a foothold on all AM flights... not one but 6 planes coming in during the time we left the tarmac till we finally got the call to take active.

I gladly used that time to "freshen up" a little... I am glad we do not have passengers today...

Bye bye Chi-town... thanks for the memories.... oh yeah... and the hangover... ugh. Fred takes most of this flight as I prepare my business prospectus for those wily and saavy Texans.

Illinois is looking clear... METARS calling for a few clouds on our way... should be largely uneventful... no black cats today...

Missouri and lots of finger lakes to awe at... Our flight attendant grabs us both another coffee... we still have about 40 minutes left before we land in the great state of Texas.

Hmm... this wasn't in the report... about 10 miles from Tulsa OK... ok time to call in another report here.... something is not right here.

Even Fred with his usual sarcastic self cannot help but note... those look like a little more than just "scattered clouds" we are flying into. Now I do not mean to say METARS might be wrong... but umm... my eyes do not lie.

Yup... those look like clouds to me... Well there's Tulsa below... looks like scattered to me... but somehow this report I am holding does not give me much confidence.... rapidly changing cloud cover over Dallas Fort Worth area... hmm...

Ok so at this point I look at Fred... umm dude... I think I am ok to take over now. Looks like we got a change of plans coming...

At least the clouds let up a little... although it is very hazy... that humid kinda haze... the kind that indicates that we ain't seen nothing yet.

Well Tulsa is clear... but umm... yeah...

Ok fasten seatbelt sign on... we are going in...
And just like that... we are into the soup.

Good thing Fred filed an IFR flight plan for us... I make the call to Dallas Approach.. a little ahead of schedule granted but I want to get there with this multimillion dollar jet in one piece. We get dropped to about 3000... shuffled to various frequencies... and given numerous coords... but I still cannot see an airport... wait..... is that it?

Ok my fate is in the hands of guys in the tower... and I pray they did not party too hard last nite.

OOH!! Runway!!!

1500 ft and finally I can see clear enough to make the call.... here we go... bring it on home.

Don't ask me how I lined this up so well... but we landed without a hitch!

0086 exit runway when able...

Ok... time to grab my briefcase and get to work drumming up more support.

At long last we pull up to the gate... and lo and behold... THE WEATHER CLEARS!!!!!!

What the ... ?!?!?!

The Gods of weather have conspired against me...... ugh.

Well... at least we are in Texas... and my hangover is gone.
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US AIR TALES- Stories of one man's virtual life as a pilot

VegasFlyer · Chief Captain Joined: Jul 14, 2005 Posts: 2162

Superb shots and comments. Well done Belgeode! Thumbs Up!

belgeode · Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 4:02 am Post subject:

Thanks VF... next on the agenda is a nite flite to Miami... my old stomping grounds... time to rub it in to the Dolphins that we got an airline and they didn't lol.
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US AIR TALES- Stories of one man's virtual life as a pilot

belgeode · Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 3:16 am Post subject:

Steeler Air- Sleeping with fish... err mammals...

So far Dallas has gotten the biggest draw on the support angle here... looks like they are REALLY interested in having Steeler Air fly in. The weekend was spent hobnobbing with the moneymakers... seeing Dallas by land, and making arrangements for a more permanent spot in KDFW.

Looks like newcomers Playboy Airlines already made their bid... so here we are in among giants... wow... impressive.

Now to say DFW is a BUSY airport is more of an understatement to say O'Hare was busy... look at this crap... late afternoon and there are more planes there than Dallas cheerleaders at their games!

And then we have whom I refer to as jackarse number 001! This guy had NO idea what he was doing... HELLO BUDDY!!! YOU GOT CLEARANCE!!! TAKE OFF ALREADY!!!!! This dude tied up traffic for about 10 minutes... Lord knows what he was doing in there. Must have been waiting for a green traffic signal.

At long last and about 10 minutes behind schedule... no thanks to you know who... we get clearance to takeoff.

And just like that... Dallas is a dot. So the plan now is to go into Miami, close to where I grew up... not that I have ever been a dolphin fan but I figure since that is a huge International hub that it may be to our benefit to fly there and talk shop. Worst case scenario... we can always go to Ft Lauderdale instead...

You know... you don't really get an idea just how BIG Texas is till you have to fly over it... as the sun sets we get a panoramic view of the great lonestar state... wow...

Our flight plan called for a flyover of New Orleans... also on the list for later... then over the gulf to emerge over land around Tampa... not surprisingly also on the list. Fred was not feeling so hot so he opted for some bathroom time as I maintained briefed flight plan, and our now 2 flight attendants did what they do best... attended to our passengers... a couple photographers for the Virtual Airline Weekly newsmag.

Sunset and Texas fading behind us... Our guests of honor took it upon themselves to give me an impromptu interview... Bel Geode... the man from the steel city with a plan. I was happy to click on the autopilot and answer whatever questions they had...

One of the things that never cease to amaze me about non aviators is how much respect we aviators are given. I guess it is because Steeler Air started on a dream and a lil networking, but I think the concept of a chief pilot also being the CEO intrigued these news boys.

Hmmm from up here New Orleans does not look any worse for wear... Hard to believe they were almost out of the game a scant two years ago...

One of our guests of honor decided to gift me with a picture of my starboard engine... why I have no idea... who understands news guys anyways...

About half hour later we were off the gulf and back over terra firma, over Tampa area, and ready to come in to Miami. The thing I hate about flying at night... no real point of reference... thank God for GPS I say. Well our course led us right on a perfect lineup for runway 12... so it was time to descend and head on in.

0086 Cleared to land.... wait.... 0086 GO AROUND! AIRCRAFT ON THE RUNWAY!!!

What the...?

OK That was unexpected... sheesh... so around we go... seems to be a pattern developing here... no pun intended. Or maybe they were just giving us heck cause we were from Pittsburgh! Hey don't blame us, we just fly here!

0086 Clear to land runway 12..... ok let's try this again. I have to admit so far I am not too impressed with Miami. Hard to believe I grew up not too far from here. Nice place to visit... never wanna live here again.

Luckily our news guys were quite impressed... whatever works I say. I am sure we will be getting quite the writeup. Just a few more of these publicity flights and then we finally get to start MAKING money...

All the same though... nice night in Miami... albeit a little hot. At least I do not have to wait for the giant cockroaches to get clearance to taxi before I can get to the gate... lol.

So as we taxi around to our gate area, one of my two flight attendants comes in. Nice young girl named Jessica... she asks us if we know where we are staying tonight. To be honest I was in such a rush to leave Dallas I forgot to call ahead. Come to find out she has family in Miramar, a few miles north of Miami. So she asks us if we wanted to "crash" there. Hey works for me...

Fred declines to take her up on the offer... he apparently has other plans in South Beach... well excuuuuse me... go head on with your bad self. Just make sure you are back at the plane by 3PM tomorrow man...

With and handshake and a beaming grin I say farewell to our roving reporters, await tomorrow morning's meeting, and hail a cab with Jessica to get to know her better at her family's place.

Ahh tropical air.... how sweet it is!
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US AIR TALES- Stories of one man's virtual life as a pilot

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