Malaysia Airlines MH 95 (LAX-TPE-KUL)/MH 94 (KUL-TPE-LAX)

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flightsimboy
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Malaysia Airlines MH 95 (LAX-TPE-KUL)/MH 94 (KUL-TPE-LAX)

Post by flightsimboy »

The Air Canada Airbus A320 was closing in over Las Vegas on it’s way to Los Angeles from Toronto. As expected the Captain announced that the city was on the right and we would be flying over it soon. The lights of Vegas, though from that height looked like a miniature circus display in the late evening light. The fascination of those lights were later replaced with the forest fires in the Los Angeles area. It had now turned to night and the orange glow from the hills had everyone looking out. We were now low over the city, and the lights of downtown Los Angeles in the distance shimmered in the exhaust of the engines. We passed downtown on the right and the little but strong A320 thumped itself on the runway. The start to the long trip to Kuala Lumpur was about to begin.

The family that came to see me during my short transit decided to take me out on a spin of LA. For fear of losing my flight although six hours later, we decided to drive close to the airport area. I marveled at the line of jets in the air descending into LAX. I was more interested in looking outside the window rather than what they had to say :wink: . After seeing a lot of US jets, I could barely contain myself when an EVA Air 747-400 screamed overhead it’s bright strobe, anti-collison and landing lights making it look more like a spaceship. The family gone, I decided to rush back to my gate, still occupied by some other international departure before the Malaysia B747-400 would fill the space. I went to the gates nearby and sat right in front of the nose of a Qantas 747-400, the captains on the flight deck above doing their thing. The First Class section could be seen too through it's windows, of course with tilting my head in all directions, with those sitting near me thinking I was mad. Soon the Australian beast, began to push back, stood parallel to the large glass windows and the white kangaroo against the red tail illuminated by the logo lights began it’s taxi to the runway. http://www.airliners.net/open.file/260374/L/ Flashing airport vehicles raced across as other jets pulled out and others filled gates. Still more time for the MH 744 to come to the gate. After touring the terminal, I got the blood flowing through my legs before the almost 14 hour flight, I returned to the gate and noticed an SQ 744 had occupied the gate to the right of our stand. The bird stood dark except for a lone individual who moved inside the lower deck in the business class area. I noticed some movement to my left and I jumped as I saw the top of the MH tail moving behind the terrace of the terminal building in front. She was coming and it was my first flight on MH. I so awake now like I just had a good shot of espresso 8O , and before long the Queen was pulling up into the gate. At the same time, quick paced MH cabin staff began occupying the few vacant seats in front of the main check in desk. They were all bright and charged for the flight across the Pacific. They were a mix of Malays, Chinese and Tamils, all smart in their green sarongs and the guys in their green suits. Before long we were boarding and I made my way to the last few seats at the rear. The MH cabin looked bright and colourful and the seat pitch was good. I snuggled in, pulled up the footrest and frantically searched the movies to be shown.

Soon our Captain came on welcoming us aboard. The SQ 744 had also come to life and activity could be seen through it’s many windows as I looked out of mine. We pulled out first and as we now stood parallel to the terminal like the QF jet did, the SQ jet began to push back too. She too was on her way to Taipei but we had the clear lead. As we began our series of turns out of the terminal areas on our way to the South runways I noticed the same EVA 744 I had seen landing earlier in front of us..wow this was going to be a race after all, with the home based EVA AIR clearly taking over our lead. We were now close to the runway, the EVA AIR jet disappearing out of sight on 25R (or was it 25L), but clearly heard as she raced down the LAX runway and the heavy engines lifted her up and away into the night sky. We took our position to begin our own roll down the runway.

The 744 is a huge jet and once the engines began their roar, the overhead bins rattled and shookgently just as all the occupants did as the mammoth beast increased in speed. The cabin lights were dimmed I could see the winglet of the jet, stretched out and upwards in the dark, which looked like a palm held face up bent at the wrist demanding all that saw her go, to stop and take note 8) . I felt a strange feeling in my gut as the wheels lifted off the runway, and the super heavy bird left the ground. So different from the A320 that lifted so lightly and quickly off the tarmac from Toronto. We continued over the waters below and after sometime, turned right and moved in a northerly direction. It was all dark outside and I could see my own face in the glass window as I tried to see the darkwaters below. The cabin service began and the friendly MH Cabin staff moved around the cabin, smiling at every passenger as they began the beverage service. We were having dinner when I noticed we were close to San Francisco when the 744 began to turn left as it began it’s long crossing over the great body of water called the Pacific Ocean. I thought we would continue north fly south of Alaska but it was clear the crossing was going to be from this point , and the map as the flight progressed proved it to be just that. It was going to be one long night flight, and I opened the double folded page of the Malaysia Airlines route map to see the red line connecting Los Angeles with Taipei. Very soon the lights turned out again and I put on my headset and began to watch the movies. Some 6 hours had passed and I recall thinking another 7-8 more to go…!! I think I watched more movies on that flight than I would have seen in six months at a theatre. The In fight selection was not that good, but I had to kill time. Moreover it was not Video on Demand as on some carriers, but the charming and helpful FAs of MH make flying with them worth it. What seemed like a night that would never end, actually did end as the first of dawn appeared as a dark orange line in the blanket of darkness outside. At the same time the galley got active again, even though the FAs were going around with drinks and snacks during the flight, quietly asking those who looked to them in the dark if they needed something, while trying not to wake those who were asleep. The cabin lights came on and the smell of breakfast filled the air. The nocturnal creatures 8O that had slept for the past 8-9 hours stirred out of their blankets and blinked as they made their way to the lavatories. I got nice and ready for breakfast hoping they’d start close to my row. And they did. We were soon approaching the Japanese coastline as the last of the trays were distributed and the quiet cabin came to life with clinking china, crinkling foil and smell of coffee :drink: . It began to get bright outside the cabin but it was a dull grey nonetheless. We were now flying alongside the Japanese coastline and closing in near to Tokyo. The trays cleared and the cabin now alive, the captain came on to say we were soon approaching the Island of Taiwan and would be beginning our descent shortly. The weather was cloudy and there was slight turbulence as we began descending into the airspace of Taipei. We were over the northern tip of the Island nation and the flaps began to descend, the engines quietened and we reduced speed. He continued flying past the Island and then banked to the left circling as he made his way back to the coast. We started coming in lower and bits of Taipei appeared and disappeared through the clouds, as the waves crashed on the shore some thousands of feet below. The wings of the jet would appear and disappear through the clouds too, shaking as the jet descended lower and lower. We were now pretty low when he banked hard to the left, the winglet bending down low to touch the earth, before it came back up as soon as it went down. Within seconds under very dull grey early morning skies, the jet touched down and the overhead bins rattled again as the wheels made contact again with the earth, and the spoilers and reverse thrust were deployed to slow the jet down. We passed two United 777-200s parked away from the terminal area, making me wonder two (?), as we turned to come into the terminal area. We had landed at Taipei’s Chiang Kai Shek airport and passed some EVA AIR & China Airlines planes before parking alongside a Cathay Pacific 777-300. I stared out of my window my jaw wide open as I marveled at the length of the plane that stood in front of me. I could not believe it’s size and it was the first time I ever laid my eyes on a 777-300, and was lucky to be viewing it from so close. It was a long wait inside the terminal that smelled horrid :x , like a pesticide had been sprayed. I just wanted to board the plane and found a nice corner that did not smell, till the boarding announcement began. A new crew had taken over the plane, and proudly welcomed us back on board the 747-400. The aircraft had been cleaned and new pillows and blankets in plastic wrap were neatly place on the seats. The jet began to pushback and the cabin crew moved quickly around the cabin checking for seat belts fastened and seats in the upright position. We had by now taxied halfway to the end of the runway and I could hardly believe my eyes when I heard a roar and saw the SQ 744 climb out http://www.airliners.net/open.file/273399/L/ into the dull greyed morning sky. The Singaporeans had beaten us after all. We reached our position at the start of the runway http://www.airliners.net/open.file/367718/L/ and soon ourselves were lifting up to the skies above http://www.airliners.net/open.file/313635/L/ . I turned in my seat and clicked the terminal passing to my left and some China Airline planes moving below. We had barely climbed for a few minutes before the jet began to rock from left to right and up and down. We were caught in a terrible turbulence of heavy clouds as the sunlight danced in and out of them, the jet desperately fighting itself through. The wings bent and moved up and down like a bird trying to take flight, and the engines shook so badly it looked they would break and fall. A lady in the seats in the middle row in front of me, put the hood of her jacket on her head and held the arm rests her head bent low, her eyes probably shut. If she could only see the smile on my face :twisted: .

Finally the jet stabilized as we broke through the clouds leaving the tops of them outside my cabin window within arms reach, the sun dancing down on them. We continued to climb up to FL330, the clouds now way below us as we progressed South west over the South China sea. Normal activities began in the cabin. It was now all bright and nice outside and it was a relief to finally see the sun again, after what seemed like forever of an unending night. With some fours hours more to go, I asked an FA if I could get a passenger comment form. She said she would be back with one. She returned without one a little later a look of concern on her face as she bent down towards me her hands neatly folded over her thighs as she said to me, “Sir, is everything okay with the service? Did we not meet your expectations” :cry: or something to the line of that. You should have seen her expression that broke into a smile :D when I told her that it was in fact to compliment the service, my first on MH. She returned bending and smiling with a silver tray in hand with a pen and comment form laying on it, her right hand extending the tray, the left hand bended behind her. She brought her hands together now holding the tray downwards after I took the contents, and she bent a couple of times, smiling the service had met my expectations…me in Economy Class. That wanted to make me write ten comment forms… Made me think what Business and First must be like.

We were closing in towards the Malaysian coastline in the direction of Kuala Lumpur, our final destination. I definitely wanted to photograph the Petronas Towers from the air if we passed over them on the way to the airport. I caught the attention of a really friendly FA who just wouldn’t stop smiling. He came to me, as I called him and still beamed from left to right :lol: , his already chinky eyes getting even smaller. I asked him if he knew the approach into KL and if we would fly over the city. He continued to smile at me, though I could tell he had never heard a question of that sort before. He kept the smile :lol: and told me he was not sure and would see if he could find out. He came back and replied that it would be from the North, not the answer I was expecting. Soon we were over the green hills of Malaysia and it was a clear day except for some clouds in the distance. I continued to look out for the city and jumped when the captain came on the air and said that passengers on the right would very soon be having spectacular views of downtown KL. I was on the left!!! I unfastened my seat belt ran to the back, across the galley area almost frightening the same FA who sat in the seat by the lavatories. I looked for a seat and found one, jumped in and looked down at the beautiful sight that was KL. The Petronas Towers and the Menara Towers even though small from our height, looked wonderful as the sun shone on the big glass structures. I thought of Sean Connery and Katherine Zeta Jones swinging on the cables between the buildings of the Petronas Towers in “The Entrapment”, of course they did it at night. I clicked away and soon we left downtown KL behind. The FA returned to my side and could finally understand my craziness as he said to me “Sir, you did get to photograph the Towers?” “Yes, I replied” and he walked away turning back once more to smile before disappearing. The jet descended lower and began some gentle turns, the flaps extending as we passed some colourful mosques and another structure what I later learned was a palace. After one more sharp bend to the left, taking the wingtip on the right where I sat up against the blue skies for a few seconds as he made the turn to line up with the runway before it gradually descended back to meet the horizon. We were now some minutes from touchdown on 14R and I set my camera again to catch some of the airport. The jet screeched onto the tarmac .http://www.airliners.net/open.file/217148/L/
sorry this pic is of a plane landing from the south
and the KLIA Tower passed just over the wingtip as the Pan Pacific hotel passed by too, where I was going to stay during my transit stay in Kuala Lumpur. The beast had reached home, and like a tame animal slowly progressed to the terminal building passing many more Malaysia Airlines tails of B744’s, B-777’s, A330’s and B-737’s. The Impressive KLIA terminal building looked very welcoming it’s fancy layout pleading with us to leave the aircraft soon, like most of us Los Angeles passengers did after the long, long flight. I was in Kuala Lumpur
Last edited by flightsimboy on 23 Oct 2004, 20:48, edited 3 times in total.

Jense

Post by Jense »

Again a great grea6t great report from you :!:
I should say: keep sure posting them :!: :wink:
(Can I do better :?: :wink: )

greettzzz

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sn26567
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Post by sn26567 »

It is like reading a novel by a famous author.

But perhaps flightsimboy is the nickname of a famous author? :P
André
ex Sabena #26567

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Avro
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Post by Avro »

This is a great report flightsim. !!!

You have such a nice writing style :!: When I read your reports I always think I am on your flights. It's so real

Ciao
Chris
8)

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Post by Flying_Dutchman »

What a great report!!
Malaysia is a great airline. I've never flown with them, but if I read experiences about them, I think they are one of the best airlines. They were voted as the airline with the best cabin crew in 2002(?), don't know exactly when. ;)

flightsimboy
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Post by flightsimboy »

sn26567 wrote:It is like reading a novel by a famous author.

But perhaps flightsimboy is the nickname of a famous author? :P
Me an author :roll: Well thanks anyway :lol:
Just make sure a real writer does not read this :oops:

flightsimboy
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Post by flightsimboy »

Flying_Dutchman wrote:What a great report!!
Malaysia is a great airline. I've never flown with them, but if I read experiences about them, I think they are one of the best airlines. They were voted as the airline with the best cabin crew in 2002(?), don't know exactly when. ;)
Best Cabin Crew since 2001...Three years in a row.. :D

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Post by Comet »

Flightsimboy - you have a truly unique report-writing style, awesome descriptions there. And we don't read much about Asian carriers on here, it is a nice change to read about a different carrier to the regular European ones.
Sabena and Sobelair - gone but never forgotten.
Louise

flightsimboy
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The return to Los Angeles...MH 094

Post by flightsimboy »

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/521173/L/
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/521404/L/


I was back at KLIA to board my flight MH 094 to Los Angeles (LAX) via Taipei (TPE). The 744 was at the gate and the tip of the left wing and the winglet could be seen from where I sat. The Boarding rituals began and I was one of the first few to be asked to board. No, I wasn’t in Business or First, just had seat 39A one of the last few seats from the back. Soon on board, the colourful cabin and the ever friendly flight attendants in their green sarongs and suits looked at boarding passes and escorted passengers to their seats. The cabin filled and a Chinese couple came and took the two seats at the side of me. It was going to be a full flight.

We taxied to runway 14L and passed a Gulf Air A340-300, the only non-Malaysian carrier at the airport. We passed from one end to the next what seemed like quite a taxi out before he lined up and the engines roared to lifehttp://www.airliners.net/open.file/435605/L/, (Sorry pic shows north departure) no sooner he aligned himself with the runway. Before long, we were climbing out of Kuala Lumpur and heading south. The afternoon sun cast a huge shadow of the jet to the left of it and it followed us for quite a while, getting smaller as we climbed higher. I didn’t have any film in my camera and I was going to pay the price for it. This was only one of the reasons. We then turned slowly to the left as he made his way up to fly northeast to Taipei. The weather was clear and sunny, but I was busy watching some movie to look out http://www.airliners.net/open.file/451955/L/. What was the afternoon sun changed to dusk and then night as we closed in on Taipei. We were close to Kao-Hsiung when the normal descent procedures began in the cockpit. It was now dark outside, the cabin lights were off and I clearly recall seeing neon signs in Chinese and what seemed like a man on his cart selling some stuff clearly under the neon lights and then within seconds we touched down at Chiang Kai Shek. I think we were pretty low :wink: I definitely want to buy stuff from that cart when I visit Taipei. We got back into the terminal but it was not so smelly as when we landed from Los Angeles. It started to rain lightly outside and a China Airlines B744 pulled up against our jet right in front of the glass windows. I just marveled at the size of the 744. A Thai 772 that was parked some gates away from us was now making it’s way in the background to the runway. Before long a roar was heard and the TG 772 was climbing into the night sky

Back on board, the windows were now wet from the outside, and little streams of rain trickled along down it’s sides. I wished I had wipers to wipe them off. We began to pushback and flashing vehicles pulled away and sped off while our magnificent beast pulled free. It stood on the tarmac a while and in the rain that continued I noticed some airport ramp personnel in yellow raincoats huddled together, and seemed to be communicating with our jet. An eerie chill went over me as I thought of the SQ 006 flight jet that had lifted from Taipei’s 5R and crashed of course in far worse rain and winds, yet for reasons known being the wrong closed runway during the night 8O . The same Chinese couple at my side held onto their seats and waited for our jet to move. I looked at them and smiled, if they only had a clue of what disturbing thought had passed my mind. I tried not to think about it :( . Finally the 744 began to move and taxied to the end of the runway and the cabin lights turned off. The effect on the rain on the window was now even clearer as the darkness outside seemed to penetrate into the cabin. The engines came to life and in the midst of the rain we climbed out, the streaks of rain now running at 45 degrees across the window as we climbed out of 5L…I thought of the SQ jet again, and swallowed hard as we continued to climb out of Taipei . He continued north and then turned northeast and proceeded to climb to FL390. We were served dinner, and once again the lights turned out low. I recall checking the map and then looking out and seeing in the darkness the lights of a city in Japan as we cruised close to the coastline,well not that close. I actually fell of to sleep and that too without the turbulence to rock me. I could have hit myself because I really slept and it was bright outside when I woke up again. I rubbed my eyes and thought I was dreaming…but unfortunately it was not a dream. A flight attendant who had been serving our area and then had suddenly disappeared now appeared in the cabin, with glasses on. Perhaps he had a nap as well.

The American Coastline appeared in a haze under the wings of the grand 744. It appeared quite a distance away the brown contrast of the earth, and the blue of the Pacific Ocean, and where they both met the horizon swallowed it up into it’s own haze. The coastline approached closer and we were still high up in the air. I looked into the haze and just directly under the engines what seemed like a large city began to take shape in the distance. I moved my eyes towards the end of the wing and directly under the wingtip a tiny red structure could be seen and a pointed white building among many buildings, very far off but enough to make you realize we were flying close to San Francisco. The red structure was the San Francisco bridge and to someone else the view would have probably would have gone by without a clue. This was the second time I felt the lack of my camera, and would have liked to clicked that view although it was quite a distance away. We were now over the coast and our 744 turned right as we kissed the Pacific Ocean goodbye. He continued to fly alongside the coast but I was on the right and all I could see was land as we closed in closer in to Los Angeles. We had now come considerably lower and the view below broke from land to sea waves crashing on the coastline below. Houses below and cars moving on the roads lining the edge of the coastline could be seen (unfortunately no people in skimpy outfits, binoculars next time). We were now relatively low and this is the moment I screamed but nobody heard me, I cried and nobody saw me, not because I could not see the folk on the beach below , but I didn’t have my camera. Right in front of me below the wings was the HOLLYWOOD sign…I cried and what seemed like tears spoiling my vision, the Hollywood sign blurred out in the exhaust of the engines. I looked back and saw it pass away almost disappearing in the hills it stood on. I had never approached LAX from the west (well I had during the early morning arrival of Air New Zealand’s 744 from SYD but we came in directly over the Pacific and landed on 6R) This I was totally unprepared for. If you thought this was a tragedy imagine when just under the engine I saw downtown Los Angles appear from the front after I think we turned a bit after passing the Hollywood sign. I pressed my face to the glass to see what was coming up. We were now over the city and the famous white circular shaped building (not sure what it is called) was directly under us, along with the other buildings that make up the downtown core. These are the moments that need to be photographed, however our minds are there to capture what me miss on camera. We left downtown behind us as we made our way to the airport

The captain came on air and requested the cabin crew to prepare for landing and take their seats. No sooner he said that he banked to the right, the city of Los Angeles disappearing from sight to be replaced by the afternoon sky above. I tried to look out the window but the jet was really beginning one long turn to establish itself on the runway, that even pulling myself up in my seat to look out the window only showed the sky outside. The Flaps were now fully extended and what was once a smooth straight wing, now looked like bits of metal falling out of it, but still being held in place. We leveled out now the familiar millions and millions houses, cars and highways that make up the Los Angeles scenery passed by under us. Of course the millions are an exaggeration but that is how it seems. Sharp but quick bumps and turns and we were on our final descent. The view was now very familiar to what I had seen on my approach into LAX, but the view of the Hollywood Sign, and over flying downtown were just something I will always regret not photographing. On a clear and late Californian afternoon we touched down on 24R, http://www.airliners.net/open.file/253467/L/ ending our journey that began a long time ago. As we turned off the runway and turned left and then left again as we taxied to the terminal a Southwest B737 had climbed out of 24L and I looked back through my window to see it disappear in the sun setting in the west. We reached closer to the terminal and as the jet turned right to enter the terminal area a sound even louder was heard and I jumped out of my seat when a USAir 757 climbed out in front of me, the wheels just closing upwards into the body of the jet. A view from so close is amazing, especially when viewed from an aircraft window. We taxied a long way again and then finally pulled up alongside a Lufthansa 744, having passed many other tails on the way. We were at Los Angeles.

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Post by sn26567 »

Another great report, flightsimboy. From where are you writing all this?
André
ex Sabena #26567

flightsimboy
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Post by flightsimboy »

sn26567 wrote:Another great report, flightsimboy. From where are you writing all this?
The answer is the report :wink:

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Post by sn26567 »

flightsimboy wrote:
sn26567 wrote:Another great report, flightsimboy. From where are you writing all this?
The answer is the report :wink:
I mean: do you live in LA ?
André
ex Sabena #26567

flightsimboy
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Post by flightsimboy »

The Air Canada Airbus A320 was closing in over Las Vegas on it’s way to Los Angeles from Toronto...There is the answer again :wink:

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speedbird1
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great stuff

Post by speedbird1 »

What a fantastic post, takes me back to some of my long haul flights, especially the bit about the landing in the 1st part, when you have the person in the window reading, there's nothing more fustrating, or when they try and put the blind down when you're sitting in the middle of the aircraft! I'm sure any avaition enthusiast will understand!

Emirates

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Post by flightsimboy »

Thank you Emirates for you kind remarks :D . By the way I love Emirates too. Will some day write about my flights on the EK 777 LHR-DXB-LHR which included the flying cameras..what a great thing to have on a flight. 8)

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me too!

Post by speedbird1 »

I have flown LHR-DXB-LHR myself. On the 777-300 very good flight! Especially the cameras, landing at Heathrow watching the planes on front on approach very cool! That was the flight were I was in the middle seat and the person closed the blind! But the camera made up for it.

Emirates

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Pics of the trip at http://coppermine.luchtzak.be/displayima

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