That part of an instrument approach procedure which commences at the specified final approach fix or point, or where such a fix or point is not specified:
> At the end of the last procedure turn, base turn or inbound turn of a racetrack procedure, if specified; or
> At the point of interception of the last track specified in the approach procedure; and ends at a point in the vicinity of an aerodrome from which: a landing can be made, or a missed approach procedure is initiated.
* * *
December 12th, 0245Z (1045LCL)
Aircraft registration: Airbus A321-231 | RP-C9918
Departure: RPLP | Legazpi Principal, Albay, Philippines
Arrival: RPLL | Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Manila, Philippines
Flight route: RPLP - NGA3E - NGA - W9 - ALBAT - ALBA5R - RPLL
(RPLP - NAGA3E - NAGA - MECAN - ALBAT - ALBAT 5R - RPLL)
Elian's fever didn't break the following day. Due to that, Capt. Zablan called the company to inform them that we aren't able to return back to Manila. Instead, his illness worsened; but Elian insists not to be brought to the hospital. And, surprisingly, he asks me to remain in tending him; telling the rest to back off.
In the end, hoping that he'll be better at once, no one from us dare to fight him with his decision as I continue to tend to him, even though the previous day had proven that I am not much of help at all. But then, I pray on that he'll recover at once; and as if some answered prayers, his fever slowly subsides by evening that he asks me to inform Capt. Zablan that he's all fit to fly for tomorrow morning.
Despite him being well to finish his dinner and I am no longer needed, he still asked me to stay with him for the night.
"Talagang sinasabi mo sa akin na makipagkaibigan na ako sa sofa na ito, ano?" I questioned him.
He patted the vacant space on the double bed. "I won't be doing anything."
I flushed. "No. Linoloko lang kita. Ayos lang ako na dito ako matulog."
"And I insist," he countered. "Or else, baka magising ka na lang bukas na nasa kama ka na. Kagaya no'ng sa Boracay."
Remembering that memory, I didn't fight back and take his offer instead. I laid down on the bed and turned away from him, occupying the farthest side possible. And the discussion about it is over.
When I woke up by the break of dawn today, I found him already up. He was already dressed for the day and had been fresh out from a shower as he was drying his hair, and before I managed to run away to prepare for the day myself, he addressed me.
"By the time that we're back to Manila," he started. "'Wag mong sabihin na para lamang tayong magiging strangers ulit?"
I stopped and turned to him, trying to gauge what he wanted to actually happen then. "Well, depende naman iyon sa iyo. Dahil hanggang ngayon... naguguluhan ako sa kung ano ba talaga itong namamagitan sa atin. I think you should be much more vocal with what you want to happen." I bit my lower lip, once more remembering that there hadn't been any explanation concerning that sudden kiss back then; no matter how drunk he may be at that moment. "Then, let's see."
"I think actions always speak louder than words. Do I need to further make a point with it?" he asked, dropping then the towel to a nearby chair.
I gulped in hard. "A-Ayaw ko maging assuming."
"Then, I think a repeat of it is needed." He then closed the distance between us, caught me off guard when he muttered his sudden declaration of affection, and pressed his lips shamelessly against mine, kissing me passionately.
I almost pushed him away at the few seconds that he tested the waters for what I would be doing next; but when I didn't show any signs of fighting back, his mouth and tongue explored that of mine, deepening the kiss much more that seemed to make his intentions seeped through my skin and nerves.
It was a little strange. To find out that I've once dreamt that he would notice me; certainly, the reason why those dreams appeared in the form of a different person as César and in a completely different era that could somehow led for us to cross paths and definitely fall in love in the midst of a threatening war.
Elian Basa would always be an enigma. A strange puzzle piece whose intentions would forever make me wonder what was truly going on inside his head, always trailing the thin ice with his actions.
But as he had mentioned that I was in need of proving it another time... it was odd to have a touch of his feelings through a kiss and his gentle caressing on how he held my body against his. That... who would have thought that such a man as him would be capable of showing such affections to the likes of me? That a man, who've been a mystery despite the presence of the spotlight throughout his life, had been craving for so much more this way?
And yet...
"I've always wanted you, (Y/N)," he whispered to me a few moments ago before taking my lips against his.
Knowing that someone wants me so desperately... knowing that both his mind and body crave me... and to realize that that person is Elian... I didn't expect all of these things to excite me so much.
I never thought of any possibility that he would have any interest in me nor would he know my name at all. But all the strangeness of his actions and words throughout this promotional shoot, despite all of it being a rush, had been definitely a precursor to a dam that had been trapped for so long that was now given the opportunity to open.
By the time that we pulled away from the kiss, I was breathing quite heavily as I tried to catch my own breath. And all I managed to do was to look back at him by now.
He stared at me with warmth visible in his eyes, as if I myself was an enigma for him to solve, and then, he caressed my cheek, saying the next, "Naiintindihan mo na ba ngayon?"
"I... I think so," I stammered.
At that, he smiled softly, almost a strange emotion out of him but with the countless of times that I've seen such expression be painted on César's face, it no longer surprised me to know that he was capable to be much more handsome than he already was. "For that, I can wait as long as you need," he added. "I just hope that when you make your decision, your answer will be me."
I gulped in hard before countering, "Yeah, me, too. I hope that you are my answer, too."
I sigh heavily as I ensure the GoPros to be installed on the cockpit as usual for every previous flight, and now, for the last time on this shoot, are all prepared for. Due to Elian's recent illness, Capt. Zablan himself volunteers to do the 360-walk around inspection instead that leaves me with Elian to deal with the flight documents as I work.
With how we leave one another earlier today, I swear that seeing Elian and be close to him this way makes my heart flutter. Definitely because of that revelation, and I am like a teenager so excited at the prospect of knowing that my crush from back then also likes me back. At the same time, it is also a scary feeling that it is all too good to be true... that I'll later wake up from this dream and then to reality.
But this is my reality, right? I ponder. In my dream, he is César; and in here, he is Elian.
"Parang mas bigla akong kinabahan," Capt. Zablan remarks the moment that he returns back to the cockpit after his walk-around inspection. He chuckles as he removes his reflector vest, folding it properly before tucking it in his flight bag, and sits on the left seat himself. "Pakiramdam ko parang may CAAP check."
I flush, knowing that he is addressing my presence in the cockpit for today's flight. "Pasensya na po, capt," I reply. "Kahit po ibalewala niyo lang po ako. 'Wag niyo po ako pansinin, as I'll also try not to be of any discomfort sa inyo po."
After all, as there had been a few scenes that we'll be needing to fill in after the few drawbacks of our promotional shoot, the PR team comes up with the idea that it will also be a good thing to feature some in-flight interviews to where the pilots themselves are in their natural habitat. And that job order then befalls me another time.
Capt. Zablan laughs much more as he finishes signing the last of documents that Elian had earlier checked already and now had done a run-do of it himself. "'Wag ka mag-alala, (Y/N). Linoloko lang kita at mas pakiramdam ko na we have an honored guest with us right here. Dahil kung CAAP check, totoong magiging kabado ako. Kahit sa tagal ko nang piloto, kinakabahan pa rin ako sa mga ganoong checks; para akong bumabalik sa unang-una kong check no'n ng PPL o maging ng first solo." He then turns to Elian. "Itong si Elian ang malapit na mag-CAAP check ulit. Kaya ka nagkakasakit kaka-aral eh, samantalang kayang-kaya mo naman 'yon."
"Sana po talaga, Capt. Porf," the first officer answers before taking his own copy of the checklist procedure. "Aside from that, it will be quite a good Christmas present."
"Ba, may inaasahan ka pa bang Christmas present bago matapos ang taon?" the pilot-in-command inquires.
He shrugs in return. "Hindi kailangan maging year-ender present; since I can wait naman po for that, capt."
* * *
I don't want to assume so much, but I can hint that what Elian had been speaking to Capt. Zablan about receiving 'another' present for Christmas or New Year is definitely that one concerning me.
Well, he is rather impatient then, if ever, I ponder.
However, I believe that it is Elian's genuine intention that I take my time in trying to weigh everything that just happened. After all, things are happening quite too fast than I expect of it. Perhaps, for me who've been pinning on him for years... it seems like the grandest twist of fate to find out that he is also interested of me. And he did announce it in quite a bold way that definitely catches me off guard.
Thankfully, I don't need to address further issues about that or find out that Capt. Zablan is very intent in figuring what Elian means by his words as they commence with their flight procedures.
I am seated on the jump seat just behind them all the while I have a handy video camera with me for some sort of creative shots to the inner workings in the cockpit; all the while not disturbing anyone from them with their work at all. Doing so, it is my first time—and surely the only time in my life—did I see pilots in their natural habitat at all.
With how they switch on to their job order, to the point where the pilot-in-command and first officer are just defining titles of who sits on the left and right and has over-all command for decision-making. However, what really matters on their job right now that not many will know about is of who is the Pilot Flying and who is the Pilot Monitoring. One could be the other, and no passenger will even know it at all.
And I am also given a headset of my own to hear the busy frequency of the radio to where we are currently attuned at. It leads me to hear such a lengthy clearance delivery that had been readback, and taxi clearances and a series of radio phraseology that surely needs a pilot to be able to multi-task with all of his senses transmitting information to the brain all at the same time. It is quite a good understanding and view, to see how one switch out of too many seems to be all committed to their memory down the checklist they have, that even after receiving the take-off clearance and be quite taken back by the view of the runway at full power, with the additional call-outs before rotate... my amazement at this job is also flying. One that also skyrocketed the moment that during a climb-out, following a respective departure chart manually than be dependent of the autopilot, and to be given an additional command from the tower to switch frequency and the likes, they remain cool-headed but surely on the look-out for anything that can happen.
"After all, the most crucial moments of the flight are the take-off and landing. To be exact, the first three minutes and the last eight minutes of the flight," Elian remarks as the interview progresses by the time we've reached the cruising altitude of 24,000 feet, or what they regard to be as "flight level two-four-zero", just roughly ten minutes after take-off itself.
Capt. Zablan suddenly laughs but I didn't stop the video from recording at all, capturing then Elian's reaction of surprise and raised eyebrow when he turns to the other. "I'm... I'm sorry." He clears his throat and continues on with the monitoring of the autopilot by now. "Medyo stiff kasi ang dating ni Elian sa interview. Chill out, okay?"
Elian sighs heavily before looking back at me and clicks his tongue. "Kayo na lang po kaya, capt, ang humarap sa interview na ito?"
"No, no, no. Don't mind me. Sorry about that one earlier. Mas bagay talaga na ikaw ang makita sa interview," insists the captain. "Carry on. What I've been meaning to say is not to make it appear like you're a robot."
The first officer then nods, clears his throat and raises an eyebrow at me this time, asking me if we're to proceed on.
I nod in return, telling him that everything is fine. After all, I do not need to be heard throughout this interview as he'd been given a list of questions to answer, one that the PR team had managed to prepare in advance. All that he needs to do is to read the question, take a few seconds to gather his answer, and proceed on.
He then looks on to the rest of the list and reads on, "Make an example of an in-flight announcement for a panoramic flight?"
I shrug this time, unsure about it, until he hands to me the paper and do a double check of the question itself. And it definitely states what he just said so, causing me to shrug another time that certainly, he'll just need to proceed on with what is written down.
He breathes in heavily and take a quick look on their on-board navigation map and of the view outside as if to find something interesting right now. Clearing his throat, he then starts off with a rather pressed smile, "Ladies and gentlemen, once again, good morning. This is First Officer Basa speaking, and just out of curiosity, we are flying over Ragay Gulf at 24,000 feet and—"
Suddenly, Elian stops and gasps, almost like a moan in pain.
"Elian?" I instantly calls for his attention, ending the recording at once that in my worry, I remove my seatbelt at once and draw closer to where he is seated, his seat just pushed back slightly. I press my freehand, at once, onto his forehead, trying to get a bearing of what makes him act this way; and when I did touch him, he is surprisingly quite too cold and shivering himself.
Even Capt. Zablan notices that sudden change out of his first officer that his worry had been evident when he asks, "Elian? Anong mayroon? Ayos ka lang ba?"
He seems to snap back to his senses but his eyes remain wild and when he turns to me, it seems like he had seen a ghost. Though he didn't immediately pull away from my touch, this sudden reaction of his is so odd that I do not only start to worry about him, but also fear him. He swallows hard, removes his headset and unlatches his seatbelt. He is already standing after pressing a call button, and on his way out he says, "E-Excuse me for a moment."
At once, the door opens up as FS Manlunas walks in to replace Elian's absence in the cockpit as customary. And it seems so unexpected that even the newly-arrived flight steward raises his eyebrow at me and Capt. Zablan, definitely asking for what is with our reaction with what just happened.
In the end of it all, we didn't manage to get an answer out of that strange reaction from Elian. After all, it takes him quite too long to be gone that by the time he returns, somehow relaxed than earlier but still quite too pale, it is about time for them to start their descent, approach and landing procedures.
* * *
There are still about five other questions meant to be answered as part of the interview, but with what happened, there is nothing to be done about it. Not to mention that with the strangeness of Elian's action, Capt. Zablan keeps his mouth shut in addressing the issue. Even all the way to landing, as the first officer didn't show any shortness with his duties as a pilot monitoring. Perhaps, it is just his illness acting up all again, and he definitely needs more rest than needed.
And it seems like Capt. Zablan points it out to be the issue that as I work on removing the installed GoPros, he tells Elian that they can have their post-flight briefing in the cockpit as they continue on accomplishing the rest of the needed paperwork and fixing their items and for it to also be as short as possible so that he can make it home at once and rest.
No matter how short their briefing may be, I still finish in recovering the GoPros first that I then bid them goodbye and thanks for their cooperation, with a trailing notice that we shall have an after-party by the time that the promotion videos are up to be viewed and seen by everyone involved.
However, I didn't think that it will be the last time that I'll see Elian Basa.
* * *
Teaser for the next chapter:
[...] That if I am to repeat Capt. Villamor's words myself—I think I have always been a dreamer—it sounds to be the truth.
He didn't say anything at that, and only looks back at me, frowning as well.
"Sa kabila ng napakarami kong pangarap sa buhay. Minsan," I begin, before correcting myself. "No, rather... I suddenly feel like I am running out of time."
* * *
A/N: Vote, comment and share! Whatever you do means a lot to me, and I am really wishing for some feedback! Received a memo earlier today that our documents were received by CAAP, and we'll now be waiting for our Instrument Rating check ride schedule. I am both excited and nervous—excited because it is the last rating to officially take in the commercial pilot license by heart and last step before transitioning to the Airbus A320; and nervous because it is a check ride that I absolutely want to ace and perfected because of how crucial it is. Wish me luck!
A few list of notes to share!
1. Is flying easy or hard? It is funny to say that my answer will be "it depends". Everything done for the first time is hard, right? So that's the hard thing; but later on, with practice and skill, it tends to be easy already. Flying, in general, is something in between. I can attest to this even if you've already mastered it; because even my flight instructors keep reminding us to "keep our feet on the ground". It only means that don't be too complacent and consider flying to still be a challenging feat. Every part of flight is stressful, but takeoffs and landings are the most stressful phase. Cruising might be easy because you only need to set the autopilot (for airliners) or maintain a respective altitude and a few turns to this or that heading and listen to the radio; than listening and talking and flying and navigating during takeoff and landing itself. However, even that, flight instructors always tell us that if you're not doing something during flight, it means that there's something you're forgetting. As they also say, don't let the aircraft take you somewhere you don't think of the past minute; in short, always think ahead. So, is flying easy or hard? All again, "it depends". Because, in the end of the day, you'll always be challenged as no flight is practically the same; and all wishing and praying that you're not to encounter any mishap such as an emergency or whatever.
2. CAAP check ride, as I've discussed from the previous chapters, is the final skill test wherein a CAAP (Civil Aviation Authority Pilot) checker tests a pilot's proficiency for the type of rating or license one is applying for. It is done at least annually to keep the license and rating current; or else, such rating could be removed from the license and a pilot will not be allowed to enjoy the privilege of flying the said aircraft until it is reinstated. So, is it a scary moment? I guess any pilot will agree with me that CAAP check ride will always give us a jittery moment no matter how confident we are that we can pass. Because, some checkers may ask for one to do this and one may only ask for that. I guess, it is better to feel that pressure and anxiety than be so relaxed that one fails to properly perform it later on.
3. The cockpit set-up is that of the existence of a Pilot Flying (PF) and a Pilot Monitoring (PM). Even aircraft manufacturers released their own flight crew handbook for such; but it is definitely the very reason why there are at least two pilots in the cockpit. As some sort of a general rule, the PF does all the flying and the checking of the aircraft to be ready for flight (the 360 walk-around inspection); while the PM ensures that the PF is not missing anything. A good example of this is the "rolling phase" (the take-off roll) wherein the speed call outs are mandatory. It somehow goes like this:
PF: "Airspeed alive. 40 knots."
PM: "Check."
PF: "50 knots."
PM: "Check."
Or something like:
PF: "Approaching Flight level 350. One thousand feet to go."
PM: "Flight level 340. Check."
PF: "500 feet to go."
PM: "Check."
The same way that there had been a transfer of controls, wherein to take control of the aircraft, one should say "My aircraft" or "I have controls", and a response of "Your aircraft" or "You have controls"; and vice-versa if one wants to transfer the controls.
4. The mandatory rule in a cockpit since the incident of the 9/11 attack was that all cockpit should be locked by a bullet-proof door at all times during flight. Additionally, a pilot have possession of a gun and handcuffs on board to be used in any event of an emergency. And, with the incidents concerning pilot suicide, the cockpit should always consist of at least two personnel. In short, if one of the flight crew is in need to go to the lavatory, a cabin crew must enter the cockpit and remain there until the said flight crew returns.
Chapter title: Final Approach. As it definitely means, it is the last leg of the flight prior to touchdown or the landing itself. And with how the chapter had gone on, with the Reader and the rest of the team on the last leg of their promotional tour shooting as they returned back to Manila... things also seemed to reach its "final approach" concerning Elian and the Reader.
Follow me on twitter @23meraki for more updates and trivia. ;)
#CFBArtificialHorizon