Hey, everyone. It’s 10:17 AM here at Gate A10 in Atlanta, and we’re getting ready for Delta 1219, heading to Los Angeles. We’ve got a smooth, clear day ahead of us, and I’m just going through the usual preflight checks. APU’s running, systems are all good, and I’ve got the FMC set for the PENCL2 departure out of 26L. Fuel’s all loaded, and weight and balance look solid. I’m just wrapping up the overhead panel checks and making sure everything is as it should be before ground gives us the go-ahead to push back. Once we’re cleared, it’s full throttle and up into the skies.
Alright, it’s 10:57 AM now, and we’ve just received clearance to push. Tug’s connected, and we’re starting to back away from the gate. I’m going to fire up engine #2 first, then #1 once we’re clear. Everything’s looking good so far—APU’s holding steady, and the systems are green. Pushback’s going smoothly. The tug’s giving us a nice, smooth roll, and soon we’ll be heading to 26L for takeoff. Everything feels solid. Once we get to the runway, we’ll go through our final checks and be ready to go.
Engines are up and running, and we’re taxiing towards runway 26L. It’s a little busy here at ATL—lots of aircraft moving around, but the ground crew’s got everything flowing nicely. We’re following the taxi route past the terminals, and I’m keeping an eye on the instruments, making sure everything’s in the green. Speed is good, no issues with the engines, and the flight director’s set for takeoff. We’re coming up on the runway now, just doing a final check of flaps, trim, and autopilot. We’re ready to go once we’re cleared.
Cleared for takeoff now, and we’re lined up on runway 26L. Throttles are advancing—engines come alive, and we start rolling. V1, rotate. I gently pull back on the yoke, and we’re airborne. The nose comes up, the gear comes in, and we’re climbing out of ATL. Everything’s smooth so far, and the departure is going as planned. We’re making the turn onto the PENCL2 departure as Atlanta fades behind us. The weather’s clear, the ride’s smooth, and we’re on our way.
We’re climbing out now, passing 7,000 feet, and we’re on the PENCL2 departure. Below us, I can see South Fulton and the outskirts of Atlanta slipping away as we climb. The climb’s smooth—no turbulence—and we’re making our way up to FL360. The plane’s handling great, and the weather’s clear ahead. We’ve got a bit of a headwind, but it won’t be a problem. I’ve got the autopilot engaged, and everything’s locked in. The next few hours will be a smooth ride, just cruising west.
We’ve leveled off now at FL360, and it’s 11:26 AM. Everything’s quiet up here—no turbulence, no issues. Just cruising along. The autopilot’s maintaining our altitude and heading, and the engines are purring along nicely. We’re just passed Chattanooga, over Tennessee now. I’m keeping an eye on fuel and engine performance, but everything’s solid. The ride’s smooth and quiet, just the way we like it. We’ve got a strong headwind we’re fighting, but we’re still making good time. It’s a perfect day for flying.
We’ve passed the halfway point, and now a couple minutes away from our descent. It’s 11:56 AM, and I’ve made contact with LAX Center to request our initial descent clearance. We’re clearing FL350, and as we start to descend, I’m checking the approach charts. The weather at LAX is looking clear, so no surprises there. We’re starting to slow the aircraft down and get ready for the STAR. The clouds below us disappear below FL120 as we approach. It’s just a typical descent into LA. We’ll be starting the approach soon.
Now we’re descending through 7,000, and LA is in view. The weather’s still looking good—light winds, no clouds, nothing to worry about. I’ve got the ILS for runway 24R tuned in, and we’re heading towards the localizer now. We’re clearing through 6,000, and everything’s still on track. The approach is tight, but smooth. I’ve got the aircraft configured for the approach now—flaps 15, slowing to 190 knots. We’re in the final stages of the descent, so it’s all about making sure we hit our altitude restrictions and stay on course.
We’re on final now for runway 24R, gear down, flaps 30. LAX is right in front of us. The approach is looking good. In-N-Out’s just off to the right, and the runway lights are shining through the clouds. 50… 40… 30… 20… 10. The plane settles nicely onto the runway. It’s a firm but controlled touchdown, right after the touchdown zone. Reverse thrust kicks in, and we’re slowing down smoothly. The runway’s long, and we’re decelerating without issue. Another safe landing in LA.
We’ve exited 24R, cleaned up the aircraft, and now we’re taxiing over to Terminal 3. There’s a little bit of traffic, but it’s light, so we’re not in a hurry. We hold short of 24L, waiting for a departure to clear, and then get clearance to cross. It’s a short taxi to the gate now, and we’re almost there. Ground’s directing us to Gate 32A, so we’re just a few more minutes from getting parked. Once we cross 24L, it’s smooth sailing the rest of the way.
We’ve arrived at Gate 32A, and it’s 12:31 PM now. The ground crew is already connecting, and we’re shutting down the engines. The checklist is complete, and everything’s secure. Another safe flight in the books.
I’ll be stepping off this aircraft and heading over to Boston next on Delta 437. But for now, I’ll let the ground crew take over. Thanks for flying with us today, and I’ll see you all next time.
