Aircraft: Boeing 767-400 (N827MH)
Route: Atlanta (ATL) – Venice (VCE)
Flight Time: 9 hours 35 Minutes
Cruising Altitude: FL310, FL340, FL350
Date: May 15th 2025
Departure: 8:38 PM EDT
Arrival: 11:55 AM CEST (Next Day)
Hey, what’s up, folks? Coming to you live from the flight deck here on Delta 138, heading out of Atlanta on our way to Venice. I’m flying the Boeing 767-400 tonight (N827MH), a real workhorse. She’s 24 years old, but trust me, she’s got plenty of life left in her.
Right now, we’re just finishing up preflight—making sure everything checks out, weather’s good, flight plan’s filed, and we’re good to go. The sun’s just setting here in Atlanta, and it’s pretty gorgeous as we roll out to the runway. Got a few snaps of the 767 while the ramp was was lit up in that perfect evening glow.
Alright, it’s 8:30 PM, and we’re about to push back from Gate E9. Everything’s set in the cockpit, passengers are boarding, and we’re just waiting for clearance. Gotta love the quiet before the chaos starts—got my coffee in hand, getting into the zone.
We’re hooked up to the tug, and we’re rolling back.
The taxi’s pretty uneventful, which is always a good thing. Atlanta’s a busy airport, but we’re moving along nicely. ATC’s been great tonight, and we’re now heading toward Runway 27R for departure.
Okay, here we go. We’re lining up on 27R, everything’s set for takeoff. TOGA, V1, Rotate, Positive Rate, Gear Up. The 767 lifts smoothly off the runway, and we’re on our way.
We’re following the PLMMR3 SID, heading out west over Georgia. That’s always a nice view—leaving the lights of the city behind.
Climbing out, I’m cleaning up the aircraft—flaps up, gear up, just making sure we’re all good as we climb up to cruising altitude. It’s a smooth climb, the skies are clear, and the autopilot’s doing its thing. A little bit of a bumpy patch as we get through some lower layers of air, but nothing to worry about.
We’re now through the clouds and into the night sky. It’s about time to settle in for the long stretch. The cabin crew’s already doing their thing, and everything’s calm up here in the flight deck.
We’ve hit FL310, and the autopilot’s doing its thing. It’s quiet up here—just the hum of the engines and the occasional call from ATC. I’ve got a few hours ahead of me, so I’m just running through the cruise checklist, monitoring the systems, keeping an eye on fuel, and all that good stuff.
The skies are pretty clear right now. There are some scattered clouds below, but nothing major. Honestly, it’s a pretty chill ride.
I always find these long-haul flights a little meditative—everything’s on autopilot, and we’re just gliding along. I’ve got my coffee, the crew’s keeping things smooth in the cabin, and I’ve got a good chunk of the Atlantic Ocean beneath us.
Alright, we’re a few hours in, and I can see the first light starting to break over the horizon. I always love the transition from night to day—it’s like watching the world slowly wake up from below. We’re still on course for Venice, but now I’m starting to think ahead to the descent.
I’m pulling out the approach charts, just reviewing the plan for Runway 4R at Venice. We’ll be coming in from the west, and there’s a bit of wind we’ll need to work with, but nothing too crazy.
We’ll start our descent soon. The passengers are probably starting to wake up, so I’ll check in with the cabin crew to make sure they’re ready for the approach.
Alright, we’ve started our descent down to FL270, and it’s smooth so far. We’re holding at that altitude for a bit, just following the flight plan into Venice. The view is incredible, though. I can already see the coastline of Italy peeking through the clouds. Venice isn’t far now, and it’s always exciting to see that first glimpse of land after hours over the ocean.
We’re still working through some wind, but it’s manageable. I’ve got the approach briefed, and I’m just going through the landing checklist in my head. The crew’s prepping the cabin, and I’m making sure everything’s good to go for the final approach.
Okay, the time has come—on final for Runway 4R. The wind’s giving us a bit of a tailwind, but we’re handling it. I’m dialing in some small adjustments, and we’re on glide slope. As we get closer to the runway, I’m looking out the window and can see the canals and the city coming into view. Pretty incredible sight, honestly.
We’re coming in now, and everything’s looking good. I start the flare, and we’re down… nice and smooth, right in the touchdown zone. That’s the stuff we live for.
We’re rolling out and vacating at Taxiway Foxtrot. Now we just need to taxi over to Gate 54, complete the after-landing checks, and get ready for the shutdown.
Alright, we’re at the gate now, and it’s time to shut things down. We’re connecting with the ground equipment and completing the checklists. The ground crew’s already moving in, so we’re all good.
It’s been a smooth flight—great crew, great aircraft, and even better passengers. Time to relax a bit before our return leg to JFK as DAL289 (@Anthony_Gulluscio summon.) Hope you all enjoyed flying along with me. Till next time, take care, and I’ll see you in the skies!
. My two flights yesterday were DAL1219 and DAL138.
