Sven-Hajo Sieber
@subflyer.bsky.social
Captain on A320 for some low cost airline. All opinions and views are my own. Porto/Berlin.
A morning flight to Paris Orly. Sadly we had to swap aircraft and the one we should take over was late as it did a go around. Very much low vis fog in Paris this morning.
Cold and early in Porto
Our aircraft is finally there.
Wood fire smog in northern Portugal.
Cold and early in Porto
Our aircraft is finally there.
Wood fire smog in northern Portugal.
November 22, 2025 at 2:09 PM
A morning flight to Paris Orly. Sadly we had to swap aircraft and the one we should take over was late as it did a go around. Very much low vis fog in Paris this morning.
Cold and early in Porto
Our aircraft is finally there.
Wood fire smog in northern Portugal.
Cold and early in Porto
Our aircraft is finally there.
Wood fire smog in northern Portugal.
Last day of the block and it was busier than expected, got activated out of two home standby duties. To Madeira again. And now back home to Porto.
Just before sunrise.
Porto Santo cut in half by the airport.
Madeira, with the Airport.
Who is that? Automatically connects ADSC
Just before sunrise.
Porto Santo cut in half by the airport.
Madeira, with the Airport.
Who is that? Automatically connects ADSC
November 17, 2025 at 8:22 AM
Last day of the block and it was busier than expected, got activated out of two home standby duties. To Madeira again. And now back home to Porto.
Just before sunrise.
Porto Santo cut in half by the airport.
Madeira, with the Airport.
Who is that? Automatically connects ADSC
Just before sunrise.
Porto Santo cut in half by the airport.
Madeira, with the Airport.
Who is that? Automatically connects ADSC
5:00 Check in for a very early flight to Geneva and back to Porto. Despite the thunderstorms in Porto we managed to be 20 minutes early.
Sunrise.
Thunderstorms.
Unicorn, A318ACJ, only a handful exists.
Canadian military invading Portugal.
Sunrise.
Thunderstorms.
Unicorn, A318ACJ, only a handful exists.
Canadian military invading Portugal.
November 15, 2025 at 2:51 PM
5:00 Check in for a very early flight to Geneva and back to Porto. Despite the thunderstorms in Porto we managed to be 20 minutes early.
Sunrise.
Thunderstorms.
Unicorn, A318ACJ, only a handful exists.
Canadian military invading Portugal.
Sunrise.
Thunderstorms.
Unicorn, A318ACJ, only a handful exists.
Canadian military invading Portugal.
Same aircraft as yesterday, an surprisingly the same FO as well. But today we have to work more. We already flew from Porto to Nantes and back, and now it’s off to the 3-country airport in France.
Loire Estuary approaching Nantes.
Leaving Nantes on the way to Porto.
Loire Estuary approaching Nantes.
Leaving Nantes on the way to Porto.
November 6, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Same aircraft as yesterday, an surprisingly the same FO as well. But today we have to work more. We already flew from Porto to Nantes and back, and now it’s off to the 3-country airport in France.
Loire Estuary approaching Nantes.
Leaving Nantes on the way to Porto.
Loire Estuary approaching Nantes.
Leaving Nantes on the way to Porto.
Just a late flight to Paris Orly and back today. We fly an aircraft which carries a big „Austria“ decal on the fuselage, and we are Austrias biggest airline. But we have no aircraft and no crew based in that country. The wonders of the EU.
„Austria“
Typical Porto rain.
„Austria“
Typical Porto rain.
November 5, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Just a late flight to Paris Orly and back today. We fly an aircraft which carries a big „Austria“ decal on the fuselage, and we are Austrias biggest airline. But we have no aircraft and no crew based in that country. The wonders of the EU.
„Austria“
Typical Porto rain.
„Austria“
Typical Porto rain.
A nice and early flight to Madeira today, first time for me to land on runway 23 but with nearly no wind it was an easy and smooth approach and landing.
Madeira on departure.
Somewhere below that is Porto.
The most boring route ever.
Madeira on departure.
Somewhere below that is Porto.
The most boring route ever.
October 20, 2025 at 11:41 AM
A nice and early flight to Madeira today, first time for me to land on runway 23 but with nearly no wind it was an easy and smooth approach and landing.
Madeira on departure.
Somewhere below that is Porto.
The most boring route ever.
Madeira on departure.
Somewhere below that is Porto.
The most boring route ever.
Just 2 hours of sightseeing in Lisbon. Found a few nice spots. And now it’s off for another 12 hour duty.
October 9, 2025 at 9:56 AM
Just 2 hours of sightseeing in Lisbon. Found a few nice spots. And now it’s off for another 12 hour duty.
Last day of the block, flying with the APU inop to Gatwick and back. Which means we needed an external air starter to start the first engine on the stand. The rest was just the normal single engine taxi without APU.
The NEO automatically increases thrust for engine start, neat!
The NEO automatically increases thrust for engine start, neat!
September 23, 2025 at 12:17 PM
Last day of the block, flying with the APU inop to Gatwick and back. Which means we needed an external air starter to start the first engine on the stand. The rest was just the normal single engine taxi without APU.
The NEO automatically increases thrust for engine start, neat!
The NEO automatically increases thrust for engine start, neat!
Another early day, today to Madeira. Uneventful flight and I begin to really like the RNP AR approach, the AR stand for „Authorization Required“. Both the airline and the individual captain has to be authorized to use it.
Leaving the Portuguese coast.
Atlantic ahead.
Leaving the Portuguese coast.
Atlantic ahead.
September 22, 2025 at 8:04 AM
Another early day, today to Madeira. Uneventful flight and I begin to really like the RNP AR approach, the AR stand for „Authorization Required“. Both the airline and the individual captain has to be authorized to use it.
Leaving the Portuguese coast.
Atlantic ahead.
Leaving the Portuguese coast.
Atlantic ahead.
After a „survived“ standby it is my first flying day of the block. Just a quick flight to Nantes and back with a new first officer. As usual it started with fog in Porto, but that cleared up surprisingly early.
Off shore wind park.
Hungry Beluga.
French countryside.
Off shore wind park.
Hungry Beluga.
French countryside.
September 12, 2025 at 7:48 AM
After a „survived“ standby it is my first flying day of the block. Just a quick flight to Nantes and back with a new first officer. As usual it started with fog in Porto, but that cleared up surprisingly early.
Off shore wind park.
Hungry Beluga.
French countryside.
Off shore wind park.
Hungry Beluga.
French countryside.
Last day of my work week, once again to Madeira doing another RNP AR. We took 10.3t of fuel for the 1:45 flight, to allow return to departure in case of diversion and as we tanker anyway so we don’t have to fuel on the island.
Madeira mountain tops above the clouds.
Parked.
Madeira mountain tops above the clouds.
Parked.
August 29, 2025 at 8:06 AM
Last day of my work week, once again to Madeira doing another RNP AR. We took 10.3t of fuel for the 1:45 flight, to allow return to departure in case of diversion and as we tanker anyway so we don’t have to fuel on the island.
Madeira mountain tops above the clouds.
Parked.
Madeira mountain tops above the clouds.
Parked.
Last day of the work week, to Geneva and back. Today with an A320, roughly 2 hours each way and required fuel of around 6.2t.
Did my first SLS approach to LPV minima, SLS is a huge improvement over FLS.
Following the setting sun home.
All set up for the SLS.
Wild fires.
Did my first SLS approach to LPV minima, SLS is a huge improvement over FLS.
Following the setting sun home.
All set up for the SLS.
Wild fires.
July 28, 2025 at 10:20 PM
Last day of the work week, to Geneva and back. Today with an A320, roughly 2 hours each way and required fuel of around 6.2t.
Did my first SLS approach to LPV minima, SLS is a huge improvement over FLS.
Following the setting sun home.
All set up for the SLS.
Wild fires.
Did my first SLS approach to LPV minima, SLS is a huge improvement over FLS.
Following the setting sun home.
All set up for the SLS.
Wild fires.
Some reports today about Jeju Air, the accident where we saw a 737 float along 2/3 of the runway and then crashing in a horrible overrun. Apparently a new interim report, shown to the families, seems to indicate the wrong engine shut down by the captain.
simpleflying.com/pilots-switc...
simpleflying.com/pilots-switc...
Jeju Air Interim Report: Pilots Shut Off Wrong Engine After Bird Strike
The report has sparked strong pushback from victims’ families and the Jeju Air pilots’ union.
simpleflying.com
July 21, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Some reports today about Jeju Air, the accident where we saw a 737 float along 2/3 of the runway and then crashing in a horrible overrun. Apparently a new interim report, shown to the families, seems to indicate the wrong engine shut down by the captain.
simpleflying.com/pilots-switc...
simpleflying.com/pilots-switc...
Done for another six months with the simulator. But flying a raw data manual thrust pattern followed by holding and procedural ILS at 2:00 in the morning is quite tiring.
June 24, 2025 at 12:48 AM
Done for another six months with the simulator. But flying a raw data manual thrust pattern followed by holding and procedural ILS at 2:00 in the morning is quite tiring.
Flying into Zürich today we got pushed to fly fast, until around 100NM out the slowed us down to minimum clean. They had to switch from the usual landing runway 14 to 28 as the tailwind was at 10kts.
Clean aircraft.
Zürich on our „downwind“ to runway 28.
Clean aircraft.
Zürich on our „downwind“ to runway 28.
May 23, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Flying into Zürich today we got pushed to fly fast, until around 100NM out the slowed us down to minimum clean. They had to switch from the usual landing runway 14 to 28 as the tailwind was at 10kts.
Clean aircraft.
Zürich on our „downwind“ to runway 28.
Clean aircraft.
Zürich on our „downwind“ to runway 28.
Da ist man mal in Berlin und die haben einfach nen Feiertag und alles hat zu. Gleich wieder ein Pluspunkt für Portugal.
May 8, 2025 at 8:41 AM
Da ist man mal in Berlin und die haben einfach nen Feiertag und alles hat zu. Gleich wieder ein Pluspunkt für Portugal.
Another early flight to Zürich and back, some turbulence during cruise which we could avoid by descending a bit early.
Lyon.
Passing Geneva the view into the beautiful alps.
The plume from a powerplant cooling tower indicates no wind on the ground.
Lyon.
Passing Geneva the view into the beautiful alps.
The plume from a powerplant cooling tower indicates no wind on the ground.
May 1, 2025 at 8:47 AM
Another early flight to Zürich and back, some turbulence during cruise which we could avoid by descending a bit early.
Lyon.
Passing Geneva the view into the beautiful alps.
The plume from a powerplant cooling tower indicates no wind on the ground.
Lyon.
Passing Geneva the view into the beautiful alps.
The plume from a powerplant cooling tower indicates no wind on the ground.
Climbing out of Porto I wish somebody had cleaned the windshield. Most of Europe seems to be clear of clouds, so I could take this nice picture of Lindau am Bodensee (lake Constanze) on our way to Prag.
Now we fuel up 10.4t for the 3 hour flight back to Porto into bad weather.
Now we fuel up 10.4t for the 3 hour flight back to Porto into bad weather.
April 30, 2025 at 9:46 AM
Climbing out of Porto I wish somebody had cleaned the windshield. Most of Europe seems to be clear of clouds, so I could take this nice picture of Lindau am Bodensee (lake Constanze) on our way to Prag.
Now we fuel up 10.4t for the 3 hour flight back to Porto into bad weather.
Now we fuel up 10.4t for the 3 hour flight back to Porto into bad weather.
2nd flight to Sal (Cape Verde) in 3 days. It is by far our longest flight at around 4 hours each way, and requires SATCOM for the short oceanic part.
Some interesting clouds over the Atlantic.
Tenerife.
Approaching the coast south of Porto.
Some interesting clouds over the Atlantic.
Tenerife.
Approaching the coast south of Porto.
April 21, 2025 at 3:57 PM
2nd flight to Sal (Cape Verde) in 3 days. It is by far our longest flight at around 4 hours each way, and requires SATCOM for the short oceanic part.
Some interesting clouds over the Atlantic.
Tenerife.
Approaching the coast south of Porto.
Some interesting clouds over the Atlantic.
Tenerife.
Approaching the coast south of Porto.
Years ago during my medical, after I did the hearing test my AME commented: „you’re flying the 737, right? Increased hearing loss on your left side where you usually have your headset off.“ And that was true, you keep the ear to your colleague off to be able to hear them.
While I’m Team Rubber Band (if equipped), I’m also Team Don’t Talk To Me. IYKYK.
April 17, 2025 at 8:20 AM
Years ago during my medical, after I did the hearing test my AME commented: „you’re flying the 737, right? Increased hearing loss on your left side where you usually have your headset off.“ And that was true, you keep the ear to your colleague off to be able to hear them.
My last flight of this block, to Zürich and back. Since our flight time was longer than the planned block time, we arrived a few minutes late, but will be likely on time when we come back. 8.5t for 2:25 flight time.
Climbing into the sunrise.
Descending into the Alps.
Climbing into the sunrise.
Descending into the Alps.
April 6, 2025 at 8:15 AM
My last flight of this block, to Zürich and back. Since our flight time was longer than the planned block time, we arrived a few minutes late, but will be likely on time when we come back. 8.5t for 2:25 flight time.
Climbing into the sunrise.
Descending into the Alps.
Climbing into the sunrise.
Descending into the Alps.
Last day of flying myself for at least a week. Today to Zürich and back. In an aircraft that I flew fresh out of delivery nearly 10 years ago in a different airline.
First livery of the aircraft. (📸 Mikko Mertanen).
Avoiding a Cb.
Sunset colors.
First livery of the aircraft. (📸 Mikko Mertanen).
Avoiding a Cb.
Sunset colors.
March 24, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Last day of flying myself for at least a week. Today to Zürich and back. In an aircraft that I flew fresh out of delivery nearly 10 years ago in a different airline.
First livery of the aircraft. (📸 Mikko Mertanen).
Avoiding a Cb.
Sunset colors.
First livery of the aircraft. (📸 Mikko Mertanen).
Avoiding a Cb.
Sunset colors.
Today is a long and in Porto stormy day. First flight was quite nice though, to Nantes in 1:20 with 6.5t of block fuel in our 10 year old A320 CEO.
Approaching the French coast.
Some construction in a large off shore wind farm.
Approaching the French coast.
Some construction in a large off shore wind farm.
March 19, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Today is a long and in Porto stormy day. First flight was quite nice though, to Nantes in 1:20 with 6.5t of block fuel in our 10 year old A320 CEO.
Approaching the French coast.
Some construction in a large off shore wind farm.
Approaching the French coast.
Some construction in a large off shore wind farm.
A nice and early flight to Basel and back. My FO wanted to challenge himself and wanted to fly back into very gusty winds during landing, I managed a nice approach with everything off out of FL 100. So all in all a nice day. Although some mountain waves were interesting.
March 8, 2025 at 12:56 PM
A nice and early flight to Basel and back. My FO wanted to challenge himself and wanted to fly back into very gusty winds during landing, I managed a nice approach with everything off out of FL 100. So all in all a nice day. Although some mountain waves were interesting.
Climbing into the rising sun on our way to Paris Orly. Now preparing the flight back to Porto, in a nearly 8 year old A320CEO. We take 6.6t of fuel for a flight time of 1:45h, which means were off work at 11:35. and then I can enjoy my 3 off days.
March 2, 2025 at 8:50 AM
Climbing into the rising sun on our way to Paris Orly. Now preparing the flight back to Porto, in a nearly 8 year old A320CEO. We take 6.6t of fuel for a flight time of 1:45h, which means were off work at 11:35. and then I can enjoy my 3 off days.