Flight Plan (FLIGHT series #01)

Flight 34 - Active Runway

Active Runway

The active runway is the runway at an airport that is currently being used for takeoffs and landings. When multiple runways are used, they are all considered "active runways". It does not necessarily mean that the runway is not being used, rather the direction of takeoffs and landings, since aircraft always go against the wind at such critical phases of flight.
Examples:
RPLB (Subic Bay International Airport) has one runway with an orientation of 070 and 250. When wind is blowing against 250, the active runway that will be used is Runway 25. Same goes with Runway 07. Since wind can't be directly coming from those two degrees, a runway could be chosen depending which direction is favorable.
"3446, wind calm, runway 07. Cleared for takeoff."
Despite having calm wind, the Tower opts to used Runway 07 as favorable.
"3446, wind 210 at 5 knots, runway 25. Cleared to land."
Despite not a direct headwind, but a wind from 210 is a left quartering headwind, the Tower opts to used Runway 25 as favorable.

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After ng first solo ni Nikolai na personally na-witness ng family niya, first solo naman ni Christine the following day ang pinanood ng parents niya. Surprisingly, kahit mukhang maarte or mapagmataas ang parents niya being almost A-list actor and actress, halatang genuine 'yong excitement and happiness nila noong nakapag-solo si Madam President. And hindi lang sila ang dumating na may kasamang mga bodyguards and assistants. Maging si Sir Jared Calunod—or Sir JC, for short—ng Batch Delta 2017 ay dumating din. With matching flowers.

Hindi na nakakagulat na malaman na maging si Sir JC ay pupunta, since alam naman ng batch namin and maging ng mga FI namin ang namamagitan sa kanilang dalawa. Not to mention na just a week ago, tinanong kami ni Christine if paano niya raw sasagutin si Sir JC na matagal na nangliligaw sa kanya. Mukhang since nagkakilala daw 'ata sila, which is noong Ground School pa? Not to mention 'yong na-link sa kanila na issue at that time... but, iyon nga. Sasagutin niya na raw sana si Sir JC, pero gusto niya on the day ng first solo niya; sinabi lang naming mga girls na go on and be happy.

Well, 'yon lang talaga ang masasabi namin. Go on, do what makes you happy. And mukha namang seryoso si Sir JC sa kanya. And hindi rin torpe na hanggang paramadam lamang ang kayang gawin.

The day after that, si Rylie naman ang nag-first solo. Unti-unti na nakakapagsolo ang mga girls sa amin, and mas lalo akong na-pressure to the point na silang mga nakapag-first solo ay magpapa-schedule lang para sa kanilang re-solo and they can finally leave the PBB Subic Edition.

Ganoon kasi ang ginawa ni Vincent, pagkatapos ng first solo ay nagpa-schedule kaagad then umuwi na ng Zamboanga; kaya hindi na rin siya nakasama noon sa mga celebration after ng first solo ni Nikolai, and tinakasan din ang radio duties namin. Si Spencer naman ay nagpa-rest muna ng two weeks after ng first solo bago ang resolo niya, and plan niya na mapuntahan lahat ng first solo ng batch as much as he can. Kagaya rin ng balak ni Spencer ang gagawin nila Nikolai, Axel, Christine at Rylie. Kaya mga by first week ng July, after ng resolo nila, pinapaalis na rin sila ng villa. Sapagkat may mga usap-usapan na among sa batch namin na by the time na more than half na ng batch ang nakapag-solo ay idedeploy na nila ang direct lower namin for their own pre-solo training.

Which is good since hindi na kami 'yong lowest batch na maghahandle ng radios and food run. And hindi na rin kami ang magiging utus-utusan. Pero nakakapressure rin, since it makes us wish to succeed with our first solo as fast as we possibly can.

"Sabi ko naman sa iyo, Yumi." Nikki sighs heavily pagkatapos niya marinig ang kwento ko regarding sa naging lipad ko noong hapon ng araw na iyon. "Dapat 'di mo na lang talaga tinuloy 'yong lipad mo na iyan kasama 'yong Ancheta na iyon."