Landing on Ganymede

The freighter Miklos' Folly is landing on Ganymede. This was written in response to another player's inquiry as to how to roleplay a landing as a pilot. It's not meant to be funny or anything, just a straight dialogue.

Co-pilot (intercom): Acceleration in 5 minutes. Acceleration in 5 minutes. All crew secure gear and report to acceleration stations.

Pilot: Landing co-ordinates, 16 decimal 301 north, 55 decimal 753 west, radius 2402 decimal 104.

Co-pilot: 16 point 301 north, 55 point 753 west, radius 2401 point 904, check. Co-ordinates entered and locked in.

Pilot: Landing beacon frequency 704.

Co-pilot: 704, check.

Pilot: Transponder 543.

Co-pilot: Transponder not operational. Checked and noted in the log. Proceed with checklist.

Pilot: Inertial platform alignment, zero decimal zero, zero decimal zero zero two, negative zero decimal zero zero one. Within parameters.

Co-pilot: Check.

Pilot: Clock drift, thirty-two microseconds. Within parameters.

Co-pilot: Check.

Pilot: Pitch 90°, yaw 0°, roll 0°.

Co-pilot: Pitch ninety, yaw zero, roll zero, check.

Pilot: Navigation checklist complete.

Co-pilot: Checklist complete. Starting engineering checklist.

Pilot: Initiator capacitors charging.

Co-pilot: Check.

Pilot: Hull radiator pumps on.

Co-pilot: Check.

Pilot: Wing radiator pumps on.

Co-pilot: Check.

Pilot: Hull coolant pressure steady.

Co-pilot: Check.

Pilot: Starboard wing coolant pressure steady.

Co-pilot: Check.

Pilot: Port wing coolant pressure steady.

Co-pilot: Check.

Pilot: Capacitors charged and ready.

Co-pilot: Check.

Co-pilot (intercom): Two minutes to acceleration. Two minutes to acceleration. Crew report in.

Crew One (intercom): Mess-deck and crew quarters secure, crew at acceleration stations and strapped in.

Co-pilot (intercom): Roger that. Cargo?

Crew Two (intercom): Cargo deck secure, crew at station and strapped in.

Co-pilot (intercom): Roger. Bridge?

Pilot: Bridge secure, all crew at stations and strapped in.

Co-pilot: Proceed with checklist.

Pilot: Manoeuvring thrusters circuit check, all green.

Co-pilot: All green, check.

Pilot: Landing gear deployed, circuit check, all green.

Co-pilot: All green, check.

Co-pilot (intercom): Acceleration in one minute. Acceleration in one minute.

Pilot: Starting pellet launcher.

Co-pilot: Check.

Pilot: Pellet launcher at speed.

Co-pilot: Check.

Co-pilot (intercom): De-orbit burn in ten seconds. Zero point three gee in five, four, three, two, one.

Pilot: Ignition. Throttle at 91%, acceleration three decimal zero metres per second.

Co-pilot: Radiators at optimal temperature. Pellet feed steady. Groundspeed 1680 metres per sec, height 425 klicks, range 492 klicks. On the landing beam.

(3 minutes later:)

Co-pilot: Pitch attitude 90°, groundspeed 950 metres per second, range 150 klicks, vertical speed 128 metres per second, altitude 365 klicks, on the beam. Standby for pitch-up manoeuvre.

Pilot: Initiating pitch-up to 70 degrees.

Co-pilot: Pitch 85, 80, 75, 70, steady at 70 degrees, pitch-up complete.

(3 minutes later:)

Co-pilot: Pitch attitude 70°, groundspeed 370 metres per second, range 24 klicks, vertical speed 145 metres per second, altitude 240 klicks, on the beam.

(2 minutes later:)

Co-pilot: Pitch attitude 70°, groundspeed 10 metres per second, range 0 klicks, vertical speed 175 metres per second, altitude 29 klicks, on the beam. Standby for pitch-up manoeuvre.

Pilot: Pitch-up to zero degrees.

Co-pilot: Pitch 65, 60, 50, 40, 30, 20, 10, 5, 0, steady at zero. Pitch-up complete.

Pilot: Throttling down to 30%.

Co-pilot: Throttle at 30% thrust. Groundspeed 2 metres per second, changing range display, range 210 metres, left 10 metres, vertical speed 168 metres per second, altitude 29 klicks.

Co-pilot: Groundspeed 2, range 110, vertical 171, altitude 16 klicks.

Co-pilot: Groundspeed 2, range 70, vertical 189, altitude 14.5.

Pilot: Throttling up to 85%.

Co-pilot: Throttle at 85.

Co-pilot: Groundspeed 0, range 10, vertical 194, altitude 10.5.

Co-pilot: Groundspeed 0, range 10, vertical 131, altitude 4700 metres.

Co-pilot: Groundspeed 0, range 9, vertical 70, altitude 1350.

Pilot: Throttle to 65%.

Co-pilot: Throttle at 65.

Co-pilot: Ground 0, range 9, vertical 20, altitude 160. Melting the frost.

Pilot: Throttle at 33.

Co-pilot: Throttle at 33, ground 0, range 8, vertical 5, altitude 105. Vertical 5, altitude 90. Vertical 5, altitude 70, kicking up some steam. Vertical 5, alt 60. Vertical 5, alt 50. Vertical 5, alt 40. 5, alt 30. 5 alt 20. Alt 10. Alt 5, Alt 2, Contact!

Pilot: Engine shut-off.

Co-pilot: Legs holding, no excess stress, hull level, hull tight.

Pilot: Pellet launcher off. Reducing coolant pressure. Capacitors on slow discharge. Another happy landing, ladies.

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This page updated Weds, Sept 06, 2006 around about 20:00 ish (BST)