Taylor Swift - 1989: Track by track review

Musicians come and go. Some leave significant marks and some, maybe not. And then there's Taylor Swift. Not only is she a musician but she is also a woman of her own empire and career. With physical album sales decreasing each year, is she going to be the one who changes that? With brilliant promotional efforts (Polaroid copies in physical albums)  and not to mention a cult following consisting of fans ranging from young teenage girls to God knows who else called Swifties, 1989 might just be a game changer. Here is my review of Taylor Swift's fifth studio album, 1989 (Deluxe version).

Few artists make a change in direction musically and few have done such drastic changes such as Swift. From the girl next door singing out country tunes, our own diaries and stories to a woman selling out stadium shows with 3 major headlining tours worldwide, let's see how Swift's new musical path fares.

1. Welcome to New York

"It's a new soundtrack I could dance to this beat"
Right from the get go you know from this track this is something completely different than what she's ever done but she still manages to keep to her old self. "took our broken hearts/put them in a drawer". The usual writing style of metaphors and visualization remains. Sonically, this is so different. Synths and mildly heavy drums dominate this track. It is lively and bright. Much like the city of New York.

2. Blank Space

This song is breathy with quick pauses and short, few-worded sentences. Swift pokes fun at herself singing "got a long list of ex-lovers/they'll tell you I'm insane". The synths continue their dominance here albeit being slightly hidden in the background for the earlier parts of the track. And oh that pen click. Seriously? Genius. The signature guitar sound that Swift is known for is barely audible in the midst of the drum and synth heavy production. This is one song you'll dance to in public without you noticing.

3. Style

The intro guitar riff is sick. Then comes the disco beats. Swift's vocals are smooth, soft and clear. She describes that he has that "James Dean, daydream look" which I'm sure prompted a sudden spike in James Dean searches on Google. Transition from the verses to the chorus is quite significant. It sounds like you're thrown into another different song but you're still listening to that one song. But the pre-chorus covers that transition nicely. I can imagine how many commercials this song will be used in. A very nice song for cruising along in your car singing along to. This is so clearly pop but Swift just manages to make it sound like a different kind of pop.

4. Out Of The Woods

By far this is the most metaphorically visual song on this album. Sure, it is repetitive but somehow you can't bring yourself to press that Next button. The spaces between the repeated words are filled with background vocalizations that you can't help but sing along to. This track showcases the best bridge in this entire album, demonstrating that the maestro songwriter that Swift is hasn't lost her touch to connect deeply through lyrics which hangs in the balance between the emotional spectrum. You can hear sadness, nostalgia, joy and fear.

5. All You Had To Do Was Stay

I classify this song as an in-between/transition song. There is nothing much that stands out in this song except for the word "Stay" sung in an opera voice in the choruses and also the line "You were all I wanted/But not like this". This song sounds like generic pop. I wouldn't skip this song in a full album listening session. Rather I'd go grab some snacks or something with this song playing in the background. The acoustic guitars make a return here in the chorus background. Lyrically, heartbreak is still the main driving force.

6. Shake It Off

This was the first track from 1989 which was released to the world two months before the album itself was available. Since then it has garnered positive feedback and earned a lot of number 1's in a lot of countries all over the world. Sonically, the trumpets are a nice welcome into Swift's changing repertoire of sounds. However I was surprised it wasn't continued throughout the rest of the album. This is my new hairbrush/shower song and it's hard not to get caught up in its catchy tune and repeated choruses. Also the track involves many different minor production details which you might find fun listening out for. It is fun and unapologetic.

7. I Wish You Would

You can hear the 80's influences right from the guitar intro. It has short verses and choruses. Lyrically, it is reminiscent of 'I Almost Do' from Red. Though short, the words seem to speak your inner thoughts and blow your mind with how simple and straight forward they are. Swift's vocals are showcased clearly in this track. This is another repetitive track. I guess that's the inevitable direction that pop songs seem to gravitate to in the end. But it is still bearable.

8. Bad Blood

"Still got scars on my back from your knife". Of all the times I've used the term 'backstabber' I've never thought of phrasing it that way. Damn you, Swift. This is the angriest track on the record, even by my standards surpassing "Better Than Revenge" from Speak Now. Sonically it is rebellious, excellent to strut to and daringly bratty, After the powerful punchy verses and choruses, she tones it down in the bridge only to come back louder and stronger. Also, can we take a moment to go to 02:51 to 02:54 and just listen to that angry high vocal run in the background?

9. Wildest Dreams

This track cries out hopelessness, letting go and hope. The emotion and vulnerability in the vocals make a statement that this track is going to be timeless and it is a gem among the many pop heavy songs on this album. Many have likened it to a Lana Del Ray sound. I honestly have never heard any songs from Lana Del Ray but in my opinion it sounds Lorde inspired. Swift's vocals are always at its best when singing slow ballads and it is evident here as well as on other slow tracks on the record. The instrumentation is unobtrusive. In this track, less is enough.

10. How You Get The Girl

 I wouldn't exactly classify this as bugglegum pop but it sure sounds like it is aiming for that direction. This is definitely radio material and nice to be played out loud cruising on long sunny roads. The old Taylor signature guitar sounds are back here. The track gives you the impression of a happy romance which makes you go head over heels about. Also, I liked the combination of synths and modern beats. However, still not the strongest song on the record.

11. This Love

Wow where can I even begin. I think this and Wildest Dreams are my absolute favorites. This track is so raw, so imperfect. The intro sounds a little like something from Lady Antebellum but it ends there. If you have sharp ears you might be able to hear the slight imperfection in the guitar picking. And that is why I love this track. It is not as polished as the rest and it helps in projecting the emotion and rawness of it all. Swift's vocals are breathy, soothing, haunting, slow and beautiful. It has excellent production value and the background vocals towards the end are just so crystal clear it rings in your ears. If you can turn beauty into a song, this is it. Another diamond in the rough.

12. I Know Places

Dark tones mixed with mid tempo beats, haunting piano. They mix well together. Swift's vocals go into unfamiliar territory here. I mean just listen to that line "And we run" at 1:39. I am unsure what to make of this song. It kind of makes you want to scream this song out loud but also drunk-dance to it. Lyrically it talks about hiding from other people who are going to say things about your relationship with someone else. Production and vocal processing is mildly heavy here but with the piano in the background, you can surely imagine it would sound great acoustically. Another favorite of mine.

13. Clean

Metronome beats, electronic basses, light synths and Imogen Heap in the background. Add in Taylor Swift into the mix with lyrics so good and it becomes a sound of liberation, completeness and closure. Clean is the closing track for the record. It has a sound which is very different from the previous 12 songs. It is slow and nice, like a much slower version of Hillary Duff's "Come Clean". Imogen Heap's background vocals are tastefully placed, the production gives way to Swift's soothing voice and this track just puts you gently back down to earth, ready to remove your earphones after a roller coaster ride of an album.

So with the Deluxe version of 1989 you get 3 extra songs and 3 voice memos. The voice memos are basically Swift explaining her songwriting process and provides audio taken directly from her phone when submitting song ideas to producers. It was really interesting to listen to them because Swift has had 4 studio albums and people often ask her how her songwriting process usually is and I'm glad that she decided to include the voice memos to give us a little sneak peek of how a song is created and ends up being on the record.  

Also if you buy a physical copy of the album (normal and Deluxe), you will get 13 Polaroid pictures included. That's a really nice marketing strategy seeing how physical album sales have been in the decline. But whatever it is, 1989 is heading straight up with 600,000 sales within 24 hours of its release. Billboard has also just announcer 1989 to have sold 1.287 million in its first week, beating Red which sold 1.208 million. This makes her the only female artist to have three million-selling figures in her album's first week debut.  

Now on to the review of the 3 bonus tracks from the Deluxe version. 

14. Wonderland

Initially, this song was my least favorite but as I listened to it more each day, I got quite hooked on it. Sonically and lyrically, it sounds like a mix of I Knew You Were Trouble and I Know Places with the dubstep and electronic sounds combined with the lyrics of shielding your relationship away from the public eye. This is a song you'd find yourself headbanging to with arms in the air. The line "And life was never worse but never better" is exquisite.

15. You Are In Love

The best way I would describe this track is a very vivid description of a couple truly in love with each other. With years of singing about her own love life, Swift has decided to turn it around and sing about her producer Jack Antonoff and his girlfriend, Lena Dunham. And hey, it works just as well as when she's singing about her own love. Lena described this song as their wedding song and I think she made the right call. This song could very well be playing in the background of a Nicholas Sparks/John Green movie. The emotion is so clearly heard and the message is loud and clear. You can see that these two people are truly in love. This is the longest song on the Deluxe version of the record and I liken it to "Last Kiss" from Speak Now. Just that it's written from the opposite side of the emotional spectrum.

16. New Romantics

"Heartbreak is the national anthem/We sing it proudly/We are too busy dancing to get knocked off our feet/Baby we're the new romantics/The best people in life are free"
Okay dance party anyone? Swift exhibits a young, rebellious, fun and bratty sound in this one. I dare you to tell me you did not sing the "ahaahaahahahahahhahah" part sounding totally annoying. Swift's vocal range has clearly improved and it is showcased here in the background vocals. Quite a suitable song to be played in clubs but I don't actually go to clubs so I wouldn't know. But anyhow, this track ends the Deluxe version on a cheery, positive note. Not the best of them but certainly not the worst. Just in the middle.

In conclusion, I really like to describe this album as a roller coaster ride. From the first track which talks about moving somewhere else to begin again and experiencing so many different new sounds, it is anything but below expectations. You've done it again, Swift. Well done. I must note that the strengths of this album are the slow ballads and the catchy tunes. Yes, love and heartbreak is still the main theme behind this album, such as it has always been. But it comes not from a place of tragic loss but instead from a perspective of starting anew and being happy. And with this album, I am happy. 

Thanks for reading. 

My First AirAsia Flight Attendant Interview Experience

To be honest, I was never too keen on becoming a flight attendant. My main goal was always to be in the front seat in the cockpit. But hey, gotta try something else once in a while right? It all started when I went with a friend to a job fair last month and there was an AirAsia kiosk. Apparently there were only 100 application forms available and those who brought their resume only needed to fill the form at the kiosk and were interviewed on the spot. But as always with AirAsia and their flight attendant recruitment, the forms got snapped up like hot cakes. We were told there was going to be a walk-in interview on the 18th of October and I made the craziest decision to go for it. We wanted to attend the interview for the experience since we were still in college and close to finishing our diplomas. So at least we have experience going to a job interview before we even graduate. I dragged my friend along and he was quite reluctant at first but as the 18th drew nearer, we were filled with nervous anticipation. But anyways I'm pretty sure you guys will want to know how it was, right? Keep in mind I'm a male and some procedures might be different from the ones you might have read on other blogs. There isn't always necessarily a specific procedure or question set.

For the list of requirements and the things that you need to prepare, please please refer to the AirAsia website or at FlyGosh.com

So registration was from 9AM to 11AM. Candidates are advised to be there early as the line may be quite long. Which it was. We arrived at Kuching International Airport at around 8:45 and the queue was crazy. I heard the total number of candidates was somewhere over a hundred people. And that is considered a small number.

First Stage
The first stage is the document and credentials check. They will check if you have brought with you everything that you need (Eg: IC, SPM cert photocopy bla bla bla). After that you will proceed to the height check (barefoot). Again, for the minimum requirements please refer to the AirAsia website. The minimum requirement is printed on the form too. If you are a few centimeters below the required height, they might pass you. MIGHT. Then you are given a number and you have to join a separate queue. There are two queues. One was for registration and the other is the one where you will join when you pass the first stage.

Second Stage
The second stage is the one on one interview. Since the AirAsia office in KIA is quite small, they will ask you to enter in pairs. Sometimes they will ask 4 people to enter to speed up the process. Once inside the office, there will be a holding place where you will wait for your turn. The interview took place in a small room. Totally different than what I expected. It was a small room with two tables set approximately one metre apart with one candidate per table. Behind each table are two interviewers. You will be asked to stand in front of the table. No sitting here. The questions they will ask you or the stuff they will ask you to do varies with each person. What you will be asked depends on the interviewer. For me they asked me to introduce myself, explain why I chose this position in this industry and what my hobbies were.
All pretty straight forward. There is really no telling what they will ask you so I suggest before attending the interview you read up on as many things as you can. For example the company's statistics, who the key people are, important achievements etc. After they are done asking you questions there will be a card on the table. You will have to pick it up and read the announcement scripts. They are in English and Malay, 2 different sentences. They might not ask you to read all of it. They asked me to read the English parts only. But that part is simple. Just make sure you articulate your words well and be calm. Make sure your words are loud and audible. After that they will give you feedback and probably point out things that you need to improve on.
Try not to give cliche answers. Map out your answers and make them stand out because within those few minutes in front of the interviewers, you really do need to impress them quick.

Please keep in mind they will not tell you whether you passed or failed on the spot. They will notify you via email in a few weeks' time.
And with that, it's over. It seems really quick when you go in but it might actually be quite long.

A few tips:
-those with glasses, get contact lenses. I did not see a single person with glasses on that day. If you have never used contact lenses before, make sure you get them at least a few days or maybe weeks before the interview. Get a feel of them and make sure you're comfortable with them on.
-make sure you are neat and please do not wear casual. at least wear something that is presentable. Treat it like a very important job interview. Which it is.
-make a checklist of the items required a few days before the interview. keep it all in an envelope or a folder and do double checks every night.
-for those who have pimples, try to cover them up especially if your pimples are glaringly obvious. they might check for facial scars too.
-trim your nails! they might ask to see your hands and fingers.
-make sure you are confident in your communication skills and take care of your personal grooming. they are really particular about that.
-SMILE! Be friendly and nice to everyone! Especially the ones handling your forms in the first stage. They might seem nasty and sarcastic but they are supposed to be because they are judging you from that very moment you make contact with them. They are judging your reactions and how you handle things even before the interview begins! And keep a look out for some staff walking around. They might be judging you too. Basically be nice and say hi to everyone even if you come across one of the crew in the toilets. I'm serious.

I hope that this post was helpful. If you have any questions you can comment and ask. But please do not ask about the requirements and all that. Do your own homework, put in your own effort. If you are afraid that you will not meet the height requirement but you still wanna try anyway, just go for it! Never try, never know right?

Thanks for reading :)

Taylor Swift - Shake It Off first impressions and 1989 expectations

So at the time of writing, it has been 8 hours since Taylor Swift's livestream on Yahoo. And with it being held at 5PM in the US, it meant that I had to stay up till 5AM to watch it cause' I'm on the other side of the world which kinda sucks abit. But it was worth it. 2 years in the making and the RED era has finally come to an end. Time to see what Taylor has in store for us for the next two years. New album, new songs, new tour, new guitars, new fans, possibly new cat (I hope).

13 seconds to go!

*Heavy breathing*

The moment this happened felt like the moment in the Red Tour when the curtains parted and lifted, revealing Taylor on stage.

So I'm not gonna talk too much about the livestream, if you wanna watch it you can do so here.

There were essentially three parts to the livestream, each part consisting of an announcement. First was the new song, second the new music video and third the album reveal itself. Taylor has done a pretty good job of keeping things under wraps this whole time, with her fans playing detective and most of the theories have been proven wrong. Not bad throwing us off, Taylor, not bad at all. No song leak on the internet, just probably a few lines of the lyrics and the album cover leaking just minutes away from the livestream.

Behold, the fifth studio album from Taylor Swift, 1989. 

The single artwork

But anyways, first impression of the song:

It was so good! I'm not saying this because I'm biased and I'm a big Taylor fan but honestly if I wasn't a fan of her I would love it straight away because it's just so catchy. Gone are the mincing guitar lines and familiar sound that we have grown up listening to but instead it's replaced with horns and trumpets.

The thing I like about this song is the message it brings: that you can be whoever you wanna be and people are gonna say what they wanna say and you can either absorb it in and kill yourself over what they say or you can just...........................shake it off :)

It's really a sassy and upbeat number which you can easily dance to. 

I've noticed a different sounding Taylor in terms of vocals too. There's still a hint of that soft breathy vocal quality from previous albums but there is also this strong kind of pop-ready sound to her which I think the mix between both the old and new sounds really blend well together.

It is easily radio quality, a big improvement over her previous work.

The little rap part brings back memories of the mini monologue from We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together. 

Tastefully done and laughable, I will definitely enjoy singing that part in karaokes. Overall this song introduces us to a whole new Taylor but you still get that hint of the real her. Like some things change but it doesn't change too much till it becomes really foreign to you, get what I'm saying?

I'm sure there are already people who've listened to the song or watched the music video shaking their heads and going 'no, this isn't Taylor Swift, she used to be country' or 'she's not country anymore' or 'she's changed so much' or all that kind of stuff.

The thing is ladies and gentlemen, artists are supposed to grow or evolve, if you will. I say that because my definition of a good artist is someone who is willing to take risks, to try new sonic boundaries and new sounds, styles and just see what you can do. That is a mature artist and I genuinely respect those people who actually take risks and make decisions and try something new. Because isn't that what life is about? You never know what surprises you might find. You might love it or not but at least you tried. 

And I'm speaking about artists/musicians in general, not just Taylor.  

Besides, let's just be real for a moment here. 

If she changes her sound (like she does in this album and Red) people would criticize her straying away from country.

If she stays country, people will criticize her and say she's so boring singing the same old songs with the same old style.

See where I'm going? People are gonna say something whatever you do. So just shake it off =D 

Plus, if I were her I wouldn't wanna look back at my life 10 years from now and say 'oh I've only done country records this whole time, I really wished I tried something new'.
And I would really like to address the comments on YouTube and various websites who have called out Taylor because of twerking elements in this video or the musical direction she is going. Honestly if you're gonna not like this song just because of the twerking or the music style then you have not fully appreciated the point of the song. The point of the song is to make fun of yourselves, to not care what people say and to just you know, have some fun and laugh and be humorous. People are taking this way too seriously when it should be all about having fun and being silly. Everyone's entitled to it but I just don't get why people would wanna turn it into such big of an issue. Sigh..y'all need to take a chill pill.
But anyways...

Inspired by 1980's pop sounds, Taylor confirmed that 1989 is going to be a pop album, I'm still unsure if I am ready for this. This might mean no heart wrenching ballads like White Horse, All Too Well but at the same time I'm definitely ready for new sounds like State Of Grace, I Knew You Were Trouble and Holy Ground. I would also like for more guitar laid songs, soft intimate music and just slow ballads because that's where Taylor showcases her songwriting skills the most. There will be 13 tracks on the standard edition album plus an additional 3 songs so I'm really excited for what's on the rest of the album. Here's to another two year journey with Taylor and I will see you guys again with another blog post, hopefully a review of 1989 in around a three month timeframe! :)

And don't forget to check out the music video for Shake It Off here:

Till, then goodbye RED era and welcome, 1989.

Virtual flying? Virtual airlines? Virtual air traffic control? What?

So many people have dreamt of flying, me including. The feeling of soaring above the clouds with the shadow of your aircraft beneath you in the clouds. Yes, YOUR aircraft, piloted by you, with you at the commands. However for many very valid reasons, not everyone has the luxury to fulfill that dream. So those people turn to virtual aviation. Virtual aviation makes use of desktop flight simulators, an online aviation network and software developers who create addons to add to the level of realism in these flight sumlators. 

Some might think that desktop flight simulators are nothing in comparison with the real deal. Admittedly, that is the case. You cannot feel the same things you feel when you are up in the air with the sun in your face and feeling your stomach falling when the aircraft climbs. However, desktop simulation has reached a level so high that certain aircraft addons have been approved to be used for training purposes be it at home or for commercial simulation training. So when it comes to system simulations, you can be assured that the virtual aviator community has got that covered. 

That being said, I will show you in detail a flight operated by a virtual airline called Malaysia Virtual Airlines. MVA is not in any way associated with the real life operations of Malaysia Airlines or its subsidiaries. It does, however simulate operations of the aviation industry in Malaysia based upon the real world activities of Malaysia Airlines, Transmile Air Services, AirAsia, AirAsia X, Firefly, MASWings, MASKargo, Berjaya Air and Malindo Air. 

I fly for the AirAsia and AirAsia X portion of MVA and as such, I mainly fly the Airbus A320 and A330-300. Today we will focus on a popular domestic route, Kuching to Kuala Lumpur as flight AK5209. 

My pilot badge as of 3rd July 2014

MVA uses a flight tracking software which connects to Microsoft Flight Simulator X to track the VA pilots' flights in real time. The software is called mACARS and it records the flight profile and other details of the aircraft along its journey. 

So first before starting a flight I would start up FSX (Flight Simulator X) at the origin airport, set the aircraft up and connect to an online network called VATSIM which stands for Virtual Air Traffic Simulation. VATSIM is a network populated by virtual aviators such as myself. In VATSIM we have the virtual pilots and virtual air traffic controllers. The ATC follow real world operation procedures for the region/country they are in and it is really close to the real thing. We even have real world ATC logging onto VATSIM to help control the virtual airspace in their free time. The Malaysian side of VATSIM has its own batch of controllers servicing mainly Kuala Lumpur and Penang. However these controllers can switch to control at any airport they like.  For more information of VATSIM in Malaysia, the link is here. So at the end of the day, VATSIM is quite a professional environment to be in. More on that later.

The aircraft we will be flying today is an Airbus A320-216 registration 9M-AQR. All aircraft registered in Malaysia will carry '9M' in front of it followed by whatever code the operator chooses. The A320 is a short to medium haul passenger aircraft with a max seating capacity of 180 passengers. It has a maximum cruise speed of Mach 0.82 (which is 82% the speed of sound) and a maximum range of 3100 nautical miles. It uses the famous Fly-By-Wire avionics technology and has an excellent safety record all over the world.

So I load up the aircraft in a cold and dark state (with no electrical power and with engines off) and I prepare the aircraft for the journey. This phase of the flight mainly includes powering the aircraft up and setting up the flight computers with all the necessary information. 

The aircraft all powered up and ready to load cargo and passengers

Catering trucks have started loading. Note that the aircraft doesn't use the PBB (passenger boarding bridge) like in the real world operations in Kuching.

The aircraft registration can be seen here

At this time I will 'walk around' the aircraft and physically inspect everything outside the aircraft and check for any damages  

Registration is also under the wings

The cargo has arrived and is being loaded

After the walkaround is completed, I set up the flight computers for the route and wait for the boarding and loading to be finished. 

The MCDU (Multi Control Display Unit) being set up for the initial stages of route planning. 

 The route we will be using to KL is given by MVA which is:

KAMIN G334 SAROX

A flight plan route follows the format ORIGIN-WAYPOINT-AIRWAY-WAYPOINT-DESTINATION
In this case, the origin will be WBGG which is the airport code for Kuching International Airport and the destination will be WMKK which is the code for Kuala Lumpur International Airport. A waypoint is a set of coordinates that are given names to identify them easily and they can be considered as 'checkpoints' which pilots need to fly over in a route. An airway is like a highway in the sky used to get from waypoint to waypoint. In this case, KAMIN and SAROX are waypoints and G334 is an airway. Airways are usually denoted by a combination of a letter and numbers.

We are taking 8,480kg of fuel today. The total number includes the trip fuel, contingency fuel, reserves, taxi fuel, holding fuel and others.

So once we have everything set up and loaded, we can now push back from the gate and start our flight.
Contrary to what some people may think, aircraft do not have a 'reverse gear' or a 'drive' mode. That is not how they move on the ground. Aircraft move by forward thrust and reverse thrust. Reverse thrust are mainly used during the landing roll to redirect the flow to help slow the plane down. It is possible to use reverse thrust to move the aircraft backwards but there is always a danger of ground equipment damage, injury/death, foreign object and debris injection into the engines, not to mention higher fuel consumption. Therefore it is not practical to start the engines at the gate and reverse the aircraft from the gate using its own thrust. However smaller prop aircraft may use reverse thrust at the gate although it is still under the authority of the airport regulations and air traffic control for that manoeuvre.

Pushback commences at 7:59AM, one minute ahead of the scheduled departure time of 8:00AM.

Pushback is done using a pushback tug/tractor. The aircraft is positioned on the apron in a way that it is far from any ground crew or equipment for the safe start of engines.

Engine 2 (right engine) is started first followed by Engine 1. Both ECAM displaying the engine parameters that needs constant monitoring throughout the startup process.

Pushback tug has been disconnected and we are ready to roll!


Flight controls check. The ailerons on the right wing lifting.

The lower ECAM screen showing the flight control surfaces' deflections.

We will be taking off from runway 25 using the SID (Standard Instrument Departure) IGEVU1E. SIDs are predetermined routes that need to be followed by all outbound traffic flying IFR. It reduces the ATC workload and provides a more systematic flow of traffic away from the airport. 

Our V speeds for today's departure will be V1=148knots, VR=149knots and V2=150 knots with a flap setting of 1+F.

The IGEVU1E departure from runway 25. We will first climb out on the runway heading (248 degrees) and reach the MUPEP waypoint at or above 3100 feet. From there, we will turn right on a heading of 293 degrees and track direct to the IGEVU waypoint. From IGEVU, we will continue on to the first waypoint of our route. Note the M761 in the black box. That is another example of an airway.

08:11AM
Lined up on runway 25, slowly advancing the thrust levers for takeoff power.

Climbout. Goodbye Kuching! See you soon! :D

Gorgeous Kuching scenery

Climbing to our cruise altitude of 36000 feet, tracking the IGEVU waypoint on a heading of 293 degrees just like in the SID chart, thereafter to our route's first waypoint KAMIN. The blue arrow on the right hand side display (ND-Navigation Display) denotes the top of climb, a point in which we transition from the climb phase to the cruise phase.

The captain's sliding tables. No traditional yoke or 'steering wheel' here. Airbuses are flown using a sidestick.

Passing Gunung Rumput and the town of Lundu. The view in real life is even more breathtaking. If you bother to look out and appreciate it. 

Leaving Borneo at 27000 feet

Reaching out cruise altitude

Tracking my flight. On the radar you can see other pilots around. Those are all virtual pilots in the air doing the same thing we are doing right now. Flying in the virtual skies! :) Over at Peninsula Malaysia, you will see it is covered in a blue shape. That is the Malaysian airspace (Peninsula side) also known as Lumpur Centre. When you see this, it means that there is an air traffic controller on VATSIM controlling that airspace. Over at WMKK (KLIA) you will see D,G,T,A. Those are Delivery, Ground, Tower and ATIS. Those stationed are manned by different people for each station and they control certain parts of the airport (such as ground movements and takeoff/landing clearance) and airspace. Once I cross into the blue boundary, I am required to contact the controller for Lumpur Centre. He will give me a transponder code to squawk so he can identify me on his radar. From there he will give me clearance to KLIA and also issue me descent instructions. At a certain distance from the airport, I will be handed over to Tower who will give me my landing clearance and once the runway has been vacated, I will be handed over to Ground for my instructions to the gate. Just like in real life :) ATIS stands for Automated Terminal Information System and it gives me information regarding the airfield such as the weather, cloud bases, temperature, runways in use etc.

After cruising for a little over an hour, I am given my descent instructions and arrival information. I am given the LENK1A STAR via SAROX transition. STARs (Standard Terminal Arrival Route uses the same concept as SID, just that STARs are for arrivals). I am instructed to descend from 36000 feet to 13000 feet. 

Choosing the ILS runway 15 approach. Runway 15/33 is the new third runway built for KLIA2 operations recently. As we are an AirAsia flight, I am given runway 15. Runway in use is usually determined by the wind direction as aircraft should land and takeoff into the wind.

Selecting the SAROX transition. As SAROX is the last waypoint in my route, I will transition from SAROX into the LENK1A arrival.

Entering the arrival information. The final approach speed is calculated by the computer which in this case is 137 knots.

Descending into KL.

And from SAROX we go to LENKI (that is why the STAR is called LENK1A). Note in magenta there are numbers next to the waypoints. Those are speed and altitude restrictions. At LENKI we should be at or above 10000 feet at a speed of 250 knots. At KIDOT, we should be at or above 6000 feet with a speed of 210 knots. A pretty straight forward visualization of the approach path to the runway. 

Autobrake setting on LOW. Runway 15 is long enough with dry conditions so I don't need that much braking power.

Banking right to join the circuit

The blue line of the route is the missed approach line. In case the landing has to be aborted, this is the route I have to follow before being given instructions by ATC to rejoin the pattern for approach.

Speedbrakes deployed to help us slow down

Gear going down

Flaps in full configuration for landing

Runway 15 ahead. On the left is runway 14R

Touchdown at 9:38AM, spoilers up! These panels are also called 'lift dumpers' because they 'spoil' or 'dump' the lift from the wings, allowing for more drag

Nice solid thud onto runway 15

After vacating the runway, I am handed over to Ground traffic control and was told to taxi to any gate at my discretion. I chose gate J2. In real life operations, AirAsia operates domestic flights from the J and K apron of KLIA2. 

Follow-me car to the gate. KLIA2 apron and taxiway operations still need getting used to for me. Follow-me car and at the gate services provided by an addon called GSX (Ground Services X). I recommend you to get it to add a nice touch to your ground movement in airports.

Passengers disembarking via jetway just like in real life KLIA2. Baggage unloading at the same time.

On block time: 9:49AM

With a total amount of fuel used at 4200kg, we have safely arrived at our destination. That concludes the 1 hour 38 minutes flight and I hope you enjoyed everything. Feel free to ask any questions in the comments section. 

DISCLAIMER: FOR USE IN FLIGHT SIMULATION ONLY. THIS POST DOES NOT REPRESENT THE COMPLETE OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES OF AIRASIA AND ITS AFFILIATES IN REAL LIFE 

All in all, I hope this gives you enough information to satisfy your curiosity as to why some people spend hours in front of their computer 'playing' a 'game' like this. I strongly disagree when someone calls Microsoft Flight Simulator X a game. The level of realism keeps growing over time and people do it out of love for aviation. Some treat it as a hobby or a passion satisfied by alternative means. Some just like the fun of flying an aircraft and to be able to simulate emergencies and failures without actually endangering their lives. I apologize if this post has been too long. I did try to keep it short >< Perhaps I will write another post like this but from a different perspective. Perhaps. Till then thanks for reading and happy landing always!