Another sunrise, another mission.
Today’s route: Miami (MIA) to Oklahoma City (OKC) aboard our workhorse – the Boeing 737-800 Freighter (B737-800F).
We pushed back from MIA around 06:20 local time, cargo hold packed with e-commerce parcels, industrial parts, and—believe it or not—a box marked “live coral” destined for an aquarium supplier in Tulsa. That's the beauty of cargo—you never know what’s onboard.
Climbing out of Miami, we banked west over the Everglades, watching the orange hue of early morning stretch across the Gulf. The jet felt light, quick. With no passengers and a tailwind forecast, we were looking at a smooth 3-hour hop.
ATC handed us off to Houston Center while crossing the panhandle. Cruising at FL360, we caught sight of a weather cell building over Dallas. Our dispatcher had already flagged it, and sure enough, we requested a slight vector north. Nothing major, but the radar lit up just enough to keep things interesting.
The 737-800F behaves like a charm in the air—responsive, efficient, solid. This bird started its life hauling vacationers; now it's hauling deadlines. Retrofitted just a few years ago, it’s still got that “new freighter” smell inside.
We started our descent over southern Oklahoma. Winds were gusty on approach into OKC, about 18 knots from the northwest. A little bump here and there, but nothing she couldn’t handle. Landed runway 35R—firm but smooth. Touchdown was logged at 08:37 local, right on schedule.
Ramp crew was already waiting. No time wasted. Within minutes, doors were open, and forklifts were rolling. Just another successful sector in the books.
Total Flight Time: 2h 17m
Cargo: 18,400 kg
Aircraft: B737-800F (ex-passenger, converted 2021)
Captain’s Note: “She flew clean today. Wind shear alert on final but handled well. OKC team efficient as always.”
I think this is the first time I have seen Nomadic actually fly a plane full of cargo.
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