Ask The Pilot

[markis10]

But, why not think laterally? Why not a dozen or so 747s? Fitted with an AWACs radar, and a couple of rotary launchers for AIM54, Tomahawk, etc....would we need fighters at all?

I think we are stuck with a couple of unarmed 737s with funny tops, flown by pilots that train with DJ just to keep their hours up!

 

[Sifor]

But, why not think laterally? Why not a dozen or so 747s? Fitted with an AWACs radar, and a couple of rotary launchers for AIM54, Tomahawk, etc....would we need fighters at all?

Need fighters as an escort to stop the enemy from shooting down a big juicy target!

 

[ermen]

JB thanks for all the stories. You're a legend!


4. Will the brace position really help?

J

This is to preserve dental records in the event of a fatal crash - easier to identify casualties that way

 

[JOC469]

I've seen a child's toy, which, when turned on, caused the 767 to gently rock from side to side. Only happened within a few feet of a specific seat.

Wow! So this was a repeatable event? Was the cause (not the childs toy, but the location/routing of internal wiring) ever found and a remedy put in place?

 

[jb747]

Wow! So this was a repeatable event? Was the cause (not the childs toy, but the location/routing of internal wiring) ever found and a remedy put in place?

It was repeatable on that day, at that time, with that toy.

The solution was a ban on transmitters. There was nothing wrong with the aircraft. That's the whole problem with the electronic noise issue. The aircraft are not hardened against it, and there is no real rhyme or reason to what will, or will not, cause a problem. Newer digital devices are much less powerful than the older stuff but the new aircraft are probably even more susceptible to stray amps than they ever were.

Nevertheless, I'd expect that just about every laptop that is turned on in flight has both bluetooth and wifi turned on (in fact we were recently asked for the aircraft password, as somebody wanted to log on to the internal system!!!!)

I did hear of a Singair flight that had an outflow valve drive open (pressurisation), that was apparently blamed on a PED, though I don't know how they came to that conclusion.

 

[awilcockson]

Good question. I think it makes no difference whatsoever, but I don't set that policy.

On my recent internal US flight, the window shades stayed firmly down on the side of the aircraft being hit by the sun for the entire flight. I actually went to put mine up before takeoff on the first flight until I realised nobody else was doing it (and the cabin crew weren't asking for it to be done) and sheepishly put it back down again.

Not that I've seen lately, although I suspect some still think there's a toilet in there that they can use. Some aircraft have a 'lobby' set up, so the door that you see does not actually let you into the coughpit, but rather to an intermediate area.

Count me on that list, I got confused on one flight and didn't realise I was headed for the coughpit door instead of the loo while the aircraft was in sleep mode (ie quite dark). I quickly headed back to the seat hoping the cabin crew weren't going to follow me with the restraint kit!

 

[Simsy85]

I've seen a child's toy, which, when turned on, caused the 767 to gently rock from side to side. Only happened within a few feet of a specific seat.

That wouldnt happen to be the furbies would it?? I laugh everytime I look at the in flight card thingy and it has a picture of a furby!!

 

[jb747]

I had to look up what a furby is....and, now that I know, I'm sure that info is displacing something that I really need to know.

I don't recall exactly what it was now, but I think it was one of the early gameboy type devices. Perhaps he had a 767 remote control game....

 

[Simsy85]

I had to look up what a furby is....and, now that I know, I'm sure that info is displacing something that I really need to know.

I don't recall exactly what it was now, but I think it was one of the early gameboy type devices. Perhaps he had a 767 remote control game....

LOL!!

I *ACTUALLY* fell off my chair then... The PA is looking at me like i'm an idiot....

Lets hope that info you displaced isn't somthing crucial to piloting the 380!

 

[drewbles]

This is to preserve dental records in the event of a fatal crash - easier to identify casualties that way

Urban Legend.

Mythbusters did an entire episode on the brace position along with some tests using themselves as the dummies.

It was conclusively proven that it did actually assist in survival of specific accidents, and had nothing to do with 'causing instant death as it is cheaper to settle on death than pay for rehabilitation' or preserving teeth for dental records.

Was a good episode actually

 

[drex]

Excellent thread!

JB747, not sure if you can answer this or not but on some Airbus flights (I've only noticed it on the A320) when taxiing, there is a noise that comes from underneath the plane which is two short stabs and sounds like belts or something else tightening, it happens about every 3 seconds and lasts for most of the taxi but stops before take off (ie: it's not heard when your rolling along the runway) the same noise comes back when you do the taxi to the gate. It's quite hard to explain exactly what it sounds like but hoping you can tell me what it is if you know what I'm talking about?

Thanks, Ben

 

[markis10]

Its mainly on the A320s and some A330s and its whats known as the PTU or power transfer unit, which allows one hydraulic system to pressurise the other should each engine pump be not active or not working properly.

 

[Sifor]

Sounds like flaps and slats being extended/retracted... or not.

 

[tuppaware]

Its mainly on the A320s and some A330s and its whats known as the PTU or power transfer unit, which allows one hydraulic system to pressurise the other should each engine pump be not active or not working properly.

I've heard it, sounds a bit like a barking dog.

On another random my A380 LAX-SYD flight the other day I was seating in 71D which is close to the centre of the wings (if not slightly behind) and I noticed that because the engines are soo much quieter on the beast you can really hear the hydraulics on the flaps more then B747 for example.

 

[jb747]

I've heard it, sounds a bit like a barking dog.

On another random my A380 LAX-SYD flight the other day I was seating in 71D which is close to the centre of the wings (if not slightly behind) and I noticed that because the engines are soo much quieter on the beast you can really hear the hydraulics on the flaps more then B747 for example.

I don't know what the noises are in 320/330s, although the explanation above sounds perfectly reasonable.

The flaps can be heard in the coughpit of the 380...the engines are very quiet, but I think the flaps might also be a bit noisy. You might occasionally hear a 'banging' from below the floor at the front of the aircraft...that's the nose gear steering electro-hydraulic system pressurising. It will only happen if we've had to shut 1 and 2 down at the gate, and we still have 3 and/or 4 running, and don't have an APU. So, it may be heard until the ground power is connected and we shut them all down.

 

[harvyk]

I don't know what the noises are in 320/330s, although the explanation above sounds perfectly reasonable.

It's the same explaination I've heard from other pilots...
I have to admit I've never heard the noise myself, but it's rare I'm on Airbus equipment (and I've somehow managed to avoid the A320 altogether, the one time I was scheduled to fly on one there was a last minute change of equip to a B767...)

 

[Simsy85]

It's the same explaination I've heard from other pilots...
I have to admit I've never heard the noise myself, but it's rare I'm on Airbus equipment (and I've somehow managed to avoid the A320 altogether, the one time I was scheduled to fly on one there was a last minute change of equip to a B767...)

What Airline was that?!?

Im not aware of any Australian Airline that flys both 767's and A320's

 

[oz_mark]

What Airline was that?!?

Im not aware of any Australian Airline that flys both 767's and A320's

Think ansett.

Sent from my HTC Legend using AustFreqFly App

 

[codash1099]

I had to look up what a furby is....and, now that I know, I'm sure that info is displacing something that I really need to know.

I don't recall exactly what it was now, but I think it was one of the early gameboy type devices. Perhaps he had a 767 remote control game....

http://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community/attachments/playground/116d1186812539-a-bit-of-humour-bluetooth.jpg

 

[harvyk]

What Airline was that?!?

Im not aware of any Australian Airline that flys both 767's and A320's

I never said it was an Australian Airline...
It was AirNZ... (Not Ansett , only ever did 2 flights with them, a B737 and a BAe146)
It was a flight from RAR to AKL...

This does pose a question, I half expect that the change of equip was due to the massive headwinds across the pacific, which added an hour onto our flight time (Made a 4.5 hour flight a 5.5 hour flight) could this be a reason for the change? (I realise I'm asking you to take guesses on details you don't know)