Ask The Pilot

[NM]

No. We read about it in the paper.

It's probably quite a while since you operated a domestic sector anyway . And I assume there won't be any change to your paxing sectors between SYD and MEL. So given you are at the top of your game (A380 left seat), what are your initial thoughts about the announcements? Maybe a different story for say a 767 or A330 FO working his way through the "ranks" - which is likely to be a very different ride over the next 20 years as it was for someone in the same position in 1992.

 

[jb747]

I'd rather not discuss what I think. It's way too upsetting.

 

[Flashback]

Question on trims, on today's (well, last night's) QF10 row 62-66 (or somewhere around there) had no seats allocated which they said was due to weight, etc. People were allowed to move into them after takeoff, no issues there. However upon descent there was no announcement for people to move back to their original seats. Is it only an issue for take-off and not for landing?

 

[jb747]

Question on trims, on today's (well, last night's) QF10 row 62-66 (or somewhere around there) had no seats allocated which they said was due to weight, etc. People were allowed to move into them after takeoff, no issues there. However upon descent there was no announcement for people to move back to their original seats. Is it only an issue for take-off and not for landing?

Actually, it's a bit odd for an A380 to have the initial issue that you've mentioned.

CofG for take off, landing, and in flight all have different limits. Basically, during flight, it moves forward, as fuel is burnt. At take off, it's normally at 39.5%. Once airborne, fuel is held in the tail, but burnt from the inner tanks, which has the effect of moving it aft to 42%. It is then held between 40-42% by pumping fuel forward from the tail until it reaches 40%, and then letting it drift back to 42%. Eventually, once all of this fuel is consumed, it drifts forward, until it eventually reaches around the 34% mark at landing.

 

[Flashback]

Actually, it's a bit odd for an A380 to have the initial issue that you've mentioned.

CofG for take off, landing, and in flight all have different limits. Basically, during flight, it moves forward, as fuel is burnt. At take off, it's normally at 39.5%. Once airborne, fuel is held in the tail, but burnt from the inner tanks, which has the effect of moving it aft to 42%. It is then held between 40-42% by pumping fuel forward from the tail until it reaches 40%, and then letting it drift back to 42%. Eventually, once all of this fuel is consumed, it drifts forward, until it eventually reaches around the 34% mark at landing.

I guess it may have been more so to stop people shuffling around so that the flight could get away on time then.

My SIN-PER was even worse, just about every economy PAX was able to lay across the 4 seats in the middle! Glad I didn't get my upgrade to J on that flight, as the bed would have been sloping and I had lay flat in whY!

 

[jb747]

I guess it may have been more so to stop people shuffling around so that the flight could get away on time then.

No, there would be a reason if they weren't allocated, but it's a little unusual on a 380.

 

[Hvr]

With the 787s coming on line will there be more promotion opportunities for current FOs or will Captains just change planes?

Also, how far ahead of their debut will the pilots start training for the 787?

thanks

 

[jb747]

With the 787s coming on line will there be more promotion opportunities for current FOs or will Captains just change planes?

Also, how far ahead of their debut will the pilots start training for the 787?

There are only more promotion opportunities if the total number of aircraft increases. At this point the opposite is happening.

There is no information around on when or if Qantas mainline will operate any of the 787s. General belief is that they will not be flown by any QF pilots. Training is not an issue. It is a simple conversion from any of the other Boeing types.

 

[Awesom Andy]

My SIN-PER was even worse, just about every economy PAX was able to lay across the 4 seats in the middle! Glad I didn't get my upgrade to J on that flight, as the bed would have been sloping and I had lay flat in whY!

You may find the same on a mid-week SIN-ADL flight.

 

[mjt57]

There are only more promotion opportunities if the total number of aircraft increases. At this point the opposite is happening.

There is no information around on when or if Qantas mainline will operate any of the 787s. General belief is that they will not be flown by any QF pilots. Training is not an issue. It is a simple conversion from any of the other Boeing types.

With regards to the news that QF will be split into two, how will this affect SOs? Currently they work the B744s (and presumably A380s) then progress to domestic ops, don't they?

Do you think that this will still occur, if they become two distinct and separate businesses?

 

[jb747]

With regards to the news that QF will be split into two, how will this affect SOs? Currently they work the B744s (and presumably A380s) then progress to domestic ops, don't they?

Do you think that this will still occur, if they become two distinct and separate businesses?

I have no idea what will happen.

 

[mjt57]

I have no idea what will happen.

I would imagine then that there will be quite a few SOs quietly muttering "f...." to themselves...

 

[jukebox333]

This thread has ticked over 200 pages this week, and is a year old next Friday.

While lots of people have contributed, I want to single out jb747 for the time he has taken, and the candour with which he has answered so many of our questions - some intellegent, others, I am sure he has found tedious...

You've obviously had a lifetime of flight experiences that many of us can only wish we had shared a part of, and certainly to me at least, epitomise the image of what I would want and hope that the Captain of any commerical flight I take represents.

Your tales from the coughpit, the simulator, and your links to flight deck Youtubes, are compelling.

Thank you for your generosity. If you ever find yourself overnight in Perth, I'd be more than happy to buy you a beer for your efforts (or maybe that'd be a scotch?).

Cheers JB!

 

[jb747]

Thanks for the comments...I guess I'm glad someone reads it.

Let's get away from the recent news stuff, which frankly I find depressing, and have a look at something dear to my heart...QF30. There have been occasional comments about it here, but I've never really opened it up for discussion. It's now quite a while in the past (four years soon). So, do you have any questions about the event, the aftermath, the report?

 

[Major]

Hi JB,

After the "loud bang" did you commence the descent immediately or did you run through other procedures first ?

ATSB investigation highlights QF30 oxygen bottle explosion “improbability” | Australian Aviation Magazine

 

[bossreggie]

Thanks for the comments...I guess I'm glad someone reads it.

Let's get away from the recent news stuff, which frankly I find depressing, and have a look at something dear to my heart...QF30. There have been occasional comments about it here, but I've never really opened it up for discussion. It's now quite a while in the past (four years soon). So, do you have any questions about the event, the aftermath, the report?

Did you do a trip report??? I'd really love to read from your point of view from the moment of decompression to landing. I have read the newspapers of course.

Thanks.

Boss

 

[jb747]

Did you do a trip report??? I'd really love to read from your point of view from the moment of decompression to landing. I have read the newspapers of course.

I did write something for the consumption of the other pilots. If I still have it, I'll look at converting it to english and put it up.

 

[bossreggie]

I did write something for the consumption of the other pilots. If I still have it, I'll look at converting it to english and put it up.

That would be wicked.

Did I read somewhere that you did NOT declare an emergency??

 

[Rolls]

Thanks JB really enjoy reading your comments .

 

[docjames]

QF30

Can you tell us what the process was after you got it on the ground?
- how long to get everyone off the a/c?
- what did you do immediately afterwards? walk thru cabin, walk around aircraft? Then was it to a "holding room" in the airport, to a hotel? How long until you were flown out of MNL etc. Basically a timeline from wheels down, everyone's safe to being back in Australia.

- how did you handle the media attention?
- what would you have done (now do) differently?
- were any restrictions put on you afterwards by QF / CASA / any other (eg. no flying for x days etc)?


So perhaps some of the non-directly inflight aspects, but more looking at "the aftermath" I guess.

Thanks for this thread and for all the time you've spent on it.

Edit: I should add, the answer might take a while to put together, so no need to answer urgently!