Ask The Pilot

[jb747]

Is there any aircraft in the QF fleet that is considered the "sports car" of the fleet? I'm thinking in terms of performance, "flyability" etc?

The GE engined 767s are the sportscars. Enormously powerful, and very responsive. The 744ER are quite a leap ahead of the other 744s too.

And number 2 - do the different aircraft endorsements have different levels of seniority? In other words, is a 767 captain, more senior than than a 738 captain, who is more senoir than a 734 captain? If my logic follows through, is a 380 captain more senior than a 747 captain? - Just curious while I'm sitting in the QP in Melbourne.

Seniority allows you to bid for a course, but it doesn't get you a passing mark.

The A380 is nominally the most senior aircraft, but the average seniority of the people on it isn't necessarily all that high. People chose different aircraft for all sorts of reasons. The most senior are actually on the 737 and 767....because they aren't affected by the 65 retirement rule for international flying.

The 737 of all variants are considered the same aircraft, and flown by the same people.

 

[NM]

The most senior are actually on the 737 and 767....because they aren't affected by the 65 retirement rule for international flying.

So if you wanted to continue working beyond 65, would you be able to go back the 767 (if they are still in the QF fleet that far out)? Obviously ignoring future business structure changes. Would this be an option for a A380 or B744 Captain today if they were about to turn 65 and wanted to remain flying?

 

[jb747]

So if you wanted to continue working beyond 65, would you be able to go back the 767 (if they are still in the QF fleet that far out)? Obviously ignoring future business structure changes. Would this be an option for a A380 or B744 Captain today if they were about to turn 65 and wanted to remain flying?

The 767 is no longer an option. The last person I saw do this went from the A380 to the 737. At about the same time, we had a 330 Captain move to FO on the A380 for the same reason.

If I'm still doing this at 65, please come and shoot me....

 

[el_rooto]

How much longer were you on the 744 after QF30? When did you transition to the A380?

 

[jb747]

How much longer were you on the 744 after QF30? When did you transition to the A380?

A bit less than a year. I had already been awarded the 380 slot when the 30 happened.

 

[Sprucegoose]

I think part of it is that very few people listen (though telling people how to buckle a seat belt is wasted attention).
......

Agree. They ask you to use it before they instruct you how! So why bother?

 

[simongr]

Agree. They ask you to use it before they instruct you how! So why bother?

So that when they get sued by someone injured whilst not using their seatbelt who claims that they didn't know how to use, QF have the defence that they instructed everyone.

 

[reductionist]

There was a extremely loud bang. Basically a dull thud, like door being slammed. The aircraft rocked and rolled a little (not far, a few degrees), and the autopilot disconnected.

I had a look for this but I couldn't find it; I'm interested in the physiological response you experienced when this happened.

Were you able to think clearly in the moments after the thud and depressurisation?

Did you feel a sense of panic and if so how long did it take to subside?

Did you make all the same decisions you would have made if you'd encountered this situation in a simulator?

(Dealing with the mental fog caused by stress & panic is something I'm keenly interested in)

 

[oz_mark]

Agree. They ask you to use it before they instruct you how! So why bother?

It is a CASA requirement to give a pre-flight safety demonstration.

 

[Wannabee]

It is a CASA requirement to give a pre-flight safety demonstration.

Yes, CAO 20.11 Section 14
Civil Aviation Order 20.11 - Emergency & life saving equipment & passenger control in emergencies (02/12/2004)

Although it only says that passengers must receive an oral briefing and be provided with passenger safety cards (charter and RPT greater than 6 seats), a demonstration is required for donning and inflating life jackets.

 

[jb747]

I had a look for this but I couldn't find it; I'm interested in the physiological response you experienced when this happened.

Were you able to think clearly in the moments after the thud and depressurisation?

Yes. There was no issue at all.

Did you feel a sense of panic and if so how long did it take to subside?

None whatsoever.

Did you make all the same decisions you would have made if you'd encountered this situation in a simulator?

(Dealing with the mental fog caused by stress & panic is something I'm keenly interested in)

The situation was appreciably more complex than practiced in the simulator. Falling back on system knowledge, and filling in the blanks is a very basic part of the business.

I'm not sure that you understand the personalities involved. Hesitation, due to panic, or whatever, is simply unacceptable, and someone suffering from it would never make it through the vast majority of the courses. It is a reason to cull trainees....

Emotions can come into play later. At the time you simply must DO. You not think about it, or wring your hands.

 

[reductionist]

I'm not sure that you understand the personalities involved.

I'm sure I don't either, that's why I'm asking.

I've never really engaged in anything more than small talk with a pilot, so I'm sorry if my line of questioning is somewhat inane, these are just things I'm genuinely curious about.

Hesitation, due to panic, or whatever, is simply unacceptable, and someone suffering from it would never make it through the vast majority of the courses.

If someone is prone to panic and hesitation, what types of course components would they not be able to complete? I presume they'd struggle in the sim sessions? Your description of them sounds thoroughly gruelling.

 

[SenZubEanS]

Somewhere around here I just wound the heading bug in the direction of Manila.

In the event of an emergency such as this, while you have pencilled in a final stop in Manila, did you also load an alternate into the FMC in case something happened and you were unable to use MNL or with all the other things requiring your attention and having been cleared for MNL was no alternate put in as time was better spent addressing other checklists etc?

 

[jb747]

I'm sure I don't either, that's why I'm asking.

I've never really engaged in anything more than small talk with a pilot, so I'm sorry if my line of questioning is somewhat inane, these are just things I'm genuinely curious about.

I'm sure trick cyclists have a name for our personalities....but, you cannot be subject to panic (or anything like that). You simply have to do. Now. Not say "what"?. My initial background was military...flying an A4 if someone yelled "break right" at you, the control column would have hit the right roll stop before you'd really assimilated the words. Every military pilot will have lost control of the aircraft...you don't sit there thinking of your mum. You have to fix it immediately, without any hesitation.

If someone is prone to panic and hesitation, what types of course components would they not be able to complete? I presume they'd struggle in the sim sessions? Your description of them sounds thoroughly gruelling.

I doubt that they'd ever get as far as the sim sessions. You most certainly wouldn't survive even the basic parts of the RAAF pilots' course.

 

[jb747]

In the event of an emergency such as this, while you have pencilled in a final stop in Manila, did you also load an alternate into the FMC in case something happened and you were unable to use MNL or with all the other things requiring your attention and having been cleared for MNL was no alternate put in as time was better spent addressing other checklists etc?

The FMCs were actually playing up. Mine was frozen, and wouldn't allow anything to be loaded, nor did it display anything meaningful. Bernie's was working, but quite strangely. Instead of just being able to delete whole sections of the route, he was forced to delete every waypoint one at a time. Nobody had even seen that behaviour before, and the best answer we ever came up with was that they were a bit cranky about having their power supplies momentarily affected (though even that really couldn't be proven).

We don't load alternates the way everyone thinks we do. A 747/767 had a couple of routes available (A380 has four), and whilst they can be used to load alternates or approaches to other runways, almost everyone finds it quicker to load any changes into the active route. Remember that we were dumping fuel on the way to Manila too...with 30 tonnes remaining alternatives would be thin on the ground.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Agree. They ask you to use it before they instruct you how! So why bother?

I read somewhere that seeing the seat belt fastened and unfastened stays in the subconscious - and if you are in an emergency it is recalled and helps some people to remember how to unfasten quickly (rather than trying to unbuckle like a car seat belt for example). If it helps one person then it is worthwhile doing.

 

[Awesom Andy]

I read somewhere that seeing the seat belt fastened and unfastened stays in the subconscious - and if you are in an emergency it is recalled and helps some people to remember how to unfasten quickly (rather than trying to unbuckle like a car seat belt for example). If it helps one person then it is worthwhile doing.

I suppose that's why the seatbelts on the QF A380 (in Y at least) are the same press button type as you would find in cars.

 

[darrend]

Every military pilot will have lost control of the aircraft...you don't sit there thinking of your mum. You have to fix it immediately, without any hesitation.

I think every pilot should get at least a basic aerobatics rating and do some amount of formation flying. The first time anyone sees a full on spin should not be when they are PIC with 500 hours of straight and level having experienced nothing more than 60 degree AOB in the PPL syllabus and auger in as a result.

Military training is, no doubt, a lot more rigorous but really flying at Mach II or 80kts - Dead is dead and you are the only one going to save your bacon if it all goes to cough. No point kidding yourself you know how to fly if you can't operate fully in 3 dimensions and are only comfortable with S&L A to B in CAVOK conditions.

Just because you have stick time does not mean you can slack off – I recall a very humbling experience I had in a jet once. I had around 2500 hours at that point but only around 300 in turbine aircraft. I got into a situation on approach with too much drag and turbine not spooled up (result = high vertical speed - down!!). That incident got my attention and reminded me of what I was doing. Speaking to a much more experienced pilot at the time (an ex Mirage jockey) about that incident and he replied “you have not lived until you’ve had after burner on just to stay on glideslope” so it happens but the point is as JB points out you can’t sit on your butt and expect it to be all good – you need to react and correct it immediately and properly.

 

[SeatBackForward]

It is a CASA requirement to give a pre-flight safety demonstration.

I think the point is that the seat-belt light comes on BEFORE they tell you how to actually use it.

 

[harvyk]

I think the point is that the seat-belt light comes on BEFORE they tell you how to actually use it.

True, but I would imagine that strictly speaking you don't need it on prior to the briefing, otherwise they wouldn't let FA's stand during the briefing either.
After you have been told how to use it you have no excuse.