Ask The Pilot

[jb747]

Ahhh Dave Baddams. Is he still working for BAe?

No. Britten Norman I think.,,

 

[richie9x]

Is it possible for a pilot to enter the avionics bay while in flight? If so would there ever be any need to?

 

[jb747]

Is it possible for a pilot to enter the avionics bay while in flight? If so would there ever be any need to?

Yes, and not really.

 

[Simo]

JB747 there was a flight that had to turn around due to a pax from MEL to AKL.

How often does that incident happen or you have to have a pax spoken to and they calm down and be ok for the rest of the flight.

Also she was awhile ago busted having a smoke mid flight does that happen often aswell.

 

[jb747]

JB747 there was a flight that had to turn around due to a pax from MEL to AKL.

How often does that incident happen or you have to have a pax spoken to and they calm down and be ok for the rest of the flight.

Yes, I read about that. The granny from hell. Also interesting to note that she'd had similar problems on a Virgin flight a year or so prior.

The cabin crew are generally fairly adept at handling passengers who have drunk too much. Restraint equipment is carried on all flights. I've only had it used on one of my flights...quite a long time ago now. Once someone ends up in the cuffs, they are only released by the police, so it might be a very long, and extremely uncomfortable flight.

Passengers who make a pain of themselves, but short of needing to be cuffed will always be met by the local authorities. In many, if not most cases, they will find themselves denied entry to the country, so that's the end of that holiday/work trip. In some cases, if you are denied entry, getting back in the future may also prove difficult. The USA is particularly interesting in this regard..the young lady who was met by a couple of SWAT people a couple of years ago turned a lovely shade of grey.

I returned to the gate in London a few years ago, and offloaded a bloke...he wasn't even smart enough to wait until we were airborne before becoming a pain. On the ground, I will always offload anyone if there is any doubt....

It doesn't happen often. As we've said before, the vast majority of passengers are lovely people who just want to get to their destination. The ones who aren't tend to stand out.

 

[mjt57]

JB, why would the Captain decide to return to MEL? Why not continue on to NZ and dump her at AKL and let her find her own way home?

As for unruly pax, we got stuck with a football club on an end of season trip away. Dunno which team it was (or even which code) but the FAs were fawning over them and ignoring their rambunctious behavior was was annoying other pax.

If I'm ever elected dictator of the world the first thing I'll do is to ban alcohol on long haul flights. They were able to do it with tobacco, why not something more insidious? (and no, before anyone gets all uppity, I'm not a teetotaller, far from it).

 

[jb747]

JB, why would the Captain decide to return to MEL? Why not continue on to NZ and dump her at AKL and let her find her own way home?

No idea...we don't have all of the facts.

As for unruly pax, we got stuck with a football club on an end of season trip away. Dunno which team it was (or even which code) but the FAs were fawning over them and ignoring their rambunctious behavior was was annoying other pax.

Football teams are every captains' nightmare. I guess most are actually well behaved, though I wonder how much of that comes from the bloke who diverted to Hawaii many years ago, and threw the whole lot off.

If I'm ever elected dictator of the world the first thing I'll do is to ban alcohol on long haul flights. They were able to do it with tobacco, why not something more insidious? (and no, before anyone gets all uppity, I'm not a teetotaller, far from it).

That would make for boring flights. Most people don't have the slightest issue with it, and at most, try (badly), to chat up a hostie. That normally provides a laugh for everyone in the vicinity....

 

[MEL_Traveller]

If I'm ever elected dictator of the world the first thing I'll do is to ban alcohol on long haul flights. They were able to do it with tobacco, why not something more insidious? (and no, before anyone gets all uppity, I'm not a teetotaller, far from it).

then you would need to ban cars too. And anything else that some people, when used incorrectly, can hurt themselves or others with.

 

[nlagalle]

If I'm ever elected dictator of the world the first thing I'll do is to ban alcohol on long haul flights. They were able to do it with tobacco, why not something more insidious? (and no, before anyone gets all uppity, I'm not a teetotaller, far from it).

No offense but I do hope you never end up dictator.

I enjoy a couple of drinks on a long haul flight. Makes sleep easier. 400+ flights and I haven't seen anyone unruly due to alcohol.

You can't compare smoking. That directly affects people as they can inhale smoke.

 

[mannej]

Add to that the disposal of cigarette buts can be dangerous on a plane.

 

[harvyk]

Football teams are every captains' nightmare. I guess most are actually well behaved, though I wonder how much of that comes from the bloke who diverted to Hawaii many years ago, and threw the whole lot off.

A few weeks back I was on a flight with the brumbies, all I was thinking was "here we go", but they where some of the most respectful pax's I have ever seen on a flight (IMHO they would put most suits to shame)


You mentioned that most countries are unlikely to let someone enter who had been a disruption on a flight. But I can't imagine an airline would be too keen on taking such a person on one of their services either. How would a person who has been a disruption on a flight (to the point the police meet the flight on the ground) actually get home if refused entry to the country?

 

[jb747]

You mentioned that most countries are unlikely to let someone enter who had been a disruption on a flight. But I can't imagine an airline would be too keen on taking such a person on one of their services either. How would a person who has been a disruption on a flight (to the point the police meet the flight on the ground) actually get home if refused entry to the country?

The authorities always have holding facilities available to them. They'd just get to wait there until removed. The airline that brought them in would be responsible for removing them, but they'd get to control the conditions, so much less likely to be a repeat (i.e. security, breaking up groups, etc).

 

[SeatBackForward]

Ok to keep on topic.
Jb, Whenever i've heard conversations between ATC and pilots, I find it dammned hard to understand whats being said, its almost like another language altogether, not just the words, abbreviations etc, but also just the manner of speech, short sharp and loaded with specific terminologies and meanings..so in light of that:

1) Are the "conversations" between ATC and pilots pretty standard and consistent around the world?
2) Are you quite used to it and so it seems quite normal to you now?
3) I know English is the official interntional language for ATC, but do you ever hear anything else being spoken?
4) Do you get to know particular ATC operators, like how say I get to know the drivers of the buses I frequently catch?

 

[jb747]

Whenever i've heard conversations between ATC and pilots, I find it dammned hard to understand whats being said, its almost like another language altogether, not just the words, abbreviations etc, but also just the manner of speech, short sharp and loaded with specific terminologies and meanings..so in light of that:

Just say exactly what you want. Don't elaborate and use standard phrases wherever possible. Unnecessary words confuse the issue, and block the radio frequency.

1) Are the "conversations" between ATC and pilots pretty standard and consistent around the world?

Very. There's basically a couple of factions. The USA and everyone else.

2) Are you quite used to it and so it seems quite normal to you now?

Yes. The more conversational it becomes, the less standard, and so it becomes more open to misunderstanding. Sticking to the standard phrases, with no additions makes it easier for people who don't speak English natively, and it also overcomes lots of the difficulties imposed by accents.

3) I know English is the official interntional language for ATC, but do you ever hear anything else being spoken?

Regularly.

4) Do you get to know particular ATC operators, like how say I get to know the drivers of the buses I frequently catch?

No.

 

[Walter_Plinge]

Football teams are every captains' nightmare. I guess most are actually well behaved, though I wonder how much of that comes from the bloke who diverted to Hawaii many years ago, and threw the whole lot off.

Had this experience 32 years ago on my first international flight, QF1 via Singapore and Bahrain (extra fueling stop needed way back then). There was a sporting team up the back kicking up a rumpus. Didn't bother me as I was in the front of the economy section. They were put off at Singapore and refused re-boarding.

Do airlines keep a blacklist of troublemakers and refuse to fly them? Granny might find it hard to get back to NZ if her reputation is known to other airlines.

 

[jb747]

Do airlines keep a blacklist of troublemakers and refuse to fly them? Granny might find it hard to get back to NZ if her reputation is known to other airlines.

I don't know. Within an airline, I'd expect so, but there's no reason for me to know about it

 

[SeatBackForward]

On my last few domestic flights, the plane has taxied to within meters of the gate, before a delay, of upto 10mins due to the "guidance system" not being ready yet. Thats what the pilot has advised the passengers anyhow. So what is the guidance system being referred to? its not the guy with the paddles is it?

 

[Demented Freak]

JB, firstly a big thank you for all of your posts in this thread, it's an amazing insight into everything that happens behind the scenes and what happens behind that door we all walk past when we board.

You mentioned that you were flying again 10 days after QF30 but felt you had gone back to work too soon. What sort of support systems were in place for you when you were returning to work? What made you realise the toll it had taken on you and prompted you to take time off? Was it a case of sleep disruption where you were playing the scenario out again and again? Accumulation of stress and anxiety from the event and debriefing? You don't have to answer this if you're not comfortable talking about it, the reason I ask is a friend of mine basically watched a workmate suffer a severe stroke at work last year and he suffered from delayed PTSD in the months following so I guess I've been trying to learn a little more about how different people handle such drastic events and help support him.

The other thing I was wondering was have you noticing any change in your flying style post-QF30? Anything you pay more attention to or any habits you've formed after the incident?

 

[jb747]

On my last few domestic flights, the plane has taxied to within meters of the gate, before a delay, of upto 10mins due to the "guidance system" not being ready yet. Thats what the pilot has advised the passengers anyhow. So what is the guidance system being referred to? its not the guy with the paddles is it?

The 'guy with the paddles' is rarely seen these days...mainly when the guidance system isn't working.

If you look at the parked aircraft, you'll find that with very rare exceptions, they are very accurately parked. More so than most people can manage with a car. We need that for a number of reasons. There's often quite minimal clearance at the gates, not just from the bridges and adjacent aircraft, but also from things like refuelling points. And of course, from the terminal itself.

To help with the parking, there are guidance systems attached to the terminal. They are designed to put the pilots head in a particular spot...which then presumes that the rest of him, and the aircraft, will end up where they are wanted. These systems can be as simple as lining up lights, or as complex as laser driven computerised systems. Sadly, the trend seems to be away from the simple and towards the complex. More information can be found here: Visual Docking Guidance System - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If you arrive at your gate, and the system is not turned on, or perhaps misidentifies your aircraft type, or the bridges are not correctly parked, then you'll generally turn towards the gate and then stop. You have to wait until the issue is corrected...or a marshaller appears.

Large aircraft, like the 380, have a camera which shows the nose wheel. Using that we get very accurate line up...but we still need a stop signal.

 

[jb747]

You mentioned that you were flying again 10 days after QF30 but felt you had gone back to work too soon. What sort of support systems were in place for you when you were returning to work? What made you realise the toll it had taken on you and prompted you to take time off? Was it a case of sleep disruption where you were playing the scenario out again and again? Accumulation of stress and anxiety from the event and debriefing?

Initially it played over and over, like a very bad recording. The debriefing side of it wasn't bad. I was happy that we'd handled it pretty well, so answering questions wasn't a problem. Obviously, if we'd made a hash of it, talking to the boss and the ATSB would have been very stressful.

The biggest issue was sleep. I found that it was very disrupted, and it took a while for it to go back to normal (or as normal as it ever is in international operations).

The other thing I was wondering was have you noticing any change in your flying style post-QF30? Anything you pay more attention to or any habits you've formed after the incident?

If anything it improved my faith in our crews. Everyone, from the most junior cabin crew member upwards, performed as you'd want.