Ask The Pilot

[Simo]

There was app 1000 757's built over the 23 years of building that model.

They seem to be used by mainly LOTFAP carriers.

DO you know why QF never took the model into it's fleet.

I had to google the 757 to see why you would have never stepped foot into one as i thought you would have been in every model of commercial aircraft over the past many years.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

There was app 1000 757's built over the 23 years of building that model.

They seem to be used by mainly LOTFAP carriers.

LOFAP and BA. They were never that popular in Asia - where the B767 and A330 seem to be preferred.

As for Au carriers not taking the 757 - they went straight to the 767 and A300. Maybe because of cargo and pax capacity? (this was in the days when you were lucky to have 2 flights non-stops a day from MEL or SYD to PER!)

 

[jb747]

...you have mentioned standby duties several times throughout this thread; on a normal day how many pilots of each rank, for each type, would be on standby?

Short haul have a different system to long haul, and I don't know how they do it.

Long haul...basically two in each rank, for each type. There are two standby periods each day, from 4am to 4pm, and from 10am to 10pm. Standby duties are only done in Sydney.

Annoyingly, these duties are not shared, being done by only a relatively small percentage of any pilot group. The upshot of that is that some pilots can look forward to a roster that consists of nothing but standby (me included). When there is promotion and movement, that would only last for a short period, but with the system stagnating, I expect to spend half of my time on standby until the day I retire.

 

[chrisb]

Annoyingly, these duties are not shared, being done by only a relatively small percentage of any pilot group. The upshot of that is that some pilots can look forward to a roster that consists of nothing but standby (me included). When there is promotion and movement, that would only last for a short period, but with the system stagnating, I expect to spend half of my time on standby until the day I retire.

I assume this is a Seniority issue? I honestly thought you'd be further up the list as it seems you've been around QF for a very long time.

How often does "standby" translate into actual flying? What's the usual lead time between finding out and being on an aircraft?

 

[jb747]

I assume this is a Seniority issue? I honestly thought you'd be further up the list as it seems you've been around QF for a very long time.

You can be very senior, and not very senior, simultaneously. I'm in about the top 8% overall, but in the bottom 30% of the A380 captains. If the captains on the A380 were #1 to #100 inclusive (which they aren't), that last thirty would be the most junior on type.... I expect that I'll actually retire from this sort of position.

How often does "standby" translate into actual flying? What's the usual lead time between finding out and being on an aircraft?

A callout for any sort of real duty is pretty rare. I actually got one on the last standby that I did, but prior to that, in the last three years, I'd only had two call outs. One to take a diverted aircraft (94) to Melbourne, and another to pick up a 12 from Auckland.

 

[jetlagger]

jb747.. You are a master of talents.. So appreciative of your knowledge & industry sharing. It all helps to satisfy mine & many others curiosity.
Kindest thanks.

 

[mjt57]

You can be very senior, and not very senior, simultaneously. I'm in about the top 8% overall, but in the bottom 30% of the A380 captains. If the captains on the A380 were #1 to #100 inclusive (which they aren't), that last thirty would be the most junior on type.... I expect that I'll actually retire from this sort of position.

This is what I don't understand. You were a B744 captain, which, as I understand, was at the top of the tree before the A380 came along. Yet, there are guys still ahead of you, presumably those who migrated across from A330s?

I s'pose that as long as they keep paying you, huh?

 

[jb747]

This is what I don't understand. You were a B744 captain, which, as I understand, was at the top of the tree before the A380 came along. Yet, there are guys still ahead of you, presumably those who migrated across from A330s?

No, most of the people who are ahead of me on the 380 came from the 744. There are less 380s, and so less people overall.

Think of it this way. If there were only 3 Captains on the entire 380 fleet....and they were numbers 1 through 3 in absolute seniority, #3 would still be the most junior on the 380, and he'd do all of the standby duties...

 

[sutho58]

cough air, shore roster then jb ??

 

[mjt57]

No, most of the people who are ahead of me on the 380 came from the 744. There are less 380s, and so less people overall.

Think of it this way. If there were only 3 Captains on the entire 380 fleet....and they were numbers 1 through 3 in absolute seniority, #3 would still be the most junior on the 380, and he'd do all of the standby duties...

Oh, ok. I thought that you said most of the 380 crew came off other Airbus aircraft before you.

Whatever, it's difficult to imagine you being junior to any other senior pilots...

 

[jb747]

Oh, ok. I thought that you said most of the 380 crew came off other Airbus aircraft before you.

In the early days of the A380, most of the pilots came from the A330. Some were 767 pilots, who'd gone to the 330 in the normal course of progression, and for whom the opportunity arose on the 380, whilst others (in particular the training captains) were 744 pilots who had moved to the 330 specifically to gain Airbus experience. The next group after them were pretty well all from the 747 Classic, which was being closed down at the time. It was only about a year after the 380 arrived that the numbers really switched to the 744.

 

[anat0l]

jb747, I'm not sure if this is too sensitive to be answered, so please say so if it is and I'm sorry for causing offence.


What is the average age of the pilot cohort at QF (say international, domestic and overall)?

I'm just thinking that there seems to be a quite an experienced bunch at QF, but if the mean age is high then there's going to be a very real and emerging threat of a pilot shortage.

 

[jb747]

jb747, I'm not sure if this is too sensitive to be answered, so please say so if it is and I'm sorry for causing offence.


What is the average age of the pilot cohort at QF (say international, domestic and overall)?

I'm just thinking that there seems to be a quite an experienced bunch at QF, but if the mean age is high then there's going to be a very real and emerging threat of a pilot shortage.

I probably can't/shouldn't answer that.

 

[smeacs]

Long haul...basically two in each rank, for each type. There are two standby periods each day, from 4am to 4pm, and from 10am to 10pm. Standby duties are only done in Sydney.

So does this mean you would sit around in Sydney until another pilot couldn't fill their scheduled flight? are you able to do "normal things" in this time or do you need to be at the airport?

 

[jb747]

So does this mean you would sit around in Sydney until another pilot couldn't fill their scheduled flight? are you able to do "normal things" in this time or do you need to be at the airport?

Normal, within the constraint that if they call, you have to be able to launch within 3 hours.

 

[SenZubEanS]

So I presume that the more senior capts. bid to NOT do standby and do more flying instead or is it just a given that further up the tree automatically attracts less standby duties?

 

[jb747]

So I presume that the more senior capts. bid to NOT do standby and do more flying instead or is it just a given that further up the tree automatically attracts less standby duties?

Standby is always assigned to the most junior available on any given day. It is virtually unknown for it to get far up the list.

 

[simongr]

jb - I guess people are struggling to come to grips with you being "junior" given your experience. If I recall correctly you were in the later "bunch" of pilots that went over to the A380 rather than the first wave - hence being junior in the A380 Captains group?

I assume (and we all know what assumption is) on the 744 you didnt do very much standby given you were senior on that?

 

[docjames]

Standby is always assigned to the most junior available on any given day. It is virtually unknown for it to get far up the list.

Is that cost related, or is there another (that is forum comment allowed) reason?

eg. some hospitals will vary who / when whomever is on call and structure the on call roster so that is is skewed to more junior staff due to cost implications.

 

[harvyk]

Back in your 747 days, does the yoke give any sort of "feedback", for example if you push the yoke forwards can you feel the elevators move or some degree of pressure against the yoke? Or does the hydraulic systems do a good job of masking any feedback?