Ask The Pilot

[MEL_Traveller]

If an upper deck door does not open correctly, I don't think it can be used at all. The crew will declare it blocked and direct people away from it.

Correct. There is no manual operation procedure for crew for the upper deck doors. Manual procedures can only be employed by engineers on the ground.

If an upper deck door opens but the slide fails to deploy, the slide pack can be pushed out manually by the crew member (making sure they hold on to the handles around the door frame as the slide is heavy). The slide should automatically inflate once it drops below the door sill.

 

[mjt57]

Just finished reading QF32 and was wondering with all the degradations in the electric systems on the A380 on that flight, how different would of the situation been on the B747 ?

I've just started. R CdC (it must be a real prick when he has to call up a supplier to get something done and to explain to an Asian call centre operator how his name is spelled) is still in school and studying hard to matriculate (what we called Year 12 back then). Looks interesting so far, and look forward to reading the first hand accounts of what happened that day.

Does the hard copy have photos, illustrations? What about the ebook version? Hard to flip through the ebook as you would a paper one to look at them (I'm a pictures man, myself...)

 

[JohnM]

I've just started. R CdC (it must be a real prick when he has to call up a supplier to get something done and to explain to an Asian call centre operator how his name is spelled) is still in school and studying hard to matriculate (what we called Year 12 back then). Looks interesting so far, and look forward to reading the first hand accounts of what happened that day.

Does the hard copy have photos, illustrations? What about the ebook version? Hard to flip through the ebook as you would a paper one to look at them (I'm a pictures man, myself...)

No pics in the Kindle e-book, so there would not be any in the hard copy. Noticed the hard copy on sale at the bookshop inside the MEL QP yesterday. Didn't thumb through it but no sign of any dark page edges that signify picture pages. You'll just need to read the words. Some very dramatic images get conjured up, I assure you.

 

[userlame]

My copy has photo pages in the middle. Soft Copy, signed by the man himself no less.

 

[JohnM]

My copy has photo pages in the middle. Soft Copy, signed by the man himself no less.

Hmmm, that's interesting. IME Kindle editions include images; maybe it's publisher-dependent.

 

[mjt57]

Watching the US quiz show Jeopardy! the other night, one of the categories related to "A380 Simulator". According to the segment the show did it with the Qantas simulator in Sydney. Certainly looked spectacular in HD. The woman doing the questions or "answers" as they call them, was in the coughpit, sitting in both Capt and FO seats, and meanwhile the simulator was in flight and doing a slow turn.

JB, is there the one sim, if so, it must be a pain for the pilots who don't live there who have to front up for training.

In any case, after having had a go in the Flight Experience B737 Sim in Melbourne recently, I'd love to have a go at the 380 if they ever make one available for the general public.

 

[jb747]

JB, is there the one sim, if so, it must be a pain for the pilots who don't live there who have to front up for training.

There is only one 380 sim. It generally operates 24 hours per day. Sessions are four hours long. If the deferred aircraft are ever delivered, then they'll need a second, but there is no need right now.

Most of the sims are in Sydney. 737 is in Melbourne, as in one of the 330 sims.

The company makes no allowance for the fact that many of us don't live in Sydney...that's our problem.

In any case, after having had a go in the Flight Experience B737 Sim in Melbourne recently, I'd love to have a go at the 380 if they ever make one available for the general public.

You, and about a million others. Outside access is very rarely granted.

 

[D747]

There is only one 380 sim. It generally operates 24 hours per day. Sessions are four hours long. If the deferred aircraft are ever delivered, then they'll need a second, but there is no need right now.

Most of the Sims are in Sydney. 737 is in Melbourne, as in one of the 330 Sims.

The company makes no allowance for the fact that many of us don't live in Sydney...that's our problem.


You, and about a million others. Outside access is very rarely granted.

Is that one of the many reasons that QF are holding off the next lot of A380s? i.e. The price of a new Sim? Do you know the value of these?

I guess this has lots of ramifications jb. Did you decide to move from the B747 to the A380 based on the number ordered expecting to achieve a higher seniority earlier? If so, is the deferral, and the fact that QF have this Sydney based policy making you regret your decision? Can you please explain why QANTAS has the policy of a Syd based A380 crew? I find that it must be counter productive that as A380 ops are fairly evenly split between Mel and Syd that it would be beneficial to have crew stationed in both cities. Is it the same for cabin crew? Once again if you have already answered any of these questions I apologise.

On another note, I am a flight simmer. I also had a few flying lessons when I was 17. I have been on two static B737 Sims. Once in Mel and once at a flying show at Duxford in the UK. On both occasions I was asked which airline I fly for. The Duxford experience in particular was rewarding. The Sim was run by BA and one of the Senior B747 captains that was "flying" that day practically offered me a job!

 

[Skyring]

Found a bunch of these at my local Target. They are selling it for $22 which is too rich for me, but then I picked it up to review the style and .... about 10 minutes later had to have a stern word with myself about getting back to work! For a book where the plot is completely known that is not bad going.

I suspect anybody reading this thread would have a similar response! I found a site for the book which has appendices and stuff. It also notes that the ebook does not have the 32 pages of photographs. 32! Just how many shots of a buggered engine do you need?

 

[Skyring]

Totally different question: what´s the go with the multiple layer passenger windows? Why is there a little hole in one of the layers? This question is triggered by a recent flight I did where I saw a dead moth inside the layers. How did it get there??

The little hole equalises pressure between cabin and the trapped air between the panes. And I presume helps keep condensation from forming on either of the interior glass surfaces, which would have differing temperatures. As for the moth, well, the big jets are complex beasts and there's always a bug in the system.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Just how many shots of a buggered engine do you need?

As many to justify the bloody huge repair bill.


have you seen the QF internal video on the return of nancy bird on the QF site? I think there is one about the repair as well.

Complex deal.

 

[mjt57]

You, and about a million others. Outside access is very rarely granted.

I can well imagine.

No, I was refering more along the lines of something that the company, Flight Experience, offers.

As for 24hr operation of the simulator, it must be fun for those slotted in the hours of 0200 - 0600...

 

[jb747]

Is that one of the many reasons that QF are holding off the next lot of A380s? i.e. The price of a new Sim? Do you know the value of these?

I very much doubt it. What's $20 million compared to the billion or so that a couple of the aircraft cost?

Did you decide to move from the B747 to the A380 based on the number ordered expecting to achieve a higher seniority earlier?

No. There were only 12 on order when I got my slot. I wasn't greatly interested in the alternatives. Seniority issues have been clouded by a number of things, but one that has had an effect upon everyone, was the extension of the retiring age to 65. That meant that a group who had themselves been advantaged by having those in front to them go at 60, could now remain another 5 years whilst still sitting at the top of the tree. The lack of any form of rotation, coupled with what now seems to be shrinkage of the QF fleet makes the effects all the keener.

If so, is the deferral, and the fact that QF have this Sydney based policy making you regret your decision?

No, not really. I did at one point have the chance to take a Melbourne based 330 slot, but passed on that for the 744. I've commuted for quite a while, across the 767, 744, and 380.

Can you please explain why QANTAS has the policy of a Syd based A380 crew? I find that it must be counter productive that as A380 ops are fairly evenly split between Mel and Syd that it would be beneficial to have crew stationed in both cities.

There aren't that many who live in Melbourne. I can think of about 5 captains. Probably a few more in the other ranks. I don't think they've ever been keen on bases, simply because the aircraft operating a given service, can, and do, change. There is a small 330 base in Melbourne, but I think thats mostly short haul, and is left over from the fact that the 330 was originally purchased for short haul ops.

Is it the same for cabin crew?

No, there are a number of long haul cabin crew bases. For the 380, they're Melbourne and Sydney.

On another note, I am a flight simmer. I also had a few flying lessons when I was 17. I have been on two static B737 Sims. Once in Mel and once at a flying show at Duxford in the UK. On both occasions I was asked which airline I fly for. The Duxford experience in particular was rewarding. The Sim was run by BA and one of the Senior B747 captains that was "flying" that day practically offered me a job!

Well, he's not likely to say that you sucked.....

 

[jb747]

As for 24hr operation of the simulator, it must be fun for those slotted in the hours of 0200 - 0600...

The horrible times of day are normally reserved for those on course. They end up with all of their sims around those hours, so it's like being on night shift for a month. One off they are horrible.

 

[Simo]

The horrible times of day are normally reserved for those on course. They end up with all of their sims around those hours, so it's like being on night shift for a month. One off they are horrible.

I would guess this would be the time that potentially your are at your least alert and would have signs of wanting to sleep and general tiredness.

 

[D747]

Well, he's not likely to say that you sucked.....

jb, you are mean. Very likely correct, but mean.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

On another note, I am a flight simmer. I also had a few flying lessons when I was 17. I have been on two static B737 Sims. Once in Mel and once at a flying show at Duxford in the UK. On both occasions I was asked which airline I fly for. The Duxford experience in particular was rewarding. The Sim was run by BA and one of the Senior B747 captains that was "flying" that day practically offered me a job!

lol. I was given the MEL flight sim as a present. The guy running it at the end of mine told me to never ever ever consider a career as a pilot

 

[mannej]

Hi JB, do you have any idea of your roster for September yet?

 

[jb747]

Hi JB, do you have any idea of your roster for September yet?

August/September is a 'blank line' for me, which means that I'll do ad hoc stuff. About the only thing I know for sure is that there's a licence renewal in the sim.

 

[RobYg]

JB, in your sim sessions are you solo, have an instructor acting as FO, or have an FO who is being checked at the same time?