Ask The Pilot

[markis10]

I know they are ¨just¨ lumps of metal, but seeing an ex-QF jumbo in some other livery just feels wrong.

At least its still flying, some even go on to become workhorses for rather famous companies:

VH-EAQ = now known as the google jet! QFs first Jumbo is still flying - EBA.

 

[jb747]

Tampa is small, but consistent. One friend has just reached 20 yrs with them, the other is about 12 yrs. My impression is that salaries are usually less than pax airlines. But at least they dont have to put up with pax that dont like their pj´s! :O

As we've said here before, the vast majority of passengers are lovely people who don't cause any issues whatsoever. You only ever get to hear about exceptions, or oddities.

And, on the other hand, I don't have to carry cargo that is banned from passenger aircraft. I think you'll find that proportionally more cargo aircraft have crashed than passenger aircraft. I can think of a couple of recent 747 losses, and in both cases cargo that is banned from pax aircraft was the cause.

 

[juddles]

...think you'll find that proportionally more cargo aircraft have crashed than passenger aircraft. .....

most certainly true. But is that due to pilots/culture, or rather an average older airframe and less tighter maintenance? At the end of the day, I suspect it has nothing to do with the pilots themselves.

 

[jb747]

most certainly true. But is that due to pilots/culture, or rather an average older airframe and less tighter maintenance? At the end of the day, I suspect it has nothing to do with the pilots themselves.

It will, as always, be a mix of these things.

EBA was broken up earlier this year apparently. Amazing that she was around for so long.

 

[jb747]

How many thread pages will we need to hit before my book with have written itself?

 

[markis10]

EBA was broken up earlier this year apparently. Amazing that she was around for so long.

It was too, shame but 40 years is a good innings compared to some!

 

[anat0l]

How many thread pages will we need to hit before my book with have written itself?

If you make a book from these threads then we need to discuss AFF's cut :mrgreen: just kidding


Surprised they latched on quickly to make a story out of QF32, but not one for QF30.

 

[jb747]

If you make a book from these threads then we need to discuss AFF's cut :mrgreen: just kidding


Surprised they latched on quickly to make a story out of QF32, but not one for QF30.

The captain has been the driving force behind keeping QF32 in the eye. Richard has his own agenda, and it's not the same as mine. Whilst I'm pleased that I (and my crew) did a good job with QF30, I'd be just as happy if somebody else had gotten to do it.

If the media were to latch onto the 30 (the various air emergency TV shows) I doubt that I'd be inclined towards helping. I don't need or like any publicity. I'm quite happy to tell people about the 30, but I'd rather it not be the defining moment of my life.

 

[juddles]

JB, a publishing problem you have here is that the threads you have participated in have already been read by your most avid fans.

But unlike RdeC, our thanks and respect is pure and long term. No financial angle. But despite the fact that you are not benefiting financially from your contributions here, I hope you realise that there is an entire generation of keen Australian travellers that hold you in the best esteem, and will always do so. Am not sure what the numbers of AFF members are that read your posts, but rest assured that whenever I was to meet you I will shout you the beer.

Cheers.

 

[jb747]

JB, a publishing problem you have here is that the threads you have participated in have already been read by your most avid fans.

All three of them. I couldn't use the title anyway. It was somewhat unashamedly borrowed from a US 767 pilot (Patrick Smith) who has many very well thought out things to say on Salon, as well as having written a book or two.

I'm not sure of my original motivation when I started writing on the newsgroups. I suspect it was in part to simply dispel so many of the myths that were being portrayed as facts. I'm aware too, of just how keen, and yet starved of real information, many of aviation's fans are.

Also, whilst I'm most certainly not a lackey of my company's PR organisation, I get quite angry when I read uninformed mud slinging. Where I can, I try to put that right. Informed mud slinging is fine.

 

[mosanator]

JB, a publishing problem you have here is that the threads you have participated in have already been read by your most avid fans.

But unlike RdeC, our thanks and respect is pure and long term. No financial angle. But despite the fact that you are not benefiting financially from your contributions here, I hope you realise that there is an entire generation of keen Australian travellers that hold you in the best esteem, and will always do so. Am not sure what the numbers of AFF members are that read your posts, but rest assured that whenever I was to meet you I will shout you the beer.

Cheers.

I second that sentiment - well said.
At least in a book we would get rid of all our inane jottings !!!!

 

[Awesom Andy]

most certainly true. But is that due to pilots/culture, or rather an average older airframe and less tighter maintenance? At the end of the day, I suspect it has nothing to do with the pilots themselves.

Here's one where it appears that the cargo caught fire.
Crash: Asiana B744 near Jeju on Jul 28th 2011, fire in cargo hold

 

[markis10]

UPS6 is not dis-similar in terms of the scenario re lithium batteries, although I don't believe either have conclusive causes established.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UPS_Airlines_Flight_6

 

[777]

All three of them. I couldn't use the title anyway. It was somewhat unashamedly borrowed from a US 767 pilot (Patrick Smith) who has many very well thought out things to say on Salon, as well as having written a book or two.

I'm a big fan of Patrick and disappointed to see that Salon seem to have given him the flick recently - there's only been one update since March and none since May. Thanks for filling the gap JB!

 

[QF WP]

You just need to check the number of page views and number of members who have visited the thread to know you have far greater readership than 3.

I'd think that most readers would love to fly with you AND buy you a beer (after we get to the destination!)

 

[mjt57]

Interesting report in today's papers, about a QF captain and SO allegedly arguing over settings required for takeoff from DFW.

It must be one brave SO that will have a "heated" argument with his captain. I wonder what the FO was doing through all of this...

 

[SenZubEanS]

Hey JB,
I know you can't comment on internal politics, but the story doing the rounds about the delayed QF8 last week talk about the Capt and SO having a bit of a verbal stoush while on the tarmac. Not commenting on these people directly as I don't know them, but it would seem to me to be poor captaincy if an SO was left feeling so adversely to the Capt's actions and presumable the FO hasn't intervened to side with either party.
Have you ever had circumstances where things go heated between parties and were unable to be sorted?
Just seems odd to me (not that there is much detail in the articles) that between 3 flight crew, the correct information of an agreed calculation could not be made.

 

[Skyring]

Just seems odd to me (not that there is much detail in the articles) that between 3 flight crew, the correct information of an agreed calculation could not be made.

You know, given that the DFW-SYD sector is such a long one and numbers are so important to getting the thing in the air, let alone safely down again, I'm glad the calculations were the focus of some passion, rather than a "she'll be right" attitude. And if there's heated intercourse between members of the flight crew, I'd rather it happen on the ground instead of mid-flight.

My own SO once served at HMAS Albatross and she went sailing at Jervis Bay with a pilot who irritated her a little because "he checked everything three times!!!" before setting out on the water. Sounded to me like a good attitude to have!

 

[jb747]

I know nothing about this (having just gotten home from Manila).

The media reports don't make much sense. As usual, there will be more to the story.

 

[harvyk]

You know, given that the DFW-SYD sector is such a long one and numbers are so important to getting the thing in the air, let alone safely down again, I'm glad the calculations were the focus of some passion, rather than a "she'll be right" attitude. And if there's heated intercourse between members of the flight crew, I'd rather it happen on the ground instead of mid-flight.

I'm under the impression that numbers are so important for virtually all flights regardless of length, it's not just limited to the ultra long haul flights.