Ask The Pilot

[jb747]

I take it you have no interest in becoming a check/training pilot? Do those type of positions get suggested by the boss or is it up to the individual to apply for it?

Combination of both. You can register your interest and it's up to the 'boss' whether that interest goes anywhere. It's not a job I want.

 

[SenZubEanS]

JB, Have you guys been given any info on when these EFB Apps will be rolled out to you on the A380 fleet?

Qantas becomes a launch customer for Airbus

 

[jb747]

JB, Have you guys been given any info on when these EFB Apps will be rolled out to you on the A380 fleet?

Qantas becomes a launch customer for Airbus

The 380 will be the last crew group to get iPads, so I expect the 5 will be current...by the time they issue 3s.

I've seen the Jeppesen applications (charts, etc), and they work well, and are a vast improvement over what is currently installed. They even pass the test of being better than paper. What I've seen of Airbus software so far doesn't fill me with much hope for their IOS apps, though, you never know...

 

[horseman]

Sorry if this has been asked before, why do some pilots, after taking off and just before landing bank the plane to the right then left? Is it just to give passengers a better view? It bugs me when they do

 

[mannej]

Ask The Pilot

Sorry if this has been asked before, why do some pilots, after taking off and just before landing bank the plane to the right then left? Is it just to give passengers a better view? It bugs me when they do

I would guess it would have squat to do with giving the passengers a better view and more instructions giving by ATC


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[robbie1984]

Sorry if this has been asked before, why do some pilots, after taking off and just before landing bank the plane to the right then left? Is it just to give passengers a better view? It bugs me when they do

Pilots have to follow SIDs (Standard Instrument Departures) and STARs (Standard Arrival Route). These are charts/maps of the course they must follow when taking off or landing. Often to ensure aircraft avoid hazards, maintain separation and for noise abatement. example. departing Sydney 16L. shortly after takeoff you need to turn left to track through botany bay heads, then turn right to avoid houses etc... once at the published "exit" point you then follow your planned flight path....

 

[jb747]

Sorry if this has been asked before, why do some pilots, after taking off and just before landing bank the plane to the right then left? Is it just to give passengers a better view? It bugs me when they do

Sudden, jerky, roll inputs near the ground are control inputs to counter gusty winds. More sustained turns (i.e. off 16R Sydney) are part of a SID, that has you turn to the right to pick up an outbound bearing, and then turn left to pick up a defined track. On approach to land they are probably corrections to ensure you land on the black bit, instead of the green.

Nobody considers 'giving a view' at anything other than cruise levels, and even then only for places like Uluru.

The closer a pilot is to the ground, the less he cares about making inputs smooth...he just wants the results instantly.

 

[Tortuga]

Sudden, jerky, roll inputs near the ground are control inputs to counter gusty winds. More sustained turns (i.e. off 16R Sydney) are part of a SID, that has you turn to the right to pick up an outbound bearing, and then turn left to pick up a defined track. On approach to land they are probably corrections to ensure you land on the black bit, instead of the green.

Nobody considers 'giving a view' at anything other than cruise levels, and even then only for places like Uluru.

The closer a pilot is to the ground, the less he cares about making inputs smooth...he just wants the results instantly.

Is there a general consensus of pilot quality within the airline industry? Are there any guys out there that are recognized as being the best? If you were going to build the "perfect" pilot what key attributes and training would they have?

 

[ajca]

Nobody considers 'giving a view' at anything other than cruise levels, and even then only for places like Uluru.

I got a lovely view of Uluru on SQ228 the other day (or "Ayers Rock" as the SQ captain called it rather in a rather un-PC fashion)

 

[jb747]

Is there a general consensus of pilot quality within the airline industry? Are there any guys out there that are recognized as being the best? If you were going to build the "perfect" pilot what key attributes and training would they have?

The 'best' is a moving target. Basically, you're only as good as your last flight....

There are many things that are needed to be a pilot (and of course they are in other occupations too). The calmer you are under stress, the better. The ability to immediately move beyond the mistake you just made (fix it and forget it) is a must. I recall students who were almost perfect until they made any mistake, no matter how minor...and then they'd just fall apart.

You must provide leadership. The buck stops with you. End of story.

Some national characteristics come into play. 'Face', and the need to maintain it, is a huge negative. In Australia, our 'tall poppy syndrome', is normally a negative, but in aviation, it serves as the opposite of 'face', and empowers more junior pilots to speak up, and the captains, to listen.

Casual is just at bad as rigid and formal.

Pilots who are naturally very good manipulators, are often chosen as instructors, because their own marks are excellent. Interestingly, they are sometimes appalling instructors, because they actually don't really understand why they are good...the numbers always work for them, but they can't break it down to show others how. Sometimes, the first officers are actually better at the flying than are the captains. But, that's really only one small part of the job...making the whole package work is what the captains are there for.

Passengers judge a flight on some pretty minor parameters. A nice smooth touchdown, is the most easily recognised, but often not high on the pilot's priorities at all. Often that smooth touchdown will actually be the source of a negative debrief in the coughpit, if it has been done on a wet day, or at the expense of the touchdown point.

Off the RAAF pilots' course, there were a number of awards. Best pilot was just that...the highest scores over the entire course for the flights. Dux though, was an amalgamation of the marks for the flights, ground school and leadership. Individual flights were marked solely on the worst of three facets..manipulation, preparation, and airmanship (i.e. manipulate the aircraft perfectly, have studied everything, but make an airmanship error = fail)

The upshot, I guess, is that 'the best' is really an all rounder.

 

[Tortuga]

The 'best' is a moving target. Basically, you're only as good as your last flight....

There are many things that are needed to be a pilot (and of course they are in other occupations too). The calmer you are under stress, the better. The ability to immediately move beyond the mistake you just made (fix it and forget it) is a must. I recall students who were almost perfect until they made any mistake, no matter how minor...and then they'd just fall apart.

You must provide leadership. The buck stops with you. End of story.

Some national characteristics come into play. 'Face', and the need to maintain it, is a huge negative. In Australia, our 'tall poppy syndrome', is normally a negative, but in aviation, it serves as the opposite of 'face', and empowers more junior pilots to speak up, and the captains, to listen.

Casual is just at bad as rigid and formal.

Pilots who are naturally very good manipulators, are often chosen as instructors, because their own marks are excellent. Interestingly, they are sometimes appalling instructors, because they actually don't really understand why they are good...the numbers always work for them, but they can't break it down to show others how. Sometimes, the first officers are actually better at the flying than are the captains. But, that's really only one small part of the job...making the whole package work is what the captains are there for.

Passengers judge a flight on some pretty minor parameters. A nice smooth touchdown, is the most easily recognised, but often not high on the pilot's priorities at all. Often that smooth touchdown will actually be the source of a negative debrief in the coughpit, if it has been done on a wet day, or at the expense of the touchdown point.

Off the RAAF pilots' course, there were a number of awards. Best pilot was just that...the highest scores over the entire course for the flights. Dux though, was an amalgamation of the marks for the flights, ground school and leadership. Individual flights were marked solely on the worst of three facets..manipulation, preparation, and airmanship (i.e. manipulate the aircraft perfectly, have studied everything, but make an airmanship error = fail)

The upshot, I guess, is that 'the best' is really an all rounder.

Appreciate the answer JB, is there anything other than actual flying and SIM exercises that form part of a captains training/maintenance of skills? Does Qantas send you on any leadership courses etc.

 

[jb747]

Appreciate the answer JB, is there anything other than actual flying and SIM exercises that form part of a captains training/maintenance of skills? Does Qantas send you on any leadership courses etc.

Honestly, I can think of almost nothing worse than such a course, and I'd be suspicious of the leadership ability of anyone who wanted to send me on one.

 

[mjt57]

Honestly, I can think of almost nothing worse than such a course, and I'd be suspicious of the leadership ability of anyone who wanted to send me on one.

Work used to send us off to AIM (Australian Institute of Management) to do leadership courses. About the most I got from the two I did were hangovers, staying at a hotel near the Casino...

When you mentioned the RAAF course and demonstrated leadership I have to wonder - you're talking about an elite group of people (I hate to use that "best of the best" cliche) who would all think, or perhaps are, natural leaders. To have someone lead that group would have to be somewhat special.

Where I work, leadership is one of those mythical terms that the bosses attribute to themselves. Basically if they were not here the place would still run fine (probably better). But we're not talking about keeping a $400 million aircraft with 400 people inside of it in one piece.

 

[mjt57]

JB, just read this in the paper;

Lone star on the radar | aiport wars | US

I forget if you've covered this, apologies if so.

If I want to fly to New York, is it quicker for me to do so via DFW or via LAX?

Also, has Qantas looked at taking the A380 there? Possible?

Finally, would ex-744 drivers/co drivers now on the A380 consider covering pilot shortfalls on the Boeings if asked? I'd assume that there may be currency issues with this.

 

[jb747]

When you mentioned the RAAF course and demonstrated leadership I have to wonder - you're talking about an elite group of people (I hate to use that "best of the best" cliche) who would all think, or perhaps are, natural leaders. To have someone lead that group would have to be somewhat special.

Looked at another way...they represent a substantial proportion of the people I work with.

 

[jb747]

JB, just read this in the paper;

Lone star on the radar | aiport wars | US

I forget if you've covered this, apologies if so.

If I want to fly to New York, is it quicker for me to do so via DFW or via LAX?

I doubt that it would be any quicker. The distance is, after all, more or less the same, and no matter how good the airport, you still have to deal with US immigration and the TSA, who will be more or less the same everywhere.

You can stay on the 107, which I'd consider far better than transferring to any smaller aircraft for what can be a long duration flight to NY. The big airport hold-up on the route is always JFK itself.

Also, has Qantas looked at taking the A380 there? Possible?

Who knows what QF have looked at? I expect they look at everything. Possible yes....easily. In fact it could probably do Dallas Sydney, though perhaps not all the time, or with max load.

Finally, would ex-744 drivers/co drivers now on the A380 consider covering pilot shortfalls on the Boeings if asked? I'd assume that there may be currency issues with this.

If anything there is an excess on the Boeings, as they are being retired and nothing new is arriving to replace them. But, you couldn't go back without substantial retraining, in both directions. It would be quicker to train someone from the 767. The 744 is, after all, only a big, fat, slow 767.

 

[mjt57]

Looked at another way...they represent a substantial proportion of the people I work with.

Which is good from a pax's perspective.

And of Qantas's as well....

I wonder what sort of people that the likes of Tiger or similar attract...

 

[horseman]

Thanks to all for your prompt replies

 

[straitman]

Ask The Pilot

Which is good from a pax's perspective.

And of Qantas's as well....

Out of those who actually make selection for RAAF/RAN pilots course only about 1/3 graduate. Despite the bravado, every effort is made to get as many as possible to graduate. We graduated 18 of about 50 with one fatality during course.

I wonder what sort of people that the likes of Tiger or similar attract...

Like any industry they attract anyone who is appropriately qualified and in the job market at the time. I have a friend who recently applied for Tiger (but ended up flying ATRs at DJ). He was a RAN/RAAF pilot who was looking for a way into the airline system. As jb747 has alluded a few times it is, like anywhere else, not just pilot quality but job availability that controls the market.




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[Simo]

How many new pilots would QF employ in a year.

Also do the current pilots leave due to reaching retirement age for a Pilot or is it just had enough of being away and want to do something different or promotions up the food change.

What is the retirement age for a Pilot? Is it different for different type of aircraft?

I am not being political in this question and I understand if you don't want to answer it or want to change the question.