Ask The Pilot

[MEL_Traveller]

should a passenger do anything in such a situation - for example alerting the cabin crew? In days gone past we might have assumed it had been checked and was ok, now days we are a little more questioning. At what point would a passenger make a decision that it was not safe for them (the passenger) to fly?

jb - not sure if you missed this earlier post of mine? it was a question regarding the ice on the wing and whether a passenger should do anything about it?

 

[jb747]

TU-154 RA-85563 Almost Crash! (subtitles) - YouTube


I think it's Russian. A/C had problems with flight stability. Care to speculate as to the cause?

Do a search for the registration number and you get plenty of hits. Some sort of engineering error relating to the flight controls. Pretty ugly, that's for sure.

 

[jb747]

jb - not sure if you missed this earlier post of mine? it was a question regarding the ice on the wing and whether a passenger should do anything about it?

This is really a can of worms. Most times that passengers see 'something' it turns out that they are mistaken. If you are concerned, then tell the cabin crew. I very much doubt that you'd realistically be able to take it much further, but quite honestly, it's something you'd have to make your own decision about at the time.

In the case of the ice that was pictured, as I know its not going to kill me, I'd go back to my drink/book.

 

[ChrisGibbs]

Is there no good reason why a flight might start high and gradually descend, even if it's unusual? Or could the IFE altitude data possibly have been wrong somehow (seems unlikely based on your other recent answers about the data source for this though)

The older Rockwell IFE in the 744 had / has an undocumented feature that displays an incorrect altitude not long after TOD has been initiated. For example you could be flying from LAX to SYD at FL380 and commence descent into Sydney. The moving map display would show something like 24,500ft within about 30 seconds on the commencement of descent. It wouldn't provide a correct display until about 7-8 minutes later which i presume would be about the time the aircraft was around FL245 in the descent profile.

 

[Bjet]

Before take off and after landing, which australian airport is easier for the pilots to taxi and park the gate? In BNE, i think it's easier for the EK pilots to go straight from the runway to the gate quickly - in about 5 minutes (such short time).

 

[jb747]

Before take off and after landing, which australian airport is easier for the pilots to taxi and park the gate? In BNE, i think it's easier for the EK pilots to go straight from the runway to the gate quickly - in about 5 minutes (such short time).

One would have to presume that it's no more difficult for any other airline's pilots.....

It all depends what runway you land on and where you are parking. None of our airports are particularly well designed, so they're about all equally inconvenient.

 

[Bjet]

Not sure if it has posted before...

Are you now using ipad to look up the airport map, STAR directory and jeppesen charts?

 

[jb747]

Not sure if it has posted before...

Are you now using ipad to look up the airport map, STAR directory and jeppesen charts?

iPads are in the process of being introduced. At this stage they have the Jeppesens and some company information, but no performance applications or flight manuals. They'll come sometime this year. The Jepps and all of the manuals also reside in an onboard computer system called the OIT. Airport maps are also part of the coughpit displays.

 

[wafliron]

JB is saying by the time you could get to 42000 feet it would be time to descend. An illogical sequence one would suggest.

I understood that bit My remaining confusion is around whether I really saw what I'm "sure" I saw on the IFE map, and if I did, what the reason(s) were.

 

[Bjet]

Sorry it's me again... I have asked too many questions about pilots...

I remember last time, I was suprised to see there were three pilots in the B767 flight deck. Later, he told me that he is a pilot auditor? His job is to make sure the pilots know how to communicate with each other, making decision, CRM and flying skill. Is that right? Do the pilot auditor choose the flight without letting on-duty pilots know?

 

[jb747]

I remember last time, I was suprised to see there were three pilots in the B767 flight deck. Later, he told me that he is a pilot auditor? His job is to make sure the pilots know how to communicate with each other, making decision, CRM and flying skill. Is that right? Do the pilot auditor choose the flight without letting on-duty pilots know?

The 'system' chooses the flights, without input from either the crew or the auditors. The auditors are all company Captains, but not necessarily from the same type of aircraft (the last time I flew with one, he was a 737 pilot). They are interested in how the overall system works. Not just the way we use CRM on the flight deck, but how we interact with ATC, ground crew, flight planning, everything. Management of errors is a big part of their purview. As they are from different fleets, the operational side (i.e. the flying) isn't necessarily something they comment on (we have annual route checks for that), but they provide a different point of view.

Whilst the pairing of auditors and crew is pretty random, the audit department do have plan. For instance, they'll have a look at a certain percentage of pilots who are new to type (my first audit on the 380 was about the second trip after the training). They may have a bias towards destinations or operations that have had issues in the past. The information that they gather is used to change the rules, training, and procedures. I think it's a good system.

 

[Flying Fox]

I was just watching the following video that you made and it prompted a couple of questions –

A380 birdseye view of takeoff 2 - YouTube

I should say thanks for sharing all your videos & all the editing time you must put in. I expanded the video to my full 27” screen and it really felt like I was in the coughpit with you guys (albeit stuck to the ceiling).

1. The thumping sound as the aircraft gains speed, is it caused by the aircraft running over runway section joins?

2. I noticed that the FO seems to have control of the aircraft until the take off run starts at which point you take over for the actual take off and then once in the air the FO takes over again. Does the FO then fly the sector?

3. So when I read that the Captain or FO of the aircraft has X take offs and lands and 20000 hours, how is all this recorded? Is it manually logged by the individual? Doesn’t it leave these stats open to exaggeration?

4. In addition, in the above video, would the FO log the 8hrs (or whatever time it was for the sector) and you as Captain log 0hrs against your personal stats?

Thanks in advance for your answers!

 

[jb747]

I was just watching the following video that you made and it prompted a couple of questions –

A380 birdseye view of takeoff 2 - YouTube


1. The thumping sound as the aircraft gains speed, is it caused by the aircraft running over runway section joins?

It's the nose gear hitting the centreline lighting.

2. I noticed that the FO seems to have control of the aircraft until the take off run starts at which point you take over for the actual take off and then once in the air the FO takes over again. Does the FO then fly the sector?

FO does the take off. The Captain will always have his hand on the thrust levers up to V1, as the call to abort (or not) resides solely with the Captain. In the Airbus, the non flying pilot can have his hand on the sidestick during t/o and landing. It won't affect the PF, as the sticks aren't physically connected to each other..

3. So when I read that the Captain or FO of the aircraft has X take offs and lands and 20000 hours, how is all this recorded? Is it manually logged by the individual? Doesn’t it leave these stats open to exaggeration?

You record the take offs and landings that you actually do. We log it via the ACARs (and sometimes some paperwork). Many a pilot has cooked the books over the years...and as often as not it shows up because they aren't as experienced as their "hours" would make you expect.

4. In addition, in the above video, would the FO log the 8hrs (or whatever time it was for the sector) and you as Captain log 0hrs against your personal stats?

If I'm listed as the Captain of the flight, then I log all of the hours as command whether I give the sector away or not. The FO will log it as ICUS (in command under supervision) if he operates, or co-pilot if he supports.

 

[drpurpleturtle]

Hi JB,

I've been watching your Youtube video's and I just wanted to know while landing why does the radio altimeter/computer after 100 feet have different call outs? e.g. 100, 50, 40, 30, 20 Retard or 100, 50, 40, 30, 20 Retard 10, 5... (i've only noticed this on the A380).

Thanks in advance. ​

 

[warpspeed]

It's the nose gear hitting the centreline lighting.

I'm another lurker in this thread. Have read the entire thing, watched all your YouTube vids, listened to the podcast, etc. thanks very much for all of the time you've spent in here John. It's really appreciated, I've learned a hell of a lot.

Just curious on the above point. Why do you do that? Why not just go a little off centre? Wouldn't it contribute to further tyre wear?

 

[jb747]

Hi JB,

I've been watching your Youtube video's and I just wanted to know while landing why does the radio altimeter/computer after 100 feet have different call outs? e.g. 100, 50, 40, 30, 20 Retard or 100, 50, 40, 30, 20 Retard 10, 5... (i've only noticed this on the A380).​

The sequence 100, 50, 40, 30, 20, retard, 10, 5 is normal. Retard will move to being triggered by the "10" call in an auto land, and/or will repeat if you don't do it quickly enough to satisfy the digital Frenchman. If the time between the levels exceeds a trigger time, then it will call your current altitude. So if you float a bit it will call your current radar height.​

 

[jb747]

I'm another lurker in this thread. Have read the entire thing, watched all your YouTube vids, listened to the podcast, etc. thanks very much for all of the time you've spent in here John. It's really appreciated, I've learned a hell of a lot.

Just curious on the above point. Why do you do that? Why not just go a little off centre? Wouldn't it contribute to further tyre wear?

Everything about aviation is about creating good habits, so that when you relax or are distracted, you'll automatically tend towards whatever 'good' outcome you want. Sticking to the centreline, at all times, means that you're making the most of wing tip and landing gear clearances when taxying, and on a runway you're maximising the room you have available for that random engine failure (which will swing the aircraft well off the c/l, no matter how quick you are).

On the 380, you have about a metre between the nose gear tyres, so it is possible to drive right down the centreline, and not hit any of the bumps (and that explains why the sound comes and goes on some of the videos). The bumps are way less of a priority than maximising the clearance on both sides of the aircraft. Anyway, if you move the nose gear off centre, you'll simply hit them with the main gear, and with the extra gear sets back there, there would be even more bumps.

I really can't see that the wear would be anything other than trivial. Just taxying around the airport literally rips rubber off the tyres. The lower camera often shows rubber trails in any tighter turns (actually, I used to wonder who left those tracks, until I watched it one day and realised it was I).

 

[mjt57]

JB (and others), more kudos for the QF drivers...

Direct line to the pilot

And guess who gets an honorable mention, AGAIN...

 

[Skyhigh777]

Hi JB, i'm also a long time lurker, thanks for taking the time to do this.

I'm just wondering, have you ever had to abort a takeoff or landing in the 380? how about in the 767, 747?

 

[jb747]

JB (and others), more kudos for the QF drivers...

Direct line to the pilot

And guess who gets an honorable mention, AGAIN...

He deserves his "mentions". The method he uses of engaging with his passengers obviously works for him. There are other methods, which basically involve a lot of face to face, which is the way I prefer to go. There's room for a number of ways of handling this sort of issue.