Ask The Pilot

[jb747]

Is the route itself important enough for additional training / check ?

E.g. if you were to be asked to fly QF11 / QF12 instead of the "routine" DXB/LHR route, would you just turn up the next day for "work" or you need additional "route check" ?

... in case you get lost over the Pacific ??

You're expected to be up to date on any route that your aircraft is used for. Not only do you make sure you're read up on the actual destinations, but you also keep an eye on the various alternates (both to the destination, and along the way) that you might use. Beyond that, you also need to read up on the ATC rules, which also differ.

The sim exercises wander around the world, and they cover anything unusual every now and then.

 

[legroom]

You're expected to be up to date on any route that your aircraft is used for. Not only do you make sure you're read up on the actual destinations, but you also keep an eye on the various alternates (both to the destination, and along the way) that you might use. Beyond that, you also need to read up on the ATC rules, which also differ.

The sim exercises wander around the world, and they cover anything unusual every now and then.

Right, so DXB/LHR/LAX/HKG - A380 routes - would be "at your fingertips" then.

Many thanks

 

[QF WP]

Roster for the next couple of months...

QF9 21/12 MEL-DXB
QF9 24/12 DXB-LHR
QF2 26/12 LHR-DXB
QF2 28/12 DXB-SYD

QF93 06/1 MEL-LAX
QF94 07/1 LAX-MEL

QF9 15/1 MEL-DXB
QF9 18/1 DXB-LHR
QF2 20/1 LHR-DXB
QF2 22/1 DXB-SYD

QF1 04/2 SYD-DXB
QF1 07/2 DXB-LHR
QF10 09/2 LHR-DXB
QF10 11/2 DXB-MEL

And the proviso that anything can change, and in particular I always try to swap sectors that involve Sydney.

Given your desire to swap sectors (QF10 instead of QF2 and QF9 instead of QF1), what timeframe must you give QF Ops when you do find another Captain willing to swap sectors?

I think we all hate the Dom to Intl transfer at SYD...some of us go out of our way to connect in MEL for the ease of transfer.

 

[jb747]

Right, so DXB/LHR/LAX/HKG - A380 routes - would be "at your fingertips" then.

And Nadi, Noumea, Faleolo, Pago, Honolulu, Hilo, Kona, San Francisco, Ontario, Las Vegas, Singapore, Jakarta, KL, Bali, Alice, Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Perth, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Muscat, Al Ain, Bahrain, Kuwait, Ankara, Istanbul, Trabzon, Baku, Simferopol, Vienna, Frankfurt, Munich, Cologne, Amsterdam, Paris, Stansted, Gatwick, Manchester, Manila, Clark, Taipei, Guangzhou.

I think that covers most of the ones we'd look at in either direction. You don't sit and study them, but during flight there's often time as you update the weathers to have a look at the approach plates for anything you might possibly need.

 

[legroom]

And Nadi, Noumea, Faleolo, Pago, Honolulu, Hilo, Kona, San Francisco, Ontario, Las Vegas, Singapore, Jakarta, KL, Bali, Alice, Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Perth, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Muscat, Al Ain, Bahrain, Kuwait, Ankara, Istanbul, Trabzon, Baku, Simferopol, Vienna, Frankfurt, Munich, Cologne, Amsterdam, Paris, Stansted, Gatwick, Manchester, Manila, Clark, Taipei, Guangzhou.

I think that covers most of the ones we'd look at in either direction. You don't sit and study them, but during flight there's often time as you update the weathers to have a look at the approach plates for anything you might possibly need.

I won't tell you how many of those places I have not heard of.

Let's say there are more than one

 

[jb747]

Given your desire to swap sectors (QF10 instead of QF2 and QF9 instead of QF1), what timeframe must you give QF Ops when you do find another Captain willing to swap sectors?

There's really only one possible person who can swap a single sector like that, and that's the guy who is doing your mirrored trip (the DXB LHR are all the same length, and they differ in that one starts in Melbourne, and ends in Sydney, whilst the other does it the other way around. There is a deal with the company to the effect that they will always allow this swap, but they won't action it until you're both in Dubai on the way home. Normally we'd both send them an email as we're leaving London, and they'll action it when we arrive.

Just to make it clear...all of those trips actually start and end in Sydney, it's just that you either pax the first or last sector.

I think we all hate the Dom to Intl transfer at SYD...some of us go out of our way to connect in MEL for the ease of transfer.

I don't mind the transfer, it seems painless enough. I just don't want to be in Sydney, given that my car is in Melbourne.... It makes the whole journey home about 3 hours longer.

 

[docjames]

What would you have in mind for SYD-JNB or SYD-SCL? Presumably less options!

Realise you don't currently operate these but thought you may have during your 744 days and might recall.

 

[jb747]

What would you have in mind for SYD-JNB or SYD-SCL? Presumably less options!

Realise you don't currently operate these but thought you may have during your 744 days and might recall.

Never flew to SCL, or anywhere else in South America. I did one JNB and never returned.

I guess Perth, Diego Garcia, Mauritius, Antananarivo....and for the other, NZ, and after that I have no idea....

 

[petercr]

JB, I see according to Murdoch press that one of your colleagues had to return to LHR in the lat day or 2 with a disruptive passenger on-board but there was a call put out for doctors/ nurses to assist. Would that be just in case things got out of hand?

 

[jb747]

JB, I see according to Murdoch press that one of your colleagues had to return to LHR in the lat day or 2 with a disruptive passenger on-board but there was a call put out for doctors/ nurses to assist. Would that be just in case things got out of hand?

I have no idea what happened.

 

[petercr]

Hi JB, sorry - was meaning do you have a (mental or printed) checklist of who to call on-board if different types of event occur or do the cabin crew decide what's needed depending on the scenario... I can understand a doctor/nurse for a sick passenger but the same for a disruptive passenger?

Qantas Source has information without the Murdoch sensationalism...

 

[Flashback]

So much for Christmas at home :shock:

Well, we have room at the Christmas table for 1 if you feel so inclined :mrgreen:

 

[jb747]

Hi JB, sorry - was meaning do you have a (mental or printed) checklist of who to call on-board if different types of event occur or do the cabin crew decide what's needed depending on the scenario... I can understand a doctor/nurse for a sick passenger but the same for a disruptive passenger?

Advice is easy enough to get, and you can use the contact via Ops Control to arrange virtually anything. Medical assistance can be had from Medlink, and in concert with ops they'll arrange anything medical that you may need, as well as providing advice.

There are lots of reasons that a person may become disruptive, with the obvious ones being drugs and alcohol, but some medical conditions will give similar outcomes.

 

[ReLoad]

Hey JB,

Driving past the QF simulators in Essendon a lot and i was wondering, how many simulators are in there? Are they all aircraft types that QF uses? Is it the main pilot training centre, or is that in SYD?

Do simulators get updated often? I'm guessing they are expensive pieces of equipment.

My thought lines being, do QF lease time in them to other airlines?

 

[markis10]

Hey JB,

Driving past the QF simulators in Essendon a lot and i was wondering, how many simulators are in there? Are they all aircraft types that QF uses? Is it the main pilot training centre, or is that in SYD?

Do simulators get updated often? I'm guessing they are expensive pieces of equipment.

My thought lines being, do QF lease time in them to other airlines?

Simulator breakdown by location:

Full Flight Simulators Operated by Qantas Flight Training
Sydney Base
Airbus A330-200 1
Airbus A380 1
Boeing 767-300 2
Boeing 747-400 3
Dash 8 Q300 1
Dash 8 Q400 1


Melbourne Base
Airbus A330-200 1
Boeing 737-400 1
Boeing 737-800 2

 

[mjt57]

Simulator breakdown by location:

Full Flight Simulators Operated by Qantas Flight Training
Sydney Base
Boeing 747-400 3

Imagine having one of these in your shed when Qantas finally ceases 744 ops and disposes of its assets...

 

[jb747]

Imagine having one of these in your shed when Qantas finally ceases 744 ops and disposes of its assets...

I think that one of the three is currently shut down awaiting disposal, so there's your chance. You'll need a big shed, and friendly electricity supplier.

 

[straitman]

Wow, that seems to be a lot.

How many years of airline service would it take for a pilot to get 4,000 hrs? Presumably Emirates is targeting current airline pilots in its recruitment process?

Yes, i don't know any Emirates guys who have recently joined who have not flown airlines or corporate jets first.

Airline guys will get 4000 hours in 5-6 years; corporate will generally take a little longer, and military would take over 10 years.

I left the RAAF after 12yrs and 4 months and in doing so had approx 4200 military flying hours. Other than short tours as a ground instructor I had flying jobs all the time including some fairly high work loads whilst flying instructing.

Transport pilots were flying a bit more but fighter pilots were certainly flying a lot less. I seem to recall the fighter allocation was about 22 hrs per month.

 

[jb747]

Driving past the QF simulators in Essendon a lot and i was wondering, how many simulators are in there? Are they all aircraft types that QF uses? Is it the main pilot training centre, or is that in SYD?

The Melbourne training centre was originally Australian Airlines (TAA). Most of the domestic training is still done there.

Do simulators get updated often? I'm guessing they are expensive pieces of equipment.

The sims themselves mostly last the life of the aircraft, though they'll go through numerous updates over their lives to keep them as close as possible to the real thing. The A380 sim was down for about 3 months early this year as it went through a huge update, that made it much closer to the aircraft, and improved the visuals dramatically. Sadly the aircraft software updates can't be applied to the sims...they're all effectively reverse engineered. That means that it's a constant battle to keep them up to date with the aircraft, particularly if the aircraft is still relatively new and undergoing constant software updates.

My thought lines being, do QF lease time in them to other airlines?

The certainly do training for other airlines. Recently we've had Emirates and BA in for A380 time. I think one of the 'Chinas' was also in for some initial training a while back.

 

[jb747]

I left the RAAF after 12yrs and 4 months and in doing so had approx 4200 military flying hours. Other than short tours as a ground instructor I had flying jobs all the time including some fairly high work loads whilst flying instructing.

Transport pilots were flying a bit more but fighter pilots were certainly flying a lot less. I seem to recall the fighter allocation was about 22 hrs per month.

Many airlines have also had provisos in their recruitment paperwork to the effect that the hours requirements would be reduced in certain circumstances...this was specifically to cater for the fighter people, who would be lucky to complete an entire military career with more than 2,500 hours.

Given that so many now take zero hour cadets, I know whom I'd prefer.....