Ask The Pilot

[mjt57]

As an aside that's an awesome shot of the Big Beastie. Really emphasises how big the darned thing is.

 

[flychrisfly]

I'm not a pilot but have seen them on race cars etc.

If I'm correct, they are NACA Ducts/Scoops/Inlets.

Developed by the US National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics who transformed into NASA.

Any idea what they're for? APU cooling? What about the ones on the wings??

 

[Flying Fox]

Any idea what they're for? APU cooling? What about the ones on the wings??

Clearly for some form of air intake but beyond that I will defer to the professional pilots to answer.

 

[jb747]

Don't know for sure, but I suspect he's started to select reverse, and then changed his mind. Not normal though. Even if you aren't using full reverse, it's normal to at least go to idle reverse.

I've thought about that a bit more. I don't think a selection/cancellation would work that quickly. I wonder if it isn't actually an automatic closure...basically the protection system that inhibits reverse if not selected. If so, it would be very interesting to know the actual maintenance status of the aircraft.

 

[jb747]

In the picture, can anyone tell me what the circled bits are and are for please?

Nice picture of Nancy. Flew her yesterday.

The pictured items are all part of the pressurisation/airconditioning system. Both ducts have movable panels, so they change shape depending upon the system requirements. The two on the fuselage are ram air inlets, and those on the wings are the outlets. In between the air passes through a heat exchanger. The packs are located in the wing roots.

There are also four outflow valves under the aircraft.

NACA ducts are quite a different shape.

 

[petercr]

NACA ducts are quite a different shape.

From what I've just looked up on Google, NACA ducts looks like they're a permanently 'open' inlet (and there's a great shot of a couple on an engine cowling and a Ferrari F40 over on Wikipedia... NACA duct - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

 

[WheelieBagWanderer]

Thanks for the additional answer on the thrust reverser question, JB.

Another two questions if I may:
1. (Coincidentally involving SQ again) but you may have seen news of this or a version of this video of an SQ A330 ingesting a cargo bin at Changi Airport.
Oops! Singapore Airlines flight sucks baggage container into engine at Changi Airport - YouTube
Hard to say, I know, but is there a good chance that would destroy the engine or mean that some of the fan would need to be replaced? Cargo bin was empty, but can't imagine it would have done much good. Who would have to be deemed responsible for that? The ramp crew for leaving it there or the flight crew for not seeing it on the taxi in to the gate? Or a combination of both?

2. On an overnight flight with China Southern a few weeks ago, (Aussie captain I noticed on the PA), most of the night's flight was a cloudy affair. At numerous stages during cruise (at least 4 or 5 times during the night) the flight crew turned on the landing lights for a period of time. Maybe on about 10-20 seconds each time then off again. After this it might have happened again 40 minutes to an hour later each time. What would the crew be doing/achieving by doing this?

Thanks again in advance for your input to this forum - very much appreciated for novices such as myself!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

2. On an overnight flight with China Southern a few weeks ago, (Aussie captain I noticed on the PA), most of the night's flight was a cloudy affair. At numerous stages during cruise (at least 4 or 5 times during the night) the flight crew turned on the landing lights for a period of time. Maybe on about 10-20 seconds each time then off again. After this it might have happened again 40 minutes to an hour later each time. What would the crew be doing/achieving by doing this?

answered at post #3335 in this thread

 

[WheelieBagWanderer]

Thanks, Mel - must have missed post #3335... LOL

And now I realise after reading it why you happened to remember it.

 

[workingman]

Is there a quick way to get to a post number, i.e. 3335? I just had to page back and back until I got there. Well I did jump to page numbers and see where I had got to in the numbering system

 

[CaviAck]

Is there a quick way to get to a post number, i.e. 3335? I just had to page back and back until I got there. Well I did jump to page numbers and see where I had got to in the numbering system

drop the last digit and add 1 and that's the page you should go to for the post you're looking for.
eg. post# 3335 is on page 334, post# 55 is on page 6, post# 5331 is on page 534.

Edit: actually I think that might not be the case for everyone. I can't remember if it was this forum or another that you can change the number of posts per page. What I wrote above works for the default 10 posts per page setting though.

 

[serfty]

I divide by 40, so it's on "Page 84" - in any case, it's almost exactly half way through this thread ... http://www.australianfrequentflyer....stions/ask-the-pilot-30478-84.html#post721775

 

[anat0l]

drop the last digit and add 1 and that's the page you should go to for the post you're looking for.
eg. post# 3335 is on page 334, post# 55 is on page 6, post# 5331 is on page 534.

Edit: actually I think that might not be the case for everyone. I can't remember if it was this forum or another that you can change the number of posts per page. What I wrote above works for the default 10 posts per page setting though.

Correct, it works for 10 posts per page. I view AFF on the forum maximum of 40 posts per page. You can use a similar technique to determine which page to go to, e.g. for post 3335, 3335 divided by 40 = 83.375. Round this up to the nearest whole number, 84. So go to page 84.

 

[jb747]

Thanks for the additional answer on the thrust reverser question, JB.

Another two questions if I may:
1. (Coincidentally involving SQ again) but you may have seen news of this or a version of this video of an SQ A330 ingesting a cargo bin at Changi Airport.
Oops! Singapore Airlines flight sucks baggage container into engine at Changi Airport - YouTube
Hard to say, I know, but is there a good chance that would destroy the engine or mean that some of the fan would need to be replaced? Cargo bin was empty, but can't imagine it would have done much good. Who would have to be deemed responsible for that? The ramp crew for leaving it there or the flight crew for not seeing it on the taxi in to the gate? Or a combination of both?

Whilst I don't think it would have destroyed the engine, the fan would most certainly be a bit second hand, as would the inlet.... I'd rather not have to pay for it.

Responsibility can obviously be spread around over a few players depending upon your 'bent', but, as I see it, the aircraft was under power, and being controlled by the captain. It was even on his side. When you say 'clear left' you're supposed to have looked.

2. On an overnight flight with China Southern a few weeks ago, (Aussie captain I noticed on the PA), most of the night's flight was a cloudy affair. At numerous stages during cruise (at least 4 or 5 times during the night) the flight crew turned on the landing lights for a period of time. Maybe on about 10-20 seconds each time then off again. After this it might have happened again 40 minutes to an hour later each time. What would the crew be doing/achieving by doing this?

It's often hard to tell if you're actually in cloud at night. But, you need to know to decide whether to turn the engine anti ice on or not...headlights are an easy way to tell.

5000 plus posts...amazing.

 

[Clivem]

5000 plus posts...amazing.

it sure is ....and for those of us who have come to this forum late it turns into hours of reading .......because like all great reads its hard to put down once your start ........ Thank you !

 

[petercr]

It's often hard to tell if you're actually in cloud at night. But, you need to know to decide whether to turn the engine anti ice on or not...headlights are an easy way to tell.

Wouldn't the on-board weather radar be able to tell you that? (assuming at that altitude there'd be a fair bit of moisture in the clouds)

 

[jb747]

Wouldn't the on-board weather radar be able to tell you that? (assuming at that altitude there'd be a fair bit of moisture in the clouds)

Cirrus never shows up. But, at temperatures between +10 and -40 it can still give you icing.

Almost nothing in aviation (be it machinery or people) ever gives you a complete picture...you fill in the gaps by whatever means you can think of.

 

[mjt57]

it sure is ....and for those of us who have come to this forum late it turns into hours of reading .......because like all great reads it hard to put down once your start ........ Thank you !

I think that this thread should be required reading for any journalist who reports on aviation matters, particularly those who have a penchant for using the terms, "plungs" and "forced down". Further, it's a good thing if every day travelers would read it too. Perhaps then, we'd see more pax who are less afraid of flying and fewer pax giving "expert commentary" following a non-event to aforesaid journalists...

Following from a recent incident where readers of the Age newspaper posted a heap of nonsensical posts, I posted something which recommended that people either visit the "Ask The Pilot" website or to buy the guy's book, or to come here and to actually get an education. Sadly, I think that most would have ignored this, thinking that they, alone are knowledgeable. Much like car drivers who think that they can drive.

Keep up the good work, JB. It will be sad to see you retire, but all things must end, eventually.

 

[legroom]

The calibre of JB's and his (clone) colleagues is a major factor in many of my decisions to fly Qantas instead of another carrier.

On topic

Hi JB,

Is there any way a pilot could anticipate turbulence or just 'cop' it when it happens ?

Another Q if I may.

You are on records against the occasional practice of wearing PJs prior to take-off and it is safe to assume your (clone) colleagues are of the same mind.

Why wouldn't QF (through its FAs) discourage this practice in the same way as ... sitting upright please ?

Has the Pilots Union taken a collective recommendation on this issue ?

Thanks again.


Ps: 'clones' is a word JB used in a favorable meaning a few posts back.

 

[jb747]

Is there any way a pilot could anticipate turbulence or just 'cop' it when it happens ?

Turbulence associated with convective cloud will be avoided by the use of the radar, or that old cheat of looking out the window. Our flight plans also give us a prediction of turbulence over each leg. I think that prediction is based up the rate of change of wind with altitude. Ride reports will also come from other aircraft, and sometimes via ATC. And sometimes we just have to cop it.

You are on records against the occasional practice of wearing PJs prior to take-off and it is safe to assume your (clone) colleagues are of the same mind.

Why wouldn't QF (through its FAs) discourage this practice in the same way as ... sitting upright please ?

That's my personal feeling on the practice. I note that many of my colleagues are amongst the first into their PJs when paxing. If the company felt strongly about it, then they could just give out the pyjamas later...plus many passengers wear clothes that provide little to no protection anyway. Thinking about it, the idea most likely comes from my early days, when I always wore nomex when flying.....