Ask The Pilot

[Quickstatus]

Thx JB,

when long haul pilots are on their rest breaks during cruise, what do the pilots do? - sleep, eat, play computer games? watch inflight movie.

and when they do sleep do some like to change into pyjamas?

 

[jb747]

when long haul pilots are on their rest breaks during cruise, what do the pilots do? - sleep, eat, play computer games? watch inflight movie.

I don't know of any who play computer games. It's time off. But, remember that in an hour or two you are expected back, and on the ball. Most try to get some sleep.

and when they do sleep do some like to change into pyjamas?

Or track suits...whatever you like. Who cares what someone wears in their time off.

 

[ChrisGibbs]

JB747 - on the subject of crew rest - the QF A330 flights between SYD and SIN look as though these only have 2 tech crew 1 * Captain + 1 FO. At what point do you need to have an SO on the flight? How does controlled rest work? Do you just close your eyes while your strapped in with the other guy making sure he stays awake? Recently on flights with a couple of airlines (AA, OZ) they have their Tech Crew who are resting occupy a seat in Business Class. For the AA flights that are 8+ hours (i.e. Miami -> Rio) they don't have a 2nd officer and run a tech crew of 1 * Captain + 2 * FO's. OZ flights between SYD and ICN appear to run 2 * Captains and 2 * FO's with 2 tech crew occupying seats in Business Class during the cruise phase of flight. From memory BA run a heavy and light crew of 1 Captain and 1 FO for each crew. Are there any advantages / disadvantages with the way BA operate vs QF with their tech crew make up?

Thanks in advance

 

[jb747]

JB747 - on the subject of crew rest - the QF A330 flights between SYD and SIN looking as though these only have 2 tech crew 1 * Captain + 1 FO. At what point do you need to have a SO on the flight.

You need an additional crew member if the flight time is planned to exceed 8 hours, or the duty period 11 hours. There is a CASA variation which allows a planned 8:30 in some cases, but it also removes the option of any form of extension, so it can actually prove very restrictive.

How does controlled rest work. Do you just close your eyes while your strapped in and the other guy make sure he stays awake?

Making sure the other guy stays awake is the hard part. Once you remove any conversation the risk of both being asleep goes through the roof.

Recently on flights with a couple of airlines (AA, OZ) they have their Tech Crew who are resting occupy a seat in Business Class.

Which is a cheap way of doing things...it avoids installing some form of crew rest. Whilst it probably fulfils the legal requirements, the chance of actually getting any rest is minimal.

For the AA flights that are 8+ hours (i.e. Miami -> Rio) they don't have a 2nd officer and run a tech crew of 1 * Captain + 2 * FO's. OZ flights between SYD and ICN appear to run 2 * Captains and 2 * FO's with 2 tech crew occupying seats in Business Class during the cruise phase of flight. From memory BA run a heavy and light crew of 1 Captain and 1 FO for each crew. Are there any advantages / disadvantages with the way BA operate vs QF with their tech crew make up?

SOs are relatively cheap. QFs heavy crew consist of one Captain, 1 FO and 2 SOs...which is a cheaper crew structure than any having two Captains. SOs also don't land the aircraft, so any system that uses extra landing qualified crew (be they Captains or FOs) on ultra long haul ops will have additional problems maintaining crew recency. There aren't many sectors to hand around...

 

[Melburnian1]

Badgery's Creek has been in the news. Some say it is much needed; others say it will be like Mirabel Airport outside Montreal (Canada), an almost total failure. Another group says why spend money on a new airport when high speed trains could run Melbourne - Sydney - Gold Coast - Brisbane as they do overseas very successfully.

Mr Max Moore-Wilton has previously commented that SYD is only being used to 65 per cent of its capacity.

If SYD wanted to refuse its right to develop B. Creek, it might look to the 80 movements per hour cap being lifted at SYD plus an abolition or relaxation of the 0600 to 2300 curfew. For instance if lifting it totally was deemed politically unpalatable then perhaps it might be reduced to 0100 to 0500 only, allowing SYD to benefit from the 'midnight peak' for international outbound flights that is quite busy at MEL.

Without referring to individual flight crews' views, what is the general sense among flight crew? Do they believe that SYD can easily expand its passenger numbers by a third (of course, we don't know what percentage would be international or domestic or exactly what times of the day).

Are there any major hurdles to this that flight crew observe (such as a lack of gates for aircraft or a lack of the right size gates, slow customs or immigration processing (noting that this is soon to be renamed Australian Border Agency), ground transport or infrastructure (trains, car parking, roads), lack of maintenance facilities for a bigger fleet or connecting passenger difficulties (slow transfers from int. to dom. or vice versa). They are only a few possibilities I could quickly think of as barriers, but perhaps everything's so rosy that none are actually a hindrance.

 

[Quickstatus]

Thx for all your answers.

When taxiing is turning the nosewheel enough to change the direction of travel?

 

[jb747]

When taxiing is turning the nosewheel enough to change the direction of travel?

Most of the time...but, on wet taxiways especially, a few percent of power on the outboard engine(s) will help. Differential braking isn't normally used.

 

[Quickstatus]

Thx JB!

Do tech and cabin crew have luggage allowances like a normal passenger?

 

[bass_ke]

Are there any major hurdles to this that flight crew observe (such as a lack of gates for aircraft or a lack of the right size gates, slow customs or immigration processing (noting that this is soon to be renamed Australian Border Agency), ground transport or infrastructure (trains, car parking, roads), lack of maintenance facilities for a bigger fleet or connecting passenger difficulties (slow transfers from int. to dom. or vice versa). They are only a few possibilities I could quickly think of as barriers, but perhaps everything's so rosy that none are actually a hindrance.

Australian Border Force, or ABF as Minister Morrison enjoys saying. Careful or Minister Morrison will personally come and correct you.

 

[petercr]

A question that's not pilot-related but plane-related so hopefully it'll be allowed here...

Is there a reason why A320 engines have a different sound to them compared to B737 or even E190's or B717?

I was out killing some time at the 'plane spotters' area at BNE this afternoon and the engines on JQ and TT A320's had a high-pitched whine to them compared to the others

Is it just down to the different engine manufacturers?

 

[jb747]

A question that's not pilot-related but plane-related so hopefully it'll be allowed here...

Is there a reason why A320 engines have a different sound to them compared to B737 or even E190's or B717?

I was out killing some time at the 'plane spotters' area at BNE this afternoon and the engines on JQ and TT A320's had a high-pitched whine to them compared to the others

Is it just down to the different engine manufacturers?

All different engines, in different enclosures, with different fans. Different power settings.

Or perhaps it's just that they were upset at being mounted on an A320.

Why doesn't a Ferrari 458 sound like an Audi R8? They're both supercars...

 

[bass_ke]

Or perhaps it's just that they were upset at being mounted on an A320.

That's a classic!

 

[petercr]

Thanks JB - just wondered as it sounded sort of like an electric motor sound on top of the usual engine sound... (maybe even planes are going hybrid now? )

also nice to have some humour in an answer...

 

[Quickstatus]

JB do you remember when chemical blue toilets got replaced by vacuum toilets on passenger aircraft?

Any new aircraft toilet technologies on the horizon?

 

[markis10]

A question that's not pilot-related but plane-related so hopefully it'll be allowed here...

Is there a reason why A320 engines have a different sound to them compared to B737 or even E190's or B717?

I was out killing some time at the 'plane spotters' area at BNE this afternoon and the engines on JQ and TT A320's had a high-pitched whine to them compared to the others

Is it just down to the different engine manufacturers?

FWIW both the A320s and the 737s use a variant of the CFM56, have you heard the super 70 Dc8 at BNe that has four of the same series engines?

 

[petercr]

FWIW both the A320s and the 737s use a variant of the CFM56, have you heard the super 70 Dc8 at BNe that has four of the same series engines?

I thought TT and JQ used IEA engines... think I may have heard that DC8 going over our place a year or so ago - initially thought it was a 767 but verrrryyy loud. Doesn't compare in loudness to the odd An124 that comes over though (or the Amberley Flying Club planes esp the old Pigs)

 

[markis10]

I thought TT and JQ used IEA engines... think I may have heard that DC8 going over our place a year or so ago - initially thought it was a 767 but verrrryyy loud. Doesn't compare in loudness to the odd An124 that comes over though (or the Amberley Flying Club planes esp the old Pigs)

Your right, the JQ and TT as well as VA use the IEA engines on their A320s.

 

[jb747]

JB do you remember when chemical blue toilets got replaced by vacuum toilets on passenger aircraft?

Any new aircraft toilet technologies on the horizon?

Not something I take much note of... I can't even remember when I last saw one.

 

[Flashback]

Not something I take much note of... I can't even remember when I last saw one.

I see them often enough over here :mrgreen:

 

[Quickstatus]

Thx JB:

If a flight departs late, sometimes we hear flight crew saying they will try to make up time.

Can this actually happen? - say by going faster, taking a different route?