Ask The Pilot

[petercr]

Would this be a sign that pilots think that Qantas will be bringing more A380's online soon rather than later (or not at all)?

 

[CaviAck]

Would this be a sign that pilots think that Qantas will be bringing more A380's online soon rather than later (or not at all)?

I don't think there's going to be any more A380s until after the next slot of deliveries which isn't until after 2020. It's probably just to reduce ferrying the pilots from MEL to SYD and in case something happens to a pilot scheduled to fly the next A380 service out of MEL they don't have to wait an hour or 2 for one to fly down from SYD.

Two pilots going to Dubai, two coming in from Dubai, 3 going to LAX, 3 coming in from LAX. That's 10 pilots a day plus any standby's that have to be ferried from SYD if they're technically based out of Sydney and lets say $200 a head in costs and potential lost revenue that's $2k a day and over a year that's $730k!

 

[jb747]

Would this be a sign that pilots think that Qantas will be bringing more A380's online soon rather than later (or not at all)?

Not at all. Just replacements for people who have retired in the last year.

 

[mjt57]

As there are only about 10 Captain slots advertised, I expect they will all be taken by people from the 747, so I have my doubts about whether I'll get a look in at all.

That hardly seems fair. So, you're based in Melbourne, but will still be required to pax it to SYD while others get to enjoy a sleep in at home before their trips...

 

[jb747]

I don't think there's going to be any more A380s until after the next slot of deliveries which isn't until after 2020. It's probably just to reduce ferrying the pilots from MEL to SYD and in case something happens to a pilot scheduled to fly the next A380 service out of MEL they don't have to wait an hour or 2 for one to fly down from SYD.

I think you should do some reading on CASA's duty time limits. The only trips out of Melbourne go to either LA or Dubai, and neither can be crewed by a pilot who has started duty in Sydney.

An hour or two wait...there is no such thing as airport standby. If you are called out, you don't need to appear at the (Sydney) airport for 3 hours. Then the 1.5 hour flight. Then transit...so the minimum time from call in Sydney, to launch in Melbourne would be 5.5 hours.

 

[CaviAck]

As there are only about 10 Captain slots advertised, I expect they will all be taken by people from the 747, so I have my doubts about whether I'll get a look in at all.

You would think seniority and time served at QF will come into play... unless you're saying they all out rank you.

 

[jb747]

That hardly seems fair. So, you're based in Melbourne, but will still be required to pax it to SYD while others get to enjoy a sleep in at home before their trips...

What I suspect is likely to happen is that the slots will go to people who actually live in Sydney, but who are currently on the 747. So they will commute to Melbourne, and I'll commute to Sydney. Time will tell of course. In neither case will we get to sleep in at home.

Remember, as far as the company is concerned I am based in Sydney. The fact that I chose to live in Melbourne has nothing to do with them. BTW, I don't live there any more anyway.

 

[jb747]

You would think seniority and time served at QF will come into play... unless you're saying they all out rank you.

None of them outrank me...unless they are flying something further up the scale than the A380 (whatever that is). But a lot of people have a lower seniority number than I do, and whilst they most likely don't want a Melbourne basing, they very likely do want an A380 slot. So they will bid for the aircraft, and become commuters.

 

[mjt57]

Remember, as far as the company is concerned I am based in Sydney. The fact that I chose to live in Melbourne has nothing to do with them. BTW, I don't live there any more anyway.

That's fair enough, I s'pose.

How far is your commute to MEL now that you've moved?

Presumably your car (or whatever vehicle it is) commute to the airport doesn't count towards your duty time? Sounds like you have to carefully plan your "work day" so that you are hopefully rested enough.

How many of the trips would require an early start and how many allow for later starts?

Me, I whinge that I have a ten minute drive to work (usually sleep til 6pm before nightshifts). So, if you have an overnighter ahead of you and you need to pax it to SYD, would you go up the day before?

 

[jb747]

How far is your commute to MEL now that you've moved?

About 2 hours if I drive...which I rarely do.

Presumably your car (or whatever vehicle it is) commute to the airport doesn't count towards your duty time?

No.

How many of the trips would require an early start and how many allow for later starts?

The A380 operation is very limited. Out of Sydney, everything except HK is in the afternoon. Melbourne has the 93 at about 10 am, and the 9 in the late afternoon. So, the only potential early start is a sim or classroom day, and they are always in Sydney.

As a general rule, if I have something in Sydney, I always go up the evening before. In Melbourne, I overnight if I have a 93 (extremely rare), but travel on the day for the 9...though for the next two of them that I have, it will be the day before.

I am very wary of the weather. In summer thunderstorms can play havoc with schedules, and in winter my local airfield is badly affected by fog. Travel a day early takes all of the worry away.

 

[Dmac6345]

Hi jb,
Was flying back from LAX to MEL last week and there was PLENTY of clear air turbulance. Pretty much from take off and then for approx 4 hours.
It wasnt bad turbulance, but it was more annoying and uncomfortable. The Captain came over the PA and announced that they have tried a few different levels but looks like we will have to sit it out. It seems the last few times I have done this flight, it has been more evident. It it caused by the winds, air pressures etc ?

 

[jb747]

Was flying back from LAX to MEL last week and there was PLENTY of clear air turbulance. Pretty much from take off and then for approx 4 hours.
It wasnt bad turbulance, but it was more annoying and uncomfortable. The Captain came over the PA and announced that they have tried a few different levels but looks like we will have to sit it out. It seems the last few times I have done this flight, it has been more evident. It it caused by the winds, air pressures etc ?

Flying between LA and HNL was always rough, and that first 4 hours of the direct flight is roughly the same bit of the sky.

The air isn't one homogenous whole. There are layers, and streams within it, and very different winds, sometimes with only small buffers between them. If you happen to be flying near the area where two layers are mixing, then it can be very rough. The same thing happens if you fly along the top of a cloud layer. Sometimes the bumps can be reduced by a climb or descent...sometimes not. On the long flights, you really don't have the option to climb (weight), and unless you can find a smooth layer within a couple of thousand feet of your optimum cruise, the fuel cost of going lower will be too great.

 

[petercr]

JB, are the front faces of the engine cowlings on a 747 adjustable (along the lines of the F15) or is it a bit of an optical illusion in this image ( the closest inboard engine)?

VH-OJT Qantas Boeing 747-438 - Planespotters.net Just Aviation

 

[jb747]

JB, are the front faces of the engine cowlings on a 747 adjustable (along the lines of the F15) or is it a bit of an optical illusion in this image ( the closest inboard engine)?

VH-OJT Qantas Boeing 747-438 - Planespotters.net Just Aviation

The cowlings are fixed. The only movement on the external part of the engine happens when the reversers open.

There is a reasonable explanation of moveable ducts and fairings here...Components of jet engines - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[petercr]

In that case, it would be the intake lip (to use the correct term and better my understanding) - based on what you've said it's an optical illusion then...

 

[RooFlyer]

Hi JB

News item on Canadian TV today saying that a guy in eastern Canada has developed a thin tinted film that, if applied to a coughpit window, would filter out laser light. Actually, reading the web article it sounds like its not exactly new - Airbus apparently signed up to evaluate it.

Have you or your colleagues had a laser shone into/onto the coughpit window?

 

[Mark3000]

Hi JB

News item on Canadian TV today saying that a guy in eastern Canada has developed a thin tinted film that, if applied to a coughpit window, would filter out laser light. Actually, reading the web article it sounds like its not exactly new - Airbus apparently signed up to evaluate it.

Have you or your colleagues had a laser shone into/onto the coughpit window?

Trouble with that though is that you could only block specific wavelengths. There are red, green and blue lasers and if you block all wavelengths the windows would get too dark.
Red laser pointers are almost always harmless because they cannot do enough damage within the human blink reflex time, but the new green wavelengths are much brighter and can do damage. There are numerous kids in Australia who have lost vision from green laser pointers bought off ebay.
I'd love to hear any pilot stories about these too

 

[Boris spatsky]

Trouble with that though is that you could only block specific wavelengths. There are red, green and blue lasers and if you block all wavelengths the windows would get too dark.
Red laser pointers are almost always harmless because they cannot do enough damage within the human blink reflex time, but the new green wavelengths are much brighter and can do damage. There are numerous kids in Australia who have lost vision from green laser pointers bought off ebay.
I'd love to hear any pilot stories about these too

I have seen two this month - a green laser on approach to Melbourne got me in the eye and i was off flying for a few days with an inflamed retina. It's just criminal in my opinion. It is beyond me why you would want to point one at an aircraft...

 

[RooFlyer]

Thanks Boris; that's pretty bad. Sorry, I should have addressed the issue to any of the pilots here

 

[RooFlyer]

Trouble with that though is that you could only block specific wavelengths. There are red, green and blue lasers and if you block all wavelengths the windows would get too dark.
Red laser pointers are almost always harmless because they cannot do enough damage within the human blink reflex time, but the new green wavelengths are much brighter and can do damage. There are numerous kids in Australia who have lost vision from green laser pointers bought off ebay.
I'd love to hear any pilot stories about these too

It was green laser that the guy was demonstrating his film with on the TV story.