Ask The Pilot

[juddles]

...Generally the 380 rides quite well......

It does indeed. Most stable and comfortable plane I have ever flown (as a pax).

Mind you, nothing like a Twin Otter in the jungle where the pilot opens his window during the ascent for some truly beautiful cool air - they can't do that on those fancy big birds

 

[jb747]

Mind you, nothing like a Twin Otter in the jungle where the pilot opens his window during the ascent for some truly beautiful cool air - they can't do that on those fancy big birds

No, you can open up the big jets to the outside in flight....although I don't think we'd have any takers for a rerun of that particular exercise.

For anyone flying in the next couple of months:
QF31 ex Sydney 28/10
QF31 ex Singapore 29/10
QF10 ex London 1/11
QF10 ex Singapore 4/11

QF9 ex Singapore 14/11
QF10 ex London 17/11
QF10 ex Singapore 20/11

QF9 ex Melbourne 7/12
QF9 ex Singapore 8/12
QF10 ex London 11/12
QF10 ex Singapore 14/12

 

[el_rooto]

For anyone flying in the next couple of months:


QF9 ex Singapore 14/11

Woo I'm on that flight.

 

[juddles]

....No, you can open up the big jets to the outside in flight....

Really?! I never imagined you could. I do a lot of flights on the Twin Otters - they swelter after a couple of hours on the tarmac in jungle heat, and the open window aircon is magical. But they climb at only about 120 knots.


Is there a limit (IE over-riding control) speed for coughpit window opening on jets?

 

[richie9x]

Coming up to the holiday season how is the roster managed for flying on public holidays. I imagine that a few pilots would not want to fly on Christmas day (or NYE) for example. Of course there are probably be some who are quite happy to fly on Christmas. Do they call for volunteers who want to fly on Christmas day? Or do they just pick pilots like normal?

 

[el_rooto]

Really?! I never imagined you could. I do a lot of flights on the Twin Otters - they swelter after a couple of hours on the tarmac in jungle heat, and the open window aircon is magical. But they climb at only about 120 knots.


Is there a limit (IE over-riding control) speed for coughpit window opening on jets?

I assume there is some physics thing (IE wind resistance) that blocks you from doing that?

 

[juddles]

I assume there is some physics thing (IE wind resistance) that blocks you from doing that?

That and the bloody noise!!

 

[el_rooto]

Assuming you need to open the window outwards wouldn't the airflow pushing against it stop you from doing it?

 

[jb747]

Really?! I never imagined you could. I do a lot of flights on the Twin Otters - they swelter after a couple of hours on the tarmac in jungle heat, and the open window aircon is magical. But they climb at only about 120 knots.

I wasn't quite serious, nor was I referring to either windows or doors.....

Is there a limit (IE over-riding control) speed for coughpit window opening on jets?

The A380 & 767 #2 windows can both be opened in flight. Obviously the aircraft has to be depressurised. Whilst the 380 can be opened at up to 250 knots, it can only be closed up to about 160, so it's rather a one way exercise. Noise would be overwhelming. Its only purpose relates to coughpit smoke, or perhaps volcanic sand blasting of the glass.

In both cases, the windows retract into the coughpit, and then slide aft.

747 main cabin door can also be partially opened, again for smoke removal.

On the ground, 767 and 380 windows are occasionally opened if it gets too hot (as is the overhead hatch in the 747). But, the very major downside to opening them at all, is that when they close they may not seal exactly, in which case the window can start to queal as the pressure differential increases. This noise will destroy your hearing if you don't manage to stop it. A 380 returned to London about a year ago, after this became an issue. And sadly, there is no way to check this on the ground.

 

[jb747]

Coming up to the holiday season how is the roster managed for flying on public holidays. I imagine that a few pilots would not want to fly on Christmas day (or NYE) for example. Of course there are probably be some who are quite happy to fly on Christmas. Do they call for volunteers who want to fly on Christmas day? Or do they just pick pilots like normal?

The more senior can bid to be on/off work on any particular day. Over the last 27 Christmas days, I've been away for 19 of them.

Within the rostering system no account is taken of public holidays...they are just another day.

 

[oz_mark]

Really?! I never imagined you could. I do a lot of flights on the Twin Otters - they swelter after a couple of hours on the tarmac in jungle heat, and the open window aircon is magical. But they climb at only about 120 knots.


Is there a limit (IE over-riding control) speed for coughpit window opening on jets?

It's amazing what you can do with a bottle of pressurised oxygen.....

 

[harvyk]

But, the very major downside to opening them at all, is that when they close they may not seal exactly, in which case the window can start to queal as the pressure differential increases. This noise will destroy your hearing if you don't manage to stop it. A 380 returned to London about a year ago, after this became an issue. And sadly, there is no way to check this on the ground.

I've seen various 737's with the co-pilots window open on the ground. In each case it appeared that the co-pilot was either receiving or giving groung crews documentation (there was a big metal box on top of a poll).

Would same problem exist or are 737 windows designed differently?

 

[ColinP]

I wasn't quite serious, nor was I referring to either windows or doors.....

I thought you were referring to QF30 :shock:

It's amazing what you can do with a bottle of pressurised oxygen.....

You beat me to it

 

[jb747]

I've seen various 737's with the co-pilots window open on the ground. In each case it appeared that the co-pilot was either receiving or giving groung crews documentation (there was a big metal box on top of a poll).

Passing the tech log out to the ground crew.

Would same problem exist or are 737 windows designed differently?

I'd expect the same problem could exist, although I've never had anything to do with the 737.

 

[Sifor]

For those who are interested, a video regarding open windows and flying:

[video=youtube;NQZzTPd1HJw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQZzTPd1HJw[/video]

 

[Flashback]

No, you can open up the big jets to the outside in flight....although I don't think we'd have any takers for a rerun of that particular exercise.

For anyone flying in the next couple of months:
QF31 ex Sydney 28/10
QF31 ex Singapore 29/10
QF10 ex London 1/11
QF10 ex Singapore 4/11

QF9 ex Singapore 14/11
QF10 ex London 17/11
QF10 ex Singapore 20/11

QF9 ex Melbourne 7/12
QF9 ex Singapore 8/12
QF10 ex London 11/12
QF10 ex Singapore 14/12

QF10 ex Singapore 4/11

QF10 ex Singapore 20/11

Bugger! Miss you by 3 days on each leg

Flying out of LHR-SIN-PER (leaving LHR on the 6th) and PER-SIN-LHR (leaving PER/SIN on the 23rd) ; going in the wrong direction for me too

 

[harvyk]

When taxiing, does the pilot try to set a power level which will get the plane moving and then use the brakes to control speed, or will the pilot adjust the thrust to get appropriate speeds, or is it a combination of both of these \ depends on how the pilot feels?

 

[jb747]

When taxiing, does the pilot try to set a power level which will get the plane moving and then use the brakes to control speed, or will the pilot adjust the thrust to get appropriate speeds, or is it a combination of both of these \ depends on how the pilot feels?

The aircraft behave differently depending upon their weight. Often, at light weights, a 767/747 will start to move as soon as you release the brakes, with the power at idle, so all you're going to be able to do is use the brakes to control the speed. You don't ride them, or attempt to hold the speed constant, but rather you let it accelerate to whatever max you consider appropriate, and then slow it back to ten or so knots. That limits the amount of heat the brakes pick up.

At heavy weights though (and in reality, that's pretty well all 747/380 ops), you'll need about 10% thrust just to start it moving. Then, you may be able to go back to idle (depends mainly on the slope of the airport...Melbourne is very uphill/downhill). Approaching a corner you'll need to brake back to 5-8 knots, but then in the corner you will normally need some power on the outboard engine, otherwise the aircraft will simply stop because of the extra rolling resistance in the turn. You need to lead the power increase by a couple of seconds, as the engines take time to respond. Get it right, and you don't need much of an increase. But, if you're too slow, and it loses momentum, then it will require quite a bit of power to get it going again (more than the initial start, as the nose and body gear steering are now offset).

Riding the brakes against power is an extremely poor technique, and will lead to hot brakes in very short order. The aircraft brakes are often starting from temperatures well above ambient anyway, as (in the 380 at least) they often end up around 500 degrees C around the time you reach the parking bay. By the time you are ready to depart, an hour or so later, they have normally cooled to about 150 degrees, but you have a max of 300 for takeoff, so you need to be mindful of just how much, and how, you use them.

 

[harvyk]

Apart from Autoland, is there any other automatic systems which are not commonly used with pilots either preferring or are required to operate that part of the aircraft \ flight manually?

 

[jb747]

Apart from Autoland, is there any other automatic systems which are not commonly used with pilots either preferring or are required to operate that part of the aircraft \ flight manually?

In the Boeings, auto thrust is normally not used if the autopilot is not engaged, whilst in the Airbus auto thrust is normally on, notwithstanding the autopilot status. Basically though, the automatics are there to be used, so auto brake, flight director (and whatever else you can think of) will be used at all times.