Ask The Pilot

[jb747]

The implication is that as it improves it becomes less likely to fail

I understand what you are saying, and you are quite right. But, that same statement also means that as the systems improve, the point at which they fail will be deeper and deeper into the areas which make the aircraft hard to fly. The system will untimately hand over a larger and larger bag of pooh. To that end, it might be better if they gave up the ghost earlier, rather than later.

There is no such thing as something that cannot fail.

 

[jb747]

Interesting article here about substantial hail damage on a Delta 747:
Hail pummels Delta's N664US Boeing 747; NWA's "Spirit of Beijing" may face scrapyard (Photos) - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal

Reportedly when flying over China the pilot asked for permission to vary course and was denied.... and this resulted.

I remember jb747 previously stating that with ATC you can require certain runways etc, even if initially given a different runway

Is this also the case on a pre-planned course/ air-lane??
Or are there certain regions (eg. China with all its military airspace, and potentially over Russia/ Middle East) where you just wouldn't and instead fly through the weather.

It's problematic over China (and a number of other places). Going off track without explicit permission (in China) is something that I'd be loathe to do. Of course, you can always turn around and go back...which is the option that seems to be forgotten.

 

[jb747]

JB747 - a couple of weeks back I was on the QF1 service from DXB-LHR and about 45 minutes out of LHR. There was a whole bunch of traffic flying above and below as well as what appeared to be at the same flight level converging on various ports around London (Gatwick, Stansted as well as Heathrow). During daylight flights across the Atlantic I've also seen what appears to be a whole bunch of aircraft travelling in similar directions at different and similar flight levels. It got me thinking that most commercial airliners are now equipped with GPS increasing the accuracy of navigation. With the increased volume of traffic and increased accuracy of navigation does it also follow that the probability of a collision also increases - especially where two aircraft on similar headings (operating at the same odd or even flight level) are converging around waypoints that are not under radar coverage (for example Trans Atlantic, Trans Pacific flights)? Is there some means by which the loaded flight plan has an offset or bias applied to the standard track (+/- 1nm for example) to reduce the probability of collision? If so is this something that is dictated by the company or something that is up to the PIC?

We apply offsets in some parts of the world. And in others (notably China and Iran) ATC will assign them to you. But, as the separation between the various tracks has been reduced, it makes ATC more reluctant to allow them ('cos it eats into that separation). In years past they didn't know....but now ADSB is telling them.

Much of the time we are also flying direct tracking, so not on any airway. You can't really offset that.

The FMCs accept offsets, and will automatically join and fly them.

 

[juddles]

Just a quick simple question: taxi speeds, what are basic maximum taxi speeds for common aircraft? (747/A380/A320)

 

[jb747]

Just a quick simple question: taxi speeds, what are basic maximum taxi speeds for common aircraft? (747/A380/A320)

30 knots max.

 

[Ansett]

Hi JB

In your opinion is Qantas experiencing more or less issues with its A380 fleet compared to say the 747 at the same age and or in comparison to other operators of the A380 with similar fleet age and size?

 

[jb747]

In your opinion is Qantas experiencing more or less issues with its A380 fleet compared to say the 747 at the same age and or in comparison to other operators of the A380 with similar fleet age and size?

There were plenty of issues with the -400 for the first few years, and it was based on an old design. Of late there's been a bit of a run of unusual things, but it's simply been made more noticeable by the reduced time on the ground. Issues in the past would be fixed without causing delays, but that's harder with short slips.

I can't really say about other operators, but some of the contract engineers, who do see other airlines tech logs, have said that ours are still reasonably free of MELs in comparison.

The items I see in the tech log aren't all that different to what we'd see in the -400 (and 767 for that matter). I've just completed 4 sectors, and the worst aircraft had 4 MELs, and a couple had none. We didn't add anything to the log on any of the sectors.

 

[Ansett]

There were plenty of issues with the -400 for the first few years, and it was based on an old design. Of late there's been a bit of a run of unusual things, but it's simply been made more noticeable by the reduced time on the ground. Issues in the past would be fixed without causing delays, but that's harder with short slips.

I can't really say about other operators, but some of the contract engineers, who do see other airlines tech logs, have said that ours are still reasonably free of MELs in comparison.

The items I see in the tech log aren't all that different to what we'd see in the -400 (and 767 for that matter). I've just completed 4 sectors, and the worst aircraft had 4 MELs, and a couple had none. We didn't add anything to the log on any of the sectors.

Thanks JB

I recall being on -400's in 1990 and having tech issues. Good to see A380 is no worse and Qantas is keeping up to its usual very high Maintenance standards.

 

[Peasant]

Hi JB747, I’m not much of a poster on this forum but have sought it out as someone who travels on QF9/10 fairly frequently.

I think I’ve flown 5 or 6 return trips so far this year, and probably only 4 of 20-24 segments have departed within 30 minutes of scheduled departure. In most cases it’s announced as a technical fault with the aircraft. APU issues, pressurization woes, fuel sensors, landing gear indications...the list goes on.

I have a friend who works as an aerodynamicist on the A380 program in Toulouse. When I recounted my constant woes with QF9/10, he responded that he’d heard (via the grapevine) Qantas’ A380 dispatch reliability was close to 15 percentage points behind other mature operators which are managing 98-99 percent.

My question is why do you think QF A380s seem (anecdotally at least) to struggle to keep to schedule? I understand utilisation has increased as part of AJ’s transformation program, but my understanding is Qantas’ 380 utilisation is still fairly similar to SQ or EK. I travel on SQ 380s very frequently and their flights don’t seem to be afflicted with the same tech delays.

With many long delays, one’s mind has a lot of time to think. One possibility I was thinking of was Manila maintenance. Not so much because the work is done offshore (and I’d have no idea about the quality of work done by different facilities), but because Manila is a long way from Australia, making it much more difficult for an aircraft to be towed to a hangar whenever an issue arises? Or am I off the mark here?

 

[jb747]

Hi JB747, I’m not much of a poster on this forum but have sought it out as someone who travels on QF9/10 fairly frequently.

I think I’ve flown 5 or 6 return trips so far this year, and probably only 4 of 20-24 segments have departed within 30 minutes of scheduled departure. In most cases it’s announced as a technical fault with the aircraft. APU issues, pressurization woes, fuel sensors, landing gear indications...the list goes on.

Every one of those issues is affecting other operators too. You should fly with me more often. I manage to arrive early about as often as I'm late.

I have a friend who works as an aerodynamicist on the A380 program in Toulouse. When I recounted my constant woes with QF9/10, he responded that he’d heard (via the grapevine) Qantas’ A380 dispatch reliability was close to 15 percentage points behind other mature operators which are managing 98-99 percent.

I doubt that we differ all that much in terms of reliability...but sadly some of the schedules are simply too tight to work well in the real world, QF9 being the prime example. The biggest issue there though is not the aircraft, but the incredible amount of holding that is encountered at Dubai. Worse than any other place that I've flown to. And that's on a good day. It also comes back to something that has been discussed before. Anecdotally, others are carrying more MELs than us (i.e. deferred maintenance). Certainly there are some for whom rejection of an MEL by a Captain would be a big issue. Also there are some tricks to making the time keeping programmes accept your departure, when you actually haven't.

My question is why do you think QF A380s seem (anecdotally at least) to struggle to keep to schedule? I understand utilisation has increased as part of AJ’s transformation program, but my understanding is Qantas’ 380 utilisation is still fairly similar to SQ or EK. I travel on SQ 380s very frequently and their flights don’t seem to be afflicted with the same tech delays.

See above.

A year or so ago I was offered an aircraft which had a fault that could be MELed. I rejected it, and we waited about 4 hours for a resolution. QF expects that this will happen sometimes, and don't even talk to me about such things. I don't think it would be that way with others.

With many long delays, one’s mind has a lot of time to think. One possibility I was thinking of was Manila maintenance. Not so much because the work is done offshore (and I’d have no idea about the quality of work done by different facilities), but because Manila is a long way from Australia, making it much more difficult for an aircraft to be towed to a hangar whenever an issue arises? Or am I off the mark here?

Manila do not do day to day maintenance. The aircraft have work packages and fixes applied to them all of the time, in all sorts of places. For instance, QF have a hangar in LA where quite extensive work is done during their time on the ground. Manila only does the heavy checks. I've seen nothing that makes me think their work is worse than anyone else, and I pick up the aircraft from them quite regularly.

 

[Peasant]

You should fly with me more often. I manage to arrive early about as often as I'm late.

Thanks for the reply - the MEL point is interesting and something we passengers obviously know nothing about. Going by the initials of your username, I think you've commanded a couple of my flights and I recall we had a long conversation in a very empty F cabin flying back from DXB about a year ago.

 

[clazman]

Does the A380 fly on any domestic routes ( anywhere in the world) ?

Could QF use the A380 between Perth and Melbourne say for a AFL grand final?

 

[juddles]

Another quick curiosity-driven question:

I recall a few years ago (quite a few) that on several 747 flights I did, the aircraft carried a fifth engine - ie they strapped on an extra one for transport. Does this still get done? Havent seen it for ages. Do A340's do it? Or can A330's given the shared A340 wing?

 

[jb747]

Does the A380 fly on any domestic routes ( anywhere in the world) ?

No. A Japanese airline called Skymark had fits of delusion and ordered some, but went bankrupt. Currently being sued by Airbus (amongst others). It's not designed for massive numbers of cycles, so it really wouldn't be all that suited to the job.

Could QF use the A380 between Perth and Melbourne say for a AFL grand final?

Anything could be...but they are fully utilised, so unlikely to be available for that sort of use.

 

[jb747]

Another quick curiosity-driven question:

I recall a few years ago (quite a few) that on several 747 flights I did, the aircraft carried a fifth engine - ie they strapped on an extra one for transport. Does this still get done? Havent seen it for ages. Do A340's do it? Or can A330's given the shared A340 wing?

Jumbo is the only thing that does that. Quite rarely done though. It has some pretty severe performance penalties. I expect that these days it's mostly done by the freighters.

 

[harvyk]

Hi JB,

First of all, thank for all your help and advice re: my sim project. I had a QF 747 pilot (now retired) whom came around to see the project last weekend and he was most impressed with how real it was.


A question I have, right now here in CBR there is a pretty big rubbish fire (the firies are still going at it after a couple of days) nearby to the airport. I was wondering if such an event might be shown on a NOTAM (eg smoke hazard), so I did a google search for YSCB NOTAM's. The one official source I found was the US's FAA. Do you guys use the FAA for all NOTAMs, or does CASA / other countries run their own NOTAM's services?

Also when I found the NOTAM for YSCB it listed out certain waypoints / sids / stars which where unavailable but no reasons why. Do NOTAMs ever list reasons why certain things might be unavailable, or is simply a case of this star is unavailable end of story.

Thanks

 

[Fruitcake]

Airservices Australia's NAIPS portal provides weather briefings, NOTAMs and other pertinent information for pilots. The website is at https://www.airservicesaustralia.com/naips/Account/LogOn. I think you can register without being a pilot.

Regarding smoke at Canberra, there's no NOTAM but it is being reported on the ATIS - "WX: FU TO THE S" decodes as "Weather: Smoke to the south."

0028 UTC 07/07/15             AIRSERVICES AUSTRALIA
                                LOCATION BRIEFING


PREPARED FOR: xx_xx_
VALID FROM 0028 UTC JUL 07, 2015 TO 0028 UTC JUL 08, 2015

                               WEATHER INFORMATION
                               -------------------

CANBERRA (YSCB)
    TAF AMD YSCB 062307Z 0623/0724
    16008KT 9999 SCT040
    PROB30 0715/0723 2000 MIST
    RMK
    T 02 09 11 06 Q 1021 1021 1021 1022

    TTF METAR YSCB 070000Z 29003KT 9999 FEW030 04/02 Q1021
    RMK RF00.0/000.0
    NOSIG

    METAR YSCB 070000Z 29003KT 9999 FEW030 04/02 Q1021
    RMK RF00.0/000.0

    ATIS YSCB G   070024
    + APCH: EXP INSTRUMENT APCH
    + RWY: 35
      WIND: VRB 5 KTS, OCNL DW 3 KTS
      VIS: GT 10 KM
      [B]WX: FU TO THE S[/B]
      CLD: FEW010
    + TMP: 6
      QNH: 1021

My experience is that NOTAMs rarely give much detail on why aids/procedures/facilities are available or unavailable other than something cursory like "due maintenance" or "due wet surface".

 

[Himeno]

Does the A380 fly on any domestic routes ( anywhere in the world) ?

Some of the Chinese A380s run domestic flights in between long haul. I think there was 1 or 2 A380 QF flights SYD-MEL to clear backlog a few years ago when that volcano in Chile closed AU airspace a few times.

 

[clazman]

Hi JB,

First of all, thank for all your help and advice re: my sim project. I had a QF 747 pilot (now retired) whom came around to see the project last weekend and he was most impressed with how real

Thanks

Do we have photos of you setup anywhere?

 

[harvyk]

Do we have photos of you setup anywhere?

http://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community/playground/i-have-747-parked-my-58734.html