Ask The Pilot

[mjt57]

Perhaps amazing...but some of the cabin crew have probably never even set foot in the coughpit. 99 times out of a hundred, if a seat is offered, it won't be taken up.

Silly persons...

 

[jb747]

Silly persons...

Not really. It just shows how much peoples' interests vary.

 

[Boris spatsky]

Not really. It just shows how much peoples' interests vary.

We get a lot of jump seaters on short haul ops. Obviously they have to hold a security ID and be part of the company. Some of them take interest, most don't (they are only sitting there because the flight is chockers).

 

[mjt57]

Fair enough. Just commenting from my perspective. If I was offered a spot in the jump seat, well, I'd jump at it...

In fact, even if I had a comfy first class seat and JB asked if I'd like to sit up front with the lads, I'd gladly accept. Sadly though, us plebs will never see such opportunities ever again.

 

[moa999]

In fact, even if I had a comfy first class seat and JB asked if I'd like to sit up front with the lads, I'd gladly accept. Sadly though, us plebs will never see such opportunities ever again.

I suspect most FAs have work to do, even if sitting down, given propensity of pax to get up when they aren't meant to

 

[joey1695]

Hi JB and other pilots. First up, thanks to everyone who has contributed to the enthralling and informative reading, i have learnt more in the last 800 pages than i did in school!
To my very first question.
I just watched a video on youtube of a 737 approach within the coughpit. I noticed on the (PFD?) that when flaps 1 was selected, a set of yellow 'eyelashes' appears. Could anybody tell me what these are/do?
Thanks Joe.
p.s wanted to upload a screenshot, but wasnt sure how to attatch the image.

 

[andmiz]

I noticed on the (PFD?) that when flaps 1 was selected, a set of yellow 'eyelashes' appears. Could anybody tell me what these are/do?
Thanks Joe.

Hi Joe. The eyebrows (Pitch Limit Indicators) indicate the calculated aircraft pitch limit; any pitch angle past the indications would result in the stick shaker activating to alert the pilot to an impending stall. They only appear at slow speeds or with the flaps out of 'up'.

 

[jb747]

The eyebrows (Pitch Limit Indicators) indicate the calculated aircraft pitch limit; any pitch angle past the indications would result in the stick shaker activating to alert the pilot to an impending stall. They only appear at slow speeds or with the flaps out of 'up'.

PLIs only appear with flap extension. They indicate the point at which the stick shaker activates.

 

[D747]

Hi JB, When sims are being used what type of load factor for fuel, cargo and pax is typically used and does the fuel vary depending on what stage the flight is at? To ask this a different way, you mention the 767 is very sporty when light, so do 747-400 and A380 fly and land very differently if they are heavy compared to when they are lighter and how does the simulator factor this in? Thank you as always for this excellent thread.

 

[Major]

When you are placed in a holding pattern what sort of advance notice are you given?

Also do you maintain this altitude or are you asked to descend within this holding pattern ?

 

[jb747]

Hi JB, When sims are being used what type of load factor for fuel, cargo and pax is typically used and does the fuel vary depending on what stage the flight is at? To ask this a different way, you mention the 767 is very sporty when light, so do 747-400 and A380 fly and land very differently if they are heavy compared to when they are lighter and how does the simulator factor this in? Thank you as always for this excellent thread.

In the sim, we practice at all sorts of weights. Takeoffs may be at maximum weight, down to about 360 tonnes (which is about the minimum you'll see on the line). Landings are generally limited to the range of about 350 to 391 tonnes (i.e. max landing weight), but they will also be practiced at anything right up to max take off weight. They try to cover all of the possible outcomes.

The levels of derate increase as the weight goes down, but eventually you reach the maximum derate allowed, and then, even an A380 starts to get a bit sporty. At weights below what is seen on the line (I've seen ferries as low as 320 tonnes) it launches...and then wants to float on landing.

 

[jb747]

When you are placed in a holding pattern what sort of advance notice are you given?

Also do you maintain this altitude or are you asked to descend within this holding pattern ?

Anything from "hold at present position", to about 10 minutes. Lots of places we expect it, and will have it loaded, and just delete it from the FMC if it doesn't happen. Entering it into the FMC takes very little time.

You will almost always descend in the pattern. Easiest mode to use for that is V/S, -500 to -1000 fpm.

 

[flychrisfly]

JB mentioned times spent on individual aircraft earlier in the thread. Do pilots maintain records of other aspects of their (current RPT) flying?

Curious to know if pilots maintain details of longest distance flown, longest duration flown, highest altitude, etc. And is this recorded by aircraft type?

Cheers!

 

[Quickstatus]

In the sim, we practice at all sorts of weights. Takeoffs may be at maximum weight, down to about 360 tonnes (which is about the minimum you'll see on the line). Landings are generally limited to the range of about 350 to 391 tonnes (i.e. max landing weight), but they will also be practiced at anything right up to max take off weight. They try to cover all of the possible outcomes.

The levels of derate increase as the weight goes down, but eventually you reach the maximum derate allowed, and then, even an A380 starts to get a bit sporty. At weights below what is seen on the line (I've seen ferries as low as 320 tonnes) it launches...and then wants to float on landing.

Does this suggest that the A380 size can be expanded for the same wing area. I suppose this might come at a cost to aerodynamics?

 

[jb747]

JB mentioned times spent on individual aircraft earlier in the thread. Do pilots maintain records of other aspects of their (current RPT) flying?

Curious to know if pilots maintain details of longest distance flown, longest duration flown, highest altitude, etc. And is this recorded by aircraft type?

I expect that when there is a company recording their hours, that most pilots don't even have a log book. To be honest, I think we care about the details a lot less than you might imagine.

Longest distance is easy...that's Sydney/Dallas. Highest altitude is also easy, because you go there so rarely (so, 747-400 FL450 (empty ferry), 767 FL430 (max allowed), A380 FL410 (max is FL431, but it's not worth going that high)). Duration is probably the Dallas/Sydney flight.

Max altitude ever was FL499...in an A4G, which also wins for speed.

 

[jb747]

Does this suggest that the A380 size can be expanded for the same wing area. I suppose this might come at a cost to aerodynamics?

The performance figures often give answers of well over 600 tonnes. Apparently the wing was designed for the (at this stage) stillborn -900 model, so yes, you could do a stretch without changing the wing.

 

[flychrisfly]

I expect that when there is a company recording their hours, that most pilots don't even have a log book. To be honest, I think we care about the details a lot less than you might imagine.

Longest distance is easy...that's Sydney/Dallas. Highest altitude is also easy, because you go there so rarely (so, 747-400 FL450 (empty ferry), 767 FL430 (max allowed), A380 FL410 (max is FL431, but it's not worth going that high)). Duration is probably the Dallas/Sydney flight.

Max altitude ever was FL499...in an A4G, which also wins for speed.

Thanks JB, what you've said makes sense. I was also wondering about total flying distance - that is, while SYD-DFW is a very long route, if you spent 2 hours circling DXB then the total distance and time flown may be greater SYD-DXB in that particular instance. Though if pilots are not logging these things then...

 

[straitman]

And in the days of the Sabre, there were no simulators. So, get airborne, and then 'what do I do now'. I think they generally used a chase aircraft, so you weren't quite as alone as it might seem.

I actually forgot to mention that. One thing that was done as part of the training was a takeoff run and then abort with canopy open and someone standing on the wing. :shock::shock::shock::shock:

 

[Skyhigh777]

On the Flightradar24 site I've noticed that on a few occasions the U.S. leg (LAX-JFK) of QF11 is being flown by an A380. Is this true? I thought that this route was exclusively flown on the 747. Perhaps it's an error on their end.

Again, thanks for all of the info!

 

[jb747]

Thanks JB, what you've said makes sense. I was also wondering about total flying distance - that is, while SYD-DFW is a very long route, if you spent 2 hours circling DXB then the total distance and time flown may be greater SYD-DXB in that particular instance. Though if pilots are not logging these things then...

It would still be Dallas-Sydney. You don't generally carry enough fuel, or hold at a high enough speed, to make a substantial difference to the air miles flown.