Ask The Pilot

[jb747]

Hi JB,
I notice in an earlier post you said that if there is an ILS it will always be tuned for
landing.
On the Gold Coast there is a lot of discussion about a new ILS system and the resulting noise interference over residential areas currently free from aircraft on final (basically the main tourist strip from Surfers to the south ). The Gold Coast Airport claim that an ILS approach will only be used in bad weather.

Doesn't seem to be any discussion about which is safer though....

Is it company policy that an ILS approach should be used regardless of the weather conditions ?

Not at all. Having the ILS tuned is useful whether we fly the entire approach, or just the last bit of it.

A good example is Melbourne 34. Whilst there isn't an ILS there, there is a GPS based approach, plus there is a visual approach that comes over Essendon. That's not dissimilar to the current visual arrival to Coolangatta. It's up to the pilots to choose an appropriate arrival. So, domestic operations almost invariably chose the quick visual over Essendon, whilst the long haul international flights take the straight in. The factor that is different between the two is the level of fatigue in the coughpit....if I've been at work for the past 15 hours, I'm going to use the simplest, and safest, arrival.

 

[TiredOldFlyer]

Thanks for the quick reply JB.
Of course safety should be the main issue but seems to be forgotten
by both sides. The argument is full of emotion with little understanding by both sides of each other's
position.
Cheers (and not to many of those 15 hour days ).

 

[mjt57]

Local date...in LA. So it arrives in Melbourne on the 31st.

Righteo. Different flight...

Thanks.

 

[jb747]

Thanks for the quick reply JB.
Of course safety should be the main issue but seems to be forgotten by both sides. The argument is full of emotion with little understanding by both sides of each other's position.

I don't think I agree that safety is forgotten by both sides.

 

[knasty]

Occasionally when the wind is low Syd operates the parallel runways in opposite directions ie. 34L and 16L. Is this related to noise abatement ie. So take offs and landing are both over the sea where possible? Does it happen anywhere else?

 

[Boris spatsky]

Occasionally when the wind is low Syd operates the parallel runways in opposite directions ie. 34L and 16L. Is this related to noise abatement ie. So take offs and landing are both over the sea where possible? Does it happen anywhere else?

Yes, it is due to noise abatement. I have never seen it elsewhere.

 

[jb747]

Occasionally when the wind is low Syd operates the parallel runways in opposite directions ie. 34L and 16L. Is this related to noise abatement ie. So take offs and landing are both over the sea where possible? Does it happen anywhere else?

It sometimes happens early in the morning at LAX. It's given me a TCAS RA twice (once in Sydney, and once in LA).

 

[AVC]

Just been updating my flying records, and realised that I've passed an interesting milestone. I've now got more hours in command on the A380 than I had on the 747. It won't ever reach the figure from the 767 though...I'll retire before that.

Congratulations!

A techie question about landing gear on the big jets.
How many redundancies are there? And what is the "last line of defence"? Gravity? Or electric?
Cheers

 

[Kitchenguy]

Lads,

Totally random trivia question - I've heard that on approach to the airport at La Paz in Bolivia, the flight crew (of at least large aircraft/heavies) are required to wear their oxygen masks because of the altitude of the airport, and I guess the reason is if something went wrong you would need oxygen - can anyone confirm?

 

[jb747]

A techie question about landing gear on the big jets.
How many redundancies are there? And what is the "last line of defence"? Gravity? Or electric?

As long as we can open the gear doors, then the gear should extend by gravity. On some aircraft (767), the retracted gear simply sits on the doors. The doors themselves are normally operated hydraulically, but an alternate extension will simply unlock them electrically. On aircraft like the 747 and 380, with multiple main bogies, different hydraulic systems handle the wing and body gear, so the most likely failure would have the gear partially extend normally, and partially via the alternate system.

 

[jb747]

Totally random trivia question - I've heard that on approach to the airport at La Paz in Bolivia, the flight crew (of at least large aircraft/heavies) are required to wear their oxygen masks because of the altitude of the airport, and I guess the reason is if something went wrong you would need oxygen - can anyone confirm?

It seems rather unlikely. We fly the jets around at over 40,000 feet without masks, so I don't see why landing at about 12,000 would be any different. Performance-wise it wouldn't be much fun though. There's video on youtube, with no masks.

 

[Quickstatus]

Hi JB, in limited visibility landings /auto lands does the criteria for such landing also include taxiing?.

Seems logical to me that even if you could land but could not taxi due to limited visibility then you should not land in the first place?

 

[JessicaTam]

Hi jb, with the announcement today by QF of the 787s coming into service, how difficult would a conversion from the A380 be? And would it be possible to remain rated on both? Or is it likely that the target pilots will be the current 747 pilots? Ta.

 

[jb747]

Hi jb, with the announcement today by QF of the 787s coming into service, how difficult would a conversion from the A380 be? And would it be possible to remain rated on both? Or is it likely that the target pilots will be the current 747 pilots? Ta.

Qantas does not have dual rated pilots. Especially across Boeing/Airbus.

Whilst it is possible to be dual rated across some fleets (Airbus 319/320/321, A330/340 and B757/767 are the most obvious), it becomes quite difficult as the difference between the aircraft increases. A330 pilots are not rated on the A380, nor can the 380 people fly the 330. I've sat in the coughpit of a 330, and was as lost as I'd be in any strange aircraft.

The divide between Boeing and Airbus is huge. You can make the transition in either direction, but it takes up to a year to become comfortable in your new mount. Going from the 767 to the 747 felt quite natural...one was just a "big, fat, slow" version of the other. Going from the 747 to the A380 was a huge wrench.

The obvious pilots to fly the 787 may be the younger 747 pilots, but you should not forget that there is a large group of ex-767 people who will be looking to get into it. I expect many of the 787 seats will be filled by current A330 people (who are ex 767). But only time will tell, and you can never really guess at how people will bid. The only thing I can say for sure is that I won't be flying them.

 

[JessicaTam]

Qantas does not have dual rated pilots. Especially across Boeing/Airbus.

Whilst it is possible to be dual rated across some fleets (Airbus 319/320/321, A330/340 and B757/767 are the most obvious), it becomes quite difficult as the difference between the aircraft increases. A330 pilots are not rated on the A380, nor can the 380 people fly the 330. I've sat in the coughpit of a 330, and was as lost as I'd be in any strange aircraft.

The divide between Boeing and Airbus is huge. You can make the transition in either direction, but it takes up to a year to become comfortable in your new mount. Going from the 767 to the 747 felt quite natural...one was just a "big, fat, slow" version of the other. Going from the 747 to the A380 was a huge wrench.

The obvious pilots to fly the 787 may be the younger 747 pilots, but you should not forget that there is a large group of ex-767 people who will be looking to get into it. I expect many of the 787 seats will be filled by current A330 people (who are ex 767). But only time will tell, and you can never really guess at how people will bid. The only thing I can say for sure is that I won't be flying them.

Thanks for your insight.

 

[kermatu]

Such fascinating information on this thread (taking me a while to get through it!). Thanks for the great contributions.

 

[legroom]

... Qantas does not have dual rated pilots. Especially across Boeing/Airbus...

Does anyone else operate that way, and if so, what are the possible benefits (vs risks) ?

Is there a formal directive from somewhere banning that practice ?

Safety-wise, I would personally consider QF to be the benchmark.

Thanks

 

[jb747]

Does anyone else operate that way, and if so, what are the possible benefits (vs risks) ?

No airlines that I know of, though the manufacturers' pilots often fly a disparate range of aircraft. The only benefit is financial. The downside is that it is hard enough to learn and keep current on one type, without throwing a totally different aircraft into the mix. It's not just the buttons and switches, but the feel, the inertia..the entire operation.

Is there a formal directive from somewhere banning that practice ?

I doubt it, but would be up to the individual national regulatory authority to approve it.

 

[jb747]

Hi JB, in limited visibility landings /auto lands does the criteria for such landing also include taxiing?.

Seems logical to me that even if you could land but could not taxi due to limited visibility then you should not land in the first place?

Not specifically, but there is always a visibility requirement as part of the approach. Driving around after you land can be a very slow exercise, but it's made easier by the advent of the airport navigation systems that aircraft often have (380 included). Very often when flying, you are not overly concerned about issues that will happen on the ground...the priority is simply to get out of the air.

 

[Quickstatus]

Driving around after you land can be a very slow exercise, but it's made easier by the advent of the airport navigation systems that aircraft often have (380 included

When taxiing, Do such aircraft have "satnav" devices which tell the pilot to "in 100m turn left" in typical female voice?

I have never seen roundabouts for aircraft movements - do they exist?