Ask The Pilot

[WheelieBagWanderer]

Thank you so much for taking the time to give such comprehensive replies, JB. Much appreciated!

 

[yohy?!]

JB what are your thoughts re: the VA 330 flyover on grandfinal day near MEL.

A few people expressed outrage at the fuel burn for the flight path which drew a trophy shape at 15k feet.

How would that compare to the fuel burn on the low altitude passes that QF often does on special events?

 

[jb747]

JB what are your thoughts re: the VA 330 flyover on grandfinal day near MEL.

A few people expressed outrage at the fuel burn for the flight path which drew a trophy shape at 15k feet.

How would that compare to the fuel burn on the low altitude passes that QF often does on special events?

People like to be outraged.

Far more fuel, by orders of magnitude, would be wasted in the various holding patterns that are flown every day coming to every Australian city.

 

[joey1695]

Hello again JB.
I live in rural NNSW two and a half hours from the nearest major airport in Australia (BNE). Over the last two days I have noticed a relatively large increase in passenger jets flying overhead. Although it is almost impossible for you to say why (hold that thought, one flying over now), is there any conceivable reasons as to why I would be seeing an increase in activity? I cant see weather being an issue (from the ground anyway) so im left clutching at straws.. Thanks once again for your invaluable input, Joe.

 

[jb747]

Hello again JB.
I live in rural NNSW two and a half hours from the nearest major airport in Australia (BNE). Over the last two days I have noticed a relatively large increase in passenger jets flying overhead. Although it is almost impossible for you to say why (hold that thought, one flying over now), is there any conceivable reasons as to why I would be seeing an increase in activity? I cant see weather being an issue (from the ground anyway) so im left clutching at straws.. Thanks once again for your invaluable input, Joe.

Impossible to say without knowing exactly where you are. Have a look at Flightradar24, that should give you an idea of what is happening.

 

[clazman]

Dubai airport TV show talked about follow the green light for taxiing around the airport a automated system.

When the show was recorded it was in a trial mode, did they end up implementing it, your thoughts and is this available elsewhere?

 

[jb747]

Dubai airport TV show talked about follow the green light for taxiing around the airport a automated system.

When the show was recorded it was in a trial mode, did they end up implementing it, your thoughts and is this available elsewhere?

It's a system that is widespread around many of the bigger airports in the world. Singapore has had it for ever. I don't recall anything else at Changi. Dubai is in service. London has it. Coupled with red stop bars, it makes taxiing around simple, as well as being a good defence against incursions. Of course it's something that only works well at night.

Some airports are a sea of blue lights at night, (Tokyo comes to mind), which can make it surprisingly hard to find your way around. This works well for both ATC and pilots.

 

[flychrisfly]

Is there anything pilots really enjoy seeing during the cruise? St Elmo's Fire? Polar ice caps? Mountain ranges? Tropical reefs? Auroras? Another plane?

 

[Boris spatsky]

Is there anything pilots really enjoy seeing during the cruise? St Elmo's Fire? Polar ice caps? Mountain ranges? Tropical reefs? Auroras? Another plane?

All of the above. A clear night shows some pretty amazing spectacles from the stars. Never saw an aurora but flew over Greenland which was spectacular.

Saw some amazing wildfires in California, dust storms in the Middle East, reefs and atolls across the Pacific. And mother nature makes for some spectacular thunderstorms/cyclones...

Always things to see if you lookout the window

 

[jb747]

Is there anything pilots really enjoy seeing during the cruise? St Elmo's Fire? Polar ice caps? Mountain ranges? Tropical reefs? Auroras? Another plane?

Not that big on St Elmo's though I'm trying to get some pictures of it. It means you're 'in' the weather. I've been very far north, and south, but never seen an aurora. Some of the high mountain terrain is pretty amazing..one reason I like the trip from Hong Kong to London. Reefs are a bit far away. Ice breaker tracks up near Riga were interesting.

Other aircraft generally flash by, but I've seen a KC-10 with a bunch of F15s in tow. A B1 over Afghanistan. Concorde passed a thousand feet under my 767 coming in to Sydney on one occasion. And if you look up, there are plenty of satellites.

 

[Simsy85]

Other aircraft generally flash by, but I've seen a KC-10 with a bunch of F15s in tow. A B1 over Afghanistan. Concorde passed a thousand feet under my 767 coming in to Sydney on one occasion. And if you look up, there are plenty of satellites.

A B1... that would be cool... probably arrested if you took a photo...serious question, did it come up on the radar?

And another silly question - can you look up? or is it like outward to the front and up?

 

[jb747]

A B1... that would be cool... probably arrested if you took a photo...serious question, did it come up on the radar?

Would have needed a big lens. He was about 15,000 feet below us. Weather radar rarely shows aircraft.

And another silly question - can you look up? or is it like outward to the front and up?

You can, but you need to get your head right up against the #2 window...so a bit of a contortionist act.

 

[bryanjones]

Talking of coughpit views - this is a pretty cool 360 deg video of swiss flight between GVA and ZRH.

Swiss Airlines video shows 360 degree view from coughpit

 

[led-zep]

So bit of a nervous, well extremely, nervous flyer. I have flown multiple times before but still just have that fear inside

im flying with VA to the US in under 2 weeks- granted its a different airline, but is there anything that can allay my fears?

I am sure the flight will be totally fine and smooth but how are VA these days on long haul flights

 

[jb747]

So bit of a nervous, well extremely, nervous flyer. I have flown multiple times before but still just have that fear inside

im flying with VA to the US in under 2 weeks- granted its a different airline, but is there anything that can allay my fears?

Probably not much help with only 2 weeks until you fly, but various airlines run "fear of flying courses" and I'm told they can be very helpful.

You aren't unusual in not liking flying either. My guess is that about 30% of passengers are uneasy to some extent, so don't feel alone...

To be honest, some of the other AFF members might be more help than me. All of the noises and bumps (etc) are just the environment I've lived in for 20,000 hours, and to me, it all feels quite normal.

I am sure the flight will be totally fine and smooth but how are VA these days on long haul flights

I'm sure they're fine too. I certainly don't hear anything that bothers me, and whilst I don't know many pilots over there, those that I do are very competent.

 

[petercr]

JB, was watching one of the episodes of Dubai Airport (from season 2) where they'd just re-opened the south runway and had just closed the north runway to rip it up. In the middle of the footage (which was supposed to be mid-morning) there was a Qantas A388 shown going through the shot a couple of times - I thought they only arrived / departed DXB in the very early hours.

Do you remember what the flight schedule was back then?

 

[jb747]

JB, was watching one of the episodes of Dubai Airport (from season 2) where they'd just re-opened the south runway and had just closed the north runway to rip it up. In the middle of the footage (which was supposed to be mid-morning) there was a Qantas A388 shown going through the shot a couple of times - I thought they only arrived / departed DXB in the very early hours.

Do you remember what the flight schedule was back then?

On the original schedule, the 1 and 9 were both in the middle of the night, but the 2 and 10 passed through in the morning.

 

[SeatBackForward]

On the original schedule, the 1 and 9 were both in the middle of the night, but the 2 and 10 passed through in the morning.

2 and 10 took off in succession yesterday at about 10am.

 

[jb747]

2 and 10 took off in succession yesterday at about 10am.

Only if the 10 was very late. Now, the 1 & 10, and 2 & 9 are there simultaneously.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Only if the 10 was very late. Now, the 1 & 10, and 2 & 9 are there simultaneously.

Sorry it was 2 and 9, you're correct JB. Was a pleasing sight to see the two QF A380s side by side on the taxiway.