Ask The Pilot

[jb747]

Wwho else uses MNL as an A380 heavy maintenance base?

Don't know...as I said, only one 380 can be there at any time, so you'll never see another. Work is also done on other types.

Am slightly surprised that ferrying an aircraft to an overseas maintenance base is cheaper than doing it inhouse. Is australian engineering that inefficient or is it because OZ dont have the efficiencies of scale?

It would have been affected by many things. You'd need appropriate hangarage; the exchange rate would have a huge effect; plus you'd need sufficient work to keep the facility occupied at all times. Given that we sometimes have all of the 380s in service, that would mean there would be periods when it wouldn't be used...but you're still paying the staff, so scale does come into it. You can bet that the relative costs would have been very carefully worked out.

also does the CSM always have to ask the captain for permission to deal with a passenger in a certain way - such as banning alcohol. I understand it may be the case if drastic action is contemplated such as detaining with handcuffs. The recent QF reality show suggests the captain has to approve any restrictions placed on a passenger.

In theory the Captain should be consulted before applying restrains, but if you need to, then do it and ask later. If I was asked, I wouldn't hesitate.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I've never heard of any requirement for them to be used.

At least in some countries, regulations require over-wing emergency exits without assigned cabin crew seated at those exits, have at least one passenger in that row to operate the exit if required.

In theory the Captain should be consulted before applying restrains, but if you need to, then do it and ask later. If I was asked, I wouldn't hesitate.

This goes back to the Qantas 'Ready for Takeoff' show on Friday... cabin crew were informing the captain when they caught two sets of passengers consuming duty free alcohol not served to them by the crew. Pax were advised by crew that their alcohol would be confiscated and no further alcohol would be served to them, and the captain was then informed.

The more 'interesting' element, and I guess we don't know the full story, was that the CSM called the flight deck because a screw on the WC door lock had come loose. In response to the call from the CSM the captain was shown to leave his seat and enter the cabin to try and fix the screw. I think that left some of us wondering if an A380 captain really needs to leave the flight deck to fix a screw on a toilet door?

 

[jb747]

The more 'interesting' element, and I guess we don't know the full story, was that the CSM called the flight deck because a screw on the WC door lock had come loose. In response to the call from the CSM the captain was shown to leave his seat and enter the cabin to try and fix the screw. I think that left some of us wondering if an A380 captain really needs to leave the flight deck to fix a screw on a toilet door?

That's what SOs are for..... you almost always have someone who is rostered off the flight deck who can have a look at anything that is needed. If the Captain were the one who's about to go off, then perhaps it makes sense.

Actually, it struck me as a bit of a joke with regard to someone having a loose screw.

 

[Cool Cat Phil]

I apologise if these questions have been asked before, although I have two questions for the highly knowledgable pilots of this forum.

Firstly, If a pilot is qualified to fly a 747 passenger aircraft, could the pilot switch over to flying a 747 freighter aircraft with no further training?
Or is specific training required for the freighter type of aircraft?

Secondly, with new aircraft being manufactured from both Boeing and Airbus, why do the manufacturers still install illuminated 'no smoking' lights above passengers call bell lights, when smoking has been banned onboard aircraft for years?
Would it not be cheaper to have stickers stuck above every row off seats highlighting that smoking is banned?

Apologies if the questions are daft, they have been on my mind for a while.

 

[Awesom Andy]

Secondly, with new aircraft being manufactured from both Boeing and Airbus, why do the manufacturers still install illuminated 'no smoking' lights above passengers call bell lights, when smoking has been banned onboard aircraft for years?
Would it not be cheaper to have stickers stuck above every row off seats highlighting that smoking is banned?

Some airlines have changed the no smoking lights to something else, such as the no electronics light, although they are still quite rare.

 

[jb747]

I apologise if these questions have been asked before, although I have two questions for the highly knowledgable pilots of this forum.

Firstly, If a pilot is qualified to fly a 747 passenger aircraft, could the pilot switch over to flying a 747 freighter aircraft with no further training?
Or is specific training required for the freighter type of aircraft?

A pilot who flies the passenger 747-400 would only need a simple "differences" course to fly the freighter version. It might last a day or two, and would most likely be more about the cargo and loading systems than the aircraft itself.

Secondly, with new aircraft being manufactured from both Boeing and Airbus, why do the manufacturers still install illuminated 'no smoking' lights above passengers call bell lights, when smoking has been banned onboard aircraft for years? Would it not be cheaper to have stickers stuck above every row off seats highlighting that smoking is banned?

I think it's still allowed in some places. I expect they'll end up being 'no electronics', or something similar.

 

[Cool Cat Phil]

A pilot who flies the passenger 747-400 would only need a simple "differences" course to fly the freighter version. It might last a day or two, and would most likely be more about the cargo and loading systems than the aircraft itself.



I think it's still allowed in some places. I expect they'll end up being 'no electronics', or something similar.

Thank you for your insights!

 

[Cool Cat Phil]

Some airlines have changed the no smoking lights to something else, such as the no electronics light, although they are still quite rare.

Thanks for insights.

 

[raleyoz]

Hi jb747, just noticed your steering the bus on Monday QF93, I will keep a lookout if you going for a walk

 

[jb747]

Hi jb747, just noticed your steering the bus on Monday QF93, I will keep a lookout if you going for a walk

No, I'm flying it on the 17th...the Tuesday.

 

[raleyoz]

buggar , maybe next time, thanks again for your input

 

[jb747]

I've just copied this from another thread...

Shortly after I joined the airline, I was in a class in which in flight calculations for diversions, etc, were being discussed. I made a comment to the effect that I could work out the answer accurately, and covering many more of the variables, simply using a chart and a piece of thread. Many years later, when the bloke who was running the course was a Classic Captain, I flew with him....and in the middle of the night, out came a chart and a piece of thread.

Can any of you work it out? You know where you are. Where you want to go. The average wind. The average true airspeed. Average fuel flow, required reserves, and average fuel flow.

The same basic technique will give you answers for point of safe return, and point of safe diversion to both and on track and off track diversion points. And it's really simple.....

Actually, a couple of pins help too, so if I ever have to put out a call on the PA for a sewing kit, then you'll know what I'm up to.

 

[raleyoz]

I think I have it figured , but not being a pilot and not understanding any of the pilots techy talk, I will hold my answer close to my chest. CL=FL/FB
Packin my sewing kit and a long piece of cotton

 

[SeatBackForward]

I've just copied this from another thread...

Shortly after I joined the airline, I was in a class in which in flight calculations for diversions, etc, were being discussed. I made a comment to the effect that I could work out the answer accurately, and covering many more of the variables, simply using a chart and a piece of thread. Many years later, when the bloke who was running the course was a Classic Captain, I flew with him....and in the middle of the night, out came a chart and a piece of thread.

Can any of you work it out? You know where you are. Where you want to go. The average wind. The average true airspeed. Average fuel flow, required reserves, and average fuel flow.

The same basic technique will give you answers for point of safe return, and point of safe diversion to both and on track and off track diversion points. And it's really simple.....

Actually, a couple of pins help too, so if I ever have to put out a call on the PA for a sewing kit, then you'll know what I'm up to.

So you know the answer to the rhetorical "how long is a piece of string?" ;-l

 

[jb747]

I think I have it figured , but not being a pilot and not understanding any of the pilots techy talk, I will hold my answer close to my chest. CL=FL/FB
Packin my sewing kit and a long piece of cotton

Sounds like this...."This theorem was first conjectured by Pierre de Fermat in 1637 in the margin of a copy of Arithmetica where he claimed he had a proof that was too large to fit in the margin."

 

[Austman]

No, I'm flying it on the 17th...the Tuesday.

I'm on QF93 this Tuesday (the 17th)!

 

[jb747]

So you know the answer to the rhetorical "how long is a piece of string?" ;-l

In this instance, you do know the length of the piece of string/thread.

You start with a known fuel figure, from which you subtract any needed reserves. What's left is 110% of the usable fuel. So, 10/11ths of that is the fuel you can burn (you need 10% variable). Divide that by the average fuel flow and you now have your endurance. Multiply that by the average TAS and you have the number of AIR MILES that you can fly. Multiply the average wind by the endurance and you get a way of converting the AIR MILES to GROUND miles.

Using the map scale, make your bit of string as long as the number of AIR MILES.

Attach one end of the string to where you are now.

Go to the destination, and plot it UPWIND by the distance you worked out for your AIR/GROUND conversion. Place the other end of the string there.

As long as you fly only two straight legs, you can fly to any point on the ellipse that the string will form when you stretch it out.

Clear as mud?

 

[russ]

No, I'm flying it on the 17th...the Tuesday.

Austman and I are on that flight. We'll send you up a ball of string!

 

[Quickstatus]

Austman and I are on that flight. We'll send you up a ball of string!

No aircraft has enough fuel to support a ball of string

 

[jb747]

Austman and I are on that flight. We'll send you up a ball of string!

We don't carry charts any more. And pins don't work very well on iPads. Get the cabin crew to pass along your seat details.