Ask The Pilot

[Mattg]

I was just listening into the Sydney ATC, and an Air NZ aircraft reported having a green laser pointed at them. (Why on earth would someone do this??) :evil:

I was quite impressed though with the level of detail the NZ flight crew were able to give to ATC about the location of the person pointing the laser. They were able to identify the specific suburb and decsribe the type of building that the laser was coming from.

My question is, what would ATC then do with this information?

 

[anat0l]

I was quite impressed though with the level of detail the NZ flight crew were able to give to ATC about the location of the person pointing the laser. They were able to identify the specific suburb and decsribe the type of building that the laser was coming from.

My question is, what would ATC then do with this information?

That is impressive. I'd like to tack on a follow-up question as to how the crew are able to give such detailed information, and what are they sourcing it from? I would not think pilots just look out the window over the edge to see what they are flying over. I assume they may have access to GPS coordinates, so I guess that could help but that's only location and not a description of building.

I would guess then that ATC might pass this onto the police, at least when they get a breathing moment to send that information as such. But I'll defer the answer to the experts.

 

[Boris spatsky]

I was just listening into the Sydney ATC, and an Air NZ aircraft reported having a green laser pointed at them. (Why on earth would someone do this??) :evil:

I was quite impressed though with the level of detail the NZ flight crew were able to give to ATC about the location of the person pointing the laser. They were able to identify the specific suburb and decsribe the type of building that the laser was coming from.

My question is, what would ATC then do with this information?

It's not an uncommon occurrence in Australia unfortunately. I was hit in the eye on approach to MEL runway 27 on ANZAC Day last year and ended up with a week off and a trip to the opthamologist. Subtle pain, blurry vision, feeling of sand or grain in eyeball.

ATC tell the police - who knows what happens from there. They also put the info on the ATIS to alert other pilots, but you would have to be pretty stupid to keep shooting planes from the same spot...

 

[Boris spatsky]

That is impressive. I'd like to tack on a follow-up question as to how the crew are able to give such detailed information, and what are they sourcing it from? I would not think pilots just look out the window over the edge to see what they are flying over. I assume they may have access to GPS coordinates, so I guess that could help but that's only location and not a description of building.

I would guess then that ATC might pass this onto the police, at least when they get a breathing moment to send that information as such. But I'll defer the answer to the experts.

If you are familiar with a city then you can tell broadly what suburb you are over. Otherwise you just tell them a specific radial and range and they work it out e.g. On ILS final at 7 DME, approximately 2 miles to the west, past the main road, north of the oval.

 

[jb747]

I was quite impressed though with the level of detail the NZ flight crew were able to give to ATC about the location of the person pointing the laser. They were able to identify the specific suburb and decsribe the type of building that the laser was coming from.

I'm rather surprised they continued looking.

I was hit by a green laser about a year ago coming into Melbourne. I had a GoPro running at the time, and it recorded an amazing amount of detail about the location, so a hi res image was passed along to the ATSB with the incident report. Who knows whether anything happened beyond the report though.

 

[whatmeworry]

Bit off topic but friends who are into astronomy use these high powered lasers for legitimate uses and are really pissed off with these idiots which has resulted in restrictions regarding the strength of lasers.

 

[TomVexille]

I was just listening into the Sydney ATC, and an Air NZ aircraft reported having a green laser pointed at them. (Why on earth would someone do this??) :evil:

I was quite impressed though with the level of detail the NZ flight crew were able to give to ATC about the location of the person pointing the laser. They were able to identify the specific suburb and decsribe the type of building that the laser was coming from.

My question is, what would ATC then do with this information?

I would hope that anytime one of these idiots is caught, they get thrown in jail for attempted murder :evil:

 

[Boris spatsky]

I would hope that anytime one of these idiots is caught, they get thrown in jail for attempted murder :evil:

There are massive penalties under transport legislation, but i don't think many of them would be caught.

 

[TomVexille]

There are massive penalties under transport legislation, but i don't think many of them would be caught.

Unfortunately I think you're right

 

[Major]

A question for Boris spatsky.

If you have been flying the East Coast the last couple of days, What height have these weather patterns reached and have you had to deviate around them ?

Are they bad news at cruising height or just bumpy ?

 

[747sp]

With the bad weather over the weekend i was wondering , assuming you can land and takeoff into the wind ,do you need to adjust any of the processes or procedures you follow for the weather? Also is taxing harder in a cross wind ?

 

[jb747]

With the bad weather over the weekend i was wondering , assuming you can land and takeoff into the wind ,do you need to adjust any of the processes or procedures you follow for the weather?

Ignoring the cross-wind issues...the wind was very gusty. That means you can suddenly gain, or lose, substantial IAS. As IAS is what makes the aircraft fly, a sudden loss can be very dangerous. That's windshear. I gather the ATIS was reporting 'undershoot' shear, which means they were experiencing IAS loss.

In the 380 (most aircraft I expect), we'll give away any power reductions due to noise rules, and use TO/GA for all takeoffs. Landings will most likely be done with less than full flap, and the IAS may be increased to give more speed margin.

Also is taxing harder in a cross wind ?

Those huge tails are constantly trying to turn the aircraft, so even at low speeds you'll be constantly correcting against the wind.

 

[Quickstatus]

Those huge tails are constantly trying to turn the aircraft, so even at low speeds you'll be constantly correcting against the wind.

The longer the plane the smaller the "required" surface area of the tail?

 

[jb747]

The longer the plane the smaller the "required" surface area of the tail?

Moment arm is certainly a part of the equation. The 747SP had a similar tail to Classic, but it was lengthened by about 5 feet. Engine power also had to be reduced to ensure that it would have adequate rudder authority in the event of an engine failure.

In the case of the 767, because the shorter 200 came first, the same tail was used on the -300. It had better crosswind performance, and as the same effects apply to the horizontal tail as the vertical, it also had much greater elevator authority, particularly in the flare.

So, another project question for you...Why do so many modern fighters have twin tails? NB, it has nothing to do with battle damage.

 

[petercr]

So, another project question for you...Why do so many modern fighters have twin tails? NB, it has nothing to do with battle damage.

Equivalent surface area? (and as a result reduced RCS) and keeping the top of the tail closer to the horizontal centre of balance /roll axis(did I explain that right?)

Edit: and for those pilots who like driving them off boats, taking up less headroom when parked below deck? (and some great pics of RF5C's on board carriers)

 

[Boris spatsky]

A question for Boris spatsky.

If you have been flying the East Coast the last couple of days, What height have these weather patterns reached and have you had to deviate around them ?

Are they bad news at cruising height or just bumpy ?

I was on standby on the weekend but didn't get used. Winter weather tends to be lower level and sets in; the big towering coughulus and coughulonimbus thunderstorms in summer tend to be more isolated and convective and therefore generally go higher up.

From my experience, most thunderies stop around the mid 30,000s (feet) but there are some that go right up above max cruising altitude.

If they are isolated and you can see them (or the radar can), then you just go around them. If they are numerous and embedded in other cloud or are in a squall line, then they can be hard work to find a safe and comfortable way through.

 

[Cheatah]

Moment arm is certainly a part of the equation. The 747SP had a similar tail to Classic, but it was lengthened by about 5 feet. Engine power also had to be reduced to ensure that it would have adequate rudder authority in the event of an engine failure.

What was flying the 747SP like compared to the regular classics? Flying ultra long haul back in the 70s(?) and 80s appreciably different than today?

 

[jb747]

What was flying the 747SP like compared to the regular classics? Flying ultra long haul back in the 70s(?) and 80s appreciably different than today?

You had a lot more people to talk to. To be honest, I really don't remember that much about the SP. I only flew it a few times...and the last was almost 30 years ago.

 

[jb747]

Equivalent surface area? (and as a result reduced RCS) and keeping the top of the tail closer to the horizontal centre of balance /roll axis(did I explain that right?)

RCS?

The tail isn't used to generate rolling motion, so it really doesn't matter all that much how far it is from the roll axis.

Equivalent surface area? To what? A bigger single tail? True to a degree, but why would you need a bigger tail, or more area. Why did the SR71 have three vertical surfaces? The Tornado has a single fin, but quite massive.

Edit: and for those pilots who like driving them off boats, taking up less headroom when parked below deck? (and some great pics of RF5C's on board carriers)

Probably a plus, but not the reason.

These aircraft are all very fast...the reason is to be found there.

 

[Quickstatus]

So, another project question for you...Why do so many modern fighters have twin tails? NB, it has nothing to do with battle damage.

I think it had as much to do with design culture as aerodynamic considerations.

US and its adversaries primarily the previous USSR (and current) had 2 vertical stabilisers while Euros has single vertical stabilisers/ delta wings/ canards which makes the airplane aerodynamically unstable thus improving manoeuvrability.