Ask The Pilot

[Tortuga]

Hi jb747 - can you tell us the most enjoyable and least enjoyable aspects of your job?

 

[jb747]

Hi jb747 - can you tell us the most enjoyable and least enjoyable aspects of your job?

Most of us hate any form of paperwork or bureaucracy, and as long as you can keep away from that life is good.

Jet lag is horrible, and the way it builds up over multiple trips wears you down.

The view from the office cannot be beaten. And I take time to enjoy it.

I enjoy getting something right, especially in trying conditions...though sometimes getting it right means keeping it in one piece.

I don't have to work in an office, and for 99% of the time, I'm my own boss.

The jets are fun. They can be demanding. But, it's still a buzz taking one out for a fly.

 

[Himeno]

Just got off QF11.
Seat belt sign went off just after 5000 feet out of SYD and didn't go back on again until around 7000 feet out of LAX 6R. Not even for the turbulence while passing through the tropics. Is there some sort of tolerance before the crew will turn the signs on?

 

[JessicaTam]

<snip>
The jets are fun. They can be demanding. But, it's still a buzz taking one out for a fly.

If you could fly any aircraft, what would you choose?

 

[TomVexille]

On QF10 the other day from LHR pre takeoff I was watching the tail cam on the IFE. I noticed that we crossed the hold short line before the BA A319 in front of us had started their takeoff roll.

What's the procedure there? How early do ATC give clearance to proceed?

 

[jb747]

Just got off QF11.
Seat belt sign went off just after 5000 feet out of SYD and didn't go back on again until around 7000 feet out of LAX 6R. Not even for the turbulence while passing through the tropics. Is there some sort of tolerance before the crew will turn the signs on?

There isn't really turbulence just because you're crossing the tropics. It's just that there's normally a line of weather that hangs around there, and parts of it can give some bumps.

We don't turn the sign on just because there's some chop. If we did that the signs could be on for hours. Because we actually want the signs to be obeyed, and not become a simple legal 'pass the buck', we turn them on when we think it's becoming an issue. If the cabin crew think it's getting too bad to be moving around, then can ring and ask for them to be turned on.

So, yes, there is some tolerance, but the actual line is up to each pilot, and what he can see around him (on the radar) at the time.

 

[jb747]

If you could fly any aircraft, what would you choose?

I find some of the Vietnam era jets to be very interesting. Things like the F4 and F8.

 

[jb747]

On QF10 the other day from LHR pre takeoff I was watching the tail cam on the IFE. I noticed that we crossed the hold short line before the BA A319 in front of us had started their takeoff roll.

What's the procedure there? How early do ATC give clearance to proceed?

Very observant. ATC in London want you to move as far forward as you can. This only applies when there is departing traffic (not landing) in front of you. ATC will give you a line up clearance, even if the preceding aircraft hasn't yet gone. You can move forward to the edge of the runway. It saves appreciable time, and there's no danger.

 

[Skyring]

Very observant. ATC in London want you to move as far forward as you can. This only applies when there is departing traffic (not landing) in front of you. ATC will give you a line up clearance, even if the preceding aircraft hasn't yet gone. You can move forward to the edge of the runway. It saves appreciable time, and there's no danger.

Following up on this, Heathrow seems to be a full-time conveyor belt, and time - even if just a few seconds per takeoff or landing - must be a valuable commodity over the course of a busy day.

Are any airports particularly demanding in their time requirements? I imagine that some places must be a bit of a rush.

 

[jb747]

Following up on this, Heathrow seems to be a full-time conveyor belt, and time - even if just a few seconds per takeoff or landing - must be a valuable commodity over the course of a busy day.

Are any airports particularly demanding in their time requirements? I imagine that some places must be a bit of a rush.

Heathrow is the most demanding that I operate to. It's not a rush though...you simply don't waste any time. The ATC there is extremely good, without ever becoming snarky (like JFK).

Dubai is pretty congested these days. ATC isn't bad, especially as it's a mix of the world's nationalities. It's very noticeable though, that the local airline has a habit of sitting well back from the various holding points, with the result that it can take over 30 seconds from receipt of a clearance to the point at which they cross the line (this is what the London system avoids).

Australian ATC won't even issue conditional clearances (in Melbourne at least), which invariably wastes time, and becomes a real issue on days with single runway ops.

 

[Flashback]

There isn't really turbulence just because you're crossing the tropics. It's just that there's normally a line of weather that hangs around there, and parts of it can give some bumps.

We don't turn the sign on just because there's some chop. If we did that the signs could be on for hours. Because we actually want the signs to be obeyed, and not become a simple legal 'pass the buck', we turn them on when we think it's becoming an issue. If the cabin crew think it's getting too bad to be moving around, then can ring and ask for them to be turned on.

So, yes, there is some tolerance, but the actual line is up to each pilot, and what he can see around him (on the radar) at the time.

Unlike AA on their Trans Atlantic flights.. Happy to use it like they're trigger happy!

 

[Captain Halliday]

Heathrow is the most demanding that I operate to. It's not a rush though...you simply don't waste any time. The ATC there is extremely good, without ever becoming snarky (like JFK).

Dubai is pretty congested these days. ATC isn't bad, especially as it's a mix of the world's nationalities. It's very noticeable though, that the local airline has a habit of sitting well back from the various holding points, with the result that it can take over 30 seconds from receipt of a clearance to the point at which they cross the line (this is what the London system avoids).

Australian ATC won't even issue conditional clearances (in Melbourne at least), which invariably wastes time, and becomes a real issue on days with single runway ops.

Do you ever become familiar with/ recognise particular controllers? Perhaps at your home port, or for short haul pilots where you might visit a location frequently? I'm thinking particularly of distinct controllers such as Steve Abraham AKA Kennedy Steve at JFK who can be remarkably witty (Google "Kennedy Steve" if unfamiliar)

 

[Boris spatsky]

Do you ever become familiar with/ recognise particular controllers? Perhaps at your home port, or for short haul pilots where you might visit a location frequently? I'm thinking particularly of distinct controllers such as Steve Abraham AKA Kennedy Steve at JFK who can be remarkably witty (Google "Kennedy Steve" if unfamiliar)

I certainly know the specific voices on most of the frequencies on our main routes (even enroute Centre frequencies).

Sydney and Melbourne approach, tower and ground are pretty distinctive. Melbourne has the Texan guy on approach with an awesome strong Texan accent, MEL Tower has the guy that calls himself 'towaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh', Sydney has the Canadian on ground (super efficient), the female from Heathrow (also), the joker (Aussie larrikin guy that cracks jokes), the American on director (very efficient) etc etc. Not sure what any of them actually look like but i have a picture in my head nonetheless...

 

[lastrow]

I understand that the universal ATC language is English, however I expect that in some cases the English would be almost unintelligible. Would a Russian pilot be required to use English when approaching a domestic Russian airport?
Do you ever have trouble interpreting instructions from an ATC whose English is laced with a very heavy accent?

 

[por930]

I understand that the universal ATC language is English, however I expect that in some cases the English would be almost unintelligible. Would a Russian pilot be required to use English when approaching a domestic Russian airport?
Do you ever have trouble interpreting instructions from an ATC whose English is laced with a very heavy accent?

Visit here....Listen to Live ATC (Air Traffic Control) Communications | LiveATC.net
You can hear many ATC controllers. In many instances, English is used, however, you often hear the 'local' language used... I am sure though JB and the other international guys will have lots of information.

 

[jb747]

I understand that the universal ATC language is English, however I expect that in some cases the English would be almost unintelligible. Would a Russian pilot be required to use English when approaching a domestic Russian airport?
Do you ever have trouble interpreting instructions from an ATC whose English is laced with a very heavy accent?

You occasionally hear ATC and an aircraft having a discussion in the local language. Most controllers are easy enough to understand, as long as they (and we) stick to standard phrases. The ones I've found the hardest to understand were the Koreans.

 

[Foreigner]

Are there particular cities, in Australia or overseas, where contrails are predominant?

 

[jb747]

Are there particular cities, in Australia or overseas, where contrails are predominant?

The sky in London is often full of contrails. There are very large numbers of aircraft overflying to and from Europe. In Oz, there are very few overflights, so you don't see that many.

 

[mjt57]

JB, today a UAL flight B777 had to return to SYD. Apparently one of its engines swallowed a bird.

Must've been a flock of pelicans, given how large those engines are.

We're relying on the media and of course, the eye witness reports from the pax themselves, so who knows what really happened?

But let's assume that whatever it ingested that it caused a compressor surge and a resultant flame out. I'm guessing that as it's what you guys might call an ETOPS flight that they played it safe and returned to Sydney to get the engine checked out.

Which brings me to my question of the day: how many such events, not necessarily involving FOD, have you experienced? How do modern jet engines handle compressor surges or stalls?

When we had the gas turbine station they (ancient P&W FT4C engines) would often surge and stall on runup. The vibrations and noises that they made were quite impressive.

I'd imagine that being on a climb out and to hear or feel something like that happen may be a tad unnerving. Which would give rise to the saying, "I'd rather be down here wishing that I was up there, than being up here and wishing that I was down there" feelings from the nervous...

 

[TomVexille]

JB, today a UAL flight B777 had to return to SYD. Apparently one of its engines swallowed a bird.

Just to be pedantic it was a 789