Ask The Pilot

[jb747]

I spent the weekend at Bathurst, and one of the things I noticed was just how well choreographed all the planes and helicopters were in the air. From having lots of helicopters all buzzing around in pretty close proximity (and missing each other), to having the FA18 fly overhead at the end of the anthem, to the VA jet doing runs up pit straight just before the race.

I remember earlier on in this thread an ATC person mentioned that at special events like Bathurst 1000 they are likely to have someone looking after air traffic. My question is would there likely be a pilots briefing before the weekend? If so what sort of briefing might take place, eg letters / emails send out to all pilots or would they likely get all the pilots together (either via phone hookup or even get everyone in the same room) and go over the plans?

I would expect that there would have been some form of coordinated briefing, but not having been part of anything like that since I left the military, I have no idea what form it would have taken. The F18 people would be quite used to hitting something to the second...probably harder to get the band to do so.

 

[jb747]

Any chance of sharing your schedule for the upcoming month/s.
I have QF93 on 29th Oct and QF94 on Nov 6th if you are offering .

I'll be on leave. Flying the 10 out of London today, and then out of Dubai in a couple of days, and that's it for a while.

 

[ChrisGibbs]

Had an interesting flight QF448 (A330-200 VH-EBS) from MEL-SYD this afternoon 13/9. Just prior to pushback the Captain did the standard introduction with the addition of adding that people who are used to flying will find this take off a little different from the normal departures from Melbourne. Amongst other things he said the take off would use full power with a higher than normal nose attitude and we wouldn't hear the under carriage come up until much later than normal. Adding a bit of excitement to the normal Melbourne departures and true to his word we departed of RWY27 and rotated prior to the intersection with RWY16/34. The aircraft climbed like "a homesick angel" and maintained runway heading for around 4-5 minutes while continuing the rapid rate of climb. The gear was then retracted followed by the flaps. We then made the right hand turn to intercept the normal DCT DOSEL Y59 TESAT plan.

The question is why would this unusual high speed take off, early rotation, high rate of climb and late retraction of the gear be required. Many years ago flying from BOS - LHR on a BA 744 I had a similar late retraction of the gear but without the high speed takeoff, early rotation and high rate of climb. I had read somewhere that on the 744's if there was a brake problem then the braking on part of the gear could be disabled. The down side of this was the automatic braking normally applied when the gear up was selected wouldn't work hence you had to wait sufficient time for the wheels to stop spinning before the gear was retracted. Would this have been the issue here with the A330-200 or would it have been something completely different? If it was the same issue why the need for the high powered take off and the high rate of climb?

Thanks in advance.

 

[andmiz]

Would this have been the issue here with the A330-200 or would it have been something completely different? If it was the same issue why the need for the high powered take off and the high rate of climb?

Thanks in advance.

Speculation as I haven't gone looking through our A330 manuals:
It may have been a deactivated brake or brake line (one of multiple), or an inoperative gear fire indicator (loop), which would require the gear to be left down for several minutes before retraction; long enough for it to spool down or hot brake cool. As a result, single-engine performance would be affected, which would require a higher than usual thrust set for takeoff, in case an engine failure occurred during takeoff. High rate of climb would then be the result of the higher take-off and climb thrust.

 

[Wingin..it]

I have had a similar experience on AA .Regional jet CRJ -9. Fast take off landing gear coming up delayed?Pilots didn't really say anything about it though.:shock:
Had an Aussie FA so we had a very enjoyable AA flight

 

[Quickstatus]

Tailwind ops??

 

[CaviAck]

Tailwind ops??

Would there actually ever be tailwind ops? Wouldn't they just point the plane the other way?

 

[mjt57]

I'll be on leave. Flying the 10 out of London today, and then out of Dubai in a couple of days, and that's it for a while.

I see that you're going around in circles here. I take it that ATC have you in the dreaded holding pattern???

 

[jb747]

I see that you're going around in circles here. I take it that ATC have you in the dreaded holding pattern???

Not for long though. We never completed entering the pattern, so we landed before I could lose interest.

 

[jb747]

Would there actually ever be tailwind ops? Wouldn't they just point the plane the other way?

They come up. Whilst we're pretty quick to knock them back, variable crosswinds have a habit of being tailwind for part of the time. Noise procedures often throw up operations that disregard the wind direction.

 

[jb747]

The question is why would this unusual high speed take off, early rotation, high rate of climb and late retraction of the gear be required.

It does sound like a deactivated brake. The gear has to be left down for a period of time. Performance has to be calculated on the basis of gear down despatch (i.e. you can't raise the gear, even if an engine fails). It wouldn't have been a high speed take off, just high power. Pitch attitude would be higher than normal as you still need to control the speed. Of course, this could all have been an excuse to have some fun.

 

[jb747]

This relates to our discussion about taxiing and the camera a page back. These are what we see....

 

[Major]

Now I see what you mean by straddling the runway lights with the nose wheels

 

[jb747]

Now I see what you mean by straddling the runway lights with the nose wheels

None of these screens are shown during take off. The camera is replaced with the the PFD (attitude, airspeed, etc), and the airport map is replaced by the radar/terrain/flight map. We learn where the nose gear is and it's easy enough to keep it on the straight and narrow without using the camera at all. During the take off roll, I just keep the centreline under my right knee.

The camera really comes into its own during any tight turns though. Deliveries to Manila or u-turns on a runway are the best examples.

 

[D747]

None of these screens are shown during take off. The camera is replaced with the the PFD (attitude, airspeed, etc), and the airport map is replaced by the radar/terrain/flight map.

Is the changing of the screen done as part of a checklist?

 

[jb747]

Is the changing of the screen done as part of a checklist?

No, no checklist. The screens (especially the video display) are changed a number of times during taxi. We need to revert to the PFD to complete a number of checklist items. Exactly where you go from the video to the PFD isn't specified. You need the PFD to start the take-off (calling the annunciated modes), but if you've forgotten the switch is readily at hand. It will change automatically if you do nothing by 80 knots.

There are many items that procedurally need to happen, but which are not part of checklists. Putting the keyboard away is one example. Checklists are kept simple, and really just cover things that can have bad outcomes. Making them too long reduces their value.

 

[mjt57]

There are many items that procedurally need to happen, but which are not part of checklists. Putting the keyboard away is one example.

Exactly what is that keyboard used for? I watched an A380 Youtube video recently. Captain slid it out to do something, then SFO ATC changed its mind about something, he threw his hands up and flipped the cover back over it.

 

[jb747]

Exactly what is that keyboard used for? I watched an A380 Youtube video recently. Captain slid it out to do something, then SFO ATC changed its mind about something, he threw his hands up and flipped the cover back over it.

When the keyboard cover is closed, I spend a fair bit of time leaning on it. Also serves as a table/tray.

The keyboard itself accesses a couple of computer systems. The OIT is a laptop which is integrated to the aircraft and on which we do performance calculations, as well as containing many of our manuals. I'm not sure how much longer that will be with us, given that the laptops themselves are the IT version of fossils, and all of the functions can also be carried out on iPads. About the only thing the iPads can't do is a crosscheck with the FMC...and I'm sure someone is working on that.

The other system is called the NSS, and is one of the integrated computer systems. ACARS is the main reason to go there. On the ground it can also access refuelling data, as well as lots stuff for the engineers. They rarely use it though, as there is another terminal at the rear of the coughpit which is better suited to them.

This is all displayed on screens that are outboard of the instrument panel (one each for Capt and FO). This is a take off data calculation

 

[por930]

JB, of late, you are excelling your already excellent replies with these graphics of the camera views and the foldaway table/laptop. Don't stop, Next time you have the time, can you take a few pics of your office, eg, the various FMS screens(saw a hint of the FMS 2 screen in your last pic. They can be in cruise, which should not bother the policy police with violating the sterile coughpit requirement.

The other day I was in a EK A380, and when we landed at Zurich, I managed to see inside the flight deck and you guys have quite a bit of space. Much more room at the controls and the centre console than my 4 seat Cessna, which obviously is designed for single pilot operations..(though, you are some 568 Tonnes larger as well...) Do you find the need to reach over to the FO side for any reason during normal flight operations?

 

[jb747]

The other day I was in a EK A380, and when we landed at Zurich, I managed to see inside the flight deck and you guys have quite a bit of space. Much more room at the controls and the centre console than my 4 seat Cessna, which obviously is designed for single pilot operations..(though, you are some 568 Tonnes larger as well...) Do you find the need to reach over to the FO side for any reason during normal flight operations?

The only thing that's on the FO's side of the forward instrument that I need to reach is the landing gear handle, and the autobrakes. Anything that we both need is located fairly centrally.