Ask The Pilot

[mjt57]

JB, you'd be a cloud expert (or anyone else). Someone posted this photo to our photographer group this morning. She titled them "chem trails" but they obviously aren't. Said that she know what type of clouds they are. Hopefully someone here can help.

 

[por930]

The cloud formation maybe Altocumulus Undulatus. Altocumulus being affected by high wind currents. Jb or the other guys who are up there most days maybe have a better idea.

 

[jb747]

I'm probably less expert on clouds than you'd imagine. Over the years the various categories have devolved into good ones and bad ones, i.e. ones that I can fly into, and ones to avoid.

But, here's a good mob to ask https://cloudappreciationsociety.org/ I sent them a picture of an extraordinary formation I'd seen from home a few months ago, and got an answer very quickly.

On an another note....the whole 'chemtrail' rubbish makes me despair for the sanity of a large part of mankind.

 

[Captain Halliday]

A somewhat trivial question from me today jb, prompted by post 10112:

Are long sleeve shirts an option in your uniform?

If not, can you identify the Captains by the tan on their left arm and the FOs by the tan on their right?

 

[mjt57]

I'm probably less expert on clouds than you'd imagine. Over the years the various categories have devolved into good ones and bad ones, i.e. ones that I can fly into, and ones to avoid.

But, here's a good mob to ask https://cloudappreciationsociety.org/

thanks JB. I shall enquire. Certainly, I'm surprised that there is such an org...

As for "chem trails", yep.

 

[jb747]

A somewhat trivial question from me today jb, prompted by post 10112:

Are long sleeve shirts an option in your uniform?

If not, can you identify the Captains by the tan on their left arm and the FOs by the tan on their right?

They're optional on the current uniform. Dunno about the new one, I can only recall seeing short. Virtually nobody opts for the long sleeve...Take up would single digit percentage.

I don't know how much of the UV gets through those panes of armoured glass, but in any event, once airborne, we can pull shades across most of the windows. Beyond that, I mostly seem to fly at night.

 

[Melburnian1]

Airservices Australia has had this page on its website for quite a while:

How we help airlines reduce emissions | Airservices

Bearing in mind climatic and probably density of air traffic limitations, how successful do tech staff perceive 'continuous descent approaches' and 'flextracks' to have been?

Is there significant, feasible room for improvement or have these initiatives plateaued in terms of efficiency for airlines?

 

[moa999]

Any thoughts on the 320 pilot decision making in this MU 320 v MU 332 incident in Shanghai.

Obviously a situation where time counts and you need to make a quick decision and commit fully .

Http://avherald.com/h?article=49f37b96

 

[Quickstatus]

Airservices Australia has had this page on its website for quite a while:

How we help airlines reduce emissions | Airservices

Bearing in mind climatic and probably density of air traffic limitations, how successful do tech staff perceive 'continuous descent approaches' and 'flextracks' to have been?

Is there significant, feasible room for improvement or have these initiatives plateaued in terms of efficiency for airlines?

May I add this to the question (not exactly light reading)
http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~dsun/pubs/atcq15.pdf

 

[AviatorInsight]

Airservices Australia has had this page on its website for quite a while:

How we help airlines reduce emissions | Airservices

Bearing in mind climatic and probably density of air traffic limitations, how successful do tech staff perceive 'continuous descent approaches' and 'flextracks' to have been?

Is there significant, feasible room for improvement or have these initiatives plateaued in terms of efficiency for airlines?

Continuous descents I have rarely experienced (if ever?) flying into a major international airport. The fact that, coming in over the ocean from LAX and we still need to descent to 6000ft to overfly for 34L or 16R still amazes me that we can't fit into the sequence. Even while on the STAR we make it a continuous descent but are almost always stepped down from 10,000 - 6000ft. Sometimes in 1000ft increments. Perhaps at the smaller airports, OOL, TSV, MCY, etc it might be better, although I haven't been there in a long time. BNE is much better for CDAs but only when 19 is in use.

Flex tracks are used to/from Asia and the Middle East in Australian airspace. I have noticed that this is similar to the User Preferred Routes (UPRs) that we fly TransPac. This allows us to pick up the jetstream that usually sits over the lower part of the continent and not stick to high altitude airways. I haven't really noticed much of a change now that this has been implemented. As with anything there is always room for improvement.

 

[Quickstatus]

How do pilots know where the jet stream is and how long are you usually in the jet stream before you lose it?

 

[AviatorInsight]

Any thoughts on the 320 pilot decision making in this MU 320 v MU 332 incident in Shanghai.

Obviously a situation where time counts and you need to make a quick decision and commit fully .

Http://avherald.com/h?article=49f37b96

They were very lucky. Obviously the crew made the right decision in this instance with the information they had to continue the take off compared to rejecting it. Had it been a 'heavy' however, it may not have had quite the same outcome.

 

[AviatorInsight]

How do pilots know where the jet stream is and how long are you usually in the jet stream before you lose it?

During the flight planning stage, along with the weather, we are given what's known as a SIGWX (Significant Weather) chart. This chart shows us jet streams, turbulence, thunderstorms, volcanic activity, even icing associated within cloud and a lot more.



This SIGWX Chart is from today valid from 11am AEDST. It covers a 6hr period and is used for 3hrs either side of the validity period. This chart is from FL250 - FL630. The jet stream is depicted as the thick black line with the arrow head on the end of it (indicating the direction of the wind). The 'tails' and 'slashes' on the jet stream indicate the wind speed to be expected along the jet and are coughulative. The 'tails' indicate 50kts each while the 'slashes' indicate 10kts each. For example, the jet across Australia starts at 85kts with the core of the jet at FL380. It then increases in speed to 100kts, then again once it reaches the coast to 120kts etc.

Once we enter a jet there may be a bit of windshear with the change in wind speed, smooth once established in the jet with a healthy tailwind, and then a bit of windshear again as we exit the jet and the wind subsides. The flight plan will tend to try and keep us in the jet for as long as possible to take advantage of the tailwinds experienced.

 

[por930]

AI, as there are no sign posts up there, do you just rely on the latest SIGWX and aim for position on the map at the approx altitude, then sort of feel you way from there? I have done a few trips to Europe last month and on one occasion, the flight crew said sorry about the bumps, but they were trying to position themselves in the jet stream, and at present were half in and very rough. Eventually, it became very smooth. He then warned us on leaving the Jet we will get some turbulence, but will soon cease.

 

[Quickstatus]

What's a typical cross sectional area of these jets Streams?. Are the lateral dimensions same as vertical?

 

[AviatorInsight]

AI, as there are no sign posts up there, do you just rely on the latest SIGWX and aim for position on the map at the approx altitude, then sort of feel you way from there? I have done a few trips to Europe last month and on one occasion, the flight crew said sorry about the bumps, but they were trying to position themselves in the jet stream, and at present were half in and very rough. Eventually, it became very smooth. He then warned us on leaving the Jet we will get some turbulence, but will soon cease.

Basically yes, we'll feel our way through the layers. Unless there is weather present that needs avoiding, we don't alter from the flight plan too much. We might ask ATC if any aircraft ahead have reported turbulence. This will give us an idea of what it may be like along our route once we plot our planned track with the information given from the SIGWX and the PIREP (Pilot Report).

I have been lucky before, where the transition into the jet was so smooth that I didn't notice an 80kt difference in wind when I noticed our ETA jumped forward by about 5mins!

 

[AviatorInsight]

What's a typical cross sectional area of these jets Streams?. Are the lateral dimensions same as vertical?

No they're not. The lateral can be in the vicinity of a couple of hundred km wide. The vertical however, can be seen on the chart above. On the Jet above YMML there is a number, 160/490. This tells us that the wind speed between these 2 levels is 80kts or greater with the jet core at about the 140kt mark (which is usually only a couple of thousand feet thick).

Hope that helps!

 

[Hvr]

To jb747 and the other pilots, in the ridiculous luggage thread it was mentioned that it wasn't a good idea to insist on seeing the Captain about such matters.

Is there ever a time when it is appropriate for a passenger to stand their ground and insist that the Captain attend and resolve the matter?

Thanks,

 

[flychrisfly]

On a typical flight, how long in seconds does it take to get from V1 to VR?
Cheers

 

[jb747]

Any thoughts on the 320 pilot decision making in this MU 320 v MU 332 incident in Shanghai.

Obviously a situation where time counts and you need to make a quick decision and commit fully .

Http://avherald.com/h?article=49f37b96

Extraordinary. They were all lucky beyond belief. This is almost an exact replay of Tenerife.

From 110 knots stopping would have been a better option. Not only because you hit whatever going slower, but as history has shown, an airborne impact will probably work out badly. And, as you slow, the option to simply turn off the runway and away from the impact becomes viable.