Ask The Pilot

[jb747]

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?

I was the one who made that comment. And the answer would be pretty much never. I have other things to do. If the CSM can't sort the issue out, and he's a specialist at passenger issues, I'll simply decide to leave any issues on the ground.

 

[jb747]

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

At light weights, V1 and Vr can be equal. At heavy weights we might have 25 or so knots between them. Never timed it, but the gap sometimes seems long. 10 seconds perhaps.

In the sim it's doubly long...because that's the favourite spot for an engine failure. You have to continue, but you also have some handling issues. Triple fun on low vis (i.e. fog) take offs.

 

[Quickstatus]

I noticed that VH-OJM is about 25 yrs old. No idea on total hours or total cycles. What is it about OJM (apart from being totally value depreciated) that is attractive for the airline to retain it, when younger siblings have been put out to pasture (desert).

Is it true that VH-OJA had a relative fuel efficiency advantage over the other B747 in the fleet resulting in its longevity before retirement?

 

[jb747]

I noticed that VH-OJM is about 25 yrs old. No idea on total hours or total cycles. What is it about OJM that is attractive for the airline to retain it, when younger siblings have been put out to pasture (desert).

Is it true that VH-OJA had a relative fuel efficiency advantage over the other B747 in the fleet resulting in its longevity before retirement?

I doubt that OJA was more fuel efficient. The differences between the individual aircraft are quite small.

As I understand it, the retirement decisions were based upon what work had been done, and what was coming up. Some of the earlier aircraft had already done some of the more major (expensive) services, whilst some of the newer hadn't, and that had the somewhat perverse effect of making the earlier more attractive than some of the later. By the time they started the retirements, I was off the fleet, so I didn't keep track of it.

Cycles would still be relatively low (compared to a 737 or 767), and they're what really age an airframe.

 

[mjt57]

JB,

attached is a screen grab of a Twiter post by an F1 Journo that I follow.

It's about adding new runways to Heathrow. I'd expect that you'd probably be knowledgable in this and if so what are your views?

 

[jb747]

Well, it's hard to make much out of the post, but looking at the picture I get the impression that he thinks he can have two runways in line (i.e. by extending 27R a bit, and then dividing it in half). If that's the case, then he should stick to writing about F1.

Personally, and I don't take that much notice of it...I'd build at Gatwick.

 

[andmiz]

If that's the case, then he should stick to writing about F1.

Home : Heathrow Hub ...not dreamed up by a F1 journalist.

My concern is the way ATC would manage traffic and separation standards.

 

[RooFlyer]

It would only begin to work if (in the photo diagram) the RH bit was dedicated to arrivals only from the right and the LH bit for departures only to the left (or vice versa), wouldn't it? Although I guess an arriving go-around would have to have their wits about them if there was a departure just in the air right in front of them.

 

[jb747]

Home : Heathrow Hub ...not dreamed up by a F1 journalist.

My concern is the way ATC would manage traffic and separation standards.

It's one of those ideas that's probably appealing whilst still on paper. I can see it working well enough, until the day of the aluminium shower, at which point it would immediately be a case of 'what idiot thought that was a good idea?'.

Go arounds are not always simple, and can often be the result of aircraft issues. That's why straight forward go around procedures work the best. The departures would also have to be height limited, which throws up more issues... low level restrictions are easily breached. There are plenty of scenarios where tracking and height keeping are secondary considerations, and generally there's margin for that.

If it were such a good idea, it would have been embraced somewhere already...but as best I can tell it's an idea that's devoid of actual application.

 

[Blue Max]

If I might address the OP's initial question:

The B737 and Dash 8 are short haul aircraft while the B747 and A380 are long haul. Short and long haul flying represent two distinct satisfaction paths, although often a long haul captain will retire to pick up a short haul job.
Short haul crews typically fly multi sector days either on early or later starts and equally typically, pilots can do a lot of hands on flying. Long haul crews tend to fly two sectors at a time over a longer period of flight duty and certainly have fewer take offs and landings with which to contend.
To some, the satisfaction of commercial aviation lies not so much in what one flies, an airliner is an airliner, but in the package of the entire flight day. A multi sector early in winter over northern Europe with an early start, a coupe of diversions en route and a commensurate discretion day, while perhaps being less than thrilling at the time, will yield immense satisfaction on the final self debrief over a well earned glass of hot rum.
So to encapsulate, I would propose that it is not so much with whom you do it that gives the pleasure and satisfaction but rather, the ultimate buzz lies in the technique and perfected expertise which you have employed to achieve your ends.
As for TAFS, here in northern Europe, some of the major airports have 24 hour TAFS but typically a TAF is valid for 6 hours. A METAR is an actual observation valid at that time. It is usually issued hourly or half hourly. A SPECI is special report, usually qualifying a METAR and can relate to either an improvement or a deterioration in the weather at an airfield. Then of course, there are SNOWTAMs, SIGMETs and MOTNEs, this last being an eight figure appendage to a METAR and relating specifically to runway conditions.
Happy wing flapping.

 

[Flying Fox]

OK so I'm thinking about buying a personal BBJ B747-8i and wondering about the flight crew.

So I would need to hire a captain & FO. Are they subject to the same regulations as QF pilots with regards to simulator sessions, maximum duty hours, qualifications etc?

 

[andmiz]

OK so I'm thinking about buying a personal BBJ B747-8i and wondering about the flight crew.

So I would need to hire a captain & FO. Are they subject to the same regulations as QF pilots with regards to simulator sessions, maximum duty hours, qualifications etc?

No. As you'd be operating it as a private aircraft, the regulatory requirements are different to those for airlines or charter companies. Some simulator sessions would still have to take place in order to renew licence validity, but duty hours wouldn't exist and qualifications are quite lax. On that note....I have a 747-8 rating...tell me more about this BBJ you want to buy

 

[Boris spatsky]

OK so I'm thinking about buying a personal BBJ B747-8i and wondering about the flight crew.

So I would need to hire a captain & FO. Are they subject to the same regulations as QF pilots with regards to simulator sessions, maximum duty hours, qualifications etc?

And the country of rego determines which rules you adhere to. US FAA rules for private ops (part 91) are generally less restrictive than other countries. I have Boeing time and a US licence; where do you want to base it and how much is the pay?!?

 

[Blue Max]

After a certain point in one's aviation career, regulations become superfluous to one's operations. This lack of constraint applies especially where the pilot isn't actually rated on type. Notwithstanding that small detail though, he may be perfectly capable of flying the lazy old 747 safely and productively. That last word brings me to the question of cargo. Cigarettes are, weight for volume, about the most lucrative load imaginable. They're also, usually, relatively legal and even when not, penalties are not as high as they might be for freighting unmentionables around the skies. When all else fails, the globe is a pretty big place. There's a B727 that landed somewhere in Africa a year or so ago and it's still missing, presumably holed up somewhere in the dark continent under a camouflage net.

Toodle pip!

 

[jb747]

OK so I'm thinking about buying a personal BBJ B747-8i and wondering about the flight crew.

So I would need to hire a captain & FO. Are they subject to the same regulations as QF pilots with regards to simulator sessions, maximum duty hours, qualifications etc?

As has been explained, the rules for biz jet (and cargo) pilots are quite lax in comparison with those that apply to airline pilots. There have been various attempts to bring them into the same system.

Given that your pilots will have hardly any flying compared to airline pilots (i.e. currency), you'd be safest to put them into the sim much more often. That doesn't happen, of course. When you get your 747-8, I have a number of friends who'd by happy to fly you around. I'll wave from the ground.

 

[Quickstatus]

How do private pilots "for hire" who have their own websites maintain currency?

 

[jb747]

How do private pilots "for hire" who have their own websites maintain currency?

I'd have thought that a "private pilot for hire" might be operating on the wrong licence.

At the bottom end of the scale there would be very little currency. The aircraft and operation are simpler of course, but they still manage to bite.

 

[por930]

How do private pilots "for hire" who have their own websites maintain currency?

Private pilots licences forbid flying for commercial/financial gain. I might have had the instrument and type ratings of some commercial guys, but as I never obtained a commercial licence, I was restricted to flying for "recreation". Though that said, as a youngster when PPL licence some 250 hours old, I worked on a cattle property in the outback where I flew their 172 about when I was not on my horse....ummm, those carefree days in the 70's.
As JB said, light aircraft, compared to his, are pretty simple machines to operate, but our training, and more to the point, our "retraining" was(is) pretty limited, as well as currency hours and if not careful, you could be caught in a position well outside that of your skill, often with disastrous results.

 

[Quickstatus]

Private pilots licences forbid flying for commercial/financial gain. I might have had the instrument and type ratings of some commercial guys, but as I never obtained a commercial licence, I was restricted to flying for "recreation". Though that said, as a youngster when PPL licence some 250 hours old, I worked on a cattle property in the outback where I flew their 172 about when I was not on my horse....ummm, those carefree days in the 70's.
As JB said, light aircraft, compared to his, are pretty simple machines to operate, but our training, and more to the point, our "retraining" was(is) pretty limited, as well as currency hours and if not careful, you could be caught in a position well outside that of your skill, often with disastrous results.

Yes thanks, I had meant those freelance commercial pilots.

 

[Flying Fox]

No. As you'd be operating it as a private aircraft, the regulatory requirements are different to those for airlines or charter companies. Some simulator sessions would still have to take place in order to renew licence validity, but duty hours wouldn't exist and qualifications are quite lax. On that note....I have a 747-8 rating...tell me more about this BBJ you want to buy

And the country of rego determines which rules you adhere to. US FAA rules for private ops (part 91) are generally less restrictive than other countries. I have Boeing time and a US licence; where do you want to base it and how much is the pay?!?

Given that your pilots will have hardly any flying compared to airline pilots (i.e. currency), you'd be safest to put them into the sim much more often. That doesn't happen, of course. When you get your 747-8, I have a number of friends who'd by happy to fly you around. I'll wave from the ground.

Thanks for all the replies. Didn't realise so many here could help me crew my aircraft.

With regards to sim time, do the pilots call up private sim centres (is there such a beast?) and book a session or do they call someone like QF and ask for available time in their sims? In that case, can anyone simply book a session for a bit of fun (assuming that I'm willing to pay the fee)?

As for my time frame, I'm still talking to Boeing about options and paint scheme for my B747-8. Will keep everyone informed