Ask The Pilot

[Boris spatsky]

Food question:

In another thread pilots describe tech crew catering.

Is it practical to BYO
How is a coffee run done between sectors on domestic flights where there is tight turnarounds

On short haul quite a few bring their own food.

On short turnarounds we send one person to get coffee and the other prepares the flightdeck and does the walkaround. Just need to be cluey about which coffee shop to go to at which time of day to beat the queues

The coffee onboard is undrinkable when you have to drink it every day... And most sectors they don't have time to serve us coffee anyway.

 

[MrHyde]

Just finished seeing the Air Crash Investigation episode into the Tenerife accident. One of the things mentioned as a factor into the accident was the during the Sim sessions, ATC was not present. So, for takeoffs, there was no ATC being simulated that gave clearance for takeoff. With the captain flying mostly in the Sim for the previous few months, it was felt that he got used to starting the take off run as soon as the takeoff checklist was done.

Is that still the case or did the accident lead to changes in the way Sims were programmed to also include ATC simulations?

 

[jb747]

Just finished seeing the Air Crash Investigation episode into the Tenerife accident. One of the things mentioned as a factor into the accident was the during the Sim sessions, ATC was not present. So, for takeoffs, there was no ATC being simulated that gave clearance for takeoff. With the captain flying mostly in the Sim for the previous few months, it was felt that he got used to starting the take off run as soon as the takeoff checklist was done.

Is that still the case or did the accident lead to changes in the way Sims were programmed to also include ATC simulations?

In most cases we'll give the normal ATC calls, and the instructor will respond. Not always though...depends upon the exercise.

But, in this case, the captain was an instructor, so perhaps he'd have just given himself a clearance. I really don't think the way exercises were run had anything to do with this accident. He seemed to be blinkered by the time issues, and did not seem to take on board anything from the rest of his crew. It's really a classic CRM failure.

 

[jb747]

The coffee onboard is undrinkable when you have to drink it every day...

That's one positive for the big girl....quite decent coffee.

 

[Quickstatus]

That's one positive for the big girl....quite decent coffee.

Whats the difference?. Different machine, water quality, coffee, "barista"?

 

[JohnM]

Whats the difference?. Different machine, water quality, coffee, "barista"?

Espresso machine IME .

 

[mjt57]

In the Traveller letters page in the Age this weekend there is a letter explaining how cabin air is now "dirtier" than when smoking was allowed.

Traveller letters: Airline cabin air quality is worse than before smoking ban

JB, Boris, etc, how much truth is there to this? And if not, why would this person be claiming it?

 

[jb747]

In the Traveller letters page in the Age this weekend there is a letter explaining how cabin air is now "dirtier" than when smoking was allowed.

Traveller letters: Airline cabin air quality is worse than before smoking ban

JB, Boris, etc, how much truth is there to this? And if not, why would this person be claiming it?

There was a 'half pack' setting on the 747-300. It doesn't exist on earlier, or later aircraft. It does reduce the air flow through the packs, but not by half, that was just what the setting was called. The actual change is to around 80% of the maximum flow. I forget exactly how it was used on the Classics, but if I recall correctly, it was used in conjunction with lower than normal passenger loads. Even then, the air is totally changed over every few minutes.

This setting, and its use, predates the banning of smoking by at least a decade.

They don't change the air as regularly, as it costs money to bring fresh subzero air in from outside and heat it to cabin temperature. By the time you reach your destination the percentage of carbon dioxide in the cabin from breathing is much higher than it should be.

Actually we don't have to heat the air at all. We have a ready source of hot air, and if anything, will have to cool it (and we have a source of cold too). The proportion of CO2 in the cabin will be virtually identical to outside. The problem is that the amount of oxygen is lower than you're used to...but then that's a consequence of being in a cabin at 8,000 feet or so.

Aircraft these days use automated systems that will vary the flow with the various demands. Passenger numbers are entered into the FMC for just this purpose.

 

[Boris spatsky]

Whats the difference?. Different machine, water quality, coffee, "barista"?

Limited space and weight issues means limited coffee brewers. Ours are like bad percolated coffee whereas i would expect newer aircraft like the 380 to have espresso or Nespresso style machines?

 

[Dmac6345]

Pilots- Over the last few months I have had some below average experiences with turbulence. Some really uncomfortable and some just generally annoying.
Do you guys ever feel uneasy about the weather you know you will be flying into? I know everything is done to avoid it, but most times it has been clear air. It has got to the stage where I dislike flying because of the risks of turbulence.

 

[Boris spatsky]

Pilots- Over the last few months I have had some below average experiences with turbulence. Some really uncomfortable and some just generally annoying.
Do you guys ever feel uneasy about the weather you know you will be flying into? I know everything is done to avoid it, but most times it has been clear air. It has got to the stage where I dislike flying because of the risks of turbulence.

It's quite an interesting comparison, but the turbulence always feels worse down the back. When you are busy flying the aircraft, it is offputting but so much else is going on that it is an after thought really.

I have only ever had two instances of real severe turbulence in my career - both associated with thunderstorm activity. So i tend to avoid those now

 

[flychrisfly]

Passenger numbers are entered into the FMC for just this purpose.

Really? The FMC "controls" the aircon, at least in part? Seems very strange it would do anything other than help fly the plane.

 

[jb747]

Really? The FMC "controls" the aircon, at least in part? Seems very strange it would do anything other than help fly the plane.

They have keypads and screens, so they are a convenient way of entering data into the overall system, instead of inputting in some here, and some there. Weights, CoG, and some fuel data also goes in there, even though the FMC is not the end user.

Thinking about it, even the take off and landing data, and power figures, are not really for the FMC, but for use by other systems....but the FMC is the central repository of just about everything.

 

[opusman]

Thinking about it, even the take off and landing data, and power figures, are not really for the FMC, but for use by other systems....but the FMC is the central repository of just about everything.

Single point of failure then? Or is there a backup FMC?

 

[jb747]

Single point of failure then? Or is there a backup FMC?

A very long way from a single point of failure. There are three, and they have different data sources, and power supplies.

 

[mjt57]

A very long way from a single point of failure. There are three, and they have different data sources, and power supplies.

Is the FMC (Flight Management Computer?) the one where the Capt and FO entered separate figures or incorrect ones which resulted in that tailstrike at MEL a few years back?

If you have three of them, how is data sync'ed between them?

 

[fairbasa]

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.

I found it strange watching Ready For Take-Off, the CSM on an A380 would ring the Captain at seemingly every opportunity to inform him of little things like confiscating sampler bottles of duty free from passengers. Surely the role of the CSM is to handle issues like this and not disturb the tech crew unless a serious situation arises which warrants it (possible diversion due to medical issue or combative passenger etc).

Do you get disturbed from the cabin much and do you mind it?

 

[Wingin..it]

That is good to know back ups for back ups .I ride horses and I can tell you everything is based on the centre of gravity .But we have no back ups .If things start to buck we have no back up except our voices with a living animal and our relationship.A good reason why PILOTLESS flights are a bad idea .You need a human to see if the systems are functioning .

OK while here a question what are the pros and cons for the 787...........supposedly the QF is the 789 which is wider,than the 788? More pax comfort but from a pilot view?
Also scientists believe that birds fly with sight that enables them to see things we humans don't see ;actual magnetic fields etc visibly etc .Have you (ESPECIALLY LONG TERM ) Pilots observed a change in bird habits etc?

 

[AviatorInsight]

Is the FMC (Flight Management Computer?) the one where the Capt and FO entered separate figures or incorrect ones which resulted in that tailstrike at MEL a few years back?

That's correct. It was an incorrect weight entered which was the result of lower take off speeds.

If you have three of them, how is data sync'ed between them?

So on the B777 we have only 2 FMCs (the brains) and 3 CDUs (Control Display Units - Screens). Under normal conditions, one FMC accomplishes the flight management tasks while the other FMC monitors. The second FMC is ready to replace the first FMC if system faults occur.

 

[AviatorInsight]

I found it strange watching Ready For Take-Off, the CSM on an A380 would ring the Captain at seemingly every opportunity to inform him of little things like confiscating sampler bottles of duty free from passengers. Surely the role of the CSM is to handle issues like this and not disturb the tech crew unless a serious situation arises which warrants it (possible diversion due to medical issue or combative passenger etc).

Do you get disturbed from the cabin much and do you mind it?

We only get disturbed if the CSM has an issue which they then need to refer to the Captain to then take action on something. For instance, if a passenger has come on board and is disruptive like you mentioned. In the case of confiscating sampler bottles of duty free, I would want the CSM to notify me purely from the fact that the passengers could now become disruptive, if they are doing something they shouldn't is there more to the story? Or did they really not know that they couldn't bring it on board, etc.

So personally no, I don't mind it (although others may have a different point of view). It's part of our job to multitask and prioritise events in which they occur at all stages of the flight, and that includes the pre departure.