Ask The Pilot

[jb747]

Quote brought over from Qantas delays and cancellation thread......



But Even a quick splash and dash at these ports would render the crew out of hours (assuming the 20 hr max is still in place)??

Would a >4 FCM increase the maximum allowed FDP further in an augmented crew op?
FCM = flight crew member
FDP = flight duty period

I can't see your attachment.

I don't know the ULR flight time rules. I hope I don't have to learn them.

Extra crew would mean another Captain/FO. I suppose that could be included into the rules, but I can't see it happening. You don't really have the crew rest for extra people anyway.

A limit of 22 hours as the absolute max (i.e. not something that the companies could plan to) would accommodate pretty well any operation imaginable. Diversions are simply a case of too bad. If you feel like poo at the end of a flight, then imagine how the crew feel. And they have to fly the thing. I've seen people do (and probably done) the most amazing things after huge periods without sleep. I really think they should bring back 3 sector to London!

 

[Quickstatus]

attachment reposted...

I thought it was only 20 hours and then only at PIC discretion? and the FDP could not assume PIC discretion?

What have been previous 3 sector kangaroo routes?

Yes thats is the one reason I am not keen on the new QF9..

...

What are examples of Class 1,2,3 crew rest?

 

[D747]

In July 2001 I flew Melbourne to Narita on a B747-200. During the flight I visited the coughpit, as I often did in those days. I remember at the time the flight engineer said that as the -200s were being phased out he had been offered retraining as a pilot. My question is, what method did these engineers follow to become QANTAS pilots? Did they start from the bottom like any cadet or did their years of flying count towards anything in flying terms? Were most retained or were they found to be less suitable than the normal pilot intake? Thanks as always for your replies.

 

[jb747]

attachment reposted...

I thought it was only 20 hours and then only at PIC discretion? and the FDP could not assume PIC discretion?

That's more or less it at the moment, but ULR ops will need more.

What have been previous 3 sector kangaroo routes?

The only ones that I've flown used Singapore/Bangkok, Bahrain, and then various European destinations.

What are examples of Class 1,2,3 crew rest?

Basically class 1 is a dedicated area containing bunks, class 2 a flat seat in the cabin, and class 3 roughly a PE seat.

Lots of info here.
https://www.casa.gov.au/file/104901/download?token=9JPA_v5Y

 

[jb747]

In July 2001 I flew Melbourne to Narita on a B747-200. During the flight I visited the coughpit, as I often did in those days. I remember at the time the flight engineer said that as the -200s were being phased out he had been offered retraining as a pilot. My question is, what method did these engineers follow to become QANTAS pilots? Did they start from the bottom like any cadet or did their years of flying count towards anything in flying terms? Were most retained or were they found to be less suitable than the normal pilot intake? Thanks as always for your replies.

I don't know what percentage of the engineers were retrained. I'll see if anyone has any idea, but I'd guess at only 20% or so. I don't think it was an all in offer, they had to be selected, and then get past all of the training. The cadet training systems were still running at the time, and some plugged into that, though there may have been a couple of avenues. If I recall correctly, there were some ghost seniority numbers within the system so they didn't go all the way to the bottom.

There are only a couple left now. Many ultimately got commands (on all of the types), though age was probably against them, with many eventually retiring from the FO rank.

 

[Quickstatus]

What are the benefits of a 3 sector to LHR/EU?

.......

Looks like OEB will be doing a RTW private charter:

Would aircraft on a mission like this carry an inventory of spares if it visits some unusual ports?

https://www.ausbt.com.au/qantas-refreshes-boeing-747-first-class

 

[jb747]

What are the benefits of a 3 sector to LHR/EU?

For the passengers, none.

I was looking at this back when fuel was at its peaks. Because the sectors are shorter, you don't need to carry as much fuel, so you have less fuel burn simply from carriage of the fuel. The overall effect on an Oz to UK flight was about 10 tonnes less burn, even allowing for the extra take off, landing, climb, and descent. In the case of a long range operation, a tonne of fuel at the end of the flight could well have cost you another tonne just to get it there.

Because you aren't operating anywhere near the weight limits, there's more weight available for the carriage of cargo. ULR flights are unlikely to carry any...even the passenger luggage would be in doubt sometimes.

There are other costs of course. More landing charges, more staff (though probably less flight crew), and overall slightly slower operation.

Would aircraft on a mission like this carry an inventory of spares if it visits some unusual ports?

There's always a spares package, but yes, there would almost certainly be a tailor made one. Also probably a couple of 'travelling' engineers.

 

[jb747]

Update on the question about the flight engineers. My guess was pretty close. Apparently about half were offered the training, and half of them took it. So the final outcome was 27 ex engineer pilots, or 23%.

 

[Quickstatus]

Update on the question about the flight engineers. My guess was pretty close. Apparently about half were offered the training, and half of them took it. So the final outcome was 27 ex engineer pilots, or 23%.

Not a question - but a FE who was offered this but declined spent some years before retirement as a hospital orderly where I worked. He has a generous severance I believe

ULR flights are unlikely to carry any...even the passenger luggage would be in doubt sometimes

Would QF7/8's excellent OTP be partly attributable due to the lower numbers of passengers, and their luggage and also because of less freight being carried? Less freight = less hassles for despatch at the ramp?

 

[jb747]

Would QF7/8's excellent OTP be partly attributable due to the lower numbers of passengers, and their luggage and also because of less freight being carried? Less freight = less hassles for despatch at the ramp?

Well, to be honest, the freight is a lot less prone to going walkabout than the passengers. So, no, I don't think it has anything to do with it.

 

[PMHI]

Not sure if addressed previously but a question arising from a 747 flight Sydney to Santiago and a 787 return. I use my phone in flight mode with GPS Tracker app to record height, speed, route and on this occasion how far South latitude. My phone could receive from 8 or more GPS satellites on the 747 but none on the 787 even with window seat on both occasions. Is the 787 made out of some shielding material, including the window?

 

[Quickstatus]

Would appreciate some information on the QC takeoff and also QC landing for:

A380
B787

My superficial "research" suggests
A380 QC2 QC 0.5
B787 QC0.5 QC0.25

 

[Boris spatsky]

I didn't even know what QC was - it's a type certification number; don't think it is particularly useful to pilots. I found an article online that matches your figures - official figures probably in the type certificate which you should be able to find on the FAA website.

 

[straitman]

Would appreciate some information on the QC takeoff and also QC landing for:

A380
B787

My superficial "research" suggests
A380 QC2 QC 0.5
B787 QC0.5 QC0.25

I didn't even know what QC was - it's a type certification number; don't think it is particularly useful to pilots. I found an article online that matches your figures - official figures probably in the type certificate which you should be able to find on the FAA website.

Same here. I've only been involved with aviation for about 50 years (newby) and have no idea what it means.

 

[Quickstatus]

Apologies - it's the Quota Count system used by LHR to classify aircraft according to their noise profile at takeoff and landing for the purposes of restricting noisy aircraft from night operations.

 

[jb747]

Not sure if addressed previously but a question arising from a 747 flight Sydney to Santiago and a 787 return. I use my phone in flight mode with GPS Tracker app to record height, speed, route and on this occasion how far South latitude. My phone could receive from 8 or more GPS satellites on the 747 but none on the 787 even with window seat on both occasions. Is the 787 made out of some shielding material, including the window?

I doubt it. I thought it was made out of plastic.

GPS performance on a phone, within an aircraft, varies a lot. There are many times when I can't get it to work at all in the 380, and I don't get anywhere near as far south as either of those flights.

 

[straitman]

GPS performance on a phone, within an aircraft, varies a lot. There are many times when I can't get it to work at all in the 380, and I don't get anywhere near as far south as either of those flights.

GPS performance on a phone anywhere varies a lot. It is almost unusable on V Line trains let alone something as upmarket as an aeroplane. :shock:

 

[petercr]

Apologies for being slightly off-topic but you should have seen how bad my phone's GPS was on our recent river cruise... One day it would say I was in Linz (Austria) and the next it would say Cologne (Germany) while we were traveling down the Rhine.

 

[Blackbird]

I was on the delayed QF2 Sunday from LHR.
The gate people kept mentioning curfew if we weren't gone by 23:30.
We left the gate after that and took off just before midnight.
Is there a curfew for ops at Heathrow?

 

[straitman]

I was on the delayed QF2 Sunday from LHR.
The gate people kept mentioning curfew if we weren't gone by 23:30.
We left the gate after that and took off just before midnight.
Is there a curfew for ops at Heathrow?

Have a look at Night Flights LHR

There are limitations but not an absolute curfew.