Ask The Pilot

[jb747]

Not a lot of rest time arriving back in MEL on 12/7 then departing again 24 hours later.
Is the jet lag potential mitigated by going back east on the 13/7 rather than going west to DXB?

Sorry, that was an oops on my part. At least I booked my Rex tickets on the correct day.

The company will not build these trips within 48 hours of each other. There are various rules, but basically it will require two 'local nights' before you can be used again. We aren't restricted by that though, so it's possible to swap trips to place them closer, though the company would be unlikely to approve a next day swap.

 

[Himeno]

7/7 qf94 lax-mel

I always seem to miss you by a few days. I have that sector on the 4th.

 

[lastrow]

How many FO''s are usually on the flight deck of an A380? I was watching a U Tube doco of a QF flight LHR to SYD and all the shots of the flight deck showed a third person sitting behind in the middle (jump seat?). He did not say anything or do anything and his constantly on sunnies made him look like FBI. What was he doing there, is there a flight deck crew rotation en route?

 

[Quickstatus]

Sorry, that was an oops on my part. At least I booked my Rex tickets on the correct day.
.

Does the company pay for the travel between home and flightdeck and return even if it's on another airline?

 

[jb747]

Does the company pay for the travel between home and flightdeck and return even if it's on another airline?

If the company wants me to go from Melbourne to somewhere else, they will provide the transport. But, travel from home (on the border), to work, is my problem, and they never pay for it.

 

[jb747]

How many FO''s are usually on the flight deck of an A380? I was watching a U Tube doco of a QF flight LHR to SYD and all the shots of the flight deck showed a third person sitting behind in the middle (jump seat?). He did not say anything or do anything and his constantly on sunnies made him look like FBI. What was he doing there, is there a flight deck crew rotation en route?

A minimum 380 crew is Captain and FO. We mostly fly two man between Dubai and London, and on any domestic ferry flights. As the flights get longer, they add SOs to the crew. One for flights up to about 13-14 hours, and a second beyond that. Both the Captain and FO have to be in the seats below 20,000 feet, and either, plus one of the SOs above that.

Some of them think they're in the FBI....

 

[flychrisfly]

What is the purpose of these lights? I've seen them on the A380s but thought they were reflections of the landing lights - though the angle was never right. They appear to be direct into or across the front of the engines.

 

[Quickstatus]

If the company wants me to go from Melbourne to somewhere else, they will provide the transport. But, travel from home (on the border), to work, is my problem, and they never pay for it.

Are you also up for 1 night in MEL after QF10?
How do lower paid workers in the airline industry afford to commute to/from a major hub like airport?.

How much leeway do you build into your Rex itinerary to account for any flight delays when heading to operate QF9/93 and when coming back after QF10/94

 

[rogerkambah]

Sorry, that was an oops on my part. At least I booked my Rex tickets on the correct day.

The company will not build these trips within 48 hours of each other. There are various rules, but basically it will require two 'local nights' before you can be used again. We aren't restricted by that though, so it's possible to swap trips to place them closer, though the company would be unlikely to approve a next day swap.

I'm assuming that you are a regular on Rex - just wondering whether the Rex crews know what you do for a living?

 

[jb747]

What is the purpose of these lights? I've seen them on the A380s but thought they were reflections of the landing lights - though the angle was never right. They appear to be direct into or across the front of the engines.

Wing lights.

On the ground they're generally just turned on to make the aircraft a bit more visible. It's quite amazing how aircraft can disappear into the sea of lights at an airport. In flight, they allow us to see the engines and parts of the leading edge...if we have the need.

 

[jb747]

Are you also up for 1 night in MEL after QF10?

I have a son, who has a flat nearby.... But, I often stay at the Ibis before some flights, when I don't feel like getting up early. QF93 in winter.

How do lower paid workers in the airline industry afford to commute to/from a major hub like airport?.

I'd expect that few are in a position to commute from other states. The same question would therefore apply to any workers, in any industry.

How much leeway do you build into your Rex itinerary to account for any flight delays when heading to operate QF9/93 and when coming back after QF10/94

Going to work, I always ensure that I could drive if necessary. So that means that I fly down the night before the 93, or the early afternoon flight for the 9. Coming home has no time constraint, so the only issue would be the aircraft being late. Whilst there is a morning flight that could tie to the 94, I never book it. If I get there on time, and the gate agent is amenable, I swap to that flight. Otherwise I either wait in their lounge until the midday(ish) flight, or go to my son's and have a sleep and catch any later one. After the 10, to go to the flat, and mostly then catch the midday flight. Touching wood, I've never missed the booked flight....

 

[jb747]

I'm assuming that you are a regular on Rex - just wondering whether the Rex crews know what you do for a living?

Yes. Their Albury base is pretty small, so you'll fly with the same crews quite often. Nice bunch.

 

[Katie]

12/6 QF10 DXB-MEL

I was on this flight with you! I wondered if it was you when I heard your initial announcement and realised your initials were JB.
I didn't manage to catch the CSM to get a message to you to say Hi.

It seemed to be quite a bumpy flight, even though the seat belt sign only went on once (that I remember hearing).

 

[Flying Fox]

At about 15000 ft the master warning went off with associated aural alert and fire bell (which is deliberately loud) due to a smoke sensor alarm (which in itself is a rare occurrence). The other pilot announced the warning but not the fire aspect of it (the smoke alarms set off the fire bells). It took him a while to work out what was going on. I instantly assumed it was an engine fire as 99% of the time in the sim it is. I looked at the fire panel and no fire indications then checked the smoke panel and noted the illuminated smoke alarm.

Can you tell us the rest of the story?

Checked smoke alarm; nothing wrong; turned alarm off; landed as per normal? Or something else?

 

[moa999]

One for jb747,
With the launch of the A380Plus, Airbus touting ”Improved Systems".
Very small video of the coughpit from 0.21-0.25 here:
https://thedesignair.net/2017/06/18/airbus-reveals-a380-plus/

What would you change on the flight deck?

 

[Flying Fox]

https://thedesignair.net/2017/06/18/airbus-reveals-a380-plus/

Follow-on question from the above article -

The A380plus features longer maintenance check intervals, a reduced six-year check downtime, and systems improvements, which will reduce maintenance costs and increase aircraft availability, all of this bodes well for the increased passenger traffic affecting the world.

What can Airbus do to extend service intervals on the A380plus vs A380? Is it simply a change on paper?

 

[jb747]

I was on this flight with you! I wondered if it was you when I heard your initial announcement and realised your initials were JB.
I didn't manage to catch the CSM to get a message to you to say Hi.

Pity.

It seemed to be quite a bumpy flight, even though the seat belt sign only went on once (that I remember hearing).

There were a few patches of clear air turbulence, but nothing dramatic. I'm generally reluctant to put the signs on for light stuff, as it can go on for hours, and people still need the toilets.

 

[jb747]

One for jb747,
With the launch of the A380Plus, Airbus touting ”Improved Systems".
Very small video of the coughpit from 0.21-0.25 here:
https://thedesignair.net/2017/06/18/airbus-reveals-a380-plus/

What would you change on the flight deck?

Complex. I'd interlink the side sticks. A servo for the thrust levers, so that their position would move and correspond to commanded power. A single switch method to get to alternate law II, or direct law.

Simpler...I'd give all of the source select switches the ability to place both pilots on a single information source. Track up instead of heading up on the PFDs.

 

[jb747]

https://thedesignair.net/2017/06/18/airbus-reveals-a380-plus/

Follow-on question from the above article -

The A380plus features longer maintenance check intervals, a reduced six-year check downtime, and systems improvements, which will reduce maintenance costs and increase aircraft availability, all of this bodes well for the increased passenger traffic affecting the world.

What can Airbus do to extend service intervals on the A380plus vs A380? Is it simply a change on paper?

It all sounded like marketing to me....

 

[serfty]

... I'm generally reluctant to put the signs on for light stuff, as it can go on for hours, and people still need the toilets.

Unlike some USA airline crew.

Flew from LAX Saturday on AA73 to SYD, arriving this morning - as far as i could tell the seat belt sign was never turned off the entire flight.

This was an absolute first time such a thing has happened on a Transpacific flight I've been on in over 60 crossings.