Ask The Pilot

[flyer89]

Interesting. I can certainly vouch for the wine and food!

 

[mjt57]

FOs are used for some of the SO training in the sims.

Ok, that's probably what he was refering to, then.

 

[mikenz]

I've noticed quite a few runways have elevated end points with a dip at the centre. Is that deliberate?
The most pronounced I've experienced was at Bristol airport in the UK.

 

[jb747]

I've noticed quite a few runways have elevated end points with a dip at the centre. Is that deliberate?
The most pronounced I've experienced was at Bristol airport in the UK.

No, that’s just the lay of the land. As long as the slope isn’t too bad (less than about a degree), there will be nothing done about it. Many runways have a hump at some point (Darwin and Manchester come to mind). Nowra’s were banana shaped (dip in the middle). And Melbourne 34/16 is about 80’ higher at one end than the other.

 

[Quickstatus]

What weight estimations do airlines use for passengers and their carry on?

 

[jb747]

Is this for the thread on actually weighing pax, and discounting/charging more as appropriate?

Weights at the load control level vary and are supposedly quite accurate for the different passenger origins. At the pilot level we use a simple 100 kgs per passenger. It’s close enough for minor changes, but the need for such changes has pretty much disappeared now that everything is done over data links.

 

[Quickstatus]

Is this for the thread on actually weighing pax, and discounting/charging more as appropriate?

Ah yes was meant for that thread but thanks

 

[mjt57]

At the pilot level we use a simple 100 kgs per passenger.

Oh goody. I'll see if I can then claim an extra 23kg baggage allowance next time I travel...



On another note, do you think that you'll still be working next August/Sept? Looks like another US trip coming up and I'd much rather it be on the 380 than the Nightmareliner.

 

[flychrisfly]

A visual circuit would take about 4-5 minutes.

On a go around and at a busy field, does ATC give the going around aircraft any preferential treatment in terms of priority or are you shoved to the back of the queue? Does it vary by port?

 

[AviatorInsight]

On a go around and at a busy field, does ATC give the going around aircraft any preferential treatment in terms of priority or are you shoved to the back of the queue? Does it vary by port?

No preferential treatment. On a recent go around at SYD, they had to sequence us in behind aircraft joining off the STAR. All up was about 7-8mins from the go around to landing on the second attempt.

 

[jb747]

On a go around and at a busy field, does ATC give the going around aircraft any preferential treatment in terms of priority or are you shoved to the back of the queue? Does it vary by port?

Priority is a concept that largely exists only on forums like this one. In the real world it's a queue, and you take your place in it. If you go around, ATC will fit you back in wherever they can, but that could entail quite a lengthy flight.

The only way to get any priority is to be a medevac aircraft, be carrying local royalty, or to declare an emergency. No guarantees on that last one either....

 

[jb747]

On another note, do you think that you'll still be working next August/Sept? Looks like another US trip coming up and I'd much rather it be on the 380 than the Nightmareliner.

My US visa expires in May 2019. That's such a pain to renew that I expect I'll use it as an excuse to stop. Ask me in April 2019...

 

[joey1695]

Hi all, I have a question regarding ILS approaches. What is the difference between an ILS-X ILS-Y and ILS-Z to the same runway?
Thanks, Joe.

 

[andmiz]

Hi all, I have a question regarding ILS approaches. What is the difference between an ILS-X ILS-Y and ILS-Z to the same runway?
Thanks, Joe.

The different procedures are designed to cater for differences in aircraft equipment/configuration. Where the Z procedure is most likely designed to cater for an aircraft with RNAV capability to navigate to the initial approach point, another procedure (such as X or Y) may be needed to cater for an aircraft without RNAV and the requirement to fly overhead a conventional navigation aid before manoeuvring for the ILS/final approach.

 

[jb747]

Any time you have similar approaches to the same runway, that have minor differences, they'll be given a letter designator. One approach may use ILS-DME for distance to run, whilst the other might use GPS positions, or the airfield DME. There's not a standard difference that makes an approach a Z or Y, etc.

 

[Dale Eastham]

This one takes the cake.
N198UA | Boeing 747-422 | United Airlines | Tim Bowrey | JetPhotos

That just makes me sad..

 

[QF WP]

It’s not as involved as you might think. I’ve actually had 2 go arounds in 2 weeks. First one, we were trying to make curfew but had everything going against us. Second one was a windshear warning at 500ft in SYD.

Well, as you alluded to, pushed the thrust levers forward and gained some altitude, got a positive rate and retracted the gear. Next we retracted the flaps, made a left turn to join the circuit (usually just one continuous turn), completed the after take off checklist, made a PA to explain why we went around. Do the descent and approach checklists, another turn onto base, start slowing up again and taking flaps as normal. Start the descent at the same time and when ready drop the gear and do the landing checklist once all the flaps are out. One last turn onto final and line her up. Conduct the best landing ever and have everyone clapping.

So if you missed curfew because of the go-around, I guess they wouldn't be clapping

That's the bit I keep messing up....

Don't be so hard on yourself jb747. It's hard to hear them clapping in Y from your coughpit, surely (honestly, do people in F ever clap??)

 

[AviatorInsight]

So if you missed curfew because of the go-around, I guess they wouldn't be clapping

Well they were 2 separate incidents. So we didn't miss curfew because of the go around, we went around because of the curfew.

Also, I just assume the clapping thing because that's what happens in movies and go arounds are reported to anyone who will listen about how they were propelled into the sky at rocket pace and they all feared for their lives?? no??

 

[QF WP]

Well they were 2 separate incidents. So we didn't miss curfew because of the go around, we went around because of the curfew.

So you are saying that you got dispensation to land after the curfew because the go around made you breach curfew??

Also, I just assume the clapping thing because that's what happens in movies and go arounds are reported to anyone who will listen about how they were propelled into the sky at rocket pace and they all feared for their lives?? no??

In my only go around in my flying thus far, we were landing into SYD and at about 500ft and pretty close to the runway (the rock wall became visable as we climbed), we were firmly pushed back in our seats as we climbed. Captain (FO?) came on and advised as soon as he'd (they'd) tidied up. Did a circuit of the CDB and back in to land to some intermittent clapping. But then again, there wasn't a visable issue that had pax concerned....or we weren't in South America

 

[AviatorInsight]

So you are saying that you got dispensation to land after the curfew because the go around made you breach curfew??

Sort of. Coming from BNE, winds in SYD were 160/25-30. We pushed so hard to get to 16R just before curfew (we actually could have made it in on 16R but got vectored closer in so we lost the time). Company gave us dispensation to land after curfew but of course we had to comply with the runways in use for curfew. This meant a 25-30kt downwind component. We asked if we could get dispensation for 16R but this was an immediate no. We were abeam the threshold of 16R (on downwind for 34L) 30 seconds after 2300. We gave 34L a try anyway in the hope that the wind would die down just as we were landing but it never got below 19kts. That was enough for us to do the go around and head straight back to BNE.