Ask The Pilot

[mjt57]

.with Douglas Adams words being the guide you need. "Don't panic".

And with the late great Douglas Adams in mind, so long and thanks for all the fish, JB.

 

[AviatorInsight]

From what I've heard it's either flown via the autopilot, or manually if you have a HUD, but not without. I'll need to ask someone from the 737 world.

Correct, because it’s an RNP approach, the AP must be used (because we don’t have HUDs....yet?). Unless in VMC we have now been authorised to disconnect the AP to promote manual flying.

So the autopilot flies the waypoints and the pilots manage the energy?

Yes. Except the 737 is really bad at managing speed. VNAV doesn’t do a very good job of it. Flies the vertical profile well but you need to be proactive and use what you’ve got to get that speed under control. The 737 won’t go down and slow down at the same time.

 

[AviatorInsight]

Are there considerations for the hot summers and cold winters?
It seems the approach is restricted to a temperature range.

It applies to the 737 because it doesn’t have temperature compensation calculated into the FMC. So the VNAV path coincides with the published angle only when the temperature is at ISA. Too hot and it’ll be too steep, too cold and it’ll be too shallow, hence the temperature range.

 

[Duffa]

Thanks JB 747.
It would seem that perspective is everything, when judging distances. Love all those waypoints
Looking across to Queenstown golf course form our balcony, it looked positively flat when compared to those massive hills beyond.
It wasn't

 

[eric2011]

Sorry, this is always a good video of Queenstwon

 

[JessicaTam]

A new thread has been started to allow this thread to remain on topic.

jb747's last flight

 

[cambriamarsh]

Hi JB, This was a headline on an article in the UK Daily Telegraph today


Pilots have blamed “bad signage” at"Gatwick Airport after nearly running out of runway while taking off.

A report by the Air Accident Investigation Branch found the mistake in March could have caused a potentially disastrous “overrun” after the Boeing 787-9 began its take-off 417 metres beyond the proper starting point.

The Buenos Aires-bound jet carrying 270 people left the ground with only 600 metres of runway to spare.


How do you know which is the right place to take off from and how common are these issues?

cheers

 

[jb747]

It happens, rather too often. But, there is no excuse. It is a major item that all pilots should be checking on every occasion that they line up. They should have been looking at it as they calculated their performance data too. Runways often have areas that can't be used for landing, but which are available for takeoff. The signs differ a bit around the world. A quick search on google for "runway signage" will give you plenty of examples.

 

[Hvr]

It happens, rather too often. But, there is no excuse. It is a major item that all pilots should be checking on every occasion that they line up. ...

Given its importance, is it a career ending mistake? Or a once only special event that's noted for serious discussion and a reminder the next incident will see you out the door?

 

[jb747]

Given its importance, is it a career ending mistake? Or a once only special event that's noted for serious discussion and a reminder the next incident will see you out the door?

It rather depends who you work for. Many airlines solve problems by firing the people who made honest mistakes. In their mind problem solved. The reality is that it's just been swept under the rug. Punitive responses to mistakes, particularly ones that did no harm, result in people not reporting issues. The entire safety system, that has worked so well in aviation, is based on people being able to report, without fear of retribution.

 

[jb747]

Pilot's view of an approach....

 

[Quickstatus]

Are holding patterns flown by the autopilot?
I ask because the “racetrack” pattern seem to overly the previous very accurately...

 

[jb747]

View attachment 146627 Are holding patterns flown by the autopilot?
I ask because the “racetrack” pattern seem to overly the previous very accurately...

Yes. The standard holding patterns are in the FMC. We just need to select a waypoint, then 'hold', and the aircraft will fly the entry and then repeat the pattern until we select 'exit'.

 

[Quickstatus]

Are the dimensions of the hold an “industry”standard with certain conditions/conventions /rules?

The one above was today. QF12

Between entry and exit was approx -500feet. Can a hold incorporate a reduction in altitude?

 

[jb747]

The hold is based upon the inbound leg being either 60 or 90 seconds long, depending upon whether you are above or below FL140. Leg time can be programmed to different times. The FMC will vary the length of the outbound leg to get the inbound target. The hold has a maximum speed, and any speed below that is acceptable.

Altitude changes within the hold are done via normal mode management. Select the new altitude on the mode control panel, and then whatever vertical mode takes your fancy is used to control the descent. There is a type of hold that incorporates pre-planned altitude changes, but I've only ever seen it as an example in the sim, and don't know of any in the real world.

 

[Captain Halliday]

I’m interested I need our contributor pilots perspective on the scenario below, esp @AviatorInsight given the type.

I also appreciate you don’t have full details like fuel, weight, or even being able to look out the window, but on the limited available info do you land or go around?

METAR: 061653Z 28011KT 1 1/2SM +RA BR FEW004 OVC013 08/08 A2991 RMK AO2 SLP122 P0033 T00830083
Type:737-700
RWY length: 5,800ft / 1,768m
ILS approach to RWY08
TWR reports heavy precipitation over the field, then gives “winds 260 at 9. RWY 08 cleared to land.”

 

[jb747]

I’m interested I need our contributor pilots perspective on the scenario below, esp @AviatorInsight given the type.

I also appreciate you don’t have full details like fuel, weight, or even being able to look out the window, but on the limited available info do you land or go around?

METAR: 061653Z 28011KT 1 1/2SM +RA BR FEW004 OVC013 08/08 A2991 RMK AO2 SLP122 P0033 T00830083
Type:737-700
RWY length: 5,800ft / 1,768m
ILS approach to RWY08
TWR reports heavy precipitation over the field, then gives “winds 260 at 9. RWY 08 cleared to land.”

Ah, Southwest at Burbank last week. Well, it was certainly heavy rain. Very heavy.

I don't have charts for Burbank, but I don't think the LDA is the full 5,800'. A comment on prune had it at under 5,000. It's common for the landing or take off distance to be less than the full length of the runway.

In any event, a 10 knot tailwind to a wet and short runway isn't something I would even have had a look at.

It's called 'press-on-itis' or 'get-home-itis'.

 

[AviatorInsight]

I also appreciate you don’t have full details like fuel, weight, or even being able to look out the window, but on the limited available info do you land or go around?

It basically comes down to the landing distance, the effect of the tailwind and the reported braking action. Given the figures there, I've just gone off a standard 60T aircraft with 10kts of tailwind and there's only one solution that we will be able to stop in the landing distance available. It's Flap 40, max autobrake and the reported braking action being as good. Anything less than that and we wouldn't be able to land there even with a 10kt headwind.

So back to the question, I would continue (given the solution above), if I floated or was going to land outside the markers it'd be an immediate go around. The latest point in which we can go around is up until we select reverse thrust, so lots of opportunities to bug out after the landing clearance.

If ATC had said "wind 260/11 runway 08 cleared to land" I'd be out of there.

 

[jb747]

It's Flap 40, max autobrake and the reported braking action being as good. Anything less than that and we wouldn't be able to land there even with a 10kt headwind..

Braking would not have been good. In all the years I’ve been going to LA, it was the wettest I’ve ever seen.

 

[Captain Halliday]

Ah, Southwest at Burbank last week. Well, it was certainly heavy rain. Very heavy.

Yes, Burbank. I knew you’d both know the incident but I didn’t name it because it’s so easy in hindsight for “thought bubble experts” to say a crew should have done something differently.

Thanks for your perspectives as always.