Ask The Pilot

[Quickstatus]

A340/330, A350,330 are in many ways similar beasts, though also very different.

However A320 and A330?. I cant see any similarity except for the "A3"

 

[Saab34]

I found a shot of your last flight on Facebook JB not sure if you have seen it pretty good shot!

 

[jb747]

A340/330, A350,330 are in many ways similar beasts, though also very different.

However A320 and A330?. I cant see any similarity except for the "A3"

Agreed....

I found a shot of your last flight on Facebook JB not sure if you have seen it pretty good shot!

Thank you. I've been sent a number of shots. The husband of one of the cabin crew who was on QF30 went out and took 6 wonderful images. I'll have to make up an "I love me wall" to hold them all.

 

[Quickstatus]

Do you get to keep the uniform?

 

[jb747]

Do you get to keep the uniform?

No, because there are supposedly security issues with copies of the uniform being out there.

But, even it that were not the case, I would be packing up all parts of the current uniform and giving them back. It's disgusting.

 

[Quickstatus]

the design? fabric? practicality?

 

[jb747]

the design? fabric? practicality?

Yes.

 

[tgh]

Freedom Freedom Freedom Freedom … I am freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee…

enjoy

 

[Quickstatus]

Yes.

What became of the rule a few years back that the pilots all had to wear their pilot jacket?

 

[flyingfan]

Taking off at full power / a specific runway at LAX has been mentioned a few times but I can't quite find the background to this. Is it a matter of an A380 laden with all the fuel needed for a trans-Pacific crossing? Does that mean conditions are quite narrow for an LAX-Aust departure and that the reverse isn't true?

While staring at the onboard flight map, routes (to Europe, across Asia) often seem to differ quite a bit from what I'd imagine a great circle to be, with some kinks, deviations and returns to the 'original' general direction. I'd guess reasons for alterations include following tracks, traffic, weather, airspace charges, MH17-type avoidances and ATC slowdowns/sequencing when close to destination. Any other reasons - do pilots adjust flightpaths enroute to save fuel/make up time/avoid headwinds? Do pilots sometimes fly from one waypoint to the next rather than shortest distance?

Are there many flights around callsigned Lifeguard/medevac (or whatever the appropriate term is) and get priority clearance?

PS Adding my congratulations to your retirement jb747, may you long be a part of the AFF family and perhaps even building status, not necessarily oneworld

 

[Himeno]

Yes.

But not as bad as AA's uniforms? (reportedly)

 

[Hvr]

No, because there are supposedly security issues with copies of the uniform being out there.

Should I assume not for the same reasons JAL FA uniforms are sought after?

Japan Airlines flight attendant uniforms are being sold to the local sex industry after becoming highly sought after by fetishists.

 

[jb747]

What became of the rule a few years back that the pilots all had to wear their pilot jacket?

I won't say a great deal about the uniform...other than the fact that it is generally despised by the pilots. The rule you mention was never going to be successful.

 

[jb747]

Taking off at full power / a specific runway at LAX has been mentioned a few times but I can't quite find the background to this. Is it a matter of an A380 laden with all the fuel needed for a trans-Pacific crossing? Does that mean conditions are quite narrow for an LAX-Aust departure and that the reverse isn't true?

The A380 has excellent take off performance, and can readily operate at max weights from runways that cannot be used by 777s or 747s at a similar proportion of their max weight. But, it is fairly clumsy on the ground, and is a bit of a ground handling nightmare at LA. 25R cannot be used at all, and 25L requires crossing both runways to get to the departure point. This takes time, and is inconvenient for the controllers. It's much more expedient for us to depart from 24L, which, whilst not as long as 25L, is adequate at maximum weight up to a tailwind of about 5 knots. Uses less fuel and time. Configuration will be TOGA, and flap 3. By contrast, 25L will be either flap 1 or 2, and the power might be very slightly derated. Not enough gain to offset the loss of time and fuel.

While staring at the onboard flight map, routes (to Europe, across Asia) often seem to differ quite a bit from what I'd imagine a great circle to be, with some kinks, deviations and returns to the 'original' general direction. I'd guess reasons for alterations include following tracks, traffic, weather, airspace charges, MH17-type avoidances and ATC slowdowns/sequencing when close to destination. Any other reasons - do pilots adjust flightpaths enroute to save fuel/make up time/avoid headwinds? Do pilots sometimes fly from one waypoint to the next rather than shortest distance?

We often get clearances to track directly between waypoints...cutting the corner...which saves a few miles here and there. Controllers can only give you that if they own the entire patch of air. There are many places you cannot overfly. Not just for geopolitical reasons, but sometimes the geography. For instance, there's a huge chunk of China that contains mountains that are simply too high to safely operate over. Planning must always take into account something going wrong, so you need to know how you'll fare with an engine out, or depressurised.

Lateral moves normally won't get you out of winds. That's done at the flight planning stage, where the computer systems may look at routes that are up to a thousand miles apart. Once in flight, that sort of change is well out of reach. Pilots try to avoid winds/turbulence by making vertical changes, but that is often curtailed by the presence of other aircraft.

Are there many flights around callsigned Lifeguard/medevac (or whatever the appropriate term is) and get priority clearance?

You hear air ambulance callsigns occasionally, but they are a tiny proportion of aircraft. They get whatever priority they need.

 

[Batesy]

Congratulations JB, a stellar flying career with a big moment like QF30 is something you should be proud of.
Thanks for all of your contributions to this forum, ask the pilot is my go to for anything plane related.
Enjoy retirement!
Batesy

 

[eric2011]

JB, Ive just been reading a short article on the 747SP. Did you ever fly one when you were on that breed, if so did they require different training or could you just swap over and did they really handle like a sports car as a couple of pilots say they did. They would have been great going in and out of WLG as its quoted that was one of their routes.

 

[jb747]

JB, Ive just been reading a short article on the 747SP. Did you ever fly one when you were on that breed, if so did they require different training or could you just swap over and did they really handle like a sports car as a couple of pilots say they did. They would have been great going in and out of WLG as its quoted that was one of their routes.

I flew on it many times as SO, but only a few sectors once I became an FO. There was no particular training for it, though it did have it's own performance manual, and quite a few differences in the various books. Most noticeable thing flying it that I recall was that it needed a bit more pitch in the flare to get a decent landing.

As for the sports car...what I recall was the exact opposite. Whilst it weighed a lot less than the -200s, it's engines were greatly derated from them, so it had proportionally less power. Amongst the 747s, the 400ERs are the sports cars.

 

[Saab34]

Do they give Long Haul pilot’s an option of moving to Domestic ops should one wish to continue on past 65?

 

[jb747]

Do they give Long Haul pilot’s an option of moving to Domestic ops should one wish to continue on past 65?

You can bid to do so. Most of us consider that to be a way of aging really fast. it’s mostly the preserve of people who have had multiple wives.

 

[Saab34]

How old do people go on that you know of? Domestic Pilots in their 70s? I recall Ken Broomhead who was the CP at Tiger was into his 70's, now retired.