Ask The Pilot

[AviatorInsight]

I find all of this excellent however I, like I am sure many others, do not know what all the abbreviations etc mean.
As a reference I find this site helpful. Aviation Acronyms & Abbreviations for Pilots | FlightDeckFriend.com

Thanks for the feedback. I know how much AFFers love their abbreviations but wasn't sure as to the extent. I'll keep it in the expanded sense for the next one.

 

[eric2011]

Thanks for the feedback. I know how much AFFers love their abbreviations but wasn't sure as to the extent. I'll keep it in the expanded sense for the next one.

Thanks for understanding, we all love the in-depth reports and the coughpit insights and your sharing of yours (and JB's) knowledge

 

[opusman]

The latest Roo Tales had this paragraph:

We’ve flown almost every type of the 747 over the years, from the Special Performance series (a smaller, sportier edition) to the 747-400ER (an extended range aircraft that allowed us to fly non-stop across the Pacific)

Does that mean before the -400ER Qantas couldn't fly non-stop to the US? What route did they take?

 

[serfty]

Strange ... The 744 enabled this and the ER made MEL simpler.

Perhaps the author is getting confused and thinking all QF 744s are ER's.

Certainly there were 743 services via AKL or HNL.

 

[serfty]

Looking at a 1996 timetable the services between MEL and LAX went via SYD or AKL and were scheduled for 744.

 

[opusman]

Looking at a 1996, timetable all QF 744 services from MEL to LAX went via SYD or AKL.

SYD-LAX is still non-stop across the Pacific. Arguably AKL-LAX is too

 

[jb747]

The ‘standard’ 744 had no trouble flying across the Pacific. It was tight on the LAX-MEL service though, and the ER helped a lot there. For what it’s worth, I’ve done a couple of direct flights to LA in the 743. I’d have to look at the log book to see what the return journey looked like.

 

[Quickstatus]

http://dgca.gov.in/accident/reports/incident/VT-GOS.pdf

Please remind me:
If takeoff is rejected when IAS < V1,
By definition should the aircraft have enough runway length to stop?.
...
I’m assuming that flight deck CRM is generally effective irrespective of who are in the seats. However as with all office environments there are personalities that don’t get along. Is there company rostering ability to separate Captain and FO if they don’t “get along”

 

[por930]

After reading the transcript of the accident report on pages 22-29 referenced in the above post, it would not give me much confidence with the airline involved. The actions between the two crew seemed in chaos, with no process. I would imagine the CRM could have been better handled.
I would have thought sim sessions would have practiced this very scenario, very often?

 

[jb747]

http://dgca.gov.in/accident/reports/incident/VT-GOS.pdf

Please remind me:
If takeoff is rejected when IAS < V1,
By definition should the aircraft have enough runway length to stop?.

There should be, but at the upper end of the range you’ll use every bit (plus any stopway beyond the end), and will almost certainly have brake fires.

There’s 30 knots between the point at which the bird strike happens, and the aircraft reaching V1. These decisions were generally dropped into a 5-10 knot band when we practiced in the sim. We never had any discussion. FO might say something like ‘engine problem’, and you’d decide one way or the other.

I’m assuming that flight deck CRM is generally effective irrespective of who are in the seats. However as with all office environments there are personalities that don’t get along. Is there company rostering ability to separate Captain and FO if they don’t “get along”

I’m glad I had beer before reading that, as it’s one of the most appalling displays of a lack of airmanship, CRM, and basic flying ability that I’ve read in ages. There was literally none....of anything.

If a Captain and FO can’t get along to do the job, one or both will be looking for another job. You don’t have to like the bloke. You have a job to do, so shut your mouth and do it. You can dislike the other bloke on the ground.

 

[Franky]

The latest Roo Tales had this paragraph:



Does that mean before the -400ER Qantas couldn't fly non-stop to the US? What route did they take?

If it helps I flew on a posting to the US in 1977 and went Sydney-Fiji-Hawaii-San Francisco on a 707. With a 2 year old daughter and a six week old son...

 

[Quickstatus]

During acceleration, how long would it take for the IAS to increase by 30knots when close to V1?

At rejected takeoff, which are more effective?. Auto or manual brakes?

 

[Captain Halliday]

http://dgca.gov.in/accident/reports/incident/VT-GOS.pdf

Please remind me:
If takeoff is rejected when IAS < V1,
By definition should the aircraft have enough runway length to stop?.
...
I’m assuming that flight deck CRM is generally effective irrespective of who are in the seats. However as with all office environments there are personalities that don’t get along. Is there company rostering ability to separate Captain and FO if they don’t “get along”

Further to this... and I realise this may be more of a LAME question than one for the pilots..

But given the description of the damage and the photos of the bent fan blades, is it unusual that the aircraft was released back into service in the same day as the incident?

 

[jb747]

During acceleration, how long would it take for the IAS to increase by 30knots when close to V1?

Many variables would affect that. Ten seconds or so, I guess.

From my reading of this, the FO has only reacted to an ECAM, and has then locked on the the N1 vibration. The fact that he can’t differentiate between N1 and engine 1 is appalling in it’s own right. But, I’m surprised he has had any warning from the ECAM at all. These systems inhibit most warnings, including fires, above various speeds in the 80 to 100 knot region. The damage they have would not have given the PIC any swing, and the engine would have been producing full thrust. The decision to go is quite understandable, and is within the Airbus flight crew training manual guidance.

At rejected takeoff, which are more effective?. Auto or manual brakes?

Auto braking is generally applied sooner. In RTO mode, it sends all of the hydraulic power to the brakes, without any modulation or reduction, and lets the anti skid take control. You can’t get anything more than that manually.

They were lucky that the damage was limited to the two fan blades, and that the only actual problem they had was some vibration. Given their subsequent actions, I very much doubt that this aircraft would have ever flown again if the engine had actually failed.

I’m not surprised at the quick repair. Replace the blades. Put the fan back together in a sequence that would keep it in balance. All blades are individually weighed, and there’s computer programs that give assembly sequences for any given set of blades. Have a look at the engine for other damage. That’s a total of a couple of hours work. Saw it done for a 767 in Perth once.

 

[Quickstatus]

I’ve seen a video somewhere. The fan blades have a flange at the root and it’s just slid into place. Amazing the technology that goes into these things.

Do the replacement fan blade weight have to be adjusted/balanced?. Or do they come exactly at the weight of the original?

 

[jb747]

I’ve seen a video somewhere. The fan blades have a flange at the root and it’s just slid into place. Amazing the technology that goes into these things.

It’s called a fir tree root. The blade is only very loosely held, and you can hear them rattling when the fans are being blown by the wind.

Do the replacement fan blade weight have to be adjusted/balanced?. Or do they come exactly at the weight of the original?

No, the blades would only accidentally have the same weight. But there will be an in balance arrangement for any group of blades. The entire fan may have to be resequenced. That’s what the balance programs are for.

 

[Quickstatus]

I suppose there will be an acceptable off-balance tolerance, and then a ground test at full power?

 

[Captain Halliday]

I found this video of a light aircraft pilot (I think) trying his hand at ATC and though I’d share it.

And to comply with the thread rules of asking a question:

Have any of our contributor pilots tried their hand at controlling? Any interest? Comments on the experience?

And for @AviatorInsight (who I think is the only one who operates into BNE), has the change to 01R/18R been difficult?

Do pilots still drop the L and R now that it’s been in place for around four months?

 

[mjt57]

That post mortem on that Indian flight has some scary stuff in it. How does a fellow with so many hours under his belt get it so wrong?

Really, I’m so glad that our premier airlines don’t seem to have these issues.

 

[jb747]

I found this video of a light aircraft pilot (I think) trying his hand at ATC and though I’d share it.

And to comply with the thread rules of asking a question:

Have any of our contributor pilots tried their hand at controlling? Any interest? Comments on the experience?

Like anybody, with a small amount of knowledge of some else’s job, I’m sure there are many times when pilots reckon we could do a better job. The reality is that it’s a very long course, with lots of on the job and sim training..... Within the military, their ATCs historically had a component of people who had failed the pilots’ course, so there were always plenty of ATCs who could fly (to some degree).

And for (who I think is the only one who operates into BNE), has the change to 01R/18R been difficult?

Do pilots still drop the L and R now that it’s been in place for around four months?

It probably just reminds AV of his days flying to LA.