Ask The Pilot

[mjt57]

Known sectors for the next few weeks:

8/3 QFA0010 LHR/SIN

What happens if you get sick and can't do this flight? How do you roster reliefs, particularly at short notice?

(I can't think of anything worse than being sick when overseas...)

 

[jb747]

What happens if you get sick and can't do this flight? How do you roster reliefs, particularly at short notice?

(I can't think of anything worse than being sick when overseas...)

Most common problem for us when overseas is a cold or flu. You can't fly with it, but you aren't horribly sick.

If I went sick for the sector you mention, the company would ring all of the captains who were due to go the next day. Mostly they find someone pretty quickly, but occasionally everyone has disappeared. They'd have to keep sliding people forward until they managed to get the standby paxed to London, and when he became available, the patterns would go back to normal. So, it would take about 3 days....

 

[mjt57]

So, it would take about 3 days....

Does that then mean that say, QF32 (LHR-SYD/MEL) could be held over until a relief could be found?

What about FOs? Do they do any higher duties?

On another note how's the news that all A380s will be checked for cracks going to impact upon schedules?

 

[jb747]

Does that then mean that say, QF32 (LHR-SYD/MEL) could be held over until a relief could be found?

No, it would be crewed by whomever was doing a flight the next day. And their flight would be crewed the same way. It would go back to planned crewing when the standby was fed into the system. From a passengers' point of view, nothing would change.

What about FOs? Do they do any higher duties?

No. Captains and FOs can fill in for SOs.

On another note how's the news that all A380s will be checked for cracks going to impact upon schedules?

This is on another thread, and is not correct.

 

[Simo]

Known sectors for the next few weeks:

17/2 QFA0031 SYD/SIN
18/2 QFA0031 SIN/LHR
21/2 QFA0032 LHR/SIN
24/2 QFA0032 SIN/SYD

4/3 QFA0009 MEL/SIN
5/3 QFA0009 SIN/LHR
8/3 QFA0010 LHR/SIN
11/3 QFA0010 SIN/MEL

18/3 QFA0093 MEL/LAX
19/3 QFA0094 LAX/MEL

Bugger we cross paths, I am flying back from SIN and the day u fly in and we will be in SIN on the same day but I leave at midnight to HKG

 

[kpc]

Known sectors for the next few weeks:


5/3 QFA0009 SIN/LHR

So close....I'm on QF31 Sin-Lhr that day

 

[Greggsy]

Known sectors for the next few weeks:

17/2 QFA0031 SYD/SIN
18/2 QFA0031 SIN/LHR
21/2 QFA0032 LHR/SIN
24/2 QFA0032 SIN/SYD

4/3 QFA0009 MEL/SIN
5/3 QFA0009 SIN/LHR
8/3 QFA0010 LHR/SIN
11/3 QFA0010 SIN/MEL

18/3 QFA0093 MEL/LAX
19/3 QFA0094 LAX/MEL

Perhaps we could start a "Where in the world is jb747?" thread to keep track of our favourite pilot.

I know I'd certainly like to buy him a beer one day as a thanks for his info.

*subject to jb747 not minding being stalked all over the globe of course.

Greg.


Sent from my iPhone using Aust Freq Fly app

 

[NM]

No. Captains and FOs can fill in for SOs.

If a Captain fills in for a FO, I assume the hours count as normal. What about if a Captain or FO fills in for a SO? How does that affect the hours logged? Do they only pay for SO duties?

 

[jb747]

If a Captain fills in for a FO, I assume the hours count as normal. What about if a Captain or FO fills in for a SO? How does that affect the hours logged? Do they only pay for SO duties?

Mostly Captains cannot fill in for FOs. For a start, they don't normally land the aircraft from that side, nor are they used to any of the switch positions. I fly with my left hand, and do the switches with my right...it takes some learning to change that (as it did in the first place). Check and training captains are the only ones allowed to fill in for FOs, because they are trained, and familiar, with both seats.

You get paid according to the number of stripes.....

People operating out of category isn't very common, although my last flight gave me an 'SO' who happened to have four bars. Cheeky bugger too.

 

[Simo]

Congrats on a real insight in to what happens behind the coughpit door.

Would love to buy you a beer one day.

 

[Sifor]

You get paid according to the number of stripes.....

People operating out of category isn't very common, although my last flight gave me an 'SO' who happened to have four bars. Cheeky bugger too.

Not sure if this is correct but I assume 2 stripes = SO, 3 = FO, 4 = Captain? Anything higher than 4 bars? I heard something about 4 bars + star which means 'executive captain'...one that has an office (admin) role in addition to flying.

 

[oz74]

Hi JB, Just wondering what the deal is with flight crew breaks? Is is it a certain amount of time on the flight deck then a few hours off?

Does the a380 have a crew rest area onboard?

 

[jb747]

Hi JB, Just wondering what the deal is with flight crew breaks? Is is it a certain amount of time on the flight deck then a few hours off?

Does the a380 have a crew rest area onboard?

CASA has quite well defined limits for duty time. Basically though, everyone is on for the first and last hour of flight. The rest is divided up evenly (on a 3 man crew you get a third, and four man a half). The captain decides how the time is shared.

The A380 (ours anyway) have excellent flight crew rest stations just behind the coughpit. The are outside the security door, but inside the privacy door..which means they are not visible or accessible by the passengers. Each has a chair and a bunk.

 

[DaleS]

Runway direction change?
A couple of weeks ago I was in the VA lounge in Sydney with about 45 min before my flight. It was 10am ish. As usual I started watching the runways for the taxiing, take offs & landings - loved it when I was 3 - still love it at 53.
I saw the Emirates A380 taxi from the IT then waited to see it take off to the south. A couple more planes took off to the south but while watching I could see a few planes taxiing south. Then a plane landed from the south and these other planes took off to the north.

How easy is it to change the runway direction like this? I take it ATC makes it's decision based on weather, wind strength, direction etc.
Would it stuff up you flight plan if you thought you would take off south but then have to change to north? Or is it planned ahead of time based on weather forecasts etc?

 

[markis10]

Runway direction change?
A couple of weeks ago I was in the VA lounge in Sydney with about 45 min before my flight. It was 10am ish. As usual I started watching the runways for the taxiing, take offs & landings - loved it when I was 3 - still love it at 53.
I saw the Emirates A380 taxi from the IT then waited to see it take off to the south. A couple more planes took off to the south but while watching I could see a few planes taxiing south. Then a plane landed from the south and these other planes took off to the north.

How easy is it to change the runway direction like this? I take it ATC makes it's decision based on weather, wind strength, direction etc.
Would it stuff up you flight plan if you thought you would take off south but then have to change to north? Or is it planned ahead of time based on weather forecasts etc?

A runway change at Sydney takes 10 to 15 minutes to put in place maximum, and will occur primarily due to wind changes which are not always according to forecast, an experienced tower controller will look for the signs, such as the smoke at Kurnell changing direction etc to give the approach folks a heads up as well as those looking after aircraft yet to depart. Some runways are also changed for operational reasons or for political reasons.

 

[jb747]

Runway direction change?
A couple of weeks ago I was in the VA lounge in Sydney with about 45 min before my flight. It was 10am ish. As usual I started watching the runways for the taxiing, take offs & landings - loved it when I was 3 - still love it at 53.
I saw the Emirates A380 taxi from the IT then waited to see it take off to the south. A couple more planes took off to the south but while watching I could see a few planes taxiing south. Then a plane landed from the south and these other planes took off to the north.

How easy is it to change the runway direction like this? I take it ATC makes it's decision based on weather, wind strength, direction etc.

More an issue for ATC than the aircraft. We'll sometimes knock back an assigned runway if we don't like the wind, or consider it too short (or if it's not an into wind runway that has been assigned for political reasons). But, that generally occurs a long way out (near top of descent). A runway change later in the piece might involve a holding pattern or some vectors to give ATC some time, but it's quite easy to program into the FMC (only takes a few seconds).

Would it stuff up you flight plan if you thought you would take off south but then have to change to north? Or is it planned ahead of time based on weather forecasts etc?

When we start the pre flight we build a route, and work out the performance data based on the runway in use at the time, and the planned aircraft weights. Just prior to start up, when the final load sheet arrives, we'll look at it again, and recalculate it if necessary. If a change happens whilst we are taxiing, the non flying pilot will work out the new data, and then he'll be given the aircraft to allow the PF to work it out (or if more convenient, we might just stop somewhere).

Basically though, a new ATIS and runway will be entered into the performance application. It will calculate the Vspeeds, weight limits, and power setting. This will be done individually by both pilots. When we agree on the answer, the FMC route will be modified with the new runway, SID, and performance data. We'll then brief the SID and any other changes from what was originally planned from the chart, and that will be compared to the FMC. If a change is likely during preflight, we may well have worked out the numbers, and loaded the FMC already (as it has multiple routes that can be loaded). It takes a few minutes and isn't a problem to do.

 

[oz_mark]

Shortly after departing SIngapore last week, we encountered some turbulence. What I found unusual was the pilots explanation - we were in the wake of an aircraft in front and above us (IIRC 5 miles in front, 2000 feet up), and we were ducking off to the right to get out of it.

Is that something that would happen often?

 

[jb747]

Shortly after departing SIngapore last week, we encountered some turbulence. What I found unusual was the pilots explanation - we were in the wake of an aircraft in front and above us (IIRC 5 miles in front, 2000 feet up), and we were ducking off to the right to get out of it.

Is that something that would happen often?

Quite common, especially if the first aircraft is a 380.

 

[QF WP]

and quite dangerous, as a couple of stories on Air Crash Investigation have shown...

How long beforehand would the lead aircraft have flown through - it does surprise me that it would still be sufficient to affect aircraft to the rear?

 

[serfty]

At 360mph 5 miles is 50 seconds.

At a Cruise speed of (say) 550mph, it's 33 seconds.

Posted on a wing & a prayer