Ask The Pilot

[Quickstatus]

I believe there is a NASA or some type of university level Astrophysics facility that use long duration hovering balloons around ASP. Used for astrophysics monitoring and experiments.

Stratocat come to mind (not the band) and something called Australian Balloon Launch station...

 

[jb747]

There are quite a few Loon balloons currently operating north of Alice Springs - not sure why there are congregating there. They can operate without clearance above FL600 (that is uncontrolled airspace) and they spend most of their time up there. They can request (and generally obtain) clearance to operate FL500 and above.

Reminds me of something I heard on the radio many years ago. One of the big USN carriers was here, and an RA-5C popped up on an ATC frequency. He was tracking north, headed for RAAF Richmond (I think). ATC knew nothing about him. No flight plan. They calmed down a bit when they realised that he was above all of their airspace.

 

[Quickstatus]

What was the origin of the FOD found in the 737-400 with the pitch problem (above NTSB report)

 

[jb747]

What was the origin of the FOD found in the 737-400 with the pitch problem (above NTSB report)

The FOD is identified in the report. Basically aircraft parts, though how they came to be there is not explained.

The last paragraph of the report deals with FAR requirements...and goes some way to explaining why the 737 still exists as it does. Grandfathering.

 

[Quickstatus]

Is this the first incident directly attributable to FOD. A bit scary as this aircraft was delivered in 1993. I’m not clear whether this was left there from original build or after the C check. If there from the original build any Boeing aircraft currently in service could be suspect.

 

[jb747]

Is this the first incident directly attributable to FOD. A bit scary as this aircraft was delivered in 1993. I’m not clear whether this was left there from original build or after the C check. If there from the original build any Boeing aircraft currently in service could be suspect.

I would expect that there are innumerable incidents and accidents that can be traced back to FOD. The most famous would be the AF Concorde. I guess the most common sort of event would involve engines picking up items from the ground, and ingesting them.

I've heard of items left over from manufacture. Apparently one of the RAN Trackers was found to have a torch stuck inside a control run, and a C130 supposedly had a vacuum cleaner (complete) within fuel tank. Rather like surgeons leaving items behind!

And closer to home...this was a Jetconnect aircraft.

• B738, Auckland New Zealand, 2013 - On 7 June 2013, stabiliser trim control cable, pulley and drum damage were discovered on a Boeing 737-800 undergoing scheduled maintenance at Auckland. The Investigation found the damage to have been due to a rag which was found trapped in the forward cable drum windings and concluded that the integrity of the system which provided for stabiliser trim system manual control by pilots had been compromised over an extended period. The rag was traced to a specific Australian maintenance facility which was run by the Operator's parent company and which was the only user of the particular type of rag.

 

[opusman]

The rag was traced to a specific Australian maintenance facility which was run by the Operator's parent company and which was the only user of the particular type of rag.

Like a red rag to a roo?

 

[Fergo747]

If there from the original build any Boeing aircraft currently in service could be suspect.

Appears to still be an issue if this recent report is to be believed...

Claims of Shoddy Production Draw Scrutiny to a Second Boeing Jet (Published 2019)

Workers at a 787 Dreamliner plant in South Carolina have complained of defective manufacturing, debris left on planes and pressure to not report violations.

www.nytimes.com

 

[Boca68]

We don't often quote two year old posts as a reference, but this additional information (book extract: on sale in the next couple of weeks) has been published today by Nine Group (former Fairfax) papers.

The photo of the aircaft cabin showing the damage was probably published previously but it remains confronting to think that people went through it. Hard to comprehend.

The story must be appearing in 'Good Weekend' (magazine) on Saturday 18 May but to maximise viewership/readership it's online today:

'I’ve become very isolated': the aftermath of near-doomed QF72

Faced with a mid-flight computer failure, a captain had only seconds to steer his plane to safety. It took much longer to work through the mental fallout.

www.brisbanetimes.com.au

I wonder how many copies the book will sell.

The emotions described are hard to understand unless one's been there, experienced that, and I haven't. One of AFF's (former) aviators has described in the past how Airbus planes are broadly more automated, if I recall, than competitor Boeing's offerings.

Which aircraft rego was this and at the time for how long was it out of revenue service? (I've not read the ATSB report).

I was wondering why? I have been very much absent in the last few months. (health reasons, all okay now in case you ask)
Come back to see the notifications. Surprised by a quote. 2 years!
Thanks @Melburnian1 i will certainly look out for it

 

[Quickstatus]

Aviators,
How did the airline manage the pilots and pilot hours in this situation?:

QF7/8 (using FlightAware data)

18May2019 SYD-IAH diverted due to weather which may be why it departed a little later
Dep 1317 Arr 1416 (15:59hrs)

Ground time in DFW 9:09 hrs

18May2019 IAH-DFW
Dep 2325 Arr 0034 19May (1:08hrs)

Ground time in DFW 2:50hrs

19May2019 DFW-SYD
Dep 0324 Arr 1030 20May (16:06hrs)

QF7 scheduled departure is 1235hrs
QF8 scheduled arrival is 0543hrs

 

[jb747]

How did the airline manage the pilots and pilot hours in this situation?:

I no longer have access to the crewing computer system, so I can't say for sure....

The slip in Dallas is normally two days. There's also crews in LA, with the one from Melbourne normally having one day, and the crew from Sydney two.

You could send either of the crews in Dallas to get the aircraft Houston, and then operate the flight to Sydney with the other. Chances are that both crews would be a mix, as you're unlikely to be able to get hold of everyone immediately. The crew that diverted would have plenty of time to be moved back to Dallas for their planned flight.

You might use people from the 'extra' crew in LA to pick up the aircraft. There are a number of permutations. All depends upon who answers the phone.

 

[Quickstatus]

Presumably the two must be a Captain plus FO who answered the phone?

If they came from LAX, the last LAX-IAH flight would be 15:45-21:08 (3:15 duration)
(there is one that arrives at 23:05 but that’s too late)
Would the exLAX pilot(s) then return to LAX the next morning or would they swop so a DFW pilot goes to LAX (assuming a DFW pilot answered the phone)

Do they call the pilots on the hotel phone or personal mobile?

Do Pilots in these cases carry a second phone so they turn off the one which the airline would call them on while they are in slip?

 

[jb747]

Presumably the two must be a Captain plus FO who answered the phone?

If they came from LAX, the last LAX-IAH flight would be 15:45-21:08
(there is one that arrives at 23:05 but that’s too late)
Would the exLAX pilot(s) then return to LAX the next morning or would they swop so a DFW pilot goes to LAX

If they came from LA, there would be no particular requirement to return them. They might end up operating from Dallas. Might pax home or back to LA. The extra crew in LA could be rebuilt from people from Oz. You'd need to see the effects upon subsequent trips. And yes, Dallas pilots could be sent to LA.

 

[Quickstatus]

So the regulatory minimum slip is 1 day for the transpacific flights?

Also Appreciate comment here:

The other issue is this:

Did EK413's original crew operate SYD-DRW-DXB? or Was there a crew change

The flight is supposed to arrive in DXB at 1121hrs. Approx 4hr20min late. Flight time DRW-DXB estimated at 10hrs.
EK413 usually takes 14.5hrs.

Elapsed times
SYD-DRW: 4hr 23 min
Ground time at DRW: 0105am - 0650am = 5hr 45 min
DRW-DXB = 10hrs according to Flightaware)

Total time = 20hrs 8 min. (not including the time for signons and preflight briefings)

Something is not adding up. A 14.5 hrs flight delayed by 4hr 20 min would be 18hr 50min (also using Flightaware with the 10hr flight duration from DRW)

If a crew change occurred they may have come via 3K161/QF320/EK7749 from SIN arriving at 0500am
However the SIN time at the point of diversion over ASP (Alice Springs) was 2145hrs. This gave the airline only 1hr 20min to call up a spare crew as that flight from SIN-DRW departed at 2305hrs.

Wakeup to boarding = 1hr 20min
SIN-DRW = 4hr 30 min
Ground time in DRW 1hr 45 min
DRW-DXB 10 hrs

Theoretical Backup flight crew from SIN Total = 17hr 35min

 

[jb747]

So the regulatory minimum slip is 1 day for the transpacific flights?

It's not that simple. Depends upon the duration of the next planned duty and duration of last duty. We used a flow chart...which I no longer have. I think it was 18 hours for the Sydney-LA, but 24 for the Melbourne flight.

Also Appreciate comment here:

Who knows what EK do...they are not subject to CAOs. I've heard it said that they don't count paxing time, or time in the bunk, as duty.....

 

[jb747]

Presumably the two must be a Captain plus FO who answered the phone?

Or a Captain plus training Captain....

Do they call the pilots on the hotel phone or personal mobile?

You are not on standby. There is no requirement to be contactable at all. They'll try all sorts of things, from sending an email, ringing hotel and mobiles, slipping a note under the door.

Do Pilots in these cases carry a second phone so they turn off the one which the airline would call them on while they are in slip?

If I don't want to be contactable I simply don't answer phone calls that aren't from someone I want to talk to. No caller ID means no answer.

It was generally harmless to answer and find out what was going on. You can't be forced to do anything....again, not on standby.

 

[Major]

Returned to BNE from ZQN yesterday afternoon. Just before descent Captain explained why we took a little longer. Apparently there were 250km/hr headwinds.

I was wondering what have been the strongest headwinds you have experienced ?

 

[jb747]

Returned to BNE from ZQN yesterday afternoon. Just before descent Captain explained why we took a little longer. Apparently there were 250km/hr headwinds.

I was wondering what have been the strongest headwinds you have experienced ?

250 km/hr is only 125 knots. That's actually a pretty common figure.

The strongest I can recall was coming from Perth to Sydney in a 747 Classic. The wind that day was around 230 knots.

Again out of Perth, we got very close to hitting 700 knots groundspeed in a 767, which would mean the wind was in the region of 200 knots.

 

[AviatorInsight]

Returned to BNE from ZQN yesterday afternoon. Just before descent Captain explained why we took a little longer. Apparently there were 250km/hr headwinds.

I was wondering what have been the strongest headwinds you have experienced ?

That would seem about right given the conditions the last couple of days. About 150kts would be my max. Made the BNE-PER sector a bit over 6:15!

 

[suze2000]

I once took a BNE-PER flight that was 6:30! Lucky I was in J that day.