Ask The Pilot

[jb747]

Question: at airports how often is ground power used, versus the jet's APU?

If it's available. we'll use it. Most of the time on the 380, we'd transfer to ground services.

I liked to go back to aircraft power at about 15 minutes to go, so depending upon the turnaround time, that leaves a fair bit of time to have the aircraft using ground power. The APU may still be kept running though. It also provides air for the cabin air conditioning, and if ground air isn't available, or isn't up to the task (which is most of Australia in summer), then you can keep the APU running just for the air. Unloading the generators from it still provided a burn saving, so it wasn't pointless.

 

[mjt57]

If it's available. we'll use it. Most of the time on the 380, we'd transfer to ground services.

I liked to go back to aircraft power at about 15 minutes to go, so depending upon the turnaround time, that leaves a fair bit of time to have the aircraft using ground power. The APU may still be kept running though. It also provides air for the cabin air conditioning, and if ground air isn't available, or isn't up to the task (which is most of Australia in summer), then you can keep the APU running just for the air. Unloading the generators from it still provided a burn saving, so it wasn't pointless.

Thanks for the info. Was being discussed on Whingepool.

 

[mikenz]

Thanks AV!
What's happening on 13/14 June it looks like you've got Perth to Sydney twice.
Are the times you have in the schedule the 'real' scheduled times for the flights?

 

[mjt57]

If it's available. we'll use it. Most of the time on the 380, we'd transfer to ground services.

Another question. If the APU is shut down and the plane "turned off", say for an overnight stay at the gate, in the hangar or whatever, can the aircraft's internal resources, ie. battery, start the APU, or do you need an external power source for that?

It's another thing that popped up in this particular thread.

 

[jb747]

Another question. If the APU is shut down and the plane "turned off", say for an overnight stay at the gate, in the hangar or whatever, can the aircraft's internal resources, ie. battery, start the APU, or do you need an external power source for that?

They're much happier if kept powered, like most complex systems.

If they are shut down entirely, they can self start. Batteries to start the APU, and then it provides the air and electricity to start the engines.

 

[mjt57]

Thanks, JB. One guy suggested that to start an APU, ground power is needed if the aircraft has no other engines running.

 

[AviatorInsight]

Thanks AV!
What's happening on 13/14 June it looks like you've got Perth to Sydney twice.
Are the times you have in the schedule the 'real' scheduled times for the flights?

That’s the red eye. Departs at 2355L PER and gets to SYD at 0600L on the 14th.
Also because the roster has been completed it reflects the actual times of departure and arrival. On roster publish it has the scheduled times.

 

[AviatorInsight]

Thanks, JB. One guy suggested that to start an APU, ground power is needed if the aircraft has no other engines running.

Yeah that’s wrong. The batteries are very powerful and are good enough to start the APU. Pretty much all our out ports require us or the engineer to start the APU for the first flight. Think HBA, LST, MKY etc.

 

[Saab34]

Is Cairns challenging to fly to? There appears to be one very tight left turn from departure to avoid terrain. Looks like a good stick and rudder airport.

 

[jb747]

Is Cairns challenging to fly to? There appears to be one very tight left turn from departure to avoid terrain. Looks like a good stick and rudder airport.

Not particularly challenging, but it can certainly have some pretty poor weather at times. The turn on departure to the south is pretty simple really. At the end of the runway, or 400', whichever comes first, you roll to 25º or so of bank. You don't accelerate until the turn is complete. Engine out is a bit more sporting, as you'll have less performance, but it's still basically the same deal. 15º angle of bank, and clean up after the turn.

You need to be careful of your energy if you approach straight in from the south, as the approach can hang you up at bit. So, if you're going to be a bit higher than you really want, ensure that you're slow and configured a bit earlier than usual.

 

[Saab34]

You need to be careful of your energy if you approach straight in from the south, as the approach can hang you up at bit. So, if you're going to be a bit higher than you really want, ensure that you're slow and configured a bit earlier than usual.

I assume being high is for flying over the associated rainforest on base fairly high?

 

[jb747]

I assume being high is for flying over the associated rainforest on base fairly high?

There is no base leg on a straight in approach. It was the city that you were kept high over.

I haven't flown to Cairns in a very long time, but from what I recall, they wanted the tourist business, but didn't want aircraft. At one point some local elements were even pushing for a curfew, though I think that went away when it was pointed out that it would mean the loss of their Japan connections.

 

[Saab34]

They closed their smaller runway to get rid of GA traffic and now have a $400 landing fee for GA aircraft between 10-3.

On another topic, is their much movement in the way of QF FO’s moving to JQ or Network for a command? Same with Virgin, 737 FO’s jumping to Tiger for a command? Obviously faster progression being the main drawcard.

 

[jb747]

On another topic, is their much movement in the way of QF FO’s moving to JQ or Network for a command? Same with Virgin, 737 FO’s jumping to Tiger for a command? Obviously faster progression being the main drawcard.

The various Qantas owned businesses are all totally separate. With one exception pilots cannot move from one to another. There is no direct avenue from QLink to mainline. It's probably easier to go QLink to Virgin.

The one exception is that there is an agreement with regard to some Jetstar positions, and some SOs/FOs have gone to JQ for a while. As far as I know, almost all have returned after 3-5 years. There were a number of 380 SOs who'd had Jetstar commands. Whilst that same MOU would allow some Jetstar pilots to come to QF, they would need their 'ghost' seniority numbers to be high enough to actually get a decent (i.e. command) slot, and those numbers are nowhere near that yet.

 

[AviatorInsight]

Is Cairns challenging to fly to? There appears to be one very tight left turn from departure to avoid terrain. Looks like a good stick and rudder airport.

I do find Cairns challenging in that Centre and Approach don't talk to each other. On receipt of your STAR clearance, you'll get the instruction to maintain maximum speed and cancel all speed restrictions. If you leave the programmed STAR in the FMC it'll keep you at 255kts at the IAF (240kts is the maximum for cat C). Then once you get to approach there'll be a Cessna Caravan or similar that they'll want to get in front of you...so back you go to 160kts....at 10nm out.

If you're doing the visual approach from BNE onto 15 there's a creek corridor that you need to fly. This isn't programmed into the FMC from the DEP/ARR page, so we built it ourselves to give us an LNAV/VNAV and then disconnect on final (I like to hand fly that ;-)).

Finally the last 10ft or so when the wind shifts due to the surrounding trees, you've gotta keep a little thrust on or she'll drop like a brick.

As JB mentioned, on the straight in for 33 it can get messy quickly. You need to configure early and more often than not you'll have a nice tailwind. My trick here is to programme a much higher tailwind at about 6000ft to give VNAV more track miles to decelerate. 737 doesn't like to go down and slow down at the same time.

They closed their smaller runway to get rid of GA traffic and now have a $400 landing fee for GA aircraft between 10-3.

On another topic, is their much movement in the way of QF FO’s moving to JQ or Network for a command? Same with Virgin, 737 FO’s jumping to Tiger for a command? Obviously faster progression being the main drawcard.

I've got my bid in for a command at Tiger, but the guys and girls already there when the seniority list was formed have command protection over us coming across. Now that the delay of the Max's has happened it'll be even longer. A lot of FOs now are fed up waiting and are going to VANZ for their command with a NZ base. Each to their own...

 

[mjt57]

I've got my bid in for a command at Tiger,

Good luck, I suppose. How far in Tiger can you go insofar as type ratings go? Would VA be better if you can get in on the B777 long haul flights?

What about Qantas?

 

[jb747]

What about Qantas?

Assuming AV was able to remain sane whilst navigating the horrendous HR recruitment system, and assuming he joined tomorrow, he’d have a seniority number of about 2,500. He could probably get a 737 FO slot (i.e. what he has), with an undesirable basing, within 12 months. A command would be somewhere around a seniority number of 1200 (for a bad base), and around 800 for a wide body. So, at this instant, and assuming a loss of 50 people per year, you’d be about 34 years away from a wide body command.

Depending upon just when you join, and your age, you may never be able to progress to such a command, and that, in some ways, explains why quite a few FOs on aircraft like the 380 and 747 have never taken slots on the 737. Whilst some were lucky enough to be able to rise up the ranks quickly, that mostly happened 25 plus years ago. Since then it has slowed to around the average. What’s the average? Well, assuming no other changes (i.e number of aircraft), then the average career will spend time in each rank proportional to the ratio of SO/FO/Captains. As that’s about even, at a third each, it means that a 36 year career, would have 12 years as an SO, and then the same as FO. You’d have to wait 24 years to even get a look at command (on any type).

 

[AviatorInsight]

Good luck, I suppose. How far in Tiger can you go insofar as type ratings go? Would VA be better if you can get in on the B777 long haul flights?

What about Qantas?

I've looked at joining QF over the years. But for some reason or another I was always unsuccessful, I've now just accepted it and at this point in my career (I'm nearing 35) I should probably just stick it out where I am. As JB said, to start back down the bottom again I'd be flying a 737 in a base I don't want to be at, whereas I'm currently flying the 737 in a base I that I want to be in. I'm about half way up the seniority list at VA (which now includes VARA, VANZ and TT).

So what does this mean for my prospects at TT? Well the command would be for the 737 there. There's a lot of 320 pilots over there reluctant to fly the 737. VA would be better of course but I wouldn't be leaving the VA group. My command would be transferable from TT back to VA when my number came up. Of course my first preference is to stay at VA, but if a command came up at TT first I'd jump on that and then make my way back when I could.

At this rate I wouldn't be seeing a wide body command for at least 20-25 years...if that! Especially if we don't expand airframes. The fact that 737 captains are going over to fly as FOs on the 777 means that they don't hold seniority for capt 777 and just want to get on the wide body for the lifestyle.

 

[jb747]

..... The fact that 737 captains are going over to fly as FOs on the 777 means that they don't hold seniority for capt 777 and just want to get on the wide body for the lifestyle.

An additional consideration at QF, is that in the normal course of events, you cannot bid backwards. Once a Captain, you can only bid for other command openings. It has happened that Captains have moved to FO slots, when there's a reduction in numbers (i.e. the 767 retirement), but that is unusual, and only at the company's discretion. It means that you really need to bid carefully, and not just think about the next couple of years, but how to best position yourself for the next 10-20...all without a complete picture of the machinations.

 

[flyer89]

The friends I have at QF have been part of what JB referred to as “the lost decade”. One of them joined as an A330 SO, went to JQ under the MOU for several years and then came back when things starting moving again as a 737 FO. About a month ago he was awarded a 330 FO slot in the PER base. He has been in the company for over a decade. As he jokes “I will be senior one day...”

On the other hand I know someone about JB’s age: joined in 1980, got a command on the 747 at 32 and remained there until he moved to the A380. Quite the blessed career.