Ask The Pilot

[JohnM]

Why? I very much doubt that he'd care.

Having attempted to correct articles in the past, I found that the newspapers are very selective in what they print. They like echo chambers, and alternative voices are not to be heard.

I simply posted this to the comments section below the online article (and the moderator accepted it):

Mr Bailey may care to read this: My Letter to the Editor of New York Times Magazine

I agree that there is not a lot of point engaging in a discussion, it may be too old a news article for anyone to read it or recent comments on it now, and there may be no alert to draw Bailey's attention to it, but at least it's there for people to see.

 

[AviatorInsight]

For those of us down the back, what does that mean ?

For HBA, does it have anything to do with the recently introduced ‘fixed’ and wide approaches, rather than the sporty right turns over the water from the south that we used to enjoy?

It means that all the fun has been taken out now and the required navigation of tolerance of +/- 1.0nm (for the departure) means the autopilot needs to be engaged as soon as practicable after take off to ensure we stay on the departure track to avoid overflying noise sensitive areas.

 

[AviatorInsight]

I don't understand why Captains would not take every reasonable opportunity to increase your skills and experience.

Because as the others have said, it very much relies on their comfort. Even though the company encourages it many guys look in shock when I tell them I want to do a flight director off departure. Throw in a, “do you mind if I turn the auto throttle off too?” and watch the knuckles turn white.

Even during my command years at Rex, I encouraged hand flying and let the FOs practice, although I came from an instructor background of around 5 years and let the FOs make their own mistakes...to a point and was never unsafe of course. So I have seen it from both seats.

I understand a lot of us are tired and could not be bothered but I’ll definitely pick and choose the sectors to do it. For instance, usually on the first sector of the day (where I’m fresh) and only where there’s clear weather and where there’s no low altitude level off (SYD). I also won’t hand fly coming in to a non controlled aerodrome just because it loads up the other pilot and looking out the window for other traffic takes priority.

 

[Quickstatus]

The recent QF7879 VH-ZNI JFK-SYD “research flight” had max fuel no cargo and 50pax. 230Tonnes instead of max 254Tonnes.

Where would the takeoff CoG be?. I’m assuming close the the leading edge chord? Most pax would be forward of leading edge chord as they were in J.

Does the Stall Speed go up in this situation and Pitch authority is reduced??

 

[jb747]

The recent QF7879 VH-ZNI JFK-SYD “research flight” had max fuel no cargo and 50pax. 230Tonnes instead of max 254Tonnes.

Where would the takeoff CoG be?. I’m assuming close the the leading edge chord.

I don't know anything about the 787's fuel system. It's quite possible that that can be used to adjust CofG. The A380 actively did that. I don't have anything to tell me where the CofG would have been, but with such a limited load, I'd expect it to be mid range. Generally it wanders forward during a flight.

Does the Stall Speed go up in this situation and Pitch authority is reduced??

It's a bit difficult to relate this just to CofG. The weight would have a much greater effect than CG movement. It's a FBW aircraft, so you'd still be able to achieve the limiting angle of attack...it will simply have applied more nose up trim. If the GofG were further forward, at the same weight, you'd need more nose up force to reach the limiting AoA (i.e. to counter the CG moment). That would give you more trim drag, which can effectively be thought of as weight (and is why aft CofG is more efficient), so it would probably mean the stall would happen at a slightly higher speed. I don't think it would be significant though.

Here is an explanation from the net: Stall Speeds and Center of Gravity (C.G.)

 

[D747]

Do any of the pilots know the number and seniority of the tech crew for QF7879?

 

[jb747]

Do any of the pilots know the number and seniority of the tech crew for QF7879?

No. Why?

 

[D747]

No. Why?

I was just wondering if they went with 1 Captain, 1 FO and 2 SOs, like they do for flights of around 15 - 17 duty hours.

 

[flyer89]

Do any of the pilots know the number and seniority of the tech crew for QF7879?

Skipper started at QF in ‘89 is all I know.

 

[jb747]

I was just wondering if they went with 1 Captain, 1 FO and 2 SOs, like they do for flights of around 15 - 17 duty hours.

Whilst that's the crew I would expect for a normal flight, I doubt that this was crewed 'normally. My guess would be two Captains, and 1 FO, 1 SO. When the 747-400 did the equivalent flight from London to Sydney (which seems to have been forgotten), the crew was 4 Captains.

 

[jb747]

Skipper started at QF in ‘89 is all I know.

Which is the start date of the fleet manager. And my most likely guess.

 

[flyer89]

Which is the start date of the fleet manager. And my most likely guess.

if LN is still the fleet manager I think she was sitting in the back? Same start year for Sean Golding though.

 

[jb747]

if LN is still the fleet manager I think she was sitting in the back? Same start year for Sean Golding though.

Quite true.

Apparently six listed crew, but I have no idea if they were all actually working or not.

A bit more feedback, and whilst there were 6 pilots listed on board, only 4 were part of the crew, and their makeup was normal for a long range flight (i.e. 1 Capt, 1 FO, 2 SOs).

 

[Quickstatus]

I heard that 2 of the 6 pilots, positioned the aircraft from Boeing to JFK, and probably just dead headed back to SYD

 

[Captain Halliday]

Today in BNE is fine and sunny. No clouds to be seen.

However, the weather radar looks like this:



On ABC Radio Brisbane this morning, a forecaster from the Bureau of Meteorology said defence had reported a chaff release as part of an exercise yesterday and BoM believe this was the cause of the radar returns.

I understand the basic principle of chaff but I’m curious to know:

1. How long does it typically remain in the atmosphere? Does it fall to the ground or just break up? I realise wind will be a factor.

2. Will it be detected up by commercial aircraft flying in/out of Brisbane today?

3. If so, does it make a difference to instrument readings other than weather radar?

4. Would this likely be in a NOTAM?

 

[jb747]

Today in BNE is fine and sunny. No clouds to be seen.

However, the weather radar looks like this:

View attachment 193720

On ABC Radio Brisbane this morning, a forecaster from the Bureau of Meteorology said defence had reported a chaff release as part of an exercise yesterday and BoM believe this was the cause of the radar returns.

I understand the basic principle of chaff but I’m curious to know:

1. How long does it typically remain in the atmosphere? Does it fall to the ground or just break up? I realise wind will be a factor.

2. Will it be detected up by commercial aircraft flying in/out of Brisbane today?

3. If so, does it make a difference to instrument readings other than weather radar?

4. Would this likely be in a NOTAM?

My knowledge of chaff is pretty limited, but I’d be rather surprised if some that was released yesterday was still detectable today. But, I do know someone who might know a bit more, so I’ll see if I can get any answers from him.

Huge Chaff Cloud That Lit Up Radars As It Drifted Across The Midwest Remains A Mystery

The plume was unusually persistent, showing up on weather radar for more than 10 hours and no branch of the military has claimed responsibility.

www.thedrive.com

Chaff (countermeasure) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[jb747]

On ABC Radio Brisbane this morning, a forecaster from the Bureau of Meteorology said defence had reported a chaff release as part of an exercise yesterday and BoM believe this was the cause of the radar returns.

I understand the basic principle of chaff but I’m curious to know:

1. How long does it typically remain in the atmosphere? Does it fall to the ground or just break up? I realise wind will be a factor.

2. Will it be detected up by commercial aircraft flying in/out of Brisbane today?

3. If so, does it make a difference to instrument readings other than weather radar?

4. Would this likely be in a NOTAM?

Ok, feedback from a mate who would know....very fine chaff, as used against high frequencies may hang around in the air for quite a while. It will, of course, be blown downwind by whatever flows exist. It will just fall to the ground, but could take some time.

It may show up on the aircraft radar, but I expect it would just be filtered out by the various noise filters, especially on the automatic radars. I shouldn't affect anything else.

I'd have to admit surprise that the RAAF would be releasing any of it where it would fall on a city though.

 

[ChrisGibbs]

With work related travel I've been doing a bunch of travel into Singapore, Hong Kong, Haneda, Narita, Shanghai and Beijing. It seems various airports have different ways of handing departures and arrivals during busier times.

From a departures perspective I was on the 1:20am SIN-HKG service on CX earlier today and our pushback from the gate was delayed by 20 minutes due to flow control being put in place on the northern departures out of Singapore... At what stage during the pre departure process would the crew know that flow control was in place? When pushback clearance was requested or airways clearance requested? A few months back I was on a PVG-PEK service with China Eastern and we sat on the aircraft for 3hrs+ waiting at the gate for pushback as the airspace between Shanghai and Beijing had been closed down at short notice.

From an arrivals perspective and trying not to be too general arrivals perspective Singapore, Haneda and Narita seem to slow arrivals down from a very long way out. Whereas Hong Kong puts you into a hold. Flying between Narita and Beijing Capital recently on JAL we were slowed down as well as being put into a hold at FL380 about 2 hours out of Beijing - again something to do with the military closing down the airspace. Interestingly on the NRT-PEK flight we made a noticeable diversion off the direct track to ensure we didn't fly over North Korean airspace.

Are some airports arrivals and departures more notorious than others for using different methods to control the traffic flow? From a pilots perspective is slowing down more preferred than another?

 

[jb747]

With work related travel I've been doing a bunch of travel into Singapore, Hong Kong, Haneda, Narita, Shanghai and Beijing. It seems various airports have different ways of handing departures and arrivals during busier times.

Yep. I expect it's very affected by just how far out their airspace extends, and who are their neighbours.

From a departures perspective I was on the 1:20am SIN-HKG service on CX earlier today and our pushback from the gate was delayed by 20 minutes due to flow control being put in place on the northern departures out of Singapore... At what stage during the pre departure process would the crew know that flow control was in place? When pushback clearance was requested or airways clearance requested? A few months back I was on a PVG-PEK service with China Eastern and we sat on the aircraft for 3hrs+ waiting at the gate for pushback as the airspace between Shanghai and Beijing had been closed down at short notice.

You sometimes get notice of delays up to an hour before, which is basically as you brief, or arrive at the aircraft. In Singapore, modified pushback times show up on the taxi in guidance display, on the wall in front of you. Airways clearance is simply clearance to fly a given route. Co-ordination starts with push back.

In China all airspace is owned/controlled by the military, and they make changes seemingly at random.

From an arrivals perspective and trying not to be too general arrivals perspective Singapore, Haneda and Narita seem to slow arrivals down from a very long way out. Whereas Hong Kong puts you into a hold. Flying between Narita and Beijing Capital recently on JAL we were slowed down as well as being put into a hold at FL380 about 2 hours out of Beijing - again something to do with the military closing down the airspace. Interestingly on the NRT-PEK flight we made a noticeable diversion off the direct track to ensure we didn't fly over North Korean airspace.

Singapore doesn't control the airspace for much beyond the normal descent distance, so it's rare to be slowed there. Holding is common these days; generally not for too long though. Going to Dubai, Muscat would often start the slow down, though from other directions it wasn't until you hit UAE airspace. And then the holding was of Olympic magnitude. In the continental USA I've been given holding with over 1,000 miles to run to destination. Beijing - China - military. Who knows?

Are some airports arrivals and departures more notorious than others for using different methods to control the traffic flow? From a pilots perspective is slowing down more preferred than another?

Slowing, within reason, doesn't bother us. But our speed range isn't great, and it's not unheard of to have to descend to be able to slow to the wanted speed. Within Oz they have a habit of giving you target times, but generally not until too late to actually achieve them. I often wonder how they think we work them out. FMCs will help a long way out, but in close it's normally a suck and see exercise. Holding generally costs more fuel, and loses much more time than speed or track adjustments. To be honest, I don't think the pilots care all that much, but its easier the earlier you get notification.

 

[JohnM]

Apology if this has been answered before, but is there any particular reason why the 'main' pilot is on the left in fixed wing aircraft and on the right in helicopters?