Ask The Pilot

[Flying Fox]

Can cabin crew who normally work an A380 simply switch over to work an A330 or B787 or vice versa?

 

[jb747]

Can cabin crew who normally work an A380 simply switch over to work an A330 or B787 or vice versa?

There are multiple cabin crew contracts and groupings. Whilst that's convenient for the company much of the time, I don't think they can just move people from one to the other.

a. The 737 and 330 domestic operation.
b. 380 & 787
c. 747 & 330 international.
d. NZ crew, whom I think work 380 & 787 (but I don't know for sure)
e. London crew, 380 & 787.

 

[QFflyermelbourne]

@jb747 more of a comment than a question but my god did you pick your moment to retire as it turns out!

 

[jb747]

@jb747 more of a comment than a question but my god did you pick your moment to retire as it turns out!

My super isn't looking wonderful, but that's easily solved by buying a bottle of red, and not looking.

There's a bunch of things happening that I'm glad not to be a part of. Not just the effect of the virus, but the toxic industrial relations, which have existed for years, do tend to wear people down. Had an incredible career, but glad to move on.

 

[flychrisfly]

Hi Pilots
When you're in the air and following a flight plan do you ever find yourself flying over multiple ATC borders (where the control passes from one controller to another) to then find yourself talking to the original controller again as you return to their air space?

 

[AviatorInsight]

Hi Pilots
When you're in the air and following a flight plan do you ever find yourself flying over multiple ATC borders (where the control passes from one controller to another) to then find yourself talking to the original controller again as you return to their air space?

Yes, BNE is notorious for it. There’s a Scottish female controller who would do centre then it’d change to another controller during that time. I would then call approach and she would be on it, I must have a distinct voice, because she would recognise it and respond with “hello again...” . Or she was referring to the flight number.

 

[mjt57]

AI, how it all going at the moment? Hopefully everyone is still gainfully employed.

 

[AviatorInsight]

AI, how it all going at the moment? Hopefully everyone is still gainfully employed.

It’s not looking good. All crew next month will be having a rostered stand down day on the 737 fleet. That is a day where we don’t come to work but we all get docked a day’s pay anyway. The 330 guys and gals are getting 5 of them.

The 737 will still remain the workforce but now with events closing people are less likely to travel unless necessary. It is a massive flow on effect. I expect quite a few cancellations over the next coming weeks. But as of right now we still all have jobs, and there are no redundancies.

 

[mjt57]

Good luck with it.

We had to cancel our MEL-SYD flight for tomorrow. Were going on a cruise but RCI has pulled the pin on that. Our flights were cancelled but VA put the funds, as it were, into a "bank". We'll rebook when we can.

Meanwhile, my wife is supposed to fly MEL-JFK in July. Hopefully she can still do so by then. Might use the "bank" for an upgrade if VA will allow it.

 

[opusman]

If you think things will be back to normal by July I suspect you'll be in for disappointment. I wouldn't be planning any travel for the rest of the year myself.

 

[mjt57]

If you think things will be back to normal by July I suspect you'll be in for disappointment

I never wrote that.

 

[mikenz]

Would airline crew be forced into 14 days self isolation when arriving into Australia?

 

[TheRealTMA]

Would airline crew be forced into 14 days self isolation when arriving into Australia?

This has been answered a number of times in different forums.

Essentially they are exempt.

 

[RailFlyer]

I watched a short video on Youtube today about the A350. In the video, the pilot filming showed how there was a small hatch in the floor behind the captain's seat the could be easily unlatched (it wasn't locked) and he went down in the avionics bay and then exited from there into the cargo hold (not in flight obviously!).

Does the A380 have a similar hatch and are the crew (A350/A380) trained to use it for any purpose (i.e. last resort turn off/on reset, fire fighting, or emergency exit)?

 

[jb747]

I watched a short video on Youtube today about the A350. In the video, the pilot filming showed how there was a small hatch in the floor behind the captain's seat the could be easily unlatched (it wasn't locked) and he went down in the avionics bay and then exited from there into the cargo hold (not in flight obviously!).

Does the A380 have a similar hatch and are the crew (A350/A380) trained to use it for any purpose (i.e. last resort turn off/on reset, fire fighting, or emergency exit)?

There is a similar hatch in the 380, which leads to an electronics bay. They don't lead into the cargo hold, but there's normally a lower hatch to the outside. There are similar hatches in other types, sometimes under the carpet in the passenger cabin. There are no trained procedures that have you going in to it in flight.

 

[mjt57]

This was gut wrenching to watch.

Coronavirus and Virgin Australia: Flight attendant Cassy Appleton fights off tears during announcement on final flight

A New Zealand-based Virgin Australia flight attendant made a tearful farewell in an onboard announcement on her final flight.

www.traveller.com.au

To all active airline people on here, I hope that you folks are going to be OK.

 

[JohnM]

I was on the last AN flight MEL-PER on the night it went bust as we flew back - it must have been Friday 14 September 2001. We were in the air at midnight MEL time when administrators grounded the fleet, but we continued to PER.

A very sombre mood on board. We didn't know exactly what was happening, but clearly it was not good.

I add my hopes that the flying folks will be OK.

 

[RailFlyer]

This entertaining video about a BA 747-200 flight (with some strange departures at the end to talk about the A320, NASA and unmanned flight) popped up on my Uoutube feed yesterday:

Jet Jockeys - BA 747-200 flight

Some questions for JB747:

• Were most of the flight engineers on planes like the 747-200 wanna-be pilots and so once the -400 arrived were they retrained as co-pilots if they were suitable and there were vacancies... or were most of them more interested in pushing buttons and fixing problems and reverted to ground roles or other industries?
• During the cruise would one of the pilots rest leaving just one pilot and the flight engineer or would 3 in coughpit always be maintained? The video suggested they only had one relief pilot.
• Who covered for flight engineer while they needed rest?
• Were the flight engineers ever allowed to fly the aircraft as such?
• Did Qantas Captains get nicer hotel rooms than the co-pilots?
• Can you explain a bit more about the difference between Rotation Speed and V2? From some quick googling it seems V2 is speed you can climb with an engine failure, so what happens if an engine fails between Vr and V2? Put the nose down and accelerate more on the ground? It seems V2 is not often called out on modern planes, what's changed?
• Did you still get coughpit rain ever in the -400 or did they hide the bits of metal that froze above your seats?
• Did the company supply you free Jet Jockeys or did you have to buy your own underwear?

Thanks in advance.

 

[jb747]

Were most of the flight engineers on planes like the 747-200 wanna-be pilots and so once the -400 arrived were they retrained as co-pilots if they were suitable and there were vacancies... or were most of them more interested in pushing buttons and fixing problems and reverted to ground roles or other industries?

Flight engineers came from two basic sources. In Australia, they started as ground engineers, who had worked on the aircraft, and were then trained as aircrew by the airlines or the RAAF. As such they had access to a vast sea of hardware information, and were very good at connecting the dots in a way that was not necessarily obvious to the pilots. Their focus was invariably on the hardware. They were not pilot wannabes, but were very a professional group of engineers.

Overseas, in particular the USA, the FEO station was often kept warm by new pilot recruits, or by old pilots who had exceeded the FAA age limit. Whilst they could obviously do the job, their focus would tend to be on the pilots’ seats.

At the end of the line for the FEOs most moved on. Some just retired, whilst others found other career paths. I know one who became a town planner. Pilot training was offered to some, mostly at the younger end of the age spectrum. Most of the ones who were offered this path were removed from the FEO seats well before the end came for the Classics. I recall flying with ex FEOs who were now SOs way back in the very early '90s. Some are still flying today. Their individual outcomes varied. Some made good SOs, but were unable to go further, whilst others went through to command on pretty well all of the types.

The pilot job isn't something you just 'retrain' as. There is always a substantial loss rate, no matter what you started as.

During the cruise would one of the pilots rest leaving just one pilot and the flight engineer or would 3 in coughpit always be maintained? The video suggested they only had one relief pilot.

The 3 man crew was kept intact at all times, other than toilet breaks.

Who covered for flight engineer while they needed rest?

In QF operations, all of the SOs had to qualify for a limited flight engineer’s licence, so that they could mind the panel during the FEO’s break. These SOs ended up with a depth of system understanding which simply does not exist in today's 'black box' mentality.

On some longer flights (the SP to the USA for instance), a second FEO would be carried.

Overseas, I think some of the Captains would fill in for him.

Were the flight engineers ever allowed to fly the aircraft as such?

Not, legally. I wouldn’t be surprised if a few were given a go at some stage. They all had an occasional try in the sims, only for familiarisation purposes, not in an attempt to teach them to fly.

Did Qantas Captains get nicer hotel rooms than the co-pilots?

Well, they certainly didn’t get any extra in the hotel contracts, but some hotels did offer them a better room at times. Generally though, no.

Can you explain a bit more about the difference between Rotation Speed and V2? From some quick googling it seems V2 is speed you can climb with an engine failure, so what happens if an engine fails between Vr and V2? Put the nose down and accelerate more on the ground? It seems V2 is not often called out on modern planes, what's changed?

V2's definition is really somewhat historical. Yes, it's defined as the climb out speed with an engine failure, but modern aircraft, with their generally large amounts of excess power, and extensive use of derates for both take off and climb, have muddied those waters. V2 is still calculated, and will be used as the basis for all engine climb (V2+10) or engine out, V2. As long as you don't go below V2, a slight increase in the speed won't dramatically worsen the gradient.

Engine failures are practiced in a number of ways in the sims, and the technique for handling them will vary at the different points.

At very low speeds, as the engines are accelerating, the swing from an engine failure is extreme. You will have zero rudder authority, and nose gear steering will be overwhelmed by the asymmetric power. You must get all of the engines back to idle, almost instantly. And you'll still be left needing differential braking as you try to stay on the black bit.

At higher speeds (say 70 knots to V1), the rudder authority should be adequate to allow you to maintain or regain the centreline without difficulty as you carry out the abort.

Above V1, you'll have plenty of rudder authority. You need to grit your teeth and really hang on to the centreline, and avoid any temptation at early rotation. As you approach Vr, you really should have it all in a steady state, and a gentle rotation is all that is needed. You don't need to chase the rudder position. Just lock it in position, and sort out the balance later.

Between Vr and V2 was quite interesting. The biggest issue is that you're losing the outside reference (as this is almost always done in marginal conditions) as the aircraft rotates. I found that a fixed amount of rudder (perhaps half) would get you close enough to take away most of the adverse affects, and again sort it out later. Rotation was supposedly slightly slower, but as you're in the middle of the event anyway, it wasn't anything you consciously did. The target speed is now V2, as opposed to V2+10, so there really isn't much difference in the timing required.

Just after you're airborne is another case where a fixed amount of rudder will mostly stop the yaw. Pick an amount, and live with it. Hold the wings level. If you need substantial aileron input to do so, you'll need a different rudder input. Don't chase rudder, or cycle it. The target attitude will be about 2º lower than normal.

Did you still get coughpit rain ever in the -400 or did they hide the bits of metal that froze above your seats?

Yes, it was an issue that was never fixed. The 380 did not do it all all.

Did the company supply you free Jet Jockeys or did you have to buy your own underwear?

I can only imagine, with some horror, what sort of jocks QF's uniform designer would have come up with. He couldn't do a white shirt properly, so something complex like jocks....

 

[Carrots]

I can only imagine, with some horror, what sort of jocks QF's uniform designer would have come up with. He couldn't do a white shirt properly, so something complex like jocks....