Ask The Pilot

[jb747]

Richard DeC was on the radio this morning. Apparently, according to him, airlines are pushing for single pilot crews. Could this ever happen? At least on short domestic flights?

Could it happen? Almost certainly. But not in the current generation of aircraft, unless they consider looking out to be totally redundant. RdC’s event was a classic example of the computers not being able to handle things, because the programmers had considered such a mix of failures to be so unlikely as to be impossible. Flying these aircraft, you saw failures of the system and the programmers, all of the time. We simply fixed it and moved on. Be interesting when the is no way to move on. But I guess it will be cheaper.

Next step to pilotless aircraft…

Very likely. I expect the long term planning would be a totally autonomous aircraft, with some poor soul left watching over it. Of course when the software does drop the bundle, he will be asleep and totally out of practice. From experience, when electric (FBW) jets suddenly decide to hand over, they are much more of a handful than their older brethren. And how do we train, or even attract, pilots, in this sort of scenario?

People hear about “pilot error” accidents all of the time, and they assume that they’d be safer if you got rid of the pilots. But, you don’t hear about “computer error” events, because the pilots fix them, not because they don’t happen.

 

[ayebee]

ref the

Richard DeC was on the radio this morning. Apparently, according to him, airlines are pushing for single pilot crews. Could this ever happen? At least on short domestic flights?

also article in today's Age (& I presume SMH)

Airlines push for lone pilot flights despite safety fears

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has been working with aircraft manufacturers to determine how solo flights would operate and is preparing rules to oversee them.

www.theage.com.au

The comments section looks like a resounding "Nooooo"

 

[Saab34]

AV, do the new -700s from KLM have any ‘mods’ or anything different vs the older -700s already in the fleet? I remember you said the Silkair birds had a few small differences.

 

[jb747]

A year or so ago now, there was a fair bit of noise in the media about a bloke who had supposedly tracked MH370 via what amounts to noise in HF radio transmission. It was beyond me, but sounded tenable and quite interesting. Reading today from a bloke who is a lot closer to it, that the reason governments didn't jump to follow up, is that it's pretty much the same old b/s. Data bent to fit the required outcome.

 

[AviatorInsight]

AV, do the new -700s from KLM have any ‘mods’ or anything different vs the older -700s already in the fleet? I remember you said the Silkair birds had a few small differences.

They are more like an -800 than the existing -700s. They‘ve got a mix of the features from our newer -800s and some from the ex Silk Air birds. Things like:

• an integrated standby flight display. This allows full autoland capabilities (needed in Europe I guess). Same as some of our -800s
• A tiller on the FO’s side. Same as the Silk Air planes.
• A couple of options missing on the FMC. Just like Silk Air.
• A few differences on the external lighting panel. Not on any other VA aircraft.
• An aspirated Total Air Temperature (TAT) probe. Not currently installed on any other VA aircraft. With the bleed duct pressurised, an audible “hiss” can be heard.
• Fitted with only a single fire bottle in the cargo hold, these aircraft are not EDTO approved.
• And last (my favourite) they are fitted with 24K engines. The current -700s are only rated to 22K. This makes the ”sports car” feel of the -700 even better.

 

[mjt57]

JB, what's the story behind your new avatar? Have you taken up flying again?

 

[eric2011]

They are more like an -800 than the existing -700s. They‘ve got a mix of the features from our newer -800s and some from the ex Silk Air birds. Things like:

• an integrated standby flight display. This allows full autoland capabilities (needed in Europe I guess). Same as some of our -800s
• A tiller on the FO’s side. Same as the Silk Air planes.
• A couple of options missing on the FMC. Just like Silk Air.
• A few differences on the external lighting panel. Not on any other VA aircraft.
• An aspirated Total Air Temperature (TAT) probe. Not currently installed on any other VA aircraft. With the bleed duct pressurised, an audible “hiss” can be heard.
• Fitted with only a single fire bottle in the cargo hold, these aircraft are not EDTO approved.
• And last (my favourite) they are fitted with 24K engines. The current -700s are only rated to 22K. This makes the ”sports car” feel of the -700 even better.

With variations within the same models, what training etc is involved to come up to speed with the new craft or can any driver step in and just wing it

 

[AviatorInsight]

With variations within the same models, what training etc is involved to come up to speed with the new craft or can any driver step in and just wing it

We typically know the rego of the aircraft before we rock up to the gate. In this instance it’s just a PowerPoint presentation showing all the changes and comparisons.

The changes really aren’t that significant. Unlike the Max in which the simulator, ground theory and upset recovery training for the aircraft has been incredibly helpful.

 

[jb747]

JB, what's the story behind your new avatar? Have you taken up flying again?

The last avatar was taken in an A-4 over 40 years ago. I thought I'd give you something a bit newer. The new shot is in an A380, on the first leg of my last flight.

 

[D747]

The new shot is in an A380, on the first leg of my last flight.

I notice you're not wearing your Qantas uniform JB.

 

[jb747]

I notice you're not wearing your Qantas uniform JB.

Well, everyone hated the new uniform. But, as visitors were not allowed in the coughpit, you may as well be comfortable. Plus it meant that your shirt didn't look like a truck had run over it when you disembarked, or visited the cabin. One bloke had a t-shirt with epaulettes and wings printed on it.

 

[Quickstatus]

One bloke had a t-shirt

Anyone wear the QF pyjamas in the flight deck?

 

[SYD]

Anyone wear the QF pyjamas in the flight deck?

I was going to ask the same thing. Imagine the looks if there were visitors and the flight deck is in PJs and eye masks!

 

[jb747]

Anyone wear the QF pyjamas in the flight deck?

They were seen, but were not an item of choice.

 

[RooFlyer]

@AviatorInsight do you do much flying to HBA these days? Wonder if you have any views on the on-going kerfuffle locally about the flight paths around HBA?

A few years ago I think they went to 'instrument landings' which resulted (from my observation!) in landings from the SE going in a much wider arc and therefore over populated areas. Whereas before I remember many 'sporty' approx 160 degree turns over the water in front of the approach from the SE. The current flight paths:



I gather that the 'instrument' landings frees you more from ATC time/oversight? From a pilot's point of view, any preference of the prior regime with the sporty turn, or the current more structured approach to land from the SE?

 

[justinbrett]

@AviatorInsight do you do much flying to HBA these days? Wonder if you have any views on the on-going kerfuffle locally about the flight paths around HBA?

A few years ago I think they went to 'instrument landings' which resulted (from my observation!) in landings from the SE going in a much wider arc and therefore over populated areas. Whereas before I remember many 'sporty' approx 160 degree turns over the water in front of the approach from the SE. The current flight paths:

View attachment 309893

I gather that the 'instrument' landings frees you more from ATC time/oversight? From a pilot's point of view, any preference of the prior regime with the sporty turn, or the current more structured approach to land from the SE?

This is more an ATC question. They are Standard Arrival Routes (STARs) and together with the Standard Instrument Departures (SIDs) are part of the Traffic Management Plan (TMP) for the airport. Some very bright cookies come up with these in consultation with the airlines to maximise flow in and out of the airfield.

From ATC perspective, SIDs & STARs that are deconflicted allow set & forget and generally better for aircrew as they're not subjected to random vectors of unknown duration.

It doesn't really have anything to do with "instrument landings" (instrument approaches) as you can do a visual approach off a STAR, but many STARs are designed to set you up on an ILS or RNP approach so it's a smooth route all the way to the threshold.

I'm not sure specifically why it was changed in Hobart a few years ago as you say but these things are constantly reviewed and tweaked. Where ATC often get it wrong is that what works for ATC is only one factor - the Brisbane TMP was technically brilliant but pissed off a lot of residents with noise, and now it has to change.

 

[NM]

Well, everyone hated the new uniform. But, as visitors were not allowed in the coughpit, you may as well be comfortable. Plus it meant that your shirt didn't look like a truck had run over it when you disembarked, or visited the cabin. One bloke had a t-shirt with epaulettes and wings printed on it.

So at what point in the proceedings of the famous QF30 was the inform donned?

Possibly some underwear changes might have occurred when Nancy Bird when bang, but best that not be included in the official transcripts

 

[AviatorInsight]

@AviatorInsight do you do much flying to HBA these days? Wonder if you have any views on the on-going kerfuffle locally about the flight paths around HBA?

A few years ago I think they went to 'instrument landings' which resulted (from my observation!) in landings from the SE going in a much wider arc and therefore over populated areas. Whereas before I remember many 'sporty' approx 160 degree turns over the water in front of the approach from the SE. The current flight paths:

I gather that the 'instrument' landings frees you more from ATC time/oversight? From a pilot's point of view, any preference of the prior regime with the sporty turn, or the current more structured approach to land from the SE?

From a pilot's perspective, the "new" STARs make it much easier to fly into and out of a Class D aerodrome. However, the residents around these approaches have been complaining about the noise compared to before when we used to visually join the circuit.

It does take more time now coming into HBA because of the speed restrictions on the approach. Particularly for runway 12 on the RNP approach, we need to be a maximum of 185kt at around 5000'. Where normally, we would still be flying at 250kt with no flap out at that altitude. By the final approach fix at 10nm on this particular approach, we need to be a maximum of 160kt at 3200'. The gear and most of the landing flap would be out by this stage.

This makes the approach drag on (pun intended) for runway 12. Runway 30 isn't as bad.

 

[jb747]

So at what point in the proceedings of the famous QF30 was the inform donned?

It was a daylight flight, and in the old uniform (in which the shirts were quite decent cotton, not hideous cuts of some form of rubbish plastic), so it's just as likely that it would have been left on for the whole time. It was most common when there were two breaks, as you'd change at the first, and then just leave it until the second. Some did, some didn't. Some Captains allowed it, others didn't.

Possibly some underwear changes might have occurred when Nancy Bird when bang, but best that not be included in the official transcripts

Perhaps, though I know most of them pretty well, and you'd probably be surprised at how calm some people are in extreme situations. You can react later, but not at the time.

 

[D747]

Well, everyone hated the new uniform.

It looks as though it was inspired by 'The Love Boat'. I fully appreciate that it was awful to wear but it also looks very cheap and cheesy.