Ask The Pilot

[MEL_Traveller]

What's with the windscreen wipers?
I was travelling on a BAE Jetstream 32 today during some pretty awful turbulence and weather and the wipers seemed to be going quadruple speed.
Do big jumbos have them and are they useful?
Sorry if it's a stupid question

I'm guessing they'd be useful on the ground for rain and snow (and for wiping away all that volcanic ash we had last year )

 

[anat0l]

Before the front door is closed and pushback, the manifest* is brought to the coughpit where it is signed off and a copy retained by the ground staff.

What is this procedure and what is being signed off? Does the person signing (can't tell if it's the captain or not) actually have to check something specific (and they do) or is it more often than not a subconscious signature?


* I'm assuming it's the manifest. If I'm wrong, please correct and I apologise.

 

[jb747]

And I think QF did much the same with the training of the A330 people. But they never fly in command of the airline aircraft. They may sit in the left seat, but there will always be a training captain.

Good deal really. Charge the air force for the training, and as a bonus you don't have to pay one of your own pilots for the flying.

 

[jb747]

Speaking of ages, a few years ago, flying OOL-MEL, climbing the stairs I could see into the flight deck. The captain was getting comfortable. The guy was considerably younger than I. So, he must've been in the right spot at the right time. But then, it was Ansett.

Depends when he joined...in 1989, if you could fly a Cessna, and weren't in a pine box, you could get a job with a number of people.

 

[jb747]

I'm guessing they'd be useful on the ground for rain and snow (and for wiping away all that volcanic ash we had last year )

Used on the ground, and later part of an approach, but of no use whatsoever at any other time.

Don't be too quick to write off the volcanic ash events as over-done. All of the modern aircraft are 'electric', and ash, even in quite low concentrations, can be devastating to their electrical systems. I'm not worried about the engines, but I'd really prefer the coughpit screens to continue working.

 

[jb747]

Before the front door is closed and pushback, the manifest* is brought to the coughpit where it is signed off and a copy retained by the ground staff.

What is this procedure and what is being signed off? Does the person signing (can't tell if it's the captain or not) actually have to check something specific (and they do) or is it more often than not a subconscious signature?

Load sheet. Basically contains the aircraft weight and balance data, as well as fuel and special load info. Requires three signatures, and yes, you do read it.

We receive a preliminary sheet around the time we board the aircraft. At that time the fuel order and special load data will be final. Just prior to push back, we get a second truncated one, via data link, which gives final weight, c of g, and passenger numbers. Because we've had the preliminary, we're really just looking for it to be within allowed tolerances of the preliminary.

I'm assuming it's the manifest. If I'm wrong, please correct and I apologise.

Manifest is given to the cabin crew. Pilots normally have no interest in it.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Used on the ground, and later part of an approach, but of no use whatsoever at any other time.

Don't be too quick to write off the volcanic ash events as over-done. All of the modern aircraft are 'electric', and ash, even in quite low concentrations, can be devastating to their electrical systems. I'm not worried about the engines, but I'd really prefer the coughpit screens to continue working.

yes yes - I was just being cheeky (absolutely not personal)

 

[mjt57]

Depends when he joined...in 1989, if you could fly a Cessna, and weren't in a pine box, you could get a job with a number of people.

This was in around 1995. Forget what the aircraft was. Either a B737 or B767.

As for '89, they were dark days for the industry. I actually filed a job application with either Ansett or Australian, might've been both, citing my flight experiences as having racked up a lot of hours as an economy pax on 744s and having sat in a Macchi when I was in the ATC. But was willing to pre-qualify by getting my bus licence, given that the PM described pilots as such...

Naturally I didn't get a reply, but my letter was plaguiarised on "The Big Gig"...

 

[jb747]

This was in around 1995. Forget what the aircraft was. Either a B737 or B767.

So, if he was a captain, then he most likely joined in '89.....

 

[Harpoon]

In a large aircraft such as A380 or 747, how much difference does the balancing of pax in the seats make? I.E. If the plane was half full and all pax were seated on the right side only, would it be noticable to the pilots?

 

[jb747]

In a large aircraft such as A380 or 747, how much difference does the balancing of pax in the seats make? I.E. If the plane was half full and all pax were seated on the right side only, would it be noticable to the pilots?

In the 380 not outright, as the FWB would adjust for it. But, it would show up as increased fuel burn due to the control deflection. In the jumbo you would notice it, basically as a lateral 'out of trim'. Same deal with the fuel burn once you'd trimmed it out.

But, if the passengers were moved to the wrong spots fore and aft, it could conceivably take the aircraft beyond the trim limits. Especially the 380, which tends to operate with fairly aft trim anyway (doing so is more fuel efficient, but it makes the aircraft more twitchy).

 

[harvyk]

What's the fastest you've been in a passenger jet (talking ground speed), and what's the fastest you've been full stop?

 

[straitman]

What's the fastest you've been in a passenger jet (talking ground speed), and what's the fastest you've been full stop?

I've been Mach 1.5+ in a fixed wing and 217 knots GS in a helicopter.

 

[QF WP]

straitman, you beat me by Mach 0.45 in a fixed wing - never tried for a speed record in a helo

jb747's RAAF experiences (as well as other members') should make for some interesting numbers.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

What's the fastest you've been in a passenger jet (talking ground speed), and what's the fastest you've been full stop?

I've been Mach 1.5+ in a fixed wing and 217 knots GS in a helicopter.

was concorde having a slow day?

 

[harvyk]

Well I did read that the pepsi promotional one was speed limited to super sonic speeds for no longer than 20 minutes at a time, as the darker colour of the paint job absorbed too much heat...

 

[jb747]

What's the fastest you've been in a passenger jet (talking ground speed), and what's the fastest you've been full stop?

685 ground speed and .91 mach in a 747-400.

Outright...1.2 mach, and 640 (at 50 feet) indicated.

 

[jb747]

was concorde having a slow day?

I suspect he's talking about something with roundels.

1.5 sounds like the sort of number you'd get in a Mirage or F18.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I suspect he's talking about something with roundels.

I thought it must have been, but Harvyk's question was about passenger aircraft. The only one I could think of for mach1.5+ would be concorde going slow...

 

[NM]

I thought it must have been, but Harvyk's question was about passenger aircraft. The only one I could think of for mach1.5+ would be concorde going slow...

And yes, Lindsay has been a passenger on Concorde, so I suspect he was meaning more like Mach 2 or thereabouts.