Ask The Pilot

[dfcatch]

Or much fuel, for that matter, unless the tanks are for some reasons pre-filled.

Doh!!!!!!!!

 

[harvyk]

How much detail is in a standard departure (SID?).

For example, if you where taking off from runway 34, and then connecting to a heading of 85, does the SID connect you from the runway to the airway? Or does it simply state minimum altitudes etc and it’s upto you to make the appropriate turns to get onto the correct heading based on your flight plan?

Also after takeoff from RWY 34 would you need to get ATC approval to then make a right hand turn to heading 85, or would you simply be able to make that turn as it’s in the flight plan?

 

[jb747]

How much detail is in a standard departure (SID?).

As much, or little, detail as needed to make you do what ATC want.

For example, if you where taking off from runway 34, and then connecting to a heading of 85, does the SID connect you from the runway to the airway? Or does it simply state minimum altitudes etc and it’s upto you to make the appropriate turns to get onto the correct heading based on your flight plan?

They all vary. A SID might, for instance, put you onto an initial track, that at a certain distance has you then intercept a track to a point. From that point you might have a turn (which could even be at specified maximum IAS) to join another track...and so it goes. All of the waypoints could have maximum and minimum crossing heights.

Also after takeoff from RWY 34 would you need to get ATC approval to then make a right hand turn to heading 85, or would you simply be able to make that turn as it’s in the flight plan?

Tower might call you to tell you to change or you may be told to call a frequency airborne. Your tracking and height requirements are in accordance with the SID unless ATC specifically change them (in which case all of the requirements of the SID are removed).

 

[simongr]

Not sure if you ever flew the golden triangle much but I was wondering yesterday whether that actually does get repetitive? Given a 763 pilot pretty much only flies around the big 3 plus PER (I could be completely wrong on that) I wondered if it became a risk that pilots could get blase about that route. I know you fly into LHR/SIN/LAX multiple times per month but a DOM pilot might fly multiple times per week or even day.

 

[jb747]

Not sure if you ever flew the golden triangle much but I was wondering yesterday whether that actually does get repetitive? Given a 763 pilot pretty much only flies around the big 3 plus PER (I could be completely wrong on that) I wondered if it became a risk that pilots could get blase about that route. I know you fly into LHR/SIN/LAX multiple times per month but a DOM pilot might fly multiple times per week or even day.

It is a real danger.

The Melbourne Sydney route is named the 'monorail'. It's generally as dull as 'bat @@@t'. It's quite possible to take off from, and land on the same set of runways, day in and day out. After a while you can distinctly remember clearances (for instance, to land on 16R)...but it might have been from yesterday. The 737 has a quite reasonable route structure, but the 767 is becoming distinctly small. On the 380 (and 744 for that matter) it's not at all unknown for people who by choice fly one particular route, to be quite an embarrassment if suddenly allocated a flight elsewhere.

 

[docjames]

ISTR 763s also go to CNS (ex-MEL), DRW (ex-BNE at least).

Edit: There's still a CBR-PER flight inst there? And CNS-PER?

But they've sure lost a lot of routes (AKL, MNL to name just a few).

Still, they still get HNL....

 

[simongr]

It is a real danger.

The Melbourne Sydney route is named the 'monorail'. It's generally as dull as 'bat @@@t'. It's quite possible to take off from, and land on the same set of runways, day in and day out. After a while you can distinctly remember clearances (for instance, to land on 16R)...but it might have been from yesterday. The 737 has a quite reasonable route structure, but the 767 is becoming distinctly small. On the 380 (and 744 for that matter) it's not at all unknown for people who by choice fly one particular route, to be quite an embarrassment if suddenly allocated a flight elsewhere.

Hmm - maybe I shouldnt default to the 763s SYD-MEL-SYD...

 

[Ewing]

Edit: There's still a CBR-PER flight inst there? And CNS-PER?

Unless it has changed recently CBR-PER is a 738.

CBR does see a 763 - often on a Monday morning when parliament is sitting and it's from MEL.

 

[straitman]

Unless it has changed recently CBR-PER is a 738.

It was a 738 3 weeks ago.

 

[mjt57]

The Qantas AGP is on this weekend. Will we be fortunate enough to see the A380 flyby? Last year, we were treated to a B744 which looked spectacular.

Will you be there, JB?

 

[jb747]

The Qantas AGP is on this weekend. Will we be fortunate enough to see the A380 flyby? Last year, we were treated to a B744 which looked spectacular.

Will you be there, JB?

I'm taking the 93 out of Melbourne in the morning...

 

[mjt57]

10.20 departure. Not too bad, I s'pose, as far as getting a decent night's sleep goes.

Do any of QF's US bound flights go via New Zealand these days?

 

[anat0l]

Do any of QF's US bound flights go via New Zealand these days?

Not anymore!

 

[Hvr]

It is a real danger.

<snip> On the 380 (and 744 for that matter) it's not at all unknown for people who by choice fly one particular route, to be quite an embarrassment if suddenly allocated a flight elsewhere.

I guess that is why you can't be LAX when flying your non-preferred route.

 

[mjt57]

Just to (sort of) answer my own question according to the AGP timetable for today, the Qantas jet flyover is scheduled to occur at 16:52. It doesn't say what aircraft type it will be.

I s'pose I could check the QF timetables to see what's leaving MEL, or even arriving at MEL around that time to get an idea.

 

[ChrisGibbs]

I'm taking the 93 out of Melbourne in the morning...

By the looks of things Saturdays QF93 was late departing Melbourne and arrived into LAX at a similar time to the QF11 flight I was on. Both A380's were had to park out at the LAX satellite gates disembarking passengers onto shuttles buses. At that time of the morning TBIT is very crowded and with delayed arrivals it made it even worse. Im not sure if the large amount of work going on around TBIT caused QF to park at the satellite gates or whether another A380 (Korean) made it impossible to park the two QF A380s at the terminal. By the looks of things a number of people off QF93 and a smaller number of people off QF11 missed their connections. This is the time were I'm thankful for the APEC card and being able to use the crew lane. An AA FO who had just flown in from NRT was in front of me in the queue and did ask if I was in the wrong line...

 

[jb747]

A new time lapse video...from a different point of view this time.
coughpit view A380 LAX arrival time lapse.m4v - YouTube

 

[reductionist]

Beautiful!

 

[simongr]

That looked like a pretty quick landing

It seemed that the FO drove the bus to the terminal though you did the landing itself. I assume that is for practical rather than self important reasons (like letting the kids reverse out the garage but not risking them driving you down the street). Do you spend that time finishing off Captain's tasks?

 

[Simo]

Awesome video, Great insight into the whole process.