Ask The Pilot

[AVC]

Why is the FO not strapped in?

 

[jb747]

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?

Look carefully. We get picked up by a tug for most to the "taxi" to the terminal.

 

[jb747]

Why is the FO not strapped in?

He is. We wear a five point harness. He has the lower section done up all of the time, and the upper at the times it is required. I never undo my upper harness, but that's just personal choice.

 

[simongr]

Ahh - ok was watching at work so not concentrating as much as I could.

 

[mjt57]

A new time lapse video...from a different point of view this time.

Impressive.

How did you manage to do all that from over there?

What software did you use? Or does the camera itself record it in that mode?

 

[AVC]

He is. We wear a five point harness. He has the lower section done up all of the time, and the upper at the times it is required. I never undo my upper harness, but that's just personal choice.

I thought he might have had the lap section on.

That said, I like your personal choice. Must be the fighter driver in you.

 

[jb747]

How did you manage to do all that from over there?

What software did you use? Or does the camera itself record it in that mode?

The camera generates thousands of 11 megapixel jpg images. I use a Mac program called Time Lapse Assembler to put the sequence together. That made a 15 gig mov file. I then run it through Handbrake, which converts from .mov to .m4v, changes the resolution to 1280 across, and crops it vertically to give me a 1280 by 720 end result...at about 70 megs. It took a Macbook Pro about two hours to crunch it all.

Normally I ditch the images after I've made up the movies, as they are just too coughbersome to keep, but there are some individual stills in this lot that are exceptionally clear. Overnight, I'll run the programs again and make up a 1920 version, which is what I'll archive.

 

[simongr]

Useful info re the time lapse assembly - I have a program for the iPhone that takes time lapse shots but no way to play the video of them...

 

[Skyring]

Look carefully. We get picked up by a tug for most to the "taxi" to the terminal.

My first trip into LAX, back in 2005, the Qantas pilot mentioned the tug tow in and seemed to take it as a personal affront to his driving skills.

Great video. It really shows the amount of stuff that you've got to deal with. At some times, you both look like you are going flat out, flipping switches, looking things up, studying the "dials". Let alone flying the plane. Many thanks for the videos, for the professional responses to questions, for the time you put in here!

 

[Flying Fox]

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

Thanks for yet another great video.

I have some more questions for you -

1. During the flight I'm guessing that you pulled out an iPad to do some work. Company supplied?

2. What work related stuff info/apps etc does QF supply on the work iPad (if Q.1 is correct)?

3. Why isn't the information from Q.2 already on the A380's computers?

Thanks

 

[jb747]

1. During the flight I'm guessing that you pulled out an iPad to do some work. Company supplied?

No.

2. What work related stuff info/apps etc does QF supply on the work iPad (if Q.1 is correct)?

As Q1 wasn't correct, they don't supply anything. It was notable that we all had one though. Goodreader was being used to have a look at the approach charts (by the S/Os) as they don't have access to the OIT system. Some of the pilots have set up a private system using Dropbox that they are using to keep up to date charts and other notes in circulation. I've got a bunch of briefing notes on mine.

Also worth noting that all of the iPads had been put away by about the same time that passengers have to have their gear off too. Having said that, iPads in flight mode, and running the Jeppesen apps are approved by the FAA for use at all times, and I hear that they will soon revisit the subject of passenger electronic devices...other than phones.

3. Why isn't the information from Q.2 already on the A380's computers?

Which computers? The FMCs have have approaches, STARs, SIDs, etc, and they are pretty easily set up or changed. The OIT (the laptop system for which you can see the screens) is apparently the standard Airbus implementation of this sort of stuff. I don't think any of the words I'd use in association with it would get past the censor. The iPad is superior in every way.

 

[dfcatch]

jb - did i read correctly that you had the GoPro set to 0.5s time lapse?

Have you tried the results using a higher setting such as 1 or 2 secs?

 

[jb747]

jb - did i read correctly that you had the GoPro set to 0.5s time lapse?

Have you tried the results using a higher setting such as 1 or 2 secs?

I've tried all of those settings. The sequences that I've put up onto youtube have used either 1 or 2 seconds. What I seem to be finding is that if I go below 2 seconds, the camera won't give me a correct exposure in the fairly dark coughpits. I'll look at it again tonight, and see if I can resolve exactly what it does.

 

[simongr]

Also worth noting that all of the iPads had been put away by about the same time that passengers have to have their gear off too. Having said that, iPads in flight mode, and running the Jeppesen apps are approved by the FAA for use at all times, and I hear that they will soon revisit the subject of passenger electronic devices...other than phones.

This would be a great move in my opinion.

 

[mjt57]

Which computers? The FMCs have have approaches, STARs, SIDs, etc, and they are pretty easily set up or changed. The OIT (the laptop system for which you can see the screens) is apparently the standard Airbus implementation of this sort of stuff. I don't think any of the words I'd use in association with it would get past the censor. The iPad is superior in every way.

What systems or information needs to be accessed by a laptop? And why didn't Airbus simply incorporate this into the main instruments and displays, etc.? What does OIT stand for?

In a few frames you were flipping through some sort of book or manual. What were you looking up?

 

[jb747]

What systems or information needs to be accessed by a laptop?

ACAR, Tech log, all of the manuals, performance data, approach charts.

And why didn't Airbus simply incorporate this into the main instruments and displays, etc.?

The main displays are more than cluttered already. Anyway, at least with the OIT there's a chance of getting rid of it, and getting something that works. If it were actually a part of the aircraft, then it would still be there, with the same laptops, in 20 years.

What does OIT stand for?

Onboard information system/terminal. So OIT or OIS. Basically a screen, keyboard, and Panasonic Toughbook. Running Windows 2000 (or so). Extremely slow. Very unreliable. coughbersome. Very poor.

In a few frames you were flipping through some sort of book or manual. What were you looking up?

I'm looking for the STAR. We'd loaded the most likely pair into the OIS, but as luck would have it, ATC came up with a third option. One of the drawbacks to the OIS is that it is extremely bad at handling any changes (basically it is very slow and coughbersome to set up), so falling back to paper is a better solution.

The Jeppesen book has untold pages (I'd guess at close to 2000 per book), and there are between four and seven of them on each side. A perfect target for computerisation, and Jeppesen themselves have done it with a superb iPad application....which we don't have unless we pay for the (very expensive) chart subscription ourselves.

 

[kpc]

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

Thanks for the video JB. Just a couple of layperson Qs. Do you ever get leg cramps sitting in the pilot's seat for hour after hour?...there seems less leg room than in economy class! Also from the video, it seems the pilot and co pilot are both very busy for the landing; if disaster struck (let's hope not!), could you land the A380 by yourself without any additional help?

Thanks again for your contrbutions to this forum!

 

[jb747]

Do you ever get leg cramps sitting in the pilot's seat for hour after hour?...there seems less leg room than in economy class!

There is more room there than appears. In the cruise we'll both get out of the seat at times. Probably the worst affected from that point of view would be a 737/767 FO, flying domestically. They can be stuck in the seat for a long time, and can be too busy to get out on turnaround.

Also from the video, it seems the pilot and co pilot are both very busy for the landing; if disaster struck (let's hope not!), could you land the A380 by yourself without any additional help?

Yes.

 

[AVC]

Basically a screen, keyboard, and Panasonic Toughbook. Running Windows 2000 (or so). Extremely slow. Very unreliable. coughbersome. Very poor.

So in other words, MILSPEC..

 

[Heater79]

JB.


Love your work and currently, this thread is my favourite thing on the internet. Has kept me busy during quiet times of recent days. This insight into what is otherwise an unknown environment for many of us is bloody ace.


One question I have - how do pilots know when they are about to encounter turbulence? When a pilot announces over the PA that things may get a little rough shortly, what indicators do they get that this is going to happen when there are no visible signs - eg outside of flying into a weather front or cloud. Does radar come into it? Is turbulence always visible on a radar?


What would you need to do incorrectly as part of a take-off to cause a tail strike? Pull back before the plane has reached optimal take off speed?


Are there seat controls in the coughpit that you configure to your preferred sitting angle/height? Do you argue with the FO about heat/temperature settings in the coughpit?


Cheers.