Ask The Pilot

[MEL_Traveller]

JB747 - just about to jump on a JAL 767 from NRT-SIN... Are the regulatory organisations over the top with this sort of behaviour...

The Japanese are very big on managing public concerns when incidents occur. I was in Japan in 2011 after the NH140 incident, a short time later ANA published the offer of a full refund for any of its passengers who wanted one, with all fare conditions waived (cancellation fees/non-refundable etc etc): https://www.ana.co.jp/topics/notice110929/index_int_e.html

 

[mjt57]

It might not, but there would be repercussions. It's your basic bread and butter. Managing curfews is something that is done every day, and which you generally have many hours to plan. At the very least it's an example of
poor management.

OK, I understand now. Sorry, painkillers dent the thought processes (more so than usual).

Yes, I s'pose it'd be a simple matter of dialling back the speed or whatever to ensure a prompt arrival if there aren't any interuptions on the way.

As an aside, parked next to two Landrover Discovery 3s today at the hospital. Is that what you have? If so, nice vehicles.

 

[benjy]

Hi JB, I'm wondering if you know of your schedule for end of July? In particular July 25? I'm flying my first international flight to LHR so it will be nice if you're flying it

 

[Janflyer]

Looking at Adelaide 23, with a QNH of 1015, calm, you could handle up to 32º of temperature and still be able to operate at maximum structural weight (569 tonnes).

Hello jb747, just wondering what difference the ambient temperature makes and to what?

 

[opusman]

Hello jb747, just wondering what difference the ambient temperature makes and to what?

Temperature affects density and therefore lift.

 

[whatmeworry]

Any differences between civilian and military psychological testing for aviation?

 

[Boris spatsky]

Any differences between civilian and military psychological testing for aviation?

Yes, significant differences. Military conduct comprehensive testing prior to initial entry and then ongoing testing after that, especially after operational deployments.

Civilian do very basic testing (from my experience) at initial employment, and none thereafter other than during your annual medical.

 

[jb747]

OK, I understand now. Sorry, painkillers dent the thought processes (more so than usual).

Yes, I s'pose it'd be a simple matter of dialling back the speed or whatever to ensure a prompt arrival if there aren't any interuptions on the way.

As an aside, parked next to two Landrover Discovery 3s today at the hospital. Is that what you have? If so, nice vehicles.

Whilst winding back the speed will keep you clear of curfew, it can also cause issues with trailing aircraft. I prefer to very actively target a time about 1 minute after the curfew ends. The aircraft FMC helps out there, and will chase the target time with both increases and decrease of speed. Do it early enough, and they are normally quite minor speed changes.

I've got a Disco 4 and an S3. Hers and his.

 

[jb747]

Hello jb747, just wondering what difference the ambient temperature makes and to what?

Temperature comes into play in a number of ways. Have a look here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Density_altitude

Additionally, engines produce less power in hot weather. If you are operating with derated power, it may serve to mask the loss ('cos you aren't using it anyway), but once you get to TOGA power it becomes very noticeable, and can become so limiting as to preclude the departure until the weather cools.

 

[jb747]

Hi JB, I'm wondering if you know of your schedule for end of July? In particular July 25? I'm flying my first international flight to LHR so it will be nice if you're flying it

Not yet. That roster should be out in a couple of days.

 

[AVC]

but solid gold toilets must weigh a fair bit.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/G_Cvtr86H5g

 

[RailFlyer]

Whilst winding back the speed will keep you clear of curfew, it can also cause issues with trailing aircraft.

This got me thinking. When a number of aircraft are following each other in a designated air traffic "lane" (assuming such things exist), how often (if ever) will one plane request to overtake another because they have bigger engines/ less weight / more aggressive personality/ tight curfew deadline etc, etc, etc

And if this does happen, how? Do you ask to overtake or just ask for a different altitude and then sneak past over or under them before ATC realise your dastardly plan? Would you always go under and trade some potential for kinetic energy to give yourself a speed boost? (assuming you have some way to beat the laws of physics and regain said potential energy level without giving back your "position").

Silly questions.... just trying to avoid starting work for the day!

 

[Janflyer]

Temperature comes into play in a number of ways. Have a look here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Density_altitude

Additionally, engines produce less power in hot weather. If you are operating with derated power, it may serve to mask the loss ('cos you aren't using it anyway), but once you get to TOGA power it becomes very noticeable, and can become so limiting as to preclude the departure until the weather cools.

Thanks for that JB - I hadn't realised what a difference the temperature can make. Your answer, however, sent me off on the hunt to find out what "derated" meant. I found the answer to that, but now have another question.
My reading tells me that you can reduce take-off power by derating the engine thrust or by increasing the assumed temperature (or a bit of both). I assume that you would only increase the assumed temperature in colder weather though, because in hotter weather, it will then have a detrimental effect on the lift. Is this correct? Is there a "standard" temperature that you use as a base level? For example, scientists use "room temperature" - usually in the region of 20-23 degreesC and adjust their experiments accordingly for deviations away from this.

 

[coriander]

I had posted a link to the 787 rehearsal video in its own thread at http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ssion/787-9-rehearses-paris-2015-a-68663.html but I thought I'd post here because I'd welcome comments from our experts here.

Boeing has just released an updated and expanded version of this video entitled "Choose Your View" -synchronised views from air, ground and coughpit.
Visit https://www.youtube.com/user/Boeing/ChooseYourView

I loved the coughpit view - looks as if pilot is really working his control yoke (?steering wheel) quite hard, seems to watch his instruments as much as looking out the window. I note also the thrust levers (?) seem to move back and forth by themselves, so I'd love an explanation of what's happening

Eight and a half minutes of awesomeness times three.

Screen grab of the (steep) takeoff - pilots may be able to tell us how hard the 787 climbs.


Another screengrab during a turn.



Edit: not sure what I've done wrong here: previewing the post shows me the images, but once I "submit" the post there are only links in my message. I hope everyone can see the images.
Edit 2: now that I've edited the post, the images appear. Go figure.

 

[por930]

Great link coriander. The attachments, other than the links did not work for me.
I will leave the comments about the flight to JB.

 

[jb747]

I'm wondering if you know of your schedule for end of July? In particular July 25? I'm flying my first international flight to LHR so it will be nice if you're flying it

On July 25 I'm doing QF9 from Dubai to London.

 

[jb747]

This got me thinking. When a number of aircraft are following each other in a designated air traffic "lane" (assuming such things exist), how often (if ever) will one plane request to overtake another because they have bigger engines/ less weight / more aggressive personality/ tight curfew deadline etc, etc, etc

And if this does happen, how? Do you ask to overtake or just ask for a different altitude and then sneak past over or under them before ATC realise your dastardly plan? Would you always go under and trade some potential for kinetic energy to give yourself a speed boost? (assuming you have some way to beat the laws of physics and regain said potential energy level without giving back your "position").

You don't 'ask' to overtake anyone. If you are at a different altitude, then effectively they aren't there, so you just fly past them. At the same altitude though, ATC do their best to keep you well apart, so they'll often have aircraft speed up or slow down, to ensure that the stream separation stays the same. This isn't always possible because of aircraft performance issues, in which case you may be assigned a different altitude, or, in a radar environment, given a heading to separate you from the other aircraft.

 

[jb747]

I loved the coughpit view - looks as if pilot is really working his control yoke (?steering wheel) quite hard, seems to watch his instruments as much as looking out the window. I note also the thrust levers (?) seem to move back and forth by themselves, so I'd love an explanation of what's happening

The entire display would have been very carefully worked out in the simulator beforehand, so that pitch and track and speed targets would all be known. I expect that the 3rd man is reading them out the entire time. The view out of an airliner isn't very good, nor is any of the information needed on display outside. I'd expect they could have flown the profile in IMC. 99% of all flying in an airliner is on the displays.

Nice to see an auto throttle that moves the levers. It is most probably in 'speed' mode for much of the display, in which case the power will adjust as needed to try to hold a given speed.

 

[JohnM]

[/COLOR]

On July 25 I'm doing QF9 from Dubai to London.

Do you ever do SYD-DFW, jb? Just wondering for later in the year.

 

[Foreigner]

Interesting blogs by a cadet pilot, the last of which was posted this month:

https://theaviatorblog.squarespace.com/progress