jb747's last operational flight

[ChrisGibbs]

We should get together sometime and compare notes on JB's last landings

Back in April 2010 I flew on the old QF18 EZE-SYD 744 service (was rerouted from Europe back to Australia via Madrid and Buenos Aires by the Eyjafjallajökull Volcano). The Captain was doing his last flight in command of the 744 before doing his endorsement on the A380. He also happened to be an ex RAN A-4G pilot. During his walk around he let me know it was his last sector in command of the 744 and I made some smart a** remark to the effect "don't screw it up". Unfortunately the landing into SYD was an absolute shocker with the aircraft apparently bouncing a couple of times. When taxiing to the terminal the Captain made a PA apologising for the landing/s and commenting that as an ex A-4G pilot it reminded him of his many carrier landings and he could now add an additional 3 landings to his log book.

 

[jb747]

Back in April 2010 I flew on the old QF18 EZE-SYD 744 service (was rerouted from Europe back to Australia via Madrid and Buenos Aires by the Eyjafjallajökull Volcano). The Captain was doing his last flight in command of the 744 before doing his endorsement on the A380. He also happened to be an ex RAN A-4G pilot. During his walk around he let me know it was his last sector in command of the 744 and I made some smart a** remark to the effect "don't screw it up". Unfortunately the landing into SYD was an absolute shocker with the aircraft apparently bouncing a couple of times. When taxiing to the terminal the Captain made a PA apologising for the landing/s and commenting that as an ex A-4G pilot it reminded him of his many carrier landings and he could now add an additional 3 landings to his log book.

Well, the A4G wouldn't bounce....

Curious comment though. I'm the only ex RAN A4G pilot with a QF 380 command. April 2010...which would put him about a year behind me on the 380. There are a couple of ex RAN S2 people on the 380, one of whom would have come from the 747 about then. The only other A4G pilot who had a command on the 744 retired about 5 years ago, but I don't think he ever attempted to speak French. There was an FO who also retired about then too.

 

[tgh]

sounds like : nlttgitwoags ( never let the truth get in the way of a good story )

 

[kookaburra75]

Now the pressure is on. I might just revert to navy style.

Having been in the back during some 'Navy landings' a while ago, I'm good with an A380 version. Mind you, back when I was a passenger in 767's I found there were more 'arrivals' than landings. Was that a trait of the 767's?

 

[ChrisGibbs]

Well, the A4G wouldn't bounce....

Curious comment though. I'm the only ex RAN A4G pilot with a QF 380 command. April 2010...which would put him about a year behind me on the 380. There are a couple of ex RAN S2 people on the 380, one of whom would have come from the 747 about then. The only other A4G pilot who had a command on the 744 retired about 5 years ago, but I don't think he ever attempted to speak French. There was an FO who also retired about then too.

Sorry don't recall his name (possibly first name Tony). Definitely was the Captain. I could have been mistaken between whether he said he flew the Skyhawk or Tracker. Thinking about it we did speak about the fire at NAS Nowra in 1976 which could indicate Tracker. Not wanting to be unkind but he had a fairly prominent nose. Not sure if that helps......

"sounds like : nlttgitwoags ( never let the truth get in the way of a good story )"

Definitely not - it was the QF18 EZE-SYD on 21st April 2010.

 

[tgh]

Sorry Chris , no offence intended .
I was musing the niltwags phenomena for the original storyteller.. not you

 

[jb747]

Having been in the back during some 'Navy landings' a while ago, I'm good with an A380 version. Mind you, back when I was a passenger in 767's I found there were more 'arrivals' than landings. Was that a trait of the 767's?

I'm pretty sure that even the coughpiest landing in the 767 wasn't on a par with the navy landings. There is ZERO flare with them. Do that in an airliner and they'd be doing a fair bit of fixing before it flew again. Those landings that passengers consider earth shattering, are a max of about 1.4g (most are under 1.1). Heavy landings are generally around a cutoff of 1.8g. According to the g meter, most of mine were in the range of +8 to -3. The meter obviously couldn't handle it...but I expect a normal A4 arrival was around 1.5 to 2 g.

Those of us who flew the 767 could never really explain why it landed the way it did, though there were many theories. Mine is that it was a combination of the main gear configuration (a leading bogie) and spoiler activation. There were three different landing techniques used for the three versions that we had (-200, and 300 RR and 300 GE). The RR was the most consistent, but any 300 was miles better than the 200.

 

[flyer89]

Mine is that it was a combination of the main gear configuration (a leading bogie)

I always assumed that’s why. Do the leading bogies on the 380 cause any similar problems?

 

[p--and--t]

Sorry don't recall his name (possibly first name Tony). Definitely was the Captain. I could have been mistaken between whether he said he flew the Skyhawk or Tracker. Thinking about it we did speak about the fire at NAS Nowra in 1976 which could indicate Tracker. Not wanting to be unkind but he had a fairly prominent nose. Not sure if that helps......

"sounds like : nlttgitwoags ( never let the truth get in the way of a good story )"

Definitely not - it was the QF18 EZE-SYD on 21st April 2010.

OMG!

I am a bit of a flying enthusiast especially of the amazing places these big noisy aluminium cans can take me and done couple of thousand sectors in my time; but totally in awe of someone who can quote a sector with date and flight number and captain's first name 8 years later - feeling totally inadequate and slightly out of place now

 

[Hvr]

Will there be anything special from the airport as you bring the plane into the gate at MEL?

A water cannon or other type of celebration?

 

[jb747]

Will there be anything special from the airport as you bring the plane into the gate at MEL?

I doubt it. It’s going to be around 6am on a public holiday. Anyway, whilst retirement might be a one off for me, it’s pretty common in the grand scheme of things. Probably a few pilots per month overall.

A water cannon or other type of celebration?

No idea. I have no intention of telling ATC.

 

[jb747]

I am a bit of a flying enthusiast especially of the amazing places these big noisy aluminium cans can take me and done couple of thousand sectors in my time; but totally in awe of someone who can quote a sector with date and flight number and captain's first name 8 years later - feeling totally inadequate and slightly out of place now

Some trips do stand out though.

On my last simulator, the senior check and I were talking about a trip that had been his very first, as an SO under training. I was the ‘real’ SO on the trip. That was 33 years ago. All this time later, for both of us, it stood out as one of the most memorable trips we’d done. It included Singapore, Bangkok, Athens and Rome.

I recall my first trip too....but not because it was fun. The captain was an extremely unpleasant character, but thankfully I quickly found out that he was a rarity.

 

[docjames]

Some trips do stand out though.

On my last simulator, the senior check and I were talking about a trip that had been his very first, as an SO under training. I was the ‘real’ SO on the trip. That was 33 years ago. All this time later, for both of us, it stood out as one of the most memorable trips we’d done. It included Singapore, Bangkok, Athens and Rome.

I recall my first trip too....but not because it was fun. The captain was an extremely unpleasant character, but thankfully I quickly found out that he was a rarity.

What in particular made it so memorable? Routing? Conditions? Other?

 

[jb747]

What in particular made it so memorable? Routing? Conditions? Other?

Very much other. The Captain and flight engineer were parties going somewhere to happen. We got to tag along.

 

[jb747]

<Mrs. JB> here, I remember vividly the day JB arrived home from this famous Athens/Rome liquid extravaganza. You could see the extra weight he'd put on from about 200m away! Those were the days . . .

 

[flyer89]

The captain was an extremely unpleasant character,

Was it anything in particular that made him
Unpleasant? Or was he just prick(ly) in general?

 

[Quickstatus]

Well today is the day.

Best wishes @jb747 on your last departure out of OZ at the controls.

Are you taking photos?

 

[jb747]

Are you taking photos?

Well, I've packed the GoPro, but as I haven't used it for a couple of years, I'm not even sure I remember how to. We'll see how that goes. My Nikon is also there. Maybe that elusive St Elmo's will give me one more chance.

 

[Kerrodt]

@jb747 Best wishes today on your final flight out of Australia in command.

 

[ellen10]

A special time in your career and life. Best wishes for your final flights and congratulations on a wonderful career.