jb747's last operational flight

[flychrisfly]

Enjoy your final paid flights JB, and congrats on your retirement.

 

[Himeno]

I've always seemed to miss you.

All my QF 747 (through 2010) and A380 flights.

QF21 SYD-NRT 18JUL06
QF12 LAX-SYD 07SEP06
QF5 SIN-FRA 25JUN07
QF74 SFO-SYD 27JUL07
QF107 SYD-LAX-JFK 05AUG08
QF32 LHR-SIN 08SEP08
QF11 SYD-LAX 04SEP09
QF32 LHR-(KUL)-SIN 23SEP09
QF10 SIN-MEL 02OCT09
QF21 SYD-NRT 15JUL10
QF30 LHR-HKG 15AUG10
QF93 MEL-LAX 26MAY11
QF12 LAX-SYD 30MAY11
QF32 LHR-SIN 20OCT11
QF10 SIN-MEL 25OCT11
QF2 LHR-SIN 17NOV12
QF10 SIN-MEL 24NOV12
QF1 DXB-LHR 12NOV13
QF10 LHR-DXB 08NOV14
QF1 DXB-LHR 09NOV14
QF11 SYD-LAX 01JUL15
QF12 LAX-SYD 05JUL15
QF10 LHR-DXB 08NOV15
QF1 DXB-LHR 09NOV15
QF11 SYD-LAX 30JUN16
QF12 LAX-SYD 04JUL16
QF10 LHR-DXB 12NOV16
QF1 DXB-LHR 13NOV16
QF94 LAX-MEL 04JUL17
QF2 LHR-DXB 10NOV17
QF1 DXB-LHR 12NOV17
QF93 MEL-LAX 04JUL18
QF12 LAX-SYD 08JUL18
QF1 SIN-LHR 20OCT18

Maybe I lucked out and you were up front without me noticing?

 

[jb747]

Closest I can see is a day or so out....

 

[mjt57]

Crikey! It's like Bourke Street up there!

 

[Ansett]

It is rather Ironic that QF1 is being operated by VH-OQA the first of the A380's Good Old Nancy Lets hope she is being nice to JB.

 

[OATEK]

It is rather Ironic that QF1 is being operated by VH-OQA the first of the A380's Good Old Nancy Lets hope she is being nice to JB.

In some ways the newest of the fleet.

 

[Melburnian1]

The Monday 21 January, very late evening QF1 departed SIN at 2348 hours, seven minutes early but arrived LHR seven late at 0622 (adding the usual five minutes to the landing at 0617). So in timekeeping terms given the 15 minute allowance before a flight is considered 'late', it was uneventful.

When flight crew return to Oz (or their Oz home base if domestic) on their 'last flight,' is it still traditional for them to go out for a drink with office mates or do early 0600 hours arrivals, genuine tiredness after a few days away from home in varying time zones/hotels and drink driving laws if driving mean any such socialising occurs on a date TBD?

 

[JessicaTam]

When flight crew return to Oz (or their Oz home base if domestic) on their 'last flight,' is it still traditional for them to go out for a drink with office mates or do early 0600 hours arrivals, genuine tiredness after a few days away from home in varying time zones/hotels and drink driving laws if driving mean any such socialising occurs on a date TBD?

What?

 

[JohnK]

What?

End of employment drinks usually on a Friday afternoon for anyone leaving on a Friday afternoon!

 

[Melburnian1]

At the end of school holidays in Oz inbound flights would be full on many routes.

With the troubles last night's QF9 and hence tonight's '10' are experiencing, jb747's departure tonight on QF2 at a scheduled 2045 should be at least 90 minutes ahead of QF10. Unusual under current schedules.

 

[Quickstatus]

At the end of school holidays in Oz inbound flights would be full on many routes.

With the troubles last night's QF9 and hence tonight's '10' are experiencing, jb747's departure tonight on QF2 at a scheduled 2045 should be at least 90 minutes ahead of QF10. Unusual under current schedules.

@Melburnian1 , Will predicted icy conditions Thursday 24th in London area affect LHR operations?.

 

[Melburnian1]

@Melburnian1 , Will predicted icy conditions Thursday 24th in London area affect LHR operations?.

Best to ask someone who is there, but they'd be pretty used to it. As normal for them as for Australians coping with 40 degrees (or 47 today in Adelaide). Poms think 28 degrees is hot.

There's some flights arriving at LHR half an hour late but nothing exceptional I saw in a quick squiz.

I've only ever been in a plane once that was deiced and that was in Germany. It only took 10 minutes.

 

[Quickstatus]

It only took 10 minutes.

Unless everyone needs to then delays start mounting

 

[jb747]

When flight crew return to Oz (or their Oz home base if domestic) on their 'last flight,' is it still traditional for them to go out for a drink.

Was that ever traditional? Pilots have very little interaction with any ground or office staff, so not likely to have any mates there!

Whilst it's wet in London at the moment, I don't see any need for de-icing at this stage.

It takes a lot longer than 10 minutes to do a 380. Last time I had to do it was in Frankfurt on a 747, and it took 3 trucks about 30 minutes.

 

[OATEK]

T

Was that ever traditional? Pilots have very little interaction with any ground or office staff, so not likely to have any mates there!

Whilst it's wet in London at the moment, I don't see any need for de-icing at this stage.

It takes a lot longer than 10 minutes to do a 380. Last time I had to do it was in Frankfurt on a 747, and it took 3 trucks about 30 minutes.

There was a suggestion of snow this morning, but only rain. Looks like takeoff are to the West for last few days, so probably won't be able to wave. But if it comes to pass you take off to the East, I will be on the right hand side above Croydon.

 

[Himeno]

The last time a plane I was on got deiced was a Dash 8 on the first flight of the day out of CBR last July.
Had a couple of deicings in Europe in HEL. Otherwise, just around North America in March or late Oct/early Nov.


I've been on flights where it's been the pilots last flight. I recall 2 water salutes and another PA mention. The other pilot had 'called ahead' while the retiring pilot was in the loo.

 

[Captain Halliday]

I’ve been on four aircraft that have de-iced in the last fortnight at HEL, RVN, HEL and OSL.

All were medium jets and took 10-15mins each.

 

[por930]

JB, What time do you leave the accommodation for Heathrow? and how long before the flight do you hope to be on board. Maybe as the last flights, will you do the walk around?

 

[kookaburra75]

T

There was a suggestion of snow this morning, but only rain. Looks like takeoff are to the West for last few days, so probably won't be able to wave. But if it comes to pass you take off to the East, I will be on the right hand side above Croydon.

I can take care of the waving if the take off is to the West - it's grey skies here at the moment and drizzle so I don't think icing will be an issue

 

[Melburnian1]

jb747's final piloted flight from LHR departed on time at 2045 hours on Thursday 24 January 2019 with A388 VH-OQH, ironically around the time that the overnight delayed QF9 from PER was arriving. The latter (B789 VH-ZNB) should land at about 2112 hours, more than half an hour later than QF had expected, so there's no way it will be departing London at 2200 hours.

QF2 was airborne at 2106 hours, so should be in SIN (provided no holding) at least 10 - 15 early.

UPDATE: QF estimates a landing time in SIN at 1724, so terminal at gate is roughly 1729, 16 early at this stage.