Ask The Pilot

[NM]

INDEX TO SPECIFIC POSTS/TOPICS: Index of Popular "Ask The Pilot" Topics | Australian Frequent Flyer

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It has been suggested that we have a place where members can ask questions they always wanted to ask a pilot. We have several qualified pilots amongst the AFF membership and this is an opportunity to ask questions related to flying experiences, flying activities, how aircraft work, or anything relating to the life of a pilot (well, maybe not anything ).

Please be aware that all members of AFF are voluntary members of the community and nobody is expected or required to comment or answer any specific question. Also note that some of the qualified flying members are regularly performing their duties and may not be in a position to read AFF and respond immediately, so please be patient.

We have members with wide-ranging flying experience, from students undertaking training in light aircraft right through to large commercial airliner captains, rotary wing pilots and even air traffic controllers (who can probably tell a few stories about the pilots).

Please be aware that some topics relating to specific company policies or incidents may not be able to be addressed directly and we respect the professional restrictions that may exist from time to time around some topics.

If the mods find question raised in other threads or forums that we feel may be best addressed in this thread, we may move or copy the posts here.

We greatly respect and appreciate the input provided by the professional pilots in our community and I look forward to some interesting questions and answers.

As this is an "ask the pilot" thread, we ask that non-pilot members refrain from answering questions that have been directed to pilots until the pilots members have had a good opportunity to answer the question (i.e. at least 7 days). Posts contrary to this request or discussions that get too far off topic may be removed or moved to a more appropriate thread or forum so we can retain order and respect in this thread.

 

[vertisol]

What a great idea.

I'm curious if as pilots you get more satisfaction out of flying something like a 737 or even Dash-8 over he big birds like A380or 747?

 

[jb747]

An interesting question to start with.

I think it's fair to say that different people will get different things from the aircraft that they fly. At this point in time, the airliner that I have most enjoyed flying was the 767. It was a combination of an aircraft that can be difficult to fly well, with what was, at the time I was flying it, a varied, and large route structure.

The 747 will probably always be the queen of the skies. A very predictable aircraft, that isn't subject to too many little vices.

Aircraft like the Dash 8 and 737 (neither of which I've flown) often come with varied and quite difficult route structures (for instance operations into secondary airfields, with limited aids), and doing that well provides it's own challenges and rewards.

 

[Major]

I'm interested in the flight simulator. What is the requirement for simulator training ?

Also are you able to request extra time if you want to practice a particular procedure ?

 

[jb747]

I'm interested in the flight simulator. What is the requirement for simulator training ?

Also are you able to request extra time if you want to practice a particular procedure ?

Simulator programs are developed by the training department and approved by CASA. There is a matrix of items that must be covered every two years. Some items, like engine failures on take off, happen in just about every exercise. Others, such as depressurisation, may come up closer to that two year mark. The programs consist of a mix of items that are literally nothing but checking, whilst other components will be a mix of training, but generally followed by a check.

The legal miminim number of sims is, I believe, two per year. Some airlines will do just that. On the 747 and the A380, there are four sim sessions.

Mostly, they are quite unpleasant. You come out quite drained, and your shirt will be very second hand. Basically, they are four hours, non stop, of things going wrong.

Extra sessions are quite difficult to arrange. The sims themselves are normally fully booked, for 24 hours per day. But, you can sometimes arrange an hour or two, mostly in the early hours. Motion will be turned off for those sessions (a sim instructor is required if motion is on). Access to them is controlled, so you can't go and practice an upcoming assessed session...

 

[tipsy.skipsy]

What is the employment market like in Australia at the moment for pilots who are fresh out of flying training with their CPL + MECIR and maybe less than 150 Hrs Command Time ( Single + Twin <5700kg MTOW ) ?

Is hiring happening at all levels at the moment that you know of in Australia ?

What do think of the industry in the near future say "next 12 months" in terms of Pilot Job Demands ?

Thanks for your help.

 

[jb747]

What is the employment market like in Australia at the moment for pilots who are fresh out of flying training with their CPL + MECIR and maybe less than 150 Hrs Command Time ( Single + Twin <5700kg MTOW ) ?

Is hiring happening at all levels at the moment that you know of in Australia ?

What do think of the industry in the near future say "next 12 months" in terms of Pilot Job Demands ?

Thanks for your help.

I'm the wrong person to ask about this. It's covered a fair bit on pprune...though how accurately I don't know.

 

[Major]

How much time is spent on pre flight preparation ? Are you able to download data at home or is all pre flight work completed at the airport ?

 

[jb747]

How much time is spent on pre flight preparation ? Are you able to download data at home or is all pre flight work completed at the airport ?

There is an entire department dedicated to flight planning.

We arrive at the airport about 60 minutes prior to departure. We'll be presented with a package of paperwork for the flight that will have all of the relevant weather, NOTAMs, and the aircraft nav flight plan. We have about 5-10 minutes to complete the paperwork...so, it will be split up amongst the crew, generally with the SO(s) going through the NOTAMS and trying to cull out anything we need to know (about 80% of it will be irrelevant). Captain and FO hang on to the weather and fuel/nav plan, and go through that.

Mostly I'll already have a very good idea of the weather conditions at the destination (TAFs are readily available on the net), so it normally doesn't take long to make up my mind about how much fuel I want at the destination. We fill out the fuel component of the plan, and then head out to the aircraft.

 

[markis10]

A TAF is a medium term forecast for an area while METAR is a current report of weather with a short term or trend type forecast indicating changes expected, a TTF METAR will supersede a TAF and is valid for three hours.

 

[Major]

AV Herald and other sites talk about activating the stick shaker. What exactly is a stick shaker ?

 

[jb747]

It's a device that causes the control column to vibrate, which is normally set to activate when the wing reaches an angle of attack just prior to the stall. So basically it's a stall warning that you can feel.

 

[Alanslegal]

This is the biggest newbie question but how the hell can you see the painted lines rolling when along the tarmac esp. when sitting so high up in like a 747 / 380 ?! Is there like a camera behind the front landing gear or something?

Second big newbie question, when taking off into the bright sunlight, how do you cope with the extreme glare? Do you have super coated sunglasses? Or would the right answer be, pilot/s are too occupied with their instrument to be looking out alot.

 

[NM]

AV Herald and other sites talk about activating the stick shaker. What exactly is a stick shaker ?

It's a device that causes the control column to vibrate, which is normally set activate when the wing reaches an angle of attack just prior to the stall. So basically it's a stall warning that you can feel.

Does an Airbus aircraft, with its joystick control, also have the shaker action? Or does it just inject 4000 volts through the seat (or an audible alarm) as the stall warning?

 

[Undercover Brother]

Second big newbie question, when taking off into the bright sunlight, how do you cope with the extreme glare? Do you have super coated sunglasses? Or would the right answer be, pilot/s are too occupied with their instrument to be looking out alot.

Most aircraft have a moveable/attachable shade, similar to a sunvisor in a car. Pilots can just keep moving it to lessen the effect of the sun.

 

[richie9x]

Could someone describe what the pilot does before, during and after for a typical long haul flight? For example on a flight SYD-SIN.

How far in advance do you know what route you will be flying? Do you get late call ups like if the scheduled pilot falls ill?

What work on the ground do you do before the flight? Check weather? Calculate fuel requirements?

Many years ago (before 9-11) I visited the coughpit of a 747 during a long haul flight (the view was amazing). The pilot and co-pilot weren't doing a lot. And were free to talk for quite a while. Are visits like this still even possible after 9-11? How do you pass the time when your full attention is not needed?

After the flight I assume you go to hotel and rest. How long before your next flight?

Thanks.

 

[nlagalle]

This is the biggest newbie question but how the hell can you see the painted lines rolling when along the tarmac esp. when sitting so high up in like a 747 / 380 ?! Is there like a camera behind the front landing gear or something?

You can still see the lines, but you are just looking further in front of you. you still follow the lines as you normally would.

 

[Nigelinoz]

Recently I was watching a Just Planes video of the coughpit of a Orient Thai flight using an old 747 ,at engine start the flight engineer used the expression "Max Motoring",what does this mean?
Cheers
N'oz

 

[simongr]

Pre-flight checks

Just wondering how many physical preflight checks you do as a pilot? When flying in raining many years ago I used to do a detailed physical inspection of the aircraft every time I flew followed various system and other checks in the cabin. Do commercial jet pilots actually do physical inspections or rely on reports from engineers?

 

[Sifor]

Recently I was watching a Just Planes video of the coughpit of a Orient Thai flight using an old 747 ,at engine start the flight engineer used the expression "Max Motoring",what does this mean?
Cheers
N'oz

My understanding is you're at max motoring when the rate of increase in N2 is less than 1% during a 5 second period.