Ask The Pilot

[jb747]

jb - I guess people are struggling to come to grips with you being "junior" given your experience. If I recall correctly you were in the later "bunch" of pilots that went over to the A380 rather than the first wave - hence being junior in the A380 Captains group?

You are alluding to a system called 'seniority in rank'...which we don't use. Right now, I've been on the 380 for 3 years. If a bloke from any other aircraft came over, he would fit in above or below me depending upon his absolute seniority number.

I assume (and we all know what assumption is) on the 744 you didnt do very much standby given you were senior on that?

The only aircraft that I've ever been senior on was the 767. In 12 years I moved from 3rd from the bottom, to about 20 from the top. So, no, I wasn't particularly senior on the 744 either.

 

[chrisb]

JB, when did you start with QF?

 

[Simo]

Just wondering if you have read the book QF32 or are you planning on reading the book.

 

[jb747]

Is that cost related, or is there another (that is forum comment allowed) reason?

The hourly rate for all 380 captains is identical.

Historically, the union has made agreements that look after certain groups. This doesn't matter particularly in times of growth, when nobody is stuck in any position for any length of time, but in times of contraction or stagnation (i.e. now), people get stuck with the less attractive parts of the award for years on end. Basically it's an element of the award that the bottom third of any rank, on all types, do half as much flying and 100% of the standby, sim supports, etc.

 

[jb747]

Back in your 747 days, does the yoke give any sort of "feedback", for example if you push the yoke forwards can you feel the elevators move or some degree of pressure against the yoke? Or does the hydraulic systems do a good job of masking any feedback?

There is artificial feel, which works quite well. And of course, the control columns are mechanically linked, so moving one, moves the other.

 

[jb747]

JB, when did you start with QF?

1985.............

 

[jb747]

Just wondering if you have read the book QF32 or are you planning on reading the book.

I haven't read it, but I'm sure I'll see it at some stage.

 

[harvyk]

There is artificial feel, which works quite well. And of course, the control columns are mechanically linked, so moving one, moves the other.

Does autopilot move the control columns automatically?

 

[jb747]

Does autopilot move the control columns automatically?

In a Boeing, the control columns and the throttles move in accordance with autopilot commands. In the Airbus, they just sit in the neutral position, irrespective of what the autopilot (or the other pilot) is doing.

 

[docjames]

The hourly rate for all 380 captains is identical.

Historically, the union has made agreements that look after certain groups. This doesn't matter particularly in times of growth, when nobody is stuck in any position for any length of time, but in times of contraction or stagnation (i.e. now), people get stuck with the less attractive parts of the award for years on end. Basically it's an element of the award that the bottom third of any rank, on all types, do half as much flying and 100% of the standby, sim supports, etc.

Why the resistance to change it to something more equitable?

It seems like an old medical excuse "it was alwyas like that" or "back in my day we worked for xx_ hours straight". Doesnt make it right or a reason to continue that way.

 

[jb747]

Why the resistance to change it to something more equitable?

It seems like an old medical excuse "it was alwyas like that" or "back in my day we worked for xx_ hours straight". Doesnt make it right or a reason to continue that way.

We're pretty much on a QF industrial subject, here, so I'll answer this, and then I'd prefer to go back to talking about aeroplanes.

There is resistance to changing it for a quite simple reason...66.6% of the pilots in each rank don't do these duties....so why would they volunteer to do any. Yes, if they get promoted they may fall into that bottom third, but that is often circumvented by simply waiting for your number in the new rank to be above that bottom third. Remember, there is no seniority in rank...you don't come into a group at the bottom, but rather at the point at which your absolute seniority number places you.

There are solutions to the issue, the simplest one being that used by the 737 pilots. They have rotating seniority, so over the course of a year, everyone goes from being junior to senior and vice versa.

There are similar excuses to those you mention. One that we used to hear was 'you'll all be senior one day'...of course the vast majority never will.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Thanks jb747. As a non-technical person I really enjoy catching up with this thread every so often and I truly appreciate the time that you spend here. The last few posts regarding hierarchical structures are interesting.
In my own profession "all animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others " and I guess that's true in others too.
Thankyou

 

[Simo]

When QF decide to put the A380 on a new route how do the pilots get some experience on the route. Do you do a dry run with no paxs or do you do it on another plane to see the run way and make sure there is no problems.

From my memory the latest new route for the A380 was HKG.

With out breaching anything can you let us know other routes that could happen in the future such as maybe LAX to NYC.

With the issues that have been happening with the service from DFW would that be a possible A380 route unless there is issues with a A380 being at either BNE airport or DFW airport.

 

[jb747]

When QF decide to put the A380 on a new route how do the pilots get some experience on the route. Do you do a dry run with no paxs or do you do it on another plane to see the run way and make sure there is no problems.
From my memory the latest new route for the A380 was HKG.

Whilst I'm sure there is a lot of work done by the various parts of management before a new destination falls into my hands, we ( the pilots in general) will just turn up and do the flight. If there is anything out of the ordinary, a briefing guide may be provided, but 99% of places fall within the range of places you should be able to just do....Think of a flight to London (for instance); there's any number of places I might find a need to divert to, but we don't practice them all.

Hkg was pretty easy, as everyone had been there, whether it was on the 747, 767, or 330.

With out breaching anything can you let us know other routes that could happen in the future such as maybe LAX to NYC.

Your guess is as good as mine. NYC was tight for a 747...dumb place to take a 380.

With the issues that have been happening with the service from DFW would that be a possible A380 route unless there is issues with a A380 being at either BNE airport or DFW airport.

That was mentioned as a possible 380 route by the previous boss of ops. The aircraft could possibly do it without Brisbane....but as the next aircraft are deferred, you'd need to cancel another route to make an aircraft available.

 

[mjt57]

Your guess is as good as mine. NYC was tight for a 747...dumb place to take a 380.

Tight as in short runways, access to terminals, ramps, etc.?

As for not taking the A380 there, not what I wanted to hear.

Our Big Trip next year will possibly take in New York as well as London. We're still working out logistics. ie. whether to fly MEL-LHR, then after the cruise, LHR-JFK, then JFK-LAX-MEL. Or, fly to New York first, then grab a flight over to London.

It will depend on what No. 2 daughter is doing during that period, and whether she has time off or not.

Whatever, I'm not looking forward to being squished inside a 744 if that's all is available to us if we do fly to the US first. And flying domestic US over that continent is about as pleasant as wading through a marsh and your waders fill up....

 

[mjt57]

In the Airbus, they just sit in the neutral position, irrespective of what the autopilot (or the other pilot) is doing.

If the FO is flying, what do you need to do to take control?

Also, with respect to standby duties, does this affect your pay if you're not flying for extended periods? Or, to ask it differently, does your pay go up and down whether or not you're flying?

 

[mjt57]

Just wondering if you have read the book QF32 or are you planning on reading the book.

I went to the Pan McMillan site after reading about it. I viewed the details of the book and saw that it had an ebook link. However, I had to register. After I did that and navigated back to find the book, all searches come up empty.

You gotta love Australian book publisher websites (it's not on Amazon either, otherwise I'd get it to my Kindle).

 

[Flashback]

It may have been answered already, apologies if it has.... how come just after you push back all the cabin lights flick off and then back on? Likewise once you've landed a similar thing happens?

 

[serfty]

It may have been answered already, apologies if it has.... how come just after you push back all the cabin lights flick off and then back on? Likewise once you've landed a similar thing happens?

I believe that switching the aircraft's source of power (e.g. from APU?) to another source of electricity - i.e. the aircraft is 'unplugged' on departure and 'plugged in' on arrival at the gate.

 

[markis10]

I believe that switching from aircraft sourced power (APU?) to ground source of electricity - i.e. the aircraft is 'unplugged' on departure and 'plugged in' on arrival at the gate.

Fairly rare for an aircraft to be using ground power, usually only when overnighting or when an APU is not available/not operational. The flicker is indicative of a transfer from APU to engine IDG via the transfer bus, with load shedding often occurring prior to engine start to minimise current draw which is why cabin lighting will be diminished in the case of the personal reading lights etc.