Ask The Pilot

Would the pilots here feel comfortable flying or flying on C919 (based on my assumption that everyone is OK flying products from Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier and ATR)?

Given the screw ups that even well established makers like Boeing and Airbus manage, I expect that it will be a number of generations before the Chinese catch up. I think it's fair to say that travelling on one of these aircraft doesn't feature in my plans.
 
Hi JB On a recent UK Visit I discovered that my cousin owns and fly's 2 Hawker Hunter T MK7 Jets I wondered if they were ever used by the RAAF and what your thoughts were on them?

Lucky sod. They were roughly a contemporary of the Sabres that the RAAF used. The Singaporeans used them, and a couple of their aircraft have ended up in museums in Oz.

What was your favourite aircraft during your stint in the Forces?

Douglas A-4G.
 
People in my position don't...but the guys flying often, and especially into the smaller airports, might. I expect that in general, we're simply voices on the radio to each other.

And there you go...AVInsight, has a different perspective on it.
Interesting to see two different perspectives, each to their own. Given the number of pilots as well as ATC, I don't suppose you regularly come across the same ATC in the overseas ports, but you might be likely to recognise Australian ATC.
 
Interesting to see two different perspectives, each to their own. Given the number of pilots as well as ATC, I don't suppose you regularly come across the same ATC in the overseas ports, but you might be likely to recognise Australian ATC.

My brother is an ATC, mostly MEL, in the past. But has done time in HKG, PVG, SYD, BRI and (controversially) SFO. Others might remember the ATC strikes/industrial disputes in the US in the 80's. Gives you an idea of how long he has been doing it. Still going, on a rather good wicket....where? Lets just say a frequent FIFO airport in the western areas of OZ, don't want to 'out him' here.

Over the years, I've heard his stories on the best (and worst) of pilots. Quite funny at times, scary at others. One scary story about Yugoslav Airlines comes to mind....again showing his age.....:rolleyes:

Anyway, excuse my interruption, back to the pilots...:)
 
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Over the years, I've heard his stories on the best (and worst) of pilots. Quite funny at times, scary at others. One scary story about Yugoslav Airlines comes to mind....again showing his age.....:rolleyes:

Back when that hideous bit of politics, aka 'the pilots' dispute', was happening, Yugoslav (JAT) had a couple of aircraft operating in Oz.

We were taking a 747 Classic from Melbourne to Singapore. Lined up on 16, and a JAT 737 took off on 27. We waited for a take off clearance. And waited. And waited some more. Eventually I asked what was holding things up. The response was that JAT were supposed to be going to Sydney. They hadn't called anyone since take off, nor were they answering the radio. They were still heading west, having failed to make the SID's turn to toward NSW. ATC said they had no idea what they were doing, so they were just going to wait until the coast was well clear before letting us, or anyone else, take off.

I assume they eventually got there.....
 
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Back when that hideous bit of politics, aka 'the pilots' dispute', was happening, Yugoslav (JAT) had a couple of aircraft operating in Oz.

We were taking a 747 Classic from Melbourne to Singapore. Lined up on 16, and a JAT 737 took off on 27. We waited for a take off clearance. And waited. And waited some more. Eventually I asked what was holding things up. The response was that JAT were supposed to be going to Sydney. They hadn't called anyone since take off, nor were they answering the radio. They were still heading west, having failed to make the SID's turn to toward NSW. ATC said they had no idea what they were doing, so they were just going to wait until the coast was well clear before letting us, or anyone else, take off.

I assume they eventually got there.....

I believe there is quite a good chance you were speaking to my brother that day...

aah, it's a small world...
 
I thought the C919 was basically an Airbus clone given that Airbus has had a factory in China to build Airbuses for Chinese airlines for a number of years.
 
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It looks a bit like one, but as far as I can tell, that's then end of the relationship. Airbus has a factory to build Airbus....not to help start an industry to replace them. I expect the relationship is more like this...The Chinese copycat cars of the 2017 Shanghai motor show | Autocar

I would need to know a lot more about the flight control software before I'd even dream of getting on one....
 
I've been recently enjoying listening (via YouTube) to the ATC chatter of Steve Abraham (aka Kennedy Steve). Do pilots here get to know people from ATC people either here or in Australia (as well as their names or ever bumped into one at aviation events)? I've been listening to ATC Brisbane as well to see if I can make out my neighbour or 2 other friends who are still in the Tower.

When I was flying overseas we got to know one of the Approach guys really well - he was Norwegian and loved a good steak and he would invite us over to his place for BBQs - really nice guy and very good operator.

I have a few friends scattered across the Aussie ATC scene - very hard to recognise their voices on ATC though as they are mainly enroute controllers and jump across sectors depending on what is going on (I think).
 
Hi JB On a recent UK Visit I discovered that my cousin owns and fly's 2 Hawker Hunter T MK7 Jets I wondered if they were ever used by the RAAF and what your thoughts were on them?

What was your favourite aircraft during your stint in the Forces?

Sadly I didn't make it up in one this time but will be definitely doing so next trip.

Airshows >> UK: Exclusive - Jubilee tail for Hawker Hunter G-FFOX revealed - Global Aviation Resource

As far as I am aware we never flew the Hunter - only the experimental original predecessor which was subsequently destoryed in a crash. RAAF Museum: RAAF Aircraft Series 2 A86 Hawker P1081

I have a mate who used to fly the Hunter on the UK Warbird scene. they reckon it is an amazing aircraft, especially for it's time - unfortunately this all ceased after the Shoreham Hawker Hunter crash a few years ago...
 
It looks a bit like one, but as far as I can tell, that's then end of the relationship. Airbus has a factory to build Airbus....not to help start an industry to replace them. I expect the relationship is more like this...The Chinese copycat cars of the 2017 Shanghai motor show | Autocar

I would need to know a lot more about the flight control software before I'd even dream of getting on one....

I agree with JB - flight control software is complex and certification standards are rigid - I'd like to see what certification standard the software meets before flying a 919.
 
Brilliant aviation Journalism by news.com

As the plane descended from 10,000 to 330 feet, it fell at a rate of 700m per minute, or 11m per second
 
Brilliant aviation Journalism by news.com

As the plane descended from 10,000 to 330 feet, it fell at a rate of 700m per minute, or 11m per second

And newspapers wonder why they are going broke. Why would you pay for something that could have been more accurately written by the janitor? I'm sure I probably used greater descent rates during yesterday's arrival in LA. In an emergency descent you'll be looking at about 4,000 up to about 9,000 fpm. 11m/s isn't even trying.
 
This is a highly technical initial ATSB report about an AirAsia 'incident' north of PER. Perhaps our aviators may have some comments, especially since for one of them it discusses the 'favourite' airline (I use the word advisedly):

Investigation: AO-2017-098 - Pressurisation event involving Airbus A320, PK-AXD, 300 km north of Perth, Western Australia, on 15 October 2017

There is at least one media report this morning about it concentrating on passengers on board.

Below is the text of most of the ATSB report. It's just the initial, so really not much there yet.

The aircraft all have multiple controllers and a fair bit of redundancy within the pressurisation systems. They can be controlled manually, but that's really just for managing failures, and is not a desirable mode to be in.

I'd don't specifically know the A320/330 system. Looking at the report, it would appear that the 'Safety valve' is there to ensure the cabin doesn't over pressurise. So, it looks like the initial problem was the cabin was being over pressurised, and the system has responded to that, and given the appropriate ECAM.

I don't think I'd continue climbing, even with a transient pressurisation related ECAM. No harm in stopping the climb to have a proper look at whatever is happening.

The differential mentioned, 8.3 psi, with the cabin at 8,900, and around FL300 doesn't really sound right. That's too high for what is approximately the correct differential.

If the cabin is too high and continuing to climb, then the response of an emergency descent is correct. But, there is no reason whatsoever to manually drop the masks. They are not needed unless the cabin exceeds 13,800', at which point they will deploy automatically. The aim in this sort of descent is to get the aircraft down quickly enough to beat the automatic deployment. There would seem to have been no real reason to deploy them.

Emergency descent.... Well, if you want to get down, there is no reason to be 'plummeting' at 11m/s. That's about a third of the descent rate you should have, and which would be easily achieved. That descent rate is just a normal descent. If this is supposed to be an emergency descent, then it's a poor example of one.

You intimated that I don't like this lot, and you are quite correct. They have shown an amazing ability to convert relatively simple failures/errors into classic examples of what not to do. The Sydney IRS event is just the tip of the iceberg.

On 15 October 2017, at about 1152 Western Standard Time,1] the flight crew on board an Air Asia Airbus A320-216, registered PK-AXD, initiated an emergency descent from flight level (FL) 2] 330 to 10,000 ft.

Earlier at about 1122, the aircraft departed Perth Airport, Western Australia, for the planned destination of Bali, Indonesia, with two flight crew, four cabin crew and 146 passengers on board. On departure, the flight crew were issued with a clearance from air traffic control to climb to FL 340. At about FL 250, the crew noticed a system 1 (SYS 1) fault for the pressurisation system appear and then disappear. At about 1148, just after passing FL 300, the master caution activated for the opening of the pressurisation system safety valve(s)3] (SAFETY VALVE OPEN). The flight crew selected manual control (MAN) for the pressurisation system and, noting a cabin pressurisation rate of climb4] of 1,100 ft per minute, they attempted to close the outflow valve to reduce the cabin rate of climb. The first officer also noted the cabin differential pressure5] was 8.3 pounds per square inch and the cabin altitude was 8,900 ft. Before the checklist actions could be completed the master caution cleared.

At about 1151, the master warning activated intermittently for a high cabin altitude. The excess cabin altitude warning (EXCESS CAB ALT) initially activated intermittently and then remained on.

At about this time, the cabin crew noted intermittent activations of the cabin seat belt signs and emergency lighting. The flight crew informed the cabin crew manager that they were going to conduct an emergency descent, donned their emergency oxygen masks and started the descent. Shortly after, the cabin crew manager reported to the flight crew that the emergency oxygen masks in the cabin were not deployed and the flight crew then manually deployed them. The cabin crew reported that they secured the cabin and instructed the passengers in accordance with their emergency descent procedures.

The flight crew informed air traffic control that they were conducting an emergency descent with pressurisation problems and requested a clearance to return to Perth Airport at 10,000 ft. After some initial communications difficulties,6] air traffic control issued the respective clearances for a descent to 10,000 ft and return to Perth Airport where the aircraft landed safely at about 1248.

Some of the crew members reported some ear discomfort just prior to the emergency descent, but none reported any indications of hypoxia. During the descent there was an intermittent activation of the master caution for cabin low differential pressure (LO DIFF PR). Figure 1 below depicts the activation of the alerts, and the descent from FL 330 to 10,000 ft, which was at an average rate of about 2,300 ft per minute. There were no reported injuries and the aircraft was not damaged. The post-flight maintenance tests identified the cabin pressure controller 1 as at fault (see Aircraft pressurisation).
 
Thank you jb747. Given your previous advice, I would not be surprised if more than a few AFF members had put the AirAsia group on a personal 'do not fly' list. I patronised it a very small number of times. That has ceased due to you and others' warnings. Those who do not learn from the lessons of history...
 
http://www.atsb.gov.au/media/5773700/ao-2015-048_final.pdf

Hi Aviators:

What is “pitch up illusion “?


Re AL/D7/QZ airline and ability to dig a bigger hole:
The ATSB reports (Sydney IRS issue) the operator instigated some action to prevent the initial data entry error but no focus on how not to dig a bigger hole. I think the bigger issue was not digging the initial hole but actually making it so big you could fall in???? Why didn’t the ATSB focus on the second issue?
 
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It's quite well defined in the report, but the Somatogravic Effect is the feeling backward tilt (perceived as the aircraft nose pitching up) due to acceleration, when devoid of outside visual cues to compensate. The basic example is on a dark, overcast night without any city lighting around, after takeoff the continued acceleration of the aircraft is perceived as the nose rising (too high), and the pilot incorrectly pitches the nose down (too far).
 

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