Ask The Pilot

[jb747]

Sorry if this is seen as a blight on pilot skills, but when flying HKG-SYD last Sunday we were able to see the landing via the camera underneath the plane. In this config you can see the front wheel.

The pilot slotted the centre line exactly between the two wheels.

Question - is this just normal for every pilot, or is it an autoland?

How can you see the front wheels? They're under the aircraft, and the camera that is fed to the cabin is only looking top down. There is a second camera, under the fuselage, which specifically looks at the front gear, but that is only fed to the coughpit.

You certainly aim for the centre of the aircraft to be right on the centreline, but not necessarily the front gear. You offset it upwind in any crosswind. Most touchdowns, in calm conditions, would be within about a metre of the centreline. It's not an aircraft to go chasing the c/l in though, too big, and any bank near the ground isn't desirable.

Autoland isn't necessarily all that accurate tracking-wise. I'd give it the same metre or so on most landings, but sometimes it does rather worse (as do we).

 

[jb747]

Could an airliner really fly upside down?

Flight (2012 film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Anything can be flown upside down...there's even video somewhere of a 707 being barrel rolled on youtube.

I assume you mean the sustained inverted flight just prior to the crash. All of the airliners that I've flown have had a -1g limit, which would mean that inverted might be possible, but they don't have inverted fuel or oil systems, so I doubt that you could stay there more than a few seconds. I don't think I'll try it.

 

[RooFlyer]

Anything can be flown upside down...there's even video somewhere of a 707 being barrel rolled on youtube.

<snip>.

One of my favourites. I believe the main Boeing pilot was supposed to do a low and slow 'fly by' of viewing stands of potential purchasers and other notables when the 707 first came out. The guy decided on impulse to do a barrel roll, right in front of everybody. The camera didn't catch the reaction of the Boeing execs If the story isn't true, it should be. I think the guy kept his job.

 

[QF WP]

Actually it only says she's flying the A380, and she has 3 bars...albeit rather thick ones.

QF doesn't have any female A380 Captains, although at least 3 of the girls have the seniority to have gone to it if they'd wanted. There are two FOs, and a few SOs.

You're right. In 2010 she moved to A380's and in 2012 in this YouTube video, she was in the RH seat (0:32 to 0:47), says she was a Senior First Officer. Doubt she'd have made it to Captain yet.

 

[harvyk]

One of my favourites. I believe the main Boeing pilot was supposed to do a low and slow 'fly by' of viewing stands of potential purchasers and other notables when the 707 first came out. The guy decided on impulse to do a barrel roll, right in front of everybody. The camera didn't catch the reaction of the Boeing execs If the story isn't true, it should be. I think the guy kept his job.

Though this is getting into new topic territory, yes it's true, -> Boeing 367-80 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (see the citations)
It was done in the Dash 80 which was the prototype of the 707.

 

[RooFlyer]

I hope mods and JB will forgive this little excursion outside thread guidelines, but here's something you wouldn't see every day (taken from the 707 Dash 80 in question)

 

[sydstar]

Hi JB

Curious as to what pilot training is undertaken prior to flying into a new airport for the first time (ie DXB, DFW) Does it require just sim work, or is there any physical checks undertaken?

I assume you would also need to be up to speed with alternatives in the area as well? Was the DXB changeover relatively smooth from this perspective?

 

[jb747]

Curious as to what pilot training is undertaken prior to flying into a new airport for the first time (ie DXB, DFW) Does it require just sim work, or is there any physical checks undertaken?

I assume you would also need to be up to speed with alternatives in the area as well? Was the DXB changeover relatively smooth from this perspective?

In most cases no specific training is needed. We don't practice for every possible alternate either. Most places are quite straightforward, and need little beyond a briefing sheet.

Some airports (for instance the old Hong Kong, or Wellington) may have sim requirements, but they are the exceptions. Places like JFK cropped up in the conversion (to the 747) but needed nothing beyond that.

 

[Skyhigh777]

View attachment 27780

The view from the office...

Amazing shot! Was this a landing or takeoff?

 

[jb747]

Amazing shot! Was this a landing or takeoff?

A landing in Manila.

 

[Skyhigh777]

A landing in Manila.

Thanks. Right, you're not going anywhere on idle

 

[jb747]

Thanks. Right, you're not going anywhere on idle

Shots on the runway from that camera position are pretty dull. Also very hard to have totally clear shots too, as the vibrations set up by the runway almost always cause some camera motion. It is after all, an 8 second exposure!

 

[Skyhigh777]

Shots on the runway from that camera position are pretty dull. Also very hard to have totally clear shots too, as the vibrations set up by the runway almost always cause some camera motion. It is after all, an 8 second exposure!

A fantastic pic never the less!

 

[jb747]

There are about 40 images in the set. I might put up one from a holding pattern a bit later. The external lights aren't that interesting, but the displays, and the motion on them, is a bit different.

 

[anat0l]

Now with QF planning to put the A380 on the DFW route (including now a non-stop DFW-SYD), are you looking forward or dreading doing some DFW flying?

I guess that might be silly to ask, since I suppose in our jobs we don't often or necessarily "look forward" or "dread", we just take it as it comes.

Do you foresee any particular challenges or other particularities for this route which makes it rather unique compared to flying to other, current QF A380 destinations?

 

[Quickstatus]

A landing in Manila.

Taking the plane for routine service?

 

[jb747]

Now with QF planning to put the A380 on the DFW route (including now a non-stop DFW-SYD), are you looking forward or dreading doing some DFW flying?

I guess that might be silly to ask, since I suppose in our jobs we don't often or necessarily "look forward" or "dread", we just take it as it comes.

Do you foresee any particular challenges or other particularities for this route which makes it rather unique compared to flying to other, current QF A380 destinations?

I'm certainly not 'dreading' it, nor is it something I particularly look forward to. I expect that they'll rarely come my way, but it may mean I do more of the Melbourne-LA, which whilst not a favourite either, is quite convenient for me.

Difficulties...no more than any other very long range flight. They'll occasionally end up in Brisbane, but the aircraft has longer legs than the 747, so hopefully that will be rare.

 

[jb747]

Taking the plane for routine service?

Lufthansa Technik are there, and they do the C checks.

 

[Quickstatus]

JB: How many tech crew will be required for a SYD-DFW-SYD A380 service ?

Also interested to know on say a transpacific flight when half the fuel is consumed?

 

[Major]

How can you see the front wheels? They're under the aircraft, and the camera that is fed to the cabin is only looking top down. There is a second camera, under the fuselage, which specifically looks at the front gear, but that is only fed to the coughpit.

You certainly aim for the centre of the aircraft to be right on the centreline, but not necessarily the front gear. You offset it upwind in any crosswind. Most touchdowns, in calm conditions, would be within about a metre of the centreline. It's not an aircraft to go chasing the c/l in though, too big, and any bank near the ground isn't desirable.

Autoland isn't necessarily all that accurate tracking-wise. I'd give it the same metre or so on most landings, but sometimes it does rather worse (as do we).

Flew on a CX 777 yesterday HGK - CDG and their camera is located under the aircraft looking forward through the front wheels. It was interesting to watch the front wheels come down and then it was several seconds after the main gear hit when they touched the runway just to the right of the centreline. Didn't appear to be much wind