Ask The Pilot

[drron]

It can happen jb.On our last LAX-BNE sector after landing it was announced the Captain had now done his last international sector and would retire after a BNE-SYD sector.The whole plane applauded-it had been one of the smoothest landings in a 747 I had experienced but I guess that was not what the applause was about.

 

[Tortuga]

Thanks for the answers JB. I would love to be able to say thanks and chat with the pilots, unfortunately they are always in the coughpit still when I disembark. I know I really appreciate the amount of skill and professionalism you guys (and girls) possess. The pilot was spanish so I am sure I got the 3 turn translation wrong, all I remember was hearing 3 something due to fog.

 

[jb747]

Thanks for the answers JB. I would love to be able to say thanks and chat with the pilots, unfortunately they are always in the coughpit still when I disembark. I know I really appreciate the amount of skill and professionalism you guys (and girls) possess. The pilot was spanish so I am sure I got the 3 turn translation wrong, all I remember was hearing 3 something due to fog.

Well, if you ever fly with me on the 380, then make yourself known, and I'll come back.

 

[harvyk]

If the autopilot disconnect button is pressed on the yoke, I'd imagine there are warning noises \ lights to advise the pilot the A/P has been disengaged. Do these noises \ lights stay on for a minimum period of time (eg for 5 seconds after the button is pressed and released) or do they stay on only whilst the button is pressed?

 

[jb747]

If the autopilot disconnect button is pressed on the yoke, I'd imagine there are warning noises \ lights to advise the pilot the A/P has been disengaged. Do these noises \ lights stay on for a minimum period of time (eg for 5 seconds after the button is pressed and released) or do they stay on only whilst the button is pressed?

In the Boeing family...very loud noises that remain until cancelled.

 

[Happy Trails]

Is taxiing speed limited, perhaps by aircraft type or airport regulations, or is it at the pilot’s discretion?
How is speed on the ground measured?

 

[jb747]

Is taxiing speed limited, perhaps by aircraft type or airport regulations, or is it at the pilot’s discretion?
How is speed on the ground measured?

All three. Aircraft will have max speeds, and that might also have a number of provisos with it as well. Jumbo was 30 knots, but that went with both a weight and distance limit. Obviously at turns you need to be much slower...they might be good aircraft, but they are lousy cars. Near the terminals, common sense says to be reasonably slow, and some places, for instance, the south cross taxiways in Singapore have 20 kt limits.

It's measured from the IRS or GPS.

 

[nlagalle]

Well, if you ever fly with me on the 380, then make yourself known, and I'll come back.

JB do you know your roster for October yet? I've got QF9 (17th) and 10 (29th) both are A380 flights LHR and back.

Cheers,

Nick

 

[jb747]

JB do you know your roster for October yet? I've got QF9 (17th) and 10 (29th) both are A380 flights LHR and back.

I'm on what is called a 'blank line', which means I don't have any rostered flying, and will mostly spend my time doing standby and sims.

 

[rechoboam]

So on my first A380 trip in Oct (I'll be up front somewhere) if I want to thank the pilot and maybe ask about the approaches used would they maybe come out- I guess once we have docked?

 

[jb747]

So on my first A380 trip in Oct (I'll be up front somewhere) if I want to thank the pilot and maybe ask about the approaches used would they maybe come out- I guess once we have docked?

Sure, ask the cabin crew to pass on a request to visit the coughpit after landing. On most occasions it isn't an issue.

 

[nlagalle]

I'm on what is called a 'blank line', which means I don't have any rostered flying, and will mostly spend my time doing standby and sims.

Ahh no worries at all! Another time!

 

[harvyk]

Once Autopilot and one or more of the AP options (eg LNav \ VNav \ Heading Hold \ Altitude Hold etc) have been activated does simply moving the yoke deactivate AP or does the yoke need to be held to an extreme position for a small period of time prior to AP becoming disengaged?

If yoke movement disengages the AP, does it disenagage the whole AP system, or just the part of the system which the pilot is trying to override (eg if the pilot had both heading hold and altitude hold on and they pulled the yoke back to increase altitude, would heading hold remain on and only altitude hold disengage or would heading hold also disengage)


I was going to write "PS I realise that the normal method of adjusting altitude to climb another step would be to enter in the new altitude in the FMC or set the V/S on the MCP" but is that actually the correct method, or are manual climbs upto crusing altitude or stepping to a higher altitude done more frequently by hand than I realise.

 

[jb747]

Once Autopilot and one or more of the AP options (eg LNav \ VNav \ Heading Hold \ Altitude Hold etc) have been activated does simply moving the yoke deactivate AP or does the yoke need to be held to an extreme position for a small period of time prior to AP becoming disengaged?

A big difference between Airbus and Boeing here. In the AB, moving the joystick will cause the autopilot to disengage (though that is not the recommended method...that's what the disconnect button is for). In the Boeing it won't relinquish control and will fight you for it. I don't know what happens if you put a large input in and hold it, but even a small roll input required a lot of force. I never put in enough for it to disengage.

If yoke movement disengages the AP, does it disenagage the whole AP system, or just the part of the system which the pilot is trying to override (eg if the pilot had both heading hold and altitude hold on and they pulled the yoke back to increase altitude, would heading hold remain on and only altitude hold disengage or would heading hold also disengage)

In the 747/767, the a/p is either engaged or not...never in just one channel. The A380 is the same, but I believe that the earlier ABs (300 and 310) would disengage in one channel only, if you moved the yoke. It was implicated as a part of the cause of the Aeroflot A310 crash.

I was going to write "PS I realise that the normal method of adjusting altitude to climb another step would be to enter in the new altitude in the FMC or set the V/S on the MCP" but is that actually the correct method, or are manual climbs up to crusing altitude or stepping to a higher altitude done more frequently by hand than I realise.

It's never done manually. In the 747 and 380, just select the new altitude in the MCP window and push the dial, and the altitude will be transferred to the FMC, and the aircraft will climb. Whilst V/S could be used, (as could FLCH or open climb), its use is somewhat dangerous. The aircraft is being told to maintain a vertical speed, and it will do so as the first priority. Once it reaches max available power, the airspeed will be sacrificed to maintain the V/S...but the speed is the important parameter. Taken to an extreme you could stall an aircraft, but most likely would be that you simply will get into a situation where you no longer have the performance needed to either climb or to accelerate again. V/S is appropriate down low, especially when you have combinations of speed and altitude changes. Any of the other modes are more appropriate.

It is a bit of a hold over from the older aircraft (like the 747 Classic), in which V/S was about the only mode that worked properly, so it was used all of the time. In the electric jets, there's just no need.

 

[Flying Fox]

Can a plane reverse under its own engine power?

Can a plane reverse under its own engine power over chocks?

Saw this in a movie once and wondered how much was real vs Hollywood?

 

[serfty]

Can a plane reverse under its own engine power?
...

Some models can, but it is very inefficient it's not often done. AA designed their DFW home base for their S80's to be able to use their own power to reverse off the gates. Which they apparently did for a time. However this was stopped and now tractors are used.

...
Can a plane reverse under its own engine power over chocks?

Aircraft are typically "lighter" (less 'dense') than you'd think, so it may be possible.

 

[richie9x]

Can a plane reverse under its own engine power?

Can a plane reverse under its own engine power over chocks?

Saw this in a movie once and wondered how much was real vs Hollywood?

I have always wondered about this. I had thought that the thrust reversers on jets seem to disrupt the air sending it in all directions rather than straight reverse so I though it might not be possible with jets.

But according to Wikipedia this is known as a powerback Powerback - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia . Looks like it can be done but is quite rare due to foreign object damage.

 

[Sifor]

[video=youtube;7KbjRhWXTYw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KbjRhWXTYw[/video]

 

[LiamR]

[video=youtube;7KbjRhWXTYw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KbjRhWXTYw[/video]

On a slightly OT note. I've flown on a C17. No windows so there is no spacial orientation, and LOUD!

 

[nlagalle]

Can a plane reverse under its own engine power?

Saw this in a movie once and wondered how much was real vs Hollywood?

A Pilatus Porter can reverse.. turbo prop engine..