Ask The Pilot

Yes, all controlled airports in Australia have Airport Operations Safety vehicles. These are the guys that remove bird carcasses from the runway when you hit one, work out your visibility in low vis ops at the smaller airports (including Canberra) down the runway, and escort workers and other vehicles across active taxiways/runways.
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Thanks ... I guess they are just more visible at Hobart, with a highway down one end and the terminal not too far away from the middle of the single strip.

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Originally Posted by RooFlyer HBA also doesn't have an occupied control tower.

Ummm, yes it does...

Really? You amaze me. I'd thought that it had been abandoned by people long ago, in favour of a remote service from MEL. So there are actual 'air traffic controllers' in that tower?

Being in Tasmania, it's on the Heritage Register of course :). This bit from the heritage register intrigues me:
The Hobart tower was built between 1956 and1958, and commissioned in 1958; it remains Essendon Airport’s current operational ControlTower.

How does that work (I mean HBA controlling Essendon, which would seem to have much closer alternatives)?
 
In similar vein, flying into DMK a few days ago I noticed there's a section of the nearby golf course that's actually part of the airport complex, there was no fence I could see between the green and the runway. Surely that's a bad idea, with a ball easily being able to shoot off course!?
 
Yes, all controlled airports in Australia have Airport Operations Safety vehicles. These are the guys that remove bird carcasses from the runway when you hit one, work out your visibility in low vis ops ................

Yes I have noticed them at Devonport and Maroochydore. At Maroochydore when the ute goes out and drives up and down the runway it means a plane is landing in 5 minutes :D
 
I was wondering if someone is able to tell me a bit about turbulence from a pilot's perspective?

I'm always uncomfortable during turbulence, despite having flown literally 100 + times between Europe and Asia/Australasia. When the AirAsia A320 disappeared last year, it got me feeling more and more nervous as I have been transferred to Bangkok and will be doing weekly flights in Asia. I heard the pilots wanted to change altitude due to weather, their request was denied. (This fuels my nervousness)

I guess what I would like to know is how and what a pilot is able to do to minimise turbulence for passengers? Are there any strategies a passenger can use when flying in turbulence to assist in lessening discomfort?

I would appreciate any advice and information. Thank you very much.
 
Really? You amaze me. I'd thought that it had been abandoned by people long ago, in favour of a remote service from MEL. So there are actual 'air traffic controllers' in that tower?
Yes. See here from the Airservices website: 'The air traffic controllers within the tower are responsible for directing all aircraft landings, take-offs,and all movements on the runway and taxiways at theairport, as well as activity at Cambridge Aerodrome. '

How does that work (I mean HBA controlling Essendon, which would seem to have much closer alternatives)?
It doesn't. As far as I am aware, Essendon is manned - the only remote tower in the country is Broome I think but we might need a resident ATC'er to confirm that.
 
Yes. See here from the Airservices website: 'The air traffic controllers within the tower are responsible for directing all aircraft landings, take-offs,and all movements on the runway and taxiways at theairport, as well as activity at Cambridge Aerodrome. '

It doesn't. As far as I am aware, Essendon is manned - the only remote tower in the country is Broome I think but we might need a resident ATC'er to confirm that.

Hobart is occupied by Controllers but not 24/7, early morning to sometime in the evening. I did one of my first attachments as a trainee in Hobart Tower but that was some time ago now. Broome is likewise occupied by Controllers and -I think - the ARFF (firefighters) in the one tower cab (that is the only place I know of that does that-if I am in fact correct that they are together-I must admit to skipping over the glossy internally produced newsletter). There are no remote towers in Australia, although there was talk several years ago of trying, since abandoned. I presume when talking about Essendons tower they meant the original from Hobart was taken over there and a new one built at Hobart?
 
I was wondering if someone is able to tell me a bit about turbulence from a pilot's perspective?

I'm always uncomfortable during turbulence, despite having flown literally 100 + times between Europe and Asia/Australasia. When the AirAsia A320 disappeared last year, it got me feeling more and more nervous as I have been transferred to Bangkok and will be doing weekly flights in Asia. I heard the pilots wanted to change altitude due to weather, their request was denied. (This fuels my nervousness)

I guess what I would like to know is how and what a pilot is able to do to minimise turbulence for passengers? Are there any strategies a passenger can use when flying in turbulence to assist in lessening discomfort?

I would appreciate any advice and information. Thank you very much.

Before flight, we use a number of different aviation forecasts to predict where there will be areas of turbulence. We then flightplan based on those forecasts, and might go lower than normal to avoid the turbulence. Normally at cruise altitude, turbulence is associated with convective thunderstorm activity or with jetstreams (strong winds at altitude). We get both text forecasts that give us the dimensions of expected turbulence, and then graphical versions of the same information. For the lower levels for departure and arrival we get similar forecasts. We can also predict ourselves when there may be turbulence on arrival - for example a strong wind that blows over a mountain range near to an airport.

So on arrival or departure we can amend our tracking laterally to avoid areas of expected turbulence and use the weather radar to avoid thunderstorms or associated convective cloud formations. Once in the cruise, ATC will pass information to us based on other pilot reports of turbulence, as well as updated weather forecasts that have come out since our departure. We can then pick a cruise level that is expected to be smooth - a lot of the time we climb to a level that we expect to be smooth and then see how it goes - you can always amend the cruise altitude once you 'have a look'. It is not uncommon to try a number of different levels before finding a smooth one, and of course it is a dynamic scenario and can change rapidly. Thunderstorm turbulence is generally easier to avoid than clear air turbulence associated with jetstreams, because you can see it (the thunderstorm, that is).

Once in turbulence, we fly a 'turbulence penetration speed' that is deemed by the manufacturer to be the best speed to fly in turbulence for the aircraft type. We will also turn on the seatbelts and tell you what is going on if we need to on the PA.

The ultimate responsibility for the safety of the aircraft rests with the pilot in command - if ATC deny your request and there is a safety imperative to that request, then you have the option to declare an emergency and manoeuvre as required.

I recall a conversation with ATC on a particular bad thunderstorm night out of Brisbane last year.
Pilot: 'Brisbane Centre, Airline123 require descent to Flight Level 320 due to severe turbulence.'
ATC: 'Airline123, Brisbane Centre, negative, opposite direction traffic below.'
Pilot: 'Centre, Pan Pan, Pan Pan, Pan Pan (declaration of an emergency), airline123, descending to Flight Level 320, leaving Flight Level 360 due turbulence,'
ATC: 'Airline123, Brisbane Centre, copy your Pan. Break break, Airline234 (the lower traffic), turn left heading 270, expedite, emergency traffic above descending (or words to that effect).'

That was on relatively clear VHF radio - it can get a lot crazier trying to organise similar clearance when out of VHF range on HF radio (which is much worse in terms of being able to hear ATC and with static on the line).
 
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There's probably a couple of things in play. First part of it is likely to be an unbalanced and suddenly unloaded tyre. Then braking is applied to the main gear during retraction, so you may feel that. And the nose gear isn't braked, but is ultimately stopped by a 'snubber' (i.e. friction), so you can feel that too.

thanks.

I was in an A320 yesterday and the phenomenon occurred on that flight as well albeit to a lesser degree. The airframe shuddered but it all happened before the gear retraction commenced so I suspect it must be the unloaded tyre. I actually thought it may have been something about vibrations and their harmonics across the airframe.
 
thanks.

I was in an A320 yesterday and the phenomenon occurred on that flight as well albeit to a lesser degree. The airframe shuddered but it all happened before the gear retraction commenced so I suspect it must be the unloaded tyre. I actually thought it may have been something about vibrations and their harmonics across the airframe.

Pilots don't necessarily take notice of every noise an aircraft makes. We learn what is normal during the training, and we're aware of what is different.
 
I was wondering if someone is able to tell me a bit about turbulence from a pilot's perspective?

To be quite honest, pilots are a lot less interested in turbulence than the passengers, and the biggest issue for us is that it spills our coffee. Structurally the aircraft doesn't care. Aircraft don't drop 'thousands' of feet. In really bad turbulence they might move a couple (i.e. 1 or 2) of feet. There is no such thing as an 'air pocket'.

I'm always uncomfortable during turbulence, despite having flown literally 100 + times between Europe and Asia/Australasia. When the AirAsia A320 disappeared last year, it got me feeling more and more nervous as I have been transferred to Bangkok and will be doing weekly flights in Asia. I heard the pilots wanted to change altitude due to weather, their request was denied. (This fuels my nervousness)

Air Asia did not crash because of the weather. As far as I know, they were near it, but not in it. In any event, it was an own goal caused by playing with circuit breakers that you shouldn't, and then not actually being a pilot. Not much different to Air France 447 in that regard.

I guess what I would like to know is how and what a pilot is able to do to minimise turbulence for passengers? Are there any strategies a passenger can use when flying in turbulence to assist in lessening discomfort?

As Boris has explained, we'll go around it as best we can.
 
No. I'm currently at home on a 'blank line' waiting for the phone to ring....!
Considering pilots don't live at the airport, how long do you have to get to SYD if called in? And does that travel time count as 'hours'?

Speaking of hours, how does a pilot keep track of theirs? Early on in a career I figure it would be paper based, but do you still use a logbook? And what hours count - actual flying time in the air or does it include preparation time at the airport?
 
Considering pilots don't live at the airport, how long do you have to get to SYD if called in? And does that travel time count as 'hours'?
We get 2 hours from the call to be in at work - i assume long haul pilots get a bit longer. Our travel time does not count as duty hours.

Speaking of hours, how does a pilot keep track of theirs? Early on in a career I figure it would be paper based, but do you still use a logbook? And what hours count - actual flying time in the air or does it include preparation time at the airport?
We keep track of duty hours (which is a CASA requirement as there are limits per day, fortnight, month and year) which is from the time you sign on at work until the time you signoff (regardless of whether you fly or not) - so this includes courses and the like. Aircraft hours are counted in the civil world from off blocks to on blocks normally (different in the military, you get less hours credited in the military for exactly the same flight time which is partially why military pilots have less hours!)

I still fill out a paper log book - I think I am on my 6th one now. There are electronic programs that you can use (either from the software at work that works off ACARS from the aircraft) or apps like LogTenPro which you can pay for and it does it for you. I personally think paper logbooks look better to present to a prospective employer, hence why I keep up the pain of having to fill one out.
 
Considering pilots don't live at the airport, how long do you have to get to SYD if called in? And does that travel time count as 'hours'?

As I'm based in Melbourne, hopefully I won't have to go to Sydney. Right now, even though I'm on a blank line, I'm not standby. So, I have to be available to answer the phone at a couple of preset times during the day, but I don't necessarily have to be able to go flying. Standby callout time isn't defined very tightly. They want as soon as possible, but also state they like you to leave home within 45 minutes, and fly in approximately 3 hours. Basically, if they're calling the standby, they want the aircraft to go, they don't care that much about the time any more.

Speaking of hours, how does a pilot keep track of theirs? Early on in a career I figure it would be paper based, but do you still use a logbook? And what hours count - actual flying time in the air or does it include preparation time at the airport?

The company keeps track of it online, and I also run an Excel spreadsheet. Haven't done paper since I left the military.
 
JB, so would this be a situation where a flight crew has run out of hours and they need to get the plane in the air ASAP? Assuming there wouldn't be too many situations for this with an A388?
 
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JB, so would this be a situation where a flight crew has run out of hours and they need to get the plane in the air ASAP? Assuming there wouldn't be too many situations for this with an A388?

Most likely reasons for the standby to be called are for late sickness, or crew running out of hours. There are some downsides to running a standby, as it's a duty that starts the CASA clock. Standbys are not available for all departures, so it's questionable whether they are of any value at all. Melbourne operated 2 * 380 departures a day for six years before instituting a local standby...and the coverage was arguably better.
 
Melbourne operated 2 * 380 departures a day for six years before instituting a local standby...and the coverage was arguably better.

Presumably they could still pax down a SYD A380 pilot if the local coverage isn't sufficient?
 
I was, until 18 months ago.
Since the MEL A380 flight crew base was set up, has there been any times where crew from the other base has ended up operating a flight to/from the other? (eg, has someone from MEL been called up to work a QF1/7/11 etc)
 
I think this may be a totally subjective observation but do the smaller planes ie 737 taxi faster than say a 747 ?
 

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