Ask The Pilot

[D747]

I haven't done much of it lately, but I've got the gear with me now, so I should have a look on the way home.

The biggest issue I find is that it's very hard to get a totally rigid location within the coughpit. Many times I've tried to get a shot that shows the coughpit clearly, whilst letting the outside lights streak, but the aircraft vibrations tend to make seemingly rigid locations less so. Getting night shots from the aircraft is possible, but the machines are not totally inert in the sky. Not only are they constantly making small corrections that we can see, but the FBW systems have constant motions, which tend to show up as tiny sine waves on images.

I've been trying to get a decent image of St Elmo's on the windscreen for years, but the good displays never coincide with the days I have the camera.

Have you tried image or lens stabilizers JB?

 

[jb747]

Yes, I've got a stabilised lens with me at the moment. That's ok for some shots.

But, for what I'm after I need something that rigidly mounts to the aircraft. Tripods will work in some cases. But, the only spots that I've found that are totally rigid are the overhead grab handle, and the window glass. Even things like the centre crew seat back aren't quite as stable as you'd hope. On a long exposure, that slight lack of rigidity translates to a slightly softer image.

It's easy if you want to use a GoPro. SLRs present a different problem.

 

[jb747]

There's discussion on various new sites, to the effect that the recent crash in Russia was caused by blocked pitot probes. They then invariably bring up AF447 to prove their point that such a blockage will cause an accident.

By itself, these blockages will not cause an aircraft to crash. They can start a confusing chain of events, which, if mishandled will end badly. In the Airbus you'll end up with law reversions...which in themselves are quite harmless....they just convert it from an Airbus to a Boeing.

When learning to fly, all pilots are taught that Power + Attitude = Performance. Airspeed is a performance output...it's a result of setting an attitude and a power. So, even if you don't have a speed reading, setting a known power and attitude will give a known performance result. If I were to lose the air data in a 380 during take off, setting TO/GA and 12.5 nose up, would give a stable climb away from the ground. In the cruise, the aircraft pitch attitude is always 2.5º, and power around 85% N1. If you don't change it from that, nothing much will happen. Descent is zero pitch and idle.

GPS ground speed needs to be corrected for wind to convert it to TAS, but without any thought it provides a rough check of acceleration/deceleration.

On finals, at the target airspeed, pitch is again 2.5º nose up, and power about 23% (thrust). If the speed is correct, that will result in 700 fpm rate of descent. If the RoD is high, then you are slow and need some power to correct (and vice versa). This is the technique used to fly angle of attack approaches.

The upshot is that the aircraft can be flown, without any need to go to any extreme attitudes or control positions. In AF447, full aft stick was being used. Why? In no world will that give you anything other than a deep stall.

 

[casanovawa]

There's discussion on various new sites, to the effect that the recent crash in Russia was caused by blocked pitot probes. They then invariably bring up AF447 to prove their point that such a blockage will cause an accident.

Was this most recent Russian accident at night? Night flying seems to just add another layer of complexity (crew fly into mountains, descend into everglades, or drop out of the sky as with AF447) when their situational awareness outside of the coughpit in relation to the ground, terrain features and the horizon is taken away and their attention is fixated inside the coughpit or they are completely unaware of what is happening outside and blithely fly into destruction...

Yes it maybe shouldn't pose any extra risks but I have to think with several of these sorts of accidents if they had been in daylight they would not have happened...

And AF 447 was just a study in people getting lost in their own confusion and what fear/panic will do to rational minds...

 

[jb747]

Was this most recent Russian accident at night? Night flying seems to just add another layer of complexity (crew fly into mountains, descend into everglades, or drop out of the sky as with AF447) when their situational awareness outside of the coughpit in relation to the ground, terrain features and the horizon is taken away and their attention is fixated inside the coughpit or they are completely unaware of what is happening outside and blithely fly into destruction...

90% of my flying is done either in the dark, or in cloud. All the information needed to fly an aircraft is right in front of me.

Yes it maybe shouldn't pose any extra risks but I have to think with several of these sorts of accidents if they had been in daylight they would not have happened...

Well, yes, you'd expect that if people can see things, then they won't fly into them. Hasn't always worked that way though.

And AF 447 was just a study in people getting lost in their own confusion and what fear/panic will do to rational minds...

Sadly panic should have no place on a flight deck. To a degree it's trained out of people, but it's also part of the selection processes. Panicky people simply fall by the wayside in this particular career. You can panic as much as you want...after you land.

Confusion can creep in, and I have no doubt that AF447 ultimately became very confusing. But, at the outset, it was, and should have remained, a total non event. The actions of the pilot who did the flying were so far outside of the expected that you almost wonder if he'd ever actually done any flying. At 37,000' pitch attitude changes are in the order of 1º...never 15º (up or down). Full aft stick is a totally alien response. And it wasn't for just a few seconds..he held it for most of the descent.

 

[AviatorInsight]

Was this most recent Russian accident at night? Night flying seems to just add another layer of complexity (crew fly into mountains, descend into everglades, or drop out of the sky as with AF447) when their situational awareness outside of the coughpit in relation to the ground, terrain features and the horizon is taken away and their attention is fixated inside the coughpit or they are completely unaware of what is happening outside and blithely fly into destruction...

Yes it maybe shouldn't pose any extra risks but I have to think with several of these sorts of accidents if they had been in daylight they would not have happened...

And AF 447 was just a study in people getting lost in their own confusion and what fear/panic will do to rational minds...

Yes, night flying does add another layer of complexity however it is no different to flying in cloud as JB has said. You mention crew flying into mountains and the Everglades accidents, but there’s more at stake here than just flying at night. We’ll never know for sure if night was an issue. Personally, I don’t think it was. When I fly in cloud or at night (sometimes both) I’ve just had a visual cue taken away from me. This means all of the information I need is right in front of me to continue on with the flight. My senses are now actually heightened and scan of the instruments now increases as a result because I’m “fixated inside the coughpit”. AA965 and EAL401 also had contributing factors not just the night issue and there were plenty of opportunities for the crew to catch their errors.

If you want to talk about if losing SA is an issue during daylight just ask the crew of Asiana 214. They were in broad daylight AND looking at the runway the entire time, yet they still managed to crash.

There’s usually more to the story than just losing SA, as you’ve seen in the AF447 accident.

 

[jb747]

Blank line at the moment so flying is 'ad hoc' with no more than 2 days notice.

QF93 on Wednesday 28th, and 94 on Friday 2nd.

 

[Quickstatus]

Blank line at the moment so flying is 'ad hoc' with no more than 2 days notice.

QF93 on Wednesday 28th, and 94 on Friday 2nd.

Does this mean you can be located at home?

 

[jb747]

Yes, but need to be able to leave in about 5 minutes...

 

[Quickstatus]

Yes, but need to be able to leave in about 5 minutes...

What’s the contingency if flights to your port of departure is disrupted? Drive?

Are there rosters for last minutes call ups?

 

[mjt57]

Yes, but need to be able to leave in about 5 minutes...

Ok, Pete from Planning calls. You're doing the 94 (or whatever it is) MEL-LAX this afternoon and you've had no sleep. How do you manage that?

 

[jb747]

What’s the contingency if flights to your port of departure is disrupted? Drive?

I would never use a flight for a standby call out. Always drive. The car is packed, facing down the drive, and ready for a Le Mans start. If I leave home at all, all of my gear comes with me, and I only ever travel closer to Melbourne.

I often use standby to spend some time with my son or sister, both of whom are much closer to Melbourne.

 

[jb747]

Ok, Pete from Planning calls. You're doing the 94 (or whatever it is) MEL-LAX this afternoon and you've had no sleep. How do you manage that?

You'll know you're doing standby a day or so beforehand, and you adjust your schedule as best you can to accommodate the possibilities. If you are unable to do the planned duty, then so be it.... But, you would tell them at the start of the day, not when called.

They don't always have any standby pilots. There are only two Captains in the current roster, and it's just as likely that we'll both be away at the same time. Then they either ring around, and try to sell the standby, or they simply have to go without, and ring around when they have an actual flight to sell. We operated in Melbourne for a number of years without any standbys, and all flights were crewed. It's not hard to sell a flight, and it can actually have the effect of increasing the available pool.

 

[Quickstatus]

The reason for the LeMans start is because you have to be in a certain vicinity of the airport at a certain time before the flight?. And you live close enough that that is possible?

What’s “sell the flight”?

 

[jb747]

The reason for the LeMans start is because you have to be in a certain vicinity of the airport at a certain time before the flight?. And you live close enough that that is possible?

The time isn't all that defined. Living within areas of Sydney could easily take a couple of hours. But, I'm a fairly long way out, so I need to ensure that I don't waste any time.

What’s “sell the flight”?

Just that. Offer it as an exchange for another flight, or as an extra to the roster for additional hours.

 

[RooFlyer]

Hope its OK to post this here. Airline pilots reveal the biggest myths about flying, favourite planes and more.

Interesting to read that SQ mixes up the aircraft type that can be flown (I interpret this to mean he's current on all of them):

I have had a total of five wide body passenger airplane ratings. Boeing: 747-400, 777-200/300, Airbus: A310, A330, A380.

I guess if I have to ask a question, any comments from our pilots?

 

[AviatorInsight]

Hope its OK to post this here. Airline pilots reveal the biggest myths about flying, favourite planes and more.

Interesting to read that SQ mixes up the aircraft type that can be flown (I interpret this to mean he's current on all of them):


I guess if I have to ask a question, any comments from our pilots?

Not quite. He wouldn’t be current on all of them and would only be current on one type at a time. The rating is basically an endorsement from Boeing or Airbus that training has been given to the pilot and have passed a flight test in the simulator. After which then allows them to fly on the line under training conditions for an amount of sectors before finally being cleared to fly the line with other line pilots.

 

[jb747]

Interesting to read that SQ mixes up the aircraft type that can be flown (I interpret this to mean he's current on all of them):

They don't. He only flies one type. In exactly the same way, I have endorsements on the 757, 767, 747/200-300, 747-400, and the A380.

 

[docjames]

March is still in the blank line, so I’ll never know with more than 2 days notice. But, that last QF9 is being flown by a Sydney crew, so very unlikely to come to anyone based in Melbourne, unless they have sickness on the day.

Is the April schedule released?

Any changes in pattern with QF9/10 switching aircraft?

 

[jb747]

Massive changes. The overall amount of flying has reduced by 10%. Melbourne flying looks to be only about half of the 93/94 (so I guess Sydney has the rest) but 100% of the Melbourne/Singapore. No London at all, which is really sad. The roster build from that will be horrible. I’ll be looking at bidding to go back to Sydney, as will most of the others in Melbourne.