Ask The Pilot

[jb747]

In this age of computers, electronics, and the like, why do cabin crew still use a knock on the door as a signal that it is OK to open the cabin door. You would have thought by now that there was some "electronic" system available?

Sometimes a non technical safety procedure is the best. The cabin crew, and the pilots, can tell if a door is armed. Nevertheless, the doors are almost always opened by the staff from the outside. The reason is that the door slides will only go off if the door is opened from the inside. Even with all of the warning systems that exist, doors are still occasionally opened when armed...this avoids the consequence of firing a slide down the aerobridge.

 

[straitman]

jb747 or Straitman, would you know any of this cohort?

Picture is in the Ettamoogah Pub on Sunshine Coast.

View attachment 40590

I have been wracking my brains on this one all day. Potentially I should have known them all as I was on RAAF Pilot's Course at Pt Cook from Apr to June 1970 before going to Pearce WA.

I don't recall any of them except Dave Griffiths who I knew through the Air Training Corps and who I went to school with at University High School in Melbourne. Dave and I both learnt to fly whilst still at school as we both won ATC flying scholarships. I have no idea where he is now.

Thanks for the stroll down memory lane.

 

[RooFlyer]

Sometimes a non technical safety procedure is the best. The cabin crew, and the pilots, can tell if a door is armed. Nevertheless, the doors are almost always opened by the staff from the outside. The reason is that the door slides will only go off if the door is opened from the inside. Even with all of the warning systems that exist, doors are still occasionally opened when armed...this avoids the consequence of firing a slide down the aerobridge.

That must just ruin so many peoples' day.

 

[ketsuzei]

University High School in Melbourne.

Also my alma mater, albeit in the 1980s.

 

[Sprucegoose]

It's typically 'sector for sector' as the flying pilot, while the other pilot monitors. While it's up to the captain's discretion who flies based on where they're flying and the conditions, at most airlines they allow the FO to conduct both the takeoff and landing.

There are some exceptions; for instance some airlines in Australia may place takeoff/landing restrictions upon FO's based on their experience until they have enough time on that aircraft type.
There's also several weather related conditions where the captain may handle the landing, such as in low visibility, high crosswind etc.

Yes I understand only the Cpt lands at Lord Howe Is and there are only 8 or so qualified within Qantaslink to fly that route.

 

[QFflyermelbourne]

Hi JB, is it standard for the 93/94 to have two SOs? My memory doesn't recall but I would have sworn my previous have been with three crew.

 

[Himeno]

From http://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community/open-discussion/qf9-mel-dxb-lhr-65710.html

Are average ATC delays at DXB worse then delays at LHR?

 

[jb747]

Hi JB, is it standard for the 93/94 to have two SOs? My memory doesn't recall but I would have sworn my previous have been with three crew.

The number of SOs varies with the sector length.

Between Dubai and London, it's normally two man crew with no SO. HKG is 3 man, and between Oz and Dubai or the US it's 4 man.

 

[jb747]

From http://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community/open-discussion/qf9-mel-dxb-lhr-65710.html

Are average ATC delays at DXB worse then delays at LHR?

In general yes. Arrivals at Dubai just after dawn (9&2) are normally pretty good...but, it's currently the fog season. Midnight to around 3am, is extremely busy, and 20 minutes hold is normal, and much more not uncommon.

London is also in the worst time of the year, weather wise.

 

[Major]

This should bring a smile to jb747's face


Navy Fleet Air Arm to the rescue !!!

It reconstructs how the Navy shot down a ‘pilotless’ Auster over the ocean out from Sydney when the RAAF had two failed attempts to do so. The aircraft had taken off from Bankstown without the pilot, flown over Sydney and then out of the ocean before being shot down a few hours later.
Peter McNay, one of the RN Sea Fury pilots had transferred to the RAN by then and was believed to be the last living in member (including family) within the house in HMAS ENCOUNTER. The house later became the Sick-Bay used by the Adelaide Port Division of the RANR. After retirement Peter became President of the Naval Association (Canberra Sub-Branch).

Flyaway Auster

 

[Shan Man]

London is also in the worst time of the year, weather wise.

Isn't that just london normally?

 

[jb747]

Whilst London can be a bit unpleasant on the ground at times, it's generally not bad from an aviation point of view. Around this time of year, some strong winds start to appear, which have a nasty habit of being at 90º to the runways. They were the cause of my only diversion away from the place.

Snow is a rarity, and it isn't really that much of an issue on arrival. Pain when departing if you need deicing. Frankfurt is much more interesting with regard to snow/ice.

Makes me think a bit...which is the worst place on our network for 'interesting' weather. Hong Kong would be right up there.

 

[ShaneN]

Makes me think a bit...which is the worst place on our network for 'interesting' weather. Hong Kong would be right up there.

New York must have 'interesting' weather, specially over the last day or so.

 

[D747]

JB as you enter the twilight of your career as a pilot for QANTAS what is it that still presents the greatest challenge for you work wise?

 

[NM]

Whilst London can be a bit unpleasant on the ground at times, it's generally not bad from an aviation point of view. Around this time of year, some strong winds start to appear, which have a nasty habit of being at 90º to the runways. They were the cause of my only diversion away from the place.

Out of interest, to where did you divert? Another UK port such as Stanstead, or somewhere nearby like Frankfurt or Amsterdam?

 

[jb747]

New York must have 'interesting' weather, specially over the last day or so.

I haven't followed it all that closely, but it was cold and snowy...which is not all that unusual for JFK at this time of year. Cold doesn't bother the aircraft...nor does a light smattering of snow. My idea of interesting normally includes nasty gusty wind. And by 'interesting', I guess I mean bad....

 

[jb747]

JB as you enter the twilight of your career as a pilot for QANTAS what is it that still presents the greatest challenge for you work wise?

Depressing way to look at it, though I suppose one to two hundred landings will contain the rest of my career. Hopefully a couple will be decent.

All sectors present a challenge. The day you think you have it all worked out, is a couple of days past when you should have stopped. I learn something every sector. There will always be something to learn...but if you think you've seen it all, it just means you've stopped noticing.

 

[jb747]

Out of interest, to where did you divert? Another UK port such as Stanstead, or somewhere nearby like Frankfurt or Amsterdam?

Aviation is dynamic, and that particular morning fitted that description nicely.

The weather forecast had winds of up to 35-40 knots from the south, in passing rain. The 747 crosswind limit is 35 knots...reducing to 25 knots when wet.

The plan was to have a look, and divert to Stansted if necessary. Stansted's runway alignment is more southerly, so it was not forecast to get near the crosswind limits.

During the approach, the crosswind was 72 knots at 3,000 feet...but it was reducing, and some people were landing. Eventually I decided that they were working to different limits than me, so I went around. As we did so, the SO called that Stansted was now outside limits. And so we diverted to Amsterdam..

Walking around the cabin I was somewhat stunned by the reaction of some of the passengers, who happened to know that airline X had landed just ahead of us, and wanted to know why we hadn't. At the point that I went around, I would not have guaranteed even hitting the runway, much less staying on it. I guess that's the sort of weather I describe as interesting.

 

[BAM1748]

I never complain when the pilot walks back to tell the passengers why something isn't going to happen, I'm even more pleased when I see he has a few years wisdom with a bit of grey hair and wants to enjoy his retirement.

Had an AA pilot do this during bad weather in the US and stop at each row to explain and answer any questions. Passengers were happy and and I was relieved we didn't have an airline that paid by on time performance.

Matt

 

[Fruitcake]

Passengers were happy and and I was relieved we didn't have an airline that paid by on time performance.

For what it's worth, AA does pay employees cash bonuses for good on-time performance relative to peers, although it's not a huge amount (I think it tops out at $100/mo).