Ask The Pilot

[jb747]

A very little one. In side elevation runway 34 has a hump which rises to a maximum of 2.33m above the threshold and 4.42m above foxtrot

I guess that might be noticeable from a lower coughpit, but the aircraft I flew were probably high enough to not notice. On the other hand Darwin and Manchester.....

 

[markis10]

I guess that might be noticeable from a lower coughpit, but the aircraft I flew were probably high enough to not notice. On the other hand Darwin and Manchester.....

It’s caused issues in the past when a tug crosses the 16 threshold unauthorised with a 34 departure!

 

[AviatorInsight]

That was a very recent change from one operator, increases Wet Rwy Xwind for T/O.

Ours are a bit different. Not doubting the validity of yours, it’s interesting to see the subtle differences between operators. Even if they fly the same aircraft in the same country!

Yep, you’re right. I had to ask my mates over at QF and turns out there is a few parameters with flap and CG to allow you to increase the wet take off crosswind limit by 5kts.

I remember they did something to it to get out of ports before cyclone Alfred hit but didn’t realise on the flap or CG part. I thought ours was also going to get relaxed by 5kts too (up to 30kts total) on a wet runway, but that never happened.

I wonder how long it’ll take before we follow suit.

 

[747sp]

I was wondering what the pilots view is on plane development .
Is the development of new engines driving the development in planes, or is it the other way around?
Also, JB, did Boeing ever talk to you about QF 30 ?

 

[jb747]

I was wondering what the pilots view is on plane development .
Is the development of new engines driving the development in planes, or is it the other way around?

Probably neither. The overarching influence seems to be coming from accountants, both at the maker and at the airlines. There are tweaks here and there, but nothing really ground breaking from any major manufacturer. There’s common sense inclusions, that came from the military, and made their way to the civil world, such as FBW and carbon fibre, but they’re not leaps. Boeing had an interesting idea with their original 737 plan, which was a wide body (dual aisle) small aircraft, but that was about the last original engineering thought that they had.

The blended wing plans that are out there are a real leap, which will provide better packaging (both cabin and external dimensions) as well as efficiency. I doubt that I’ll ever see one in service though.

Also, JB, did Boeing ever talk to you about QF 30 ?

No. I’m not sure that they’d have gotten anything they couldn’t from the report, and of course, one of their teams did much of the structural repair.

 

[ChrisGibbs]

QF have had a couple of aerobridge vs aircraft incidents over the last couple of weeks. A 737 in BNE and this weekend and an A380 in Sydney. Many years back I was on a brand new A330-200 in Sydney on a SYD-MEL sector and the aircraft commenced the push back with the aerobridge still attached with Door L2 wide open. This one resulted in the door being ripped off and an A330 sitting on the sidelines for a number of weeks.

This morning I did the QF132 CHC-BNE service on a 737. I noticed the process to connect the aerobridge in BNE took a very long time. Same again in SYD later today with an A330 doing the BNE-SYD leg where it took a very long time for the aerobridge to get connected to the aircraft.

I am not familiar with the procedures for the moving an aerobridge but up until now it appeared the aerobridge would be positioned for the type of aircraft prior to the aircraft arriving at the gates then once the aircraft was parked the aerobridge would do the final maneouvring. Now it looks as though the aerobridge is put into a stow position and not maneouvred until the aircraft is parked.

Not sure if this weekends 'slowness' is a result of a new procedure or just coincidental.

 

[jb747]

I recall that 330 incident. It was pretty famous around the company at the time. If I recall correctly, the door had been closed and bridge moved back, and for whatever reason the bridge operator moved it back, and the CSM opened the door, without talking to the coughpit.

Bridges should be in a parked position. These are clearly marked on the ground, and the pilots will not taxi in if the bridge is not parked in this spot. If we see the bridge move at all whilst we’re still taxiing, then we immediately stop.

 

[RooFlyer]

@AviatorInsight i’ve been flying in and out of Hobart for well over 40 years. A Qantas ground agent told me something today that I didn’t know (and I assume it’s true).

De-icing occurs at HBA. Now it’s a long while since I’ve taken a 6 am flight out of Hobart but I’ve never seen or noticed this when I did. Maybe they don’t use the brightly coloured fluid like they do in Canada. Apparently done by scissor lifts.

how often would this occur? And what are the procedures of you seeing the need to get it done and then getting it done?

 

[RSD]

@AviatorInsight i’ve been flying in and out of Hobart for well over 40 years. A Qantas ground agent told me something today that I didn’t know (and I assume it’s true).

De-icing occurs at HBA. Now it’s a long while since I’ve taken a 6 am flight out of Hobart but I’ve never seen or noticed this when I did. Maybe they don’t use the brightly coloured fluid like they do in Canada. Apparently done by scissor lifts.

how often would this occur? And what are the procedures of you seeing the need to get it done and then getting it done?

I've seen what looks very much like a U.S.-style de-icing rig in Melbourne too with QF signage.

 

[jb747]

The conditions in Hobart (or Melbourne) aren't anywhere like Europe or Canada. There, the de-icing is done with passengers on board, because the "holdover time" (basically how long it lasts before you have to start again) can be quite short. But here, it will last long enough that in many, and probably most, cases the engineers can get it done well before anyone arrives at the jet.

 

[AviatorInsight]

De-icing occurs at HBA. Now it’s a long while since I’ve taken a 6 am flight out of Hobart but I’ve never seen or noticed this when I did. Maybe they don’t use the brightly coloured fluid like they do in Canada. Apparently done by scissor lifts.

how often would this occur? And what are the procedures of you seeing the need to get it done and then getting it done?

I haven’t done a HBA overnight in a long time but I had to de-ice in CBR a few weeks back.

Australia and New Zealand use a type I fluid. This is very different to the “coloured” ones you’ll see overseas. It’s a good de-icing agent but the anti-ice protection is no good if there’s freezing moisture (rain, fog, etc).

Engineers will get it done with scissor lifts but the fluid is just heated to melt off the ice. The residual fluid will disperse as the airflow gets greater over the wing on take off.

 

[RooFlyer]

I had to de-ice in CBR a few weeks back.

Thanks. Is the need to have de-ice done advised in your met advisory of the morning? Does the flight deck order it, or does it happen automatically given the conditions? Is it easy for you to order if if the conditions are marginal - or do you have to make calls and wake someone up?

 

[AviatorInsight]

Thanks. Is the need to have de-ice done advised in your met advisory of the morning? Does the flight deck order it, or does it happen automatically given the conditions? Is it easy for you to order if if the conditions are marginal - or do you have to make calls and wake someone up?

Nope definitely the Captain’s call on day of ops. The engineers who sign the aircraft for the day are usually onto it in those ports and they will have it ready to go once the pax are on board so we can push back immediately afterwards.

If there’s ice on the frame it’s ordered. If there’s any doubt, then we order it. Because the engineers are there in the morning there’s no need to wake anyone up.

 

[mjt57]

I haven’t done a HBA overnight in a long time but I had to de-ice in CBR a few weeks back.

Even in summer it's bloody cold down there. Surprised it isn't a year round thing...

Just kidding for those who think that I'm serious.