Ask The Pilot

[Quickstatus]

The 747 can be landed with all drift intact

Is your technique modified on a wet runway compared with a dry runway.

Engine thrust manual or autothrottle?

 

[jb747]

Do these parking areas ever have ground or external power JB?

Some may, but generally it will be external power carts, not some fixed infrastructure.

 

[jb747]

3rd landing attempt after two go-arounds - I'm not sure why the captain thought it would be any better the third time but at least he didn't end up in the drainage ditches off the side of the runway.

You are assuming he had a choice. For instance, if the airport required an hour of holding, that amounts to about 8, 000 kgs for a 747-8. So, on arrival he has the mandated holding, and that probably gives him a couple of close diversions. As the time passes, whether he is holding or flying an approach, that remaining fuel is decreasing, and with it, the options. Unless diversion fuel was mandated, he very likely wouldn't have the option for the entire time, so eventually landing becomes the only choice. Quite simply, if you think aircraft always have the ability to divert, you're mistaken.

I once flew 3 approaches to HK before landing. And when we did, the controller told us that we were the first to land after the typhoon's passage. In these places the weather often passes in waves, so getting in is really a case of being in the lull.

Love the comment in the comments section below the video "At least boxes can't scream"

Well, you normally can't hear the passenger screaming either....

 

[jb747]

Is your technique modified on a wet runway compared with a dry runway.

Engine thrust manual or autothrottle?

Takeoff was always done with the autothrottle, though it made very little difference. It just rolls the power to the target, then locks itself out. The 380 was a bit more complex with a pause along the way.

Landing in the 767 and 747 was always done with manual thrust, unless you were doing an autoland. The 380 had a full flight regime autothrottle, so it was engaged all of the time. That "retard" call that people are so amused by, is a reminder to pull the levers to idle, which also has the effect of disengaging the autothrust (as does selecting reverse thrust in all of them).

 

[RSD]

You are assuming he had a choice. For instance, if the airport required an hour of holding, that amounts to about 8, 000 kgs for a 747-8. So, on arrival he has the mandated holding, and that probably gives him a couple of close diversions. As the time passes, whether he is holding or flying an approach, that remaining fuel is decreasing, and with it, the options. Unless diversion fuel was mandated, he very likely wouldn't have the option for the entire time, so eventually landing becomes the only choice. Quite simply, if you think aircraft always have the ability to divert, you're mistaken.

One would hope that they would have taken plenty of fuel for a diversion given that they would have known that there was a typhoon in the area. They departed from HK so fuel capacity shouldn't have been an issue. Maybe they thought "will give it one more shot and if no luck then we'll divert". I guess there will be an incident report come out eventually which will give us more insight.

 

[Quickstatus]

Landing in the 767 and 747

Are you a wings level or slight upwind wings down in final approach for crosswind landing
Difference Boeing vs Airbus ?

 

[JustSlash]

Apologies if this has been asked before, I didn’t make it through all 947 pages of conversations…

What’s the best course you’d recommend for someone who’s never flown a plane? I’m not planning to become a pilot, just want to know a thing or two… you know, in case the apocalypse hits.

 

[AviatorInsight]

Apologies if this has been asked before, I didn’t make it through all 947 pages of conversations…

What’s the best course you’d recommend for someone who’s never flown a plane? I’m not planning to become a pilot, just want to know a thing or two… you know, in case the apocalypse hits.

If you just want to know a thing or two, then any flying school will be able to accommodate you.

 

[RSD]

… you know, in case the apocalypse hits.

Do you know something that we don't?