Ask The Pilot

[jb747]

The article says Jetstar flight 456 was set for Ballina before the pilots were alerted by a coughpit warning light and returned to the gate safely. So perhaps they simply didn't notice it until well out on the taxi-way.

Is looking at the door closure indicators usually part of the checklist?

It’s an Airbus. It isn’t a warning light. Everything is via the ECAM.

There is a line drawn through all AB Before Start checklists, which marks the point beyond which you cannot proceed until you are actually ready to go. The very first item after the line is WINDOWS/DOORS. An unlocked door would show as orange on the door synoptic display, and would also be an item on the displayed list of faults on the upper display.

 

[D747]

It’s an Airbus. It isn’t a warning light. Everything is via the ECAM.

There is a line drawn through all AB Before Start checklists, which marks the point beyond which you cannot proceed until you are actually ready to go. The very first item after the line is WINDOWS/DOORS. An unlocked door would show as orange on the door synoptic display, and would also be an item on the displayed list of faults on the upper display.

If the display was not on the Door Synoptic page of the display, would it automatically go to that page if the door was open in this situation?

 

[Saab34]

These ecam warnings give out any sounds or chimes?

 

[elanshin]

This might be more for ATC people but perhaps the pilots may have some insights.

Just landed into MEL on RWY 27, I believe 34 is also in use. We were on Echo being held short of 16/34 and I thought nothing too much of it until I watched 4 planes depart/land 27 in a row with no traffic on 34. Wouldn't it make sense to issue clearance to cross 16/34 if there wasn't going to be any possible landing/departures on 34 with 4 movement back to back on 27?

Ultimately it was just an extra few minutes, but seemed a bit odd.

 

[markis10]

This might be more for ATC people but perhaps the pilots may have some insights.

Just landed into MEL on RWY 27, I believe 34 is also in use. We were on Echo being held short of 16/34 and I thought nothing too much of it until I watched 4 planes depart/land 27 in a row with no traffic on 34. Wouldn't it make sense to issue clearance to cross 16/34 if there wasn't going to be any possible landing/departures on 34 with 4 movement back to back on 27?

Ultimately it was just an extra few minutes, but seemed a bit odd.

Was that 15 minutes ago? There was a VA 737 waiting to depart on 34 and a dash 8 arrival while 4 aircraft were holding on E. The VA aircraft may have taken longer to call ready than the ADC expected, or the SMC could not get a crossing request in due to the workload on the ADC. ADC = Aerodrome controller, looks after traffic in the air and owns the runways. SMC = Surface Movement Controller, traffic on the taxiways and Aerodrome cars etc.

 

[elanshin]

Was that 15 minutes ago? There was a VA 737 waiting to depart on 34 and a dash 8 arrival while 4 aircraft were holding on E. The VA aircraft may have taken longer to call ready than the ADC expected, or the SMC could not get a crossing request in due to the workload on the ADC. ADC = Aerodrome controller, looks after traffic in the air and owns the runways. SMC = Surface Movement Controller, traffic on the taxiways and Aerodrome cars etc.

Ah yes roughly. Just felt it was extremely odd that departures and arrivals continued on 27 back to back. Would've thought that if there was clearance on 27 for 4 aircrafts, then there should be more than a single gap to cross 34.

 

[markis10]

Ah yes roughly. Just felt it was extremely odd that departures and arrivals continued on 27 back to back. Would've thought that if there was clearance on 27 for 4 aircrafts, then there should be more than a single gap to cross 34.

Departures from the VA apron and JQ are also a factor of QF birds on E, easier to hold on E short of 16/34 and let the taxing for departure aircraft get to 27 without conflicting with arrivals.

 

[jb747]

These ecam warnings give out any sounds or chimes?

I’m nowhere near a manual at the moment, but I think it’s context driven. If shutdown, then it’s just the message, but running then there’d be audio. Airborne, the whole band. But, you’d need a change of state to trip anything. If the door was open, and the message ignored, then there would be no audio. If you actually managed to take off, you’d probably see pressurisation controller messages first, perhaps right at the start of the take off roll, before the 80 knot inhibit.

With the aircraft shutdown at the start of a flight, there are lots of messages, but as you bring it to life, and before you taxi, they should all be gone. You also do a “recall” at some point, to ensure nothing has been hidden.