On average how many hours of shut-eyes would you be able to achieve during a long haul (e.g. SYD DXB) ?
Each sector is quite different. Some you can sleep on, others you just can't. Sometimes you just can't stay awake. Sydney Dubai...you'd be lucky to get 30 minutes. Mind you, some of the S/Os would get in 14 hours if you let them.....
All in one stretch or broken up in smaller segments ?
The way the roster is built will vary depending upon the timings of the sector, and upon just how tired everyone is at the start. If, for instance, we start work with someone who has just had a great sleep, and someone else who hasn't, the idea would be to put the rested guy into the seat for a LONG time. On the other hand, if everyone feels bad, then shorter breaks. Harder to get rest, but much harder to stay awake. I prefer to run a somewhat dynamic roster. Instead of sticking to set times for people to come and go, I prefer to let people modify it as needed.
Would that be the same for the FO, SO and flight engineer or the Captain has more "rest" ? [is there a flight engineer on 388 ??]
No flight engineer. The last disappeared with the 747-300. They were a great resource. They could always find the lowest dive to drink at....
The rest should be divided more or less evenly.
Would the flight crews have to "hot bunk" [sharing the same bed] ?
Not at the same time, but yes. There is extra bedding so you don't have to share everything.
How would you go about assessing a FO / SO whom you have not worked with before ? When would you feel comfortable about handing the reins {or levers / switches} to him / her so that you can have a break ? [I am thinking of AF447 here]
One of the great luxuries is that you basically don't have to be too concerned about your crew. QF's training department has a great record of turning out equally qualified clones. And I'm not saying that in a derogatory way. You really can go to work with anyone, and it will mesh immediately. Somebody who was 'different' would be a concern.
Would you ring up another Captain or Fleet Manager before starting the flight for an up to date background of your FO / SO ?
I would only need to ring the manager after the sector if there was a problem. And that's a rarely used phone line....
Or you'd have some internal "tests" to suss out the new guys ??
Never. I try to be as 'standard' as possible. My normal brief to my crews is that if I do something 'different', I'm not trying to be a smart cough but have screwed up...and I want them to pull me up on it. They will too.
I would imagine it is a difficult and sensitive task to delegate to another pilot whom you just meet for the first time.
It's not, but I have faith in the system that they've come through.
I was invited by the Captain of my recent flight (QF12) to vist the coughpit and was quite amazed at the numbers of switches there. Seems quite cramped with 4 people sitting quite close together. The captain (Ca.. Br...) extended the invitation to all F pax saying "you fly F, you are invited to come up here" !
Back in the 90s I had as many visitors up front as possible. We can't do that now, but it's still possible to have anyone who shows an interest up to see the office whilst on the ground. In particular, the kids...they might be flying me one day.
In the 380 and the 747 there are about 250 switches/knobs etc. In the Classic 747 there were around 900. Of course much is now hidden under layers of menus, but the coughpits have become much simpler over the years, whilst at the same time becoming more complex.