Too late to reboot when in the air ( QF A380 problems)

[jamesatfish]

Aah,
Just what someone uneasy about flying needs to read a week before jumping on an Emirates A380 over to London....

Hmmm... I read that article this afternoon - in the Qantas edition of the SMH whilst flying on the A380 LHR-SIN-SYD...

Other than a few glitches with the IFE (it crashed 3 times - but only whilst I was watching CSI) and the seat control screen displaying a 'Flash Player' error and ceasing to function, the 380 was brilliant. If it's your first flight on the 380 you won't be disappointed.

 

[straitman]

I hope I didn't come across as pilot bashing. My point is that the computerisation has added significantly to the safety of aircraft, and this seems to be lost in the cross fire of simply blaming the computerisation for aircraft incidents.

I don't see it as pilot bashing, the PIC on EK407 made a mistake is what appears to be the offical word on the street.

Be that mistake because he made a mistake with the side stick on the take off, or be it that he made a mistake on programming the FMC, either way the PIC is ultimately in charge.

The comment was not really aimed at anyone and was deliberately non specific. As a pilot this is a touchy subject for me. The emphasis in aircraft incident/accident investigations these days is toward systemic errors.

For example in the Emirates case the pilots fed the wrong information into the computer BUT more importantly how did the system let him do it incorrectly. Were they over tired? If so why? The input error was huge, so why was there not a procedure of some sort that flagged such a large error? Has this type of error been reported previously? (I'm sure it has) If so why was it allowed to occur again etc, etc, etc.

I know of similar events, with less consequences because they were discovered, that have occurred on other airlines and other aircraft types. ie not just Airbus but Boeing also.

 

[harvyk]

As a pilot this is a touchy subject for me.

I know this is OT, but what sort of plane do you pilot?

 

[NM]

I know this is OT, but what sort of plane do you pilot?

His avatar gives it away

Though I am sure Bill will give us a comprehensive list of the birds (fixed and rotary) that he has driven.

 

[Evan]

His avatar gives it away

Though I am sure Bill will give us a comprehensive list of the birds (fixed and rotary) that he has driven.

hahaah, i have driver more aircraft than i have piloted ...
I have taxied a few i have never flown

 

[straitman]

His avatar gives it away

Though I am sure Bill will give us a comprehensive list of the birds (fixed and rotary) that he has driven.

Give me time with this.

 

[oz_mark]

And, according to one Qantas insider, premium business passengers are demanding to be on the old Boeing 747, saying there is "absolutely no way" they are travelling on the Airbus A380 because of the unreliable departures.

Rewind to just before the A380 was introduced to service. IIRC 747's were less than stellar in their on time performance.

 

[straitman]

I know this is OT, but what sort of plane do you pilot?

harvyk,

In answer to your question the following is a list, in no particular order, of aircraft and simulators that I have flown. I am endorsed on most but not all and have instructed on many of them.

Cessna 150/152/172/177/182
Piper PA28/38/32R
B23
DH82
7ECA
Winjeel
Macchi MB326H
CT4A
Bell B204/205/212/412
Sikorsky S76
AS350
PC9
Mirage 111
F111C
Boeing 727/737
GA8 Airvan

 

[NM]

Cessna 150/152/172/177/182
Piper PA28/38/32R
B23
DH82
7ECA
Winjeel
Macchi MB326H
CT4A
Bell B204/205/212/412
Sikorsky S76
AS350
PC9
Mirage 111
F111C
Boeing 727/737
GA8 Airvan

And if they were all sitting on the tarmac, fuelled and ready to go, which one would you choose for a 1 hour "joy flight" on a quiet, sunny, Sunday afternoon? (my guess is that it may not remain quiet for very long )

 

[straitman]

And if they were all sitting on the tarmac, fuelled and ready to go, which one would you choose for a 1 hour "joy flight" on a quiet, sunny, Sunday afternoon? (my guess is that it may not remain quiet for very long )

The pig would be first choice and the Bell 205/UH-1H second choice :!:

 

[NM]

The pig would be first choice and the Bell 205/UH-1H second choice :!:

So my guess about the quietness was correct .

 

[straitman]

So my guess about the quietness was correct .

A lucky guess :!:

 

[NM]

A lucky guess :!:

Educated assumption may be closer to the mark . I would say that most people with the F111 in their list would likely have made the same selection (not so sure about the Iroquois but put that down to your fixation with things spinning above your head ).

 

[tgh]

I was sure he would say Winjeel .. but I guess pigs can now fly..although it was not so clear at the start
Not having any truly quiet aircraft on the list .. I guess one can be forgiven for a tendency toward petrolhead_itis