Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

The great big "ask an airline pilot" thread!

11718202223116

Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 1,240 ✭✭✭CaptainSkidmark


    Are any of ye the KLM First officer that commutes from dublin - ams lol


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,939 ✭✭✭pclancy


    Is music permitted in the flight deck at any stage? As in if you're cruising over the Atlantic with not much to do, is gentle music permitted such as one earphone in or a quiet speaker?

    Must be hard not to get bored on the long haul cruises with not much to do, i'd go mad without a bit of music!


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,133 ✭✭✭View Profile


    It's possible to tune the ADF into some radio stations and listen to its ident.

    On the longer flights we do I find a lot of guys have tablets now. So you can read e-books, watch videos, play games and presumably listen to some music if you like.
    Transatlantic flight will have a form of ACARS so listening out for the radio isnt as vital.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,787 ✭✭✭xflyer


    I played a flight sim on my smartphone while flying lately. It just seemed a funny thing to do. Xplane as it happened. I crashed, the sim that is. It would be cool to duplicate the actual flight you're making on a sim live as it were.:D


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,939 ✭✭✭pclancy


    Yeah i've done that a few times in the clubs aircraft. Seen some guys plug their MP3s into the AUX input on some comm systems too.


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 2,630 ✭✭✭Plowman


    This post has been deleted.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,265 ✭✭✭RangeR


    Plowman wrote: »
    This post has been deleted.

    Whoa.

    Question : Are bluetooth earphones allowed to be used on planes? I've long gone from wired [always snagging] to wireless stereo buds. Keep forgetting to bring wired with me on flight so end up not listening to anything, just in case :(


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 9,698 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tenger


    RangeR wrote: »
    Whoa.

    Question : Are bluetooth earphones allowed to be used on planes? I've long gone from wired [always snagging] to wireless stereo buds. Keep forgetting to bring wired with me on flight so end up not listening to anything, just in case :(

    AFAIK, all wireless (ie transmitting) equipment is not permitted on board a commercial aircraft.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,133 ✭✭✭View Profile


    Plowman wrote: »
    This post has been deleted.

    I would welcome it. I use my Galaxy tab on the flightdeck. Have the latest weather downloaded to it and have some European ATIS/VOLMET frequencies stored on it for reference not to mention digital copies of all the flight crew operation manuals.
    Would love to get my hand on a digital Jeppesen database of European plates.


  • Registered Users Posts: 743 ✭✭✭LeftBase


    Hi all,

    I'm at the mid point of my pilot training and was just wondering what a daily roster in an airline is like? What routes/how many sectors in a day etc?

    Any pilots here able to give an example of a day they have had?

    Thanks,

    LB


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 63 ✭✭Priority Right


    2/4 sectors on an average day. 2 sectors could be short e.g 1 hour sector each way or longer up to 6 hours each way.

    4 sector days are usually much longer and more tiring as you're working harder in the approach and landing but can feel much quicker as you are busy. Most 4 sector days last from 9-12 hours for me.

    It's all irrelevant really. It all depends on the person to your left/right. If you get on with eachother you will have a class day and it won't feel like work more a day out with a mate. If you don't or if they are hard work to deal with (which thankfully rarely happens) then you can have a **** day.


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 9,698 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tenger


    LeftBase wrote: »
    .....I'm at the mid point of my pilot training and was just wondering what a daily roster in an airline is like? What routes/how many sectors in a day etc?....
    And of course the daily/weekly roster will vary quite a bit depending on which airline and what type of network they operate.

    EG. Ryanair vs Aer Arann vs Emirates vs British Airways


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,133 ✭✭✭View Profile


    A typical working week in the "worlds favourite" airline. :rolleyes:

    This is in a base in which you work 5 days on duty, with 4 days off duty. It's a fixed roster so this pattern does not change.

    1 Oct 12, Sun Milan 10:05 Z.............12:50 Z Kos
    1 Oct 12, Sun Kos 13:15 Z...............16:00 Z Milan
    1 Oct 12, Sun Milan 16:25 Z.............18:15 Z Niederrhein
    1 Oct 12, Sun Niederrhein 18:40 Z.....20:20 Z Milan

    2 Oct 12, Mon Milan 12:20 Z.............13:50 Z Lamezia
    2 Oct 12, Mon Lamezia 14:15 Z.........15:45 Z Milan
    2 Oct 12, Mon Milan 16:10 Z.............17:45 Z Palermo
    2 Oct 12, Mon Palermo 18:10 Z.........19:45 Z Milan

    3 Oct 12, Tue Milan 15:55 Z..............18:30 Z Rhodes
    3 Oct 12, Tue Rhodes 18:55 Z...........21:40 Z Milan

    4 Oct 12, Wed Stand-by 08:30 Z........20:30 Z

    5 Oct 12, Thu Milan 14:10 Z............15:45 Z Palermo
    5 Oct 12, Thu Palermo 16:10 Z.........17:45 Z Milan
    5 Oct 12, Thu Milan 18:10 Z............19:50 Z Beauvais
    5 Oct 12, Thu Beauvais 20:15 Z........21:55 Z Milan

    And like Priority Right mentioned, the fellow sitting next to you will dictate how good or bad a day you will have.
    I have found that certain nationalities are better craic than others on the flight deck.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,630 ✭✭✭Plowman


    This post has been deleted.


  • Registered Users Posts: 743 ✭✭✭LeftBase


    A typical working week in the "worlds favourite" airline. :rolleyes:

    This is in a base in which you work 5 days on duty, with 4 days off duty. It's a fixed roster so this pattern does not change.

    1 Oct 12, Sun Milan 10:05 Z.............12:50 Z Kos
    1 Oct 12, Sun Kos 13:15 Z...............16:00 Z Milan
    1 Oct 12, Sun Milan 16:25 Z.............18:15 Z Niederrhein
    1 Oct 12, Sun Niederrhein 18:40 Z.....20:20 Z Milan

    2 Oct 12, Mon Milan 12:20 Z.............13:50 Z Lamezia
    2 Oct 12, Mon Lamezia 14:15 Z.........15:45 Z Milan
    2 Oct 12, Mon Milan 16:10 Z.............17:45 Z Palermo
    2 Oct 12, Mon Palermo 18:10 Z.........19:45 Z Milan

    3 Oct 12, Tue Milan 15:55 Z..............18:30 Z Rhodes
    3 Oct 12, Tue Rhodes 18:55 Z...........21:40 Z Milan

    4 Oct 12, Wed Stand-by 08:30 Z........20:30 Z

    5 Oct 12, Thu Milan 14:10 Z............15:45 Z Palermo
    5 Oct 12, Thu Palermo 16:10 Z.........17:45 Z Milan
    5 Oct 12, Thu Milan 18:10 Z............19:50 Z Beauvais
    5 Oct 12, Thu Beauvais 20:15 Z........21:55 Z Milan

    And like Priority Right mentioned, the fellow sitting next to you will dictate how good or bad a day you will have.
    I have found that certain nationalities are better craic than others on the flight deck.

    Cheers and thanks for the replies guys! I was just wondering how much air time there is and if you spent a lot of days with say 2 sectors and home for lunch!

    I'm dying to know what nationalities are the best craic now! :D


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 29,476 ✭✭✭✭Our man in Havana


    4 Oct 12, Wed Stand-by 08:30 Z........20:30 Z
    Hanging around?


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,133 ✭✭✭View Profile


    Hanging around?

    Yep, it's an unpaid standby shift. Basically you are on call the whole day and need to be within an hour of the airport if they need you.

    Leftbase
    Cheers and thanks for the replies guys! I was just wondering how much air time there is and if you spent a lot of days with say 2 sectors and home for lunch!

    That's a late shift. In FR you generally will alternate between earlies and lates every week. An early shift usually starts about 5am local time and finishes around 2-4pm. Lunch is had in the cruise!

    Plowman
    Go on?


    Ah, while I can't tar every nationality with the same brush there are some pilots that have a reputation within the company.
    Dutch pilots for example are often regarded as a pain in the ass, know it all, cocky bunch.
    Some Brits are a bit too serious and lack a sense of humour.
    The Irish, Italians , Greeks and Germans I have found are a laid back enough bunch.
    All depends on the individual and their age though..........mainly.:p


  • Registered Users Posts: 63 ✭✭Priority Right


    It's a disgrace you don't get paid for standby!!

    Yep the Dutch in every airline are the worst!


  • Registered Users Posts: 232 ✭✭Bessarion


    It's a disgrace you don't get paid for standby!!

    Yep the Dutch in every airline are the worst!
    Just wanted to highlight that fact....


    Strangely I know a Dutch F/O who most crew like working with.............


    ............the blonde hair, long legs and sultry female accent may play a part in that though!!!!!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 29,476 ✭✭✭✭Our man in Havana


    Yep, it's an unpaid standby shift. Basically you are on call the whole day and need to be within an hour of the airport if they need you.

    How often would you actually end up getting called in?


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 1,133 ✭✭✭View Profile


    How often would you actually end up getting called in?

    Depends on the base but where I am I'd say 10% of standby shifts I get a call.
    With the less experienced FOs (i.e. cheaper) they may get more calls.


  • Registered Users Posts: 743 ✭✭✭LeftBase


    Depends on the base but where I am I'd say 10% of standby shifts I get a call.
    With the less experienced FOs (i.e. cheaper) they may get more calls.

    Are hours good across the board or is talk of FOs sitting on backsides(on the ground with no sector pay) a fair bit true?


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,655 ✭✭✭Darwin


    Hi...I have a weather related question. Last week I was on a flight to Munich and as we came in over the coast of Germany, flight deck comes on to say weather radar shows a widespread storm system ahead and information from flights ahead indicate a rough ride. Cabin crew were instructed to take seats when ready. A minute or two later another annoucement this time from cabin crew to say we are expecting severe turbulence and for all pax to stay seated and belted up.

    It got quite dark and we bounced for a bit but happily it turned out to be nothing out of the ordinary (I didn't spill my coffee :))

    1) Would it be considered abnormal to divert to another airport because a storm system (possibly hundreds of miles from the destination) blocks the way?
    2) I've never heard the words 'severe turbulence' announced on a flight before - did someone overreact or did we get
    away lightly?


  • Registered Users Posts: 63 ✭✭Priority Right


    Darwin wrote: »

    1) Would it be considered abnormal to divert to another airport because a storm system (possibly hundreds of miles from the destination) blocks the way?
    2) I've never heard the words 'severe turbulence' announced on a flight before - did someone overreact or did we get
    away lightly?

    Unless you were well into the descent and the thunderstorm was over the airfield on on short approach I can see of no reason to divert to another airfield. If the thunderstorm is anywhere else then you can go around it and try to stay upwind.

    Sounds like they thought they had to fly through it but some airlines have different approaches to turbulence. Anytime I fly with Aer Lingus they put on the seatbelt sign the instant they feel anything. Sometimes it is just a shudder and the belts are on for another 5 minutes. If it's very light turbulence then I'll leave the belts off and only put them on as it gets more moderate.


  • Registered Users Posts: 17 adlima


    Hey guys, super thread. I was on a flight over the weekend from Dubai to Qatar on a 737. During pushback, one of the Flap Track Fairings on the left hand side(I think that's what they're called) was pouring fuel quite heavily. Is it quite normal for something like this to happen? I've flown so much and have never seen it happen before. I'm fascinated with aviation but my knowledge of the engineering side of things wouldn't be the best. Thanks


  • Registered Users Posts: 708 ✭✭✭A320


    adlima wrote: »
    Hey guys, super thread. I was on a flight over the weekend from Dubai to Qatar on a 737. During pushback, one of the Flap Track Fairings on the left hand side(I think that's what they're called) was pouring fuel quite heavily. Is it quite normal for something like this to happen? I've flown so much and have never seen it happen before. I'm fascinated with aviation but my knowledge of the engineering side of things wouldn't be the best. Thanks

    That could of just been water,there is a drain hole on them,they can easily gather water,its Unlikely fuel would get in there,


  • Registered Users Posts: 17 adlima


    A320 wrote: »
    That could of just been water,there is a drain hole on them,they can easily gather water,its Unlikely fuel would get in there,

    Thanks for the reply. Maybe I'm mistaken alright but I was convinced that it looked like fuel. The way the liquid changed when it hit the baking hot concrete certainly didn't look like water. And it also left huge stains, as we were sitting for a few mins before we taxied. Is there a possibility fuel could get in there?


  • Registered Users Posts: 743 ✭✭✭LeftBase


    adlima wrote: »
    Thanks for the reply. Maybe I'm mistaken alright but I was convinced that it looked like fuel. The way the liquid changed when it hit the baking hot concrete certainly didn't look like water. And it also left huge stains, as we were sitting for a few mins before we taxied. Is there a possibility fuel could get in there?

    May have been water that was mixed with lubricant on the flap mechanisms?


  • Registered Users Posts: 708 ✭✭✭A320


    Grease 33 Beautiful :D:D


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 740 ✭✭✭Lustrum


    How much study/reading do ye do as airline pilots? How much of your type rating would you need to know on the tip of your tongue?

    Do you know where to look in the QRH when you might need something, or is it just coming up to the sim checks every 6 months that the books come out?


Advertisement