The great big "ask an airline pilot" thread!

Newbie1000

smurfjed wrote: »

The regulations which the airline is operating under will dictate flight and duty time limitations, for a two man crew, its usually 8 hours flight time, some airlines will look at the planned flight time for the day and assign an additional pilot if the flight will be more than 8 hours, some will always assign an additional pilot for that route.

For longer routes, they will operate with double crew and there will usually be a policy on how they share the flight time.

Thanks and same to eatmyshorts

Silverbling

Thanks for that, it is wind shear not cross winds and answers my question, it is very rare for an Easyjet or a Tap plane from Lisbon not to land first time but quite common with some of the short haul tour operators on a windy day.

It is fascinating to watch from the ground, what feels like a gentle gust of wind can make a big heavy plane visibly rock in the air

martinsvi

Silverbling wrote: »

Thanks for that, it is wind shear not cross winds and answers my question, it is very rare for an Easyjet or a Tap plane from Lisbon not to land first time but quite common with some of the short haul tour operators on a windy day.

It is fascinating to watch from the ground, what feels like a gentle gust of wind can make a big heavy plane visibly rock in the air

I suspect this is because your Easy and TAP fly with Airbus A319/320 whilst tour operators tend to favor b738. Airbuses tend to have slightly lower approach speeds, they can carry extra speed in case of wind shear and slow down just in time, in case wind shear doesn't slow it down. B738's tend to come in slightly faster and they are more slippery in a sense that it's a bit trickier to slow it down (or so they say) so I would imagine they can't carry much extra speed in case of sudden loss on final. This is of course open to correction by A/B drivers, I admit that this is just my speculation or train of thought

smurfjed

Across on Pprune, I get PM's about total earning potential about a dozen times a month, people get the blurb at the interview, but as the figures are per hour, they really want to know how much they are likely to earn at the end of the month.

That and a myriad of other questions about medical coverage, training, housing etc.

While some questions will be answered openly, the financial ones will only be answered by PM.

So I really don't understand why people are upset about directPEPOD asking about the earning potential in EI.

Bsal

Silverbling wrote: »

I would like to know about the crosswinds specific to Funchal

having done the very quick landing 20 odd times I am used to it and we also watch them from the ground but it can still be a bit hairy

My question is why do our planes from Lisbon always land yet some other airlines will make 2 or 3 touch downs and then go around, the crosswinds are notorius so is it training, or just something you get used to handling?

Regarding the winds here's the wind limitations published on the Jeppesen charts for LPMA, in the centre you can see the orientation of the runway 05/23 and the differing wind strengths and direction. The terrain around the airport can cause large shifts in wind speed and direction on approach called windshear which is pot luck for any aircraft on the approach.

duskyjoe

smurfjed wrote: »

So I really don't understand why people are upset about directPEPOD asking about the earning potential in EI.

RTQ....he/she asked for the T/Cs......this is a confidential agreement between the employer and employee in my view smurf. Likewise ask a pilot in any other airline and I presume they would be loathe to divulge same. This is cyber space not some cozy pilot lounge that we all high five with as fellow aviators. People on here are from all walks of life.

PeteK*

Can the pilots (if they're allowed) GoPro their flights and add them to a thread that can be created here?

Tenger

PeteK* wrote: »

Can the pilots (if they're allowed) GoPro their flights and add them to a thread that can be created here?

Usage of personal electronic devices inflight will vary across aviation authority and company. While cool to see I don't think it would be viewed in a good light by an employer.

smurfjed

We actually got a specific bulletin recently banning the use of Go-pros in the cockpit..

eatmyshorts

smurfjed wrote: »

We actually got a specific bulletin recently banning the use of Go-pros in the cockpit..

We're banned from the use of any camera equipment in the flight deck. It doesn't even stipulate between on ground or in the air. So, unfortunately, the days of letting kids have their photo taken in my seat when parked on stand are gone.

martinsvi

eatmyshorts wrote: »

We're banned from the use of any camera equipment in the flight deck. It doesn't even stipulate between on ground or in the air. So, unfortunately, the days of letting kids have their photo taken in my seat when parked on stand are gone.

that's pretty sad. I'm going to hazard guess from your other posts, you work for a certain UAE carrier? Just a year or two ago I asked the crew can I go to the flight deck to get a picture (it was an A380) and was greeted with a positive answer. In fact I have a quite a few flight deck shots from my travels, I have never been refused the opportunity as a pax. How do you inspire the next generation of pilots if everything is to happen behind closed doors?

Lustrum

eatmyshorts wrote: »

We're banned from the use of any camera equipment in the flight deck. It doesn't even stipulate between on ground or in the air. So, unfortunately, the days of letting kids have their photo taken in my seat when parked on stand are gone.

That's a real pity, all that's going to do is disappoint some young kids and probably some older kids too!

On of our captains a couple of weeks ago had a 2hr slot due weather at destination, so once everyone was on and doors were closed he made an announcement to let the pax know what was happening, and then proceeded to invite anyone who wanted up to the flight deck for photos or a chat or whatever. A nice gesture I thought, and apparently not one complaint about a 2 hour delay!

pepe the prawn

pepe the prawn wrote: »

Just curious, a question for the airline pros on here, do many of you do any general aviation flying anymore?

Is it something that doesn't remotely interest you anymore?

Or maybe you look forward to letting the commercial environment behind you and doing some stick and rudder flying in a 172 or a Cherokee?

Bump...

I think this question may have got lost in the kerfuffle caused by a recent topic in this thread...

Anybody want to take a stab at it? :pac:

smurfjed

Last time that i flew a GA aircraft was in 2008, we were in Scottsdale Arizona attending training. I wanted to fly a Cirrus, but after visiting 3 schools i found that they were all U/S, so ended up in a Cessna 182. Prior to that it was a Diamond 42 on a demo flight.

I would love to have a go in Sean Bennetts Stearman, but apart from that there are no other aircraft in Ireland that i would crave to fly.

pepe the prawn

smurfjed wrote: »

Last time that i flew a GA aircraft was in 2008, we were in Scottsdale Arizona attending training. I wanted to fly a Cirrus, but after visiting 3 schools i found that they were all U/S, so ended up in a Cessna 182. Prior to that it was a Diamond 42 on a demo flight.

I would love to have a go in Sean Bennetts Stearman, but apart from that there are no other aircraft in Ireland that i would crave to fly.

Not even an exhilarating low level scenic trip alongside the cliffs of moher or along the Dingle peninsula in a whistly old 150 or Cherokee!? :pac:

amen

More a question for an Airbus pilot (but everyone feel free to answer) when entering a bank does the flight management computer restrict the angle of bank to ensure that a collision with the ground cannot occur i.e. the wing span of an A300 is 60m so if the plane was in flight at 20m above the ground (level, no obstacles etc ) would the flight management computer prevent you banking the plane so much that the wings would hit the ground ?

smurfjed

No one else answered, so I will have a guess..

The A300 wasnt fly-by-wire so I would say that the answer is no, the aircraft wouldn't protect you from overbanking into the ground.

As for the newer aircraft, I would guess that they have low level bank angle protection, but I still dont think that it would protect you from overbanking into the ground.

martinsvi

according to Nat Geo, A320/1 series reduces your side stick input by 50% as soon as the wheel touches the ground to prevent "jerking movements". This was not documented and caught an unsuspected lufthansa pilot off-guard when she tried to put ailerons into wind during a crosswind landing, causing plane to roll after touch down and clipping the wing tip

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYiLaK5bIJo

JCX BXC

What would passenger loads be like this time of year?

Locker10a

Carnacalla wrote: »

What would passenger loads be like this time of year?

Depends entirely on the route ! Ski flights would be getting busy ! Other routes not so much !! I'd say these few weeks are among the quietest in the year for passenger numbers

lord lucan

Locker10a wrote: »

Depends entirely on the route ! Ski flights would be getting busy ! Other routes not so much !! I'd say these few weeks are among the quietest in the year for passenger numbers

They are very quiet,its great,there's a lovely serenity about the place after the madness of Xmas and a mental summer season. It'll remain pretty quiet for January and most of February with the exception of the 6 nations and valentines. It'll all kick off properly in march with paddy's day and Easter in close proximity and the kids being off for 3 weeks.

highlydebased

The real giveaway is when you see Stobart up at FL250 or Ryanair at FL400 coming from London, they're very light

Growler!!!

highlydebased wrote: »

The real giveaway is when you see Stobart up at FL250 or Ryanair at FL400 coming from London, they're very light

Not true, with the lower temperature and an ISA difference between -6 and -13 aircraft performance is much much better than is the norm. For instance on two sectors today one with a 40% load and another with an 85% load we were filed and cruising at the same flight level.

highlydebased

Growler!!! wrote:

Not true, with the lower temperature and an ISA difference between -6 and -13 aircraft performance is much much better than is the norm. For instance on two sectors today one with a 40% load and another with an 85% load we were filed and cruising at the same flight level.

Interesting! Load must have something to do with it sometimes though?

bkehoe

highlydebased wrote: »

The real giveaway is when you see Stobart up at FL250 or Ryanair at FL400 coming from London, they're very light

A 737 with good (almost full) passenger load on a short sector like London-Dublin wouldn't have a problem going to FL400.
Its the division of the airspace and the volume of traffic in higher/lower sectors that means ATC often don't want an aircraft on a short sector going all the way up to FL410 only to immediately request descent. Therefore flights are often planned at lower levels. Its the same with domestic flights within the UK; eg Scotland to London.
So if you're seeing more aircraft at FL400/410 on short sectors like London to Dublin then I'd suggest that its ATC that's being more accommodating due to less traffic.

basill

The Atlantic tracks on the day will also play a significant part in what levels ATC can facilitate.

Lustrum

One for eatmyshorts:

Just thought of this from your posts on the Qatar thread, what kind of attrition rate is there for new joiners to your place who are coming from say the lo-cos where they are doing 2/3/4hr sectors, to doing 12/13hr sectors? Do many of them find the transition to long haul difficult?

smurfjed

I think that you might find that he is based a little bit further south than Doha!

Attrition rates are easily covered up with bonds forcing people to stay, and not all of the flights operated by the ME airlines are long haul, they do lots of short haul.

Lustrum

Sorry, it was the Doha thread that put the idea in my head, from what I can gather he's in Dubai alright or there abouts.

I'm my place we do sectors between 35mins-2hrs, and even the 2hr flights are a drag! Obviously I havent done anything longer, but even the thought of it at the moment wears me out

martinsvi

Lustrum wrote: »

Sorry, it was the Doha thread that put the idea in my head, from what I can gather he's in Dubai alright or there abouts.

I'm my place we do sectors between 35mins-2hrs, and even the 2hr flights are a drag! Obviously I havent done anything longer, but even the thought of it at the moment wears me out

obviously no names, but is it jets/props you're working with and what region?