The great big "ask an airline pilot" thread!

smurfjed

Ring around the schools in Weston and see which one is cheapest and what type of aircraft do the fly. Then decide.

smurfjed

Joshsjmcd

Yeah,I was just checking out the NFC's website and they offer alot of deals on introductory flights.
Could Someone give me advice on the best one,I want to go for 1 hour and they offer a half-hour flight simulator for 30 Euro extra.
Is it worth it and doe's a 1 hour flight include much preparation and ground briefing?
Any advice much appreciated.

Thanks,
Josh

michaelk744

Joshsjmcd wrote: »

Yeah,I was just checking out the NFC's website and they offer alot of deals on introductory flights.
Could Someone give me advice on the best one,I want to go for 1 hour and they offer a half-hour flight simulator for 30 Euro extra.
Is it worth it and doe's a 1 hour flight include much preparation and ground briefing?
Any advice much appreciated.

Thanks,
Josh

No its literally show up, jump in and off you go

Michael

Joshsjmcd

I've decided to go with the NFC,but could someone please tell me if I buy the voucher thing,Do I choose what day I can just show up and fly? or is a date organised and how?

Thanks

Tenger

Joshsjmcd wrote: »

I've decided to go with the NFC,but could someone please tell me if I buy the voucher thing,Do I choose what day I can just show up and fly? or is a date organised and how?

Would it not be better to ring NFC and ask them directly? Unless a poster here works for them you cannot guarantee getting the correct info.

Do I pre-book my slot?
Do I pay in advance?
What is the cost?
Do I need to prep anything?
Is there anything I need to bring with me?
What are your opening hours?
How long does the voucher last?
Can I buy a voucher now and book a lesson in a couple of weeks/months?

Joshsjmcd

Tenger wrote: »

Would it not be better to ring NFC and ask them directly? Unless a poster here works for them you cannot guarantee getting the correct info.

Do I pre-book my slot?
Do I pay in advance?
What is the cost?
Do I need to prep anything?
Is there anything I need to bring with me?
What are your opening hours?
How long does the voucher last?
Can I buy a voucher now and book a lesson in a couple of weeks/months?

Yes it would which I have tried,I also e-mailed them last week and they haven't got back to me.This is why I am asking all these questions on the forum

tipperaryboy

Hi all, I'm heading to LCY with Cityjet next week wondering what would be the possibility of visiting the avro cockpit taking photo etc and would two people allowed in at once? Of course on the ground in either DUB or LCY. Would be great to compare to A320.
Appreciate any advice thanks.

paulmcgrath

tipperaryboy wrote: »

Hi all, I'm heading to LCY with Cityjet next week wondering what would be the possibility of visiting the avro cockpit taking photo etc and would two people allowed in at once? Of course on the ground in either DUB or LCY. Would be great to compare to A320.
Appreciate any advice thanks.

These requests are best put forward to the capt before flight to arrange for viewing after the flight.

beckett85

Hi Lads,
Just curious about the best route to take to becoming a pilot? It's something I've always wanted to do but was advised against it years ago, due to expensive training and a lack of jobs. I've a bit of savings now,but I'm in a bit of a rut career wise and trying to feel out some other career paths. Perhaps at 30 I would be considered too old for training?

Gerard93

Hi Lads,
Just curious about the best route to take to becoming a pilot? It's something I've always wanted to do but was advised against it years ago, due to expensive training and a lack of jobs. I've a bit of savings now,but I'm in a bit of a rut career wise and trying to feel out some other career paths. Perhaps at 30 I would be considered too old for training?

Talk to these guys:
http://www.afta.ie/

Nice friendly bunch, went to an open night they had about 6 months ago very informatitive.

BrakePad

beckett85 wrote: »

Hi Lads,
Just curious about the best route to take to becoming a pilot? It's something I've always wanted to do but was advised against it years ago, due to expensive training and a lack of jobs. I've a bit of savings now,but I'm in a bit of a rut career wise and trying to feel out some other career paths. Perhaps at 30 I would be considered too old for training?

Depending on your location NFC or the above mentioned AFT are the best IMHO.

On the issue of age it really depends what you are looking for. If you want to be an airline pilot with the likes of Ryanair, Aer Arran and Aer Lingus then perhaps your age will go against you. They generally are looking for guys who are young enough to do their time as a First Officer and then serve a good old slog at Captain. That being said Ryanair may take you, but your chances of moving away from them to another(better paying/terms) airline would be a little slimmer given you would need to be with them 3/4 years to build up the required hours for a move and I would imagine you will be touching late 30s/40s by that stage. However you would have a good career as a Flight Instructor or elsewhere in aviation if you just want to fly and airlines are not your prime concern.

Most important thing is to not pick a flight school who are just looking to screw the F$$K out of you. The above mentioned schools are the best bet both financially and career wise. You are looking at at least a 100k investment all in if you want to get a job in an airline.

MoeJay

Lots and lots of info in the links contained here:

http://www.pprune.org/professional-pilot-training-includes-ground-studies/131649-archive-reference-threads-posting-guidelines-read-before-you-post-question.html

Should pretty much cover every question you could think of...

hidinginthebush

Hey lads, this was probably answered already, but how much say does the pilot have regarding takeoff and landing angles and speed etc. It seems that on Ryanair, for example, the takeoff climb is steeper (presumable to get to a more efficient cruse altitude quicker?), or is it ATC who say get to this altitude at this time, at this rate etc? Same for landing and approach?

LeftBase

hidinginthebush wrote: »

Hey lads, this was probably answered already, but how much say does the pilot have regarding takeoff and landing angles and speed etc. It seems that on Ryanair, for example, the takeoff climb is steeper (presumable to get to a more efficient cruse altitude quicker?), or is it ATC who say get to this altitude at this time, at this rate etc? Same for landing and approach?

Each aircraft has a best climb speed. There are actually 2 termed Vx(best angle or most height in least distance over the ground) and Vy(best rate or height in shortest time).
SIDs(Standard Instrument Departures) may stipulate that an aircraft must reach a certain height by a certain point to clear terrain or for airspace reasons etc. The same with STARs(Standard Instrument Arrivals) and Instrument Approaches. Generally speaking you will fly Vy or Vx up to FL100 and then fly a best climb speed that the FMC(Flight Management Computer) gives you depending on the weight or aircraft/temperature etc to cruise altitude.

pclancy

hidinginthebush wrote: »

Hey lads, this was probably answered already, but how much say does the pilot have regarding takeoff and landing angles and speed etc. It seems that on Ryanair, for example, the takeoff climb is steeper (presumable to get to a more efficient cruse altitude quicker?), or is it ATC who say get to this altitude at this time, at this rate etc? Same for landing and approach?

Its not Ryanair trying to climb faster, any airline that operates the 737-800 would climb according to its performance capabilities at the time. Pilots and Ops would have chosen according to the most efficient rate that is offered in the FMC, probably the best they can achieve with the temperature, pressure and ATC/traffic/SID requirements of the day.

If you think 7378s climb fast you should feel what its like being on a nearly empty 757! Wow those things can climb!

smurfjed

Generally speaking you will fly Vy or Vx up to FL100 and then fly a best climb speed that the FMC(Flight Management Computer) gives you depending on the weight or aircraft/temperature etc to cruise altitude.

What input are you entering into the FMS to give you Vy or Vx up to 10,000 feet?

We use canned speeds, 250/300/M.75, we have no options for Vx or Vy, unless you set a manual speed.

smurfjed

eatmyshorts

We use the greater of 250kts or Flaps Up Maneuvering Speed until 10,000' AAL, then accelerate to 320/ECON (usually around M0.83).
Once above 5,000' AAL, we can accelerate if any speed restrictions are waived by ATC.

Vx is displayed on the FMC VNAV CLB page, but is never used as it is usually very low.
Vy isn't displayed, but is calculated as Vref30 +140kts until intercepting M0.82.

smurfjed

probably the best they can achieve with the temperature, pressure and ATC/traffic/SID requirements of the day.

actually it isn't the best, as in most aircraft they use ECON and/or Derates.

Smurfjed

ElWalrus

Hi all,

I'm in a position where I'm flying quite a bit, usually Ryanair. The last flight I was on was quite a hard landing, felt like the plane was dropped onto the runway. I'm just wondering, how much of a pounding can the main landing gear take during touchdown? For example, is it likely that passengers would be getting injured from the jolt of a hard landing before its at the stage where it causes damage to the plane?

Just curious, as people would often think going through bad turbulence that its going to damage the plane. I saw somewhere once that modern passenger planes can withstand turbulence so bad that it would be more likely to cause injury to the passengers from luggage becoming dislodged, bumping their heads, etc., before the plane gets damaged!

Thanks.

Darwin

I'm not an aviation expert, but on the subject of hard landings...my understanding is a landing where the aircraft is put down quickly is desirable in windy conditions or when the runway is contaminated (wet). Also I believe the 737-800 has a firm undercarriage and is difficult to land "softly" and where you are sitting on the plane may also affect your perception of soft/hard landing. No idea who kind of force the landing gear can take. I'll leave a better explanation to those who work in aviation

LeftBase

smurfjed wrote: »

What input are you entering into the FMS to give you Vy or Vx up to 10,000 feet?

We use canned speeds, 250/300/M.75, we have no options for Vx or Vy, unless you set a manual speed.

smurfjed

My statement was a little generalised so as not to overdo it on concepts. Vy is 200 up to 3000' and 250 to 10,000' in most cases. Vy is assumed to be between green dot(vx) and econ climb speed. Turbulence penetration speed is a good rule of thumb.

keith16

As a pilot, what are some of the metrics you are judged on? Do some pilots for instance, burn more fuel than others? What would influence that?

Sitec

Do most civil aircraft carry commercial freight?

Tenger

keith16 wrote: »

As a pilot, what are some of the metrics you are judged on? Do some pilots for instance, burn more fuel than others? What would influence that?

Are you a journalist from the Daily Mail investigating Ryanair by any chance?


Safety and adherence to SOPs are the main yardsticks. Handling weather/tech/medical/emergency diversions and unscheduled tech stops would be another.

Suasdaguna1

keith16 wrote: »

As a pilot, what are some of the metrics you are judged on? Do some pilots for instance, burn more fuel than others? What would influence that?

Homeitis......:)

keith16

Tenger wrote: »

Are you a journalist from the Daily Mail investigating Ryanair by any chance?


Safety and adherence to SOPs are the main yardsticks. Handling weather/tech/medical/emergency diversions and unscheduled tech stops would be another.

Don't be silly! I work for the Indo :P

Seriously tho, I do wonder do pilots come under pressure for how much fuel they use. Or are the flight planning systems ultimately responsible for calculating optimum fuel level?

I was reading that generally with fuel there is a trade off between the cost of fuel and the cost of time - i.e. if time is "more expensive" aircraft will fly faster and burn more fuel? Or slow down a bit, take more time but use less fuel? It's an interesting trade off - what do airlines generally priorities? Time or Fuel?

Suasdaguna1 wrote: »

Homeitis......:)

Had to google - that's mad. Does it still happen? I feel like this driving my car sometimes

LeftBase

keith16 wrote: »

Don't be silly! I work for the Indo :P

Seriously tho, I do wonder do pilots come under pressure for how much fuel they use. Or are the flight planning systems ultimately responsible for calculating optimum fuel level?

Ever heard of the Ryanair Fuel League?

keith16

LeftBase wrote: »

Ever heard of the Ryanair Fuel League?

Nope! Sounds scary....

Sorry to keep on about it, the fuel thing really intrigues me tho...so many trade offs....fly at higher altitudes = fuel saving, but perhaps more maintenance, and less cycles?

They really must have it down to a fine art at this stage.

smurfjed

fly at higher altitudes = fuel saving, but perhaps more maintenance, and less cycles?

Would you expand on this?

It is a fine art, but garbage in = garbage out, so unless you have relatively accurate fixed cost figures, the calculation is meaningless. We had some interesting parameters to add into the thought process, such as de-icing costs in the middle of summer due to wing icing, the lack of de-icing equipment in certain countries, and the costs of internal fuel tank damage due to heavy fuel loads on landing.

Do most civil aircraft carry commercial freight?

Oh yep, very lucrative business.

smurfjed

keith16

smurfjed wrote: »

Would you expand on this?

It is a fine art, but garbage in = garbage out, so unless you have relatively accurate fixed cost figures, the calculation is meaningless. We had some interesting parameters to add into the thought process, such as de-icing costs in the middle of summer due to wing icing, the lack of de-icing equipment in certain countries, and the costs of internal fuel tank damage due to heavy fuel loads on landing.



smurfjed

Thanks as ever for your replies smurfjed.

I was reading (perhaps unreliably so) that flying at higher altitudes where the air is thinner, means less fuel is used.

However, since the pressure difference will be greater, this will lead to a greater strain on the body / frame of the aircraft and more maintenance / inspections will be required?

Also, flying at lower altitudes has a greater impact on the engines? Maybe I have got that one wrong.

Could you expand on the bolded above a little? Do you mean the fixed costs of fuel or all fixed costs?

So when you are talking about "garbage in" (I do understand this term from a data perspective), do you mean all the inputs to the flight planning systems? Who is ultimately responsible for that?