The great big "ask an airline pilot" thread!

Growler!!! · 28-10-2014 03:46PM

Derry is not a base for ryanair, therefore none of the crew will be "local". The rotation into and out of Derry could be from any base in Europe.

owenc · 28-10-2014 03:47PM

Yes I know Derry isn't a base but the flights are nearly all from GB and basically none of the flight attendants on these flights are British.

owenc · 28-10-2014 03:47PM

Locker10a wrote: »

Absolutely correct and there are people from all over the world working for easyJet but the point is the because of the way easyJet hire they have less crew placed in places other than their home country than ryanair this is simply a fact easyJet hirel locally for specific bases yes anyone can apply and relocate themselves if they wish but itts not the same at ryanair they hire the crew first then place them in a base hence loads of Irish cabin crew living in Hahn, Reus, Prestwick , Bristol , stansted etc. at ryanair you apply for a lifestyle that means the company relocate you at easyJet you apply for a local job in the airport of your choice hence people from Liverpool tend to be based in Liverpool and people from Paris tend to be based in Paris !

Is it actually like that in Dublin? Are the Irish ones sent to Europe aswell?

Growler!!! · 28-10-2014 04:00PM

owenc wrote: »

Yes I know Derry isn't a base but the flights are nearly all from GB and basically none of the flight attendants on these flights are British.

Good man, then you'll know that the Ryan's will operate for example a flight from Poland to the UK, then a shorter flight to Derry. Another short flight to Scotland and then back to Poland. The crew based in Poland may not be "local" either. But you knew that:D.

Wicklowleaid · 28-10-2014 05:15PM

smurfjed wrote: »

When did Ryanair start flying to Mayor Buenaventura Vivas International Airport (STD) in Venezuela ?

I'm not surprised that you didn't see too many English flight attendants there!

Pure Gold

got a great laugh out of this one!

basill · 28-10-2014 05:51PM

A "W pattern" is the technical term. Crew could start from literally anywhere across the network and fly in and out of Derry during the day to return to their home base once their duty was complete.

billie1b · 28-10-2014 08:32PM

basill wrote: »

A "W pattern" is the technical term. Crew could start from literally anywhere across the network and fly in and out of Derry during the day to return to their home base once their duty was complete.

Good point, a few examples I can give from Dublin were :

DUB - LGW / LGW - NOC / NOC - LGW / LGW - DUB

DUB - BVA / BVA - FEZ or RAK / FEZ or RAK - BVA / BVA - DUB

DUB - LGW / LGW - PSA / PSA - LGW / LGW - DUB

Not 100% positive on the FEZ/RAK route, I know it was to Morocco but cant remember which airport, all crew were Dublin based and of all nationalities world wide

Locker10a · 28-10-2014 08:39PM

owenc wrote: »

Is it actually like that in Dublin? Are the Irish ones sent to Europe aswell?

Yes there are loads and Irish scattered all over the base networks and loads of British and Spanish and Italian etc. in Dublin ! Nationality or language has no pull on where you get based unlike easyJet where the majority* of people have to speak the local language

Jack1985 · 28-10-2014 08:40PM

billie1b wrote: »

Not 100% positive on the FEZ/RAK route, I know it was to Morocco but cant remember which airport, all crew were Dublin based and of all nationalities world wide

SNN based FR staff had a nice little run this Summer to Paris-Beauvais and Rabat in Morocco, SNN-BVA-RBA-BVA-SNN.

Locker10a · 28-10-2014 08:44PM

Jack1985 wrote: »

SNN-BVA-RBA-BVA-SNN.

Yuck ðŸ˜µðŸ˜¦ðŸ˜±

billie1b · 28-10-2014 08:48PM

Jack1985 wrote: »

SNN based FR staff had a nice little run this Summer to Paris-Beauvais and Rabat in Morocco, SNN-BVA-RBA-BVA-SNN.

Most crews worst days will involve a flight in and out of Morocco, they all hate it

owenc · 28-10-2014 08:59PM

Locker10a wrote: »

Yes there are loads and Irish scattered all over the base networks and loads of British and Spanish and Italian etc. in Dublin ! Nationality or language has no pull on where you get based unlike easyJet where the majority* of people have to speak the local language

Oh I guess I won't be looking to work for them then.

Jack1985 · 28-10-2014 09:01PM

billie1b wrote: »

Most crews worst days will involve a flight in and out of Morocco, they all hate it

Can't blame them, wouldn't be able to cope with a rostered day like that!

pastorbarrett · 29-10-2014 04:22PM

Question for ya's...

So, even a cursory glance at aviation herald has convinced me that it is worthwhile staying buckled up when possible. My question is:

Why is it that incidences of turbulence causing injury generally occur on the descent? Presumably it's due to flying into the weather? Though no doubt they do exist, I've yet to read of similar events occurring in the climb. Also, and more juicily

, how often do you guys encounter moderate to severe turbulence? And if you'll permit me, do you suspect or know if such incidences are on the rise due to factors like global warming/ weather changing?

Thanks in advance...

bkehoe · 29-10-2014 11:36PM

Quite simply the winds change at different altitudes. At high attitude one could be in an area of weather influenced by a high speed core of air, a jet stream. This could quite easily exceed 100kts. Upper level winds can be very strong even if not associated with a jetstream as depicted on a significant weather chart.

It's in the transition between high speed winds and lower speed winds that turbulence can occur in the descent. As there is a significant change in velocity and direction in a small distance there are often eddy currents and turbulent air can be found here.

As to why this is more often experienced in descent than climb, then purely as an opinion, because in the descent we descent at a much lower vertical speed and airspeed than as in the climb in my airline anyway. We may descend at 1200fpm, and illuminate the fasten belts sign 20 - 15 mins before landing but passengers can often be reluctant to secure themselves. However during the climb, passengers have been verified to have their belts fastened on the ground and thus the cabin is secure till the pilots are sure they're above turbulent air. In the climb, we get above the air that is most likely to be turbulent much quicker.

Moderate turbulence I've probably only experienced once, and at the lower end of the scale. This was in an area at cruising altitude (think we were at FL360) where 2 jetstreams were essentially meeting head on, so we were going from a 150kt tailwind to a 100kt headwind in around 50 miles. We had to descend to a low flight level (260) to get out from the turbulent air for a few hundred miles. Due to Sigmets and pilot reports we were expecting it and had the cabin secure well in advance though.

dutopia · 30-10-2014 03:26PM

I live in Portmarnock and regularly see aircraft on their final approach into Dublin airport. I have noticed Emirates 777s (I think 777s!) jets come in quite a bit lower than B737s and A320s, why is this? Do certain kinds of aircraft have a slightly different glide slope or do airline companies have their own way of making an approach?

Cessna_Pilot · 30-10-2014 03:30PM

dutopia wrote: »

I live in Portmarnock and regularly see aircraft on their final approach into Dublin airport. I have noticed Emirates 777s (I think 777s!) jets come in quite a bit lower than B737s and A320s, why is this? Do certain kinds of aircraft have a slightly different glide slope or do airline companies have their own way of making an approach?

They're at the same height, they're just so much larger that they look closer than usual!

dutopia · 30-10-2014 03:32PM

Cessna_Pilot wrote: »

They're at the same height, they're just so much larger that they look closer than usual!

I'm quite sure they're at different heights, I may be wrong... maybe some kind of illusion. I'll try taking some photos and posting them up.

Cessna_Pilot · 30-10-2014 03:33PM

dutopia wrote: »

I'm quite sure they're at different heights, I may be wrong... maybe some kind of illusion. I'll try taking some photos and posting them up.

It is an illusion, because they're such a larger aircraft. At Portmarnock they're on the Glideslope so whether it's a 737 or 777 they're at roughly the same height.

dutopia · 30-10-2014 03:41PM

Cessna_Pilot wrote: »

It is an illusion, because they're such a larger aircraft. At Portmarnock they're on the Glideslope so whether it's a 737 or 777 they're at roughly the same height.

Thanks for clearing that up!

sjb25 · 30-10-2014 03:48PM

dutopia wrote: »

Thanks for clearing that up!

Download the flight radar app and you will see the altitude

tricky D · 30-10-2014 04:39PM

As well as 'appearing' to be closer, the heavies like A330s and 777s also 'appear' to be slower. The relative sizes produce the illusion.

For an example of how illusory this kind of stuff is, take a look at the heavies from half way up Howth Hill. They look a lot closer than they are, like they are over the near side of Ireland's Eye or over Howth Sound when they are actually routing parallel to and just behind the back of the island, a lot further away.

smurfjed · 30-10-2014 10:53PM

because in the descent we descent at a much lower vertical speed and airspeed than as in the climb in my airline anyway. We may descend at 1200fpm

May i ask why? we generally descend at a gradient which is adjusted based on the winds. Our seat belt policy is to keep it on to an altitude that is about 1/2 the ground temperature, so we can keep it on up to 25,000 feet, on the way down, its part of the descent checklist so its on right from the beginning of the descent with the landing lights.

owenc · 31-10-2014 11:01AM

Is the westjet flight year round next year? Or is it longer??

eatmyshorts · 31-10-2014 11:56AM

owenc wrote: »

Is the westjet flight year round next year? Or is it longer??

Longer than year round? Great Scott, it must be some kind of DeLorean!!

P. S.
Post completely unrelated to the thread, again.

owenc · 31-10-2014 12:01PM

Oh I did not realise that asking about westjet was unrelated to aviation.

eatmyshorts · 31-10-2014 12:04PM

pclancy wrote: »

This thread is for people who are interested in a commercial career in flying to ask a qualified commercial pilot questions about their daily lives, technical/system questions, career guidance, licencing, how best to become an airline pilot etc
.

It is not intended for general discussion, general aviation or PPL questions, chit-chat, discussion of sensitive hr/corporate airline information or anything that could break the A&A forum charter.
.

Post No. 1

Wicklowleaid · 31-10-2014 12:52PM

eatmyshorts wrote: »

Longer than year round? Great Scott, it must be some kind of DeLorean!!

P. S.
Post completely unrelated to the thread, again.

AGAIN being the operative word. It's getting very tiresome.

bkehoe · 01-11-2014 06:47PM

smurfjed wrote: »

May i ask why? we generally descend at a gradient which is adjusted based on the winds. Our seat belt policy is to keep it on to an altitude that is about 1/2 the ground temperature, so we can keep it on up to 25,000 feet, on the way down, its part of the descent checklist so its on right from the beginning of the descent with the landing lights.

My point was to try to simplify an explanation for the purposes of this forum; depending on weight, altitude, flaps, engine anti ice, etc the actual vertical speed will of course change as we plan to descend at a constant airspeed unless requested to do a specific airspeed by ATC, and as that airspeed is quite low we probably have an average vertical speed in descent of 1000-1500fpm. The point I was trying to clarify is that the majority of commercial aircraft will spend much more time in areas of potential turbulence in descent than climb.

Seat belts 15 mins before landing, therefore usually passing 15,000ft.

smurfjed · 02-11-2014 02:42PM

Question for Helicopter pilots... in the airplane world we are obsessed with fuel conservation so I was curious watching the Coast Guard helicopter flying around today with the gear down, the obvious answer was that it was landing

:) But it was quite far from the airport.
Is there a reason for this?

The great big "ask an airline pilot" thread!

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