The great big "ask an airline pilot" thread!

BeardySi

Wide cut fuels?

ProfessorPlum

Treadhead wrote: »

Wide cut fuels?

"wide cut fuels" are fuels that are more volatile and more likely to catch fire while fueling, such as JP 4. Jet A1 and Jet A is pretty much all that you'll get in 'the civilised world' nowadays

BeardySi

Cheers

KnotABother

I'm less concerned with the truth and/or mechanics of the story and more what a captain would do if he looked out and saw the bowser operator having a smoke?

CaliforniaDream

Something that popped into my head while reading the MH370 thread.

When an aircraft is sent to the manufacturer for repairs, how does it happen? Are repairs done on the ground without the plane going anywhere and then it's sent to the manufacturer for a secondary inspection? If so, who volunteers to fly the plane in such conditions?
I hope it's not a silly question.

basill

Generally the aircraft doesn't physially go to the manufacturer for repairs. The repairs will be carried out by the airlines inhouse engineers, or contracted out. If its a "big" repair then a manufacturers representative might need to inspect the work and complete a final sign off. In this technological age we live in it is quite normal to photograph damage and upload to manufacturer specific technical databases where engineers in for example Toulouse can appraise it and recommend a solution.

On routine maintenance flights the pilots will be rostered. If a test flight is required then it will usuually require training/instuctor pilots. The specifics will be dictated in the companies Ops Manuals which have been approved by the regulator eg:IAA/CAA etc.

Peregrine

What are your opinions on cockpit image recorders?

Would it be violating pilots' privacy too much? Too expensive?

View Profile

KnotABother wrote: »

I'm less concerned with the truth and/or mechanics of the story and more what a captain would do if he looked out and saw the bowser operator having a smoke?

I would go downstairs and give the bowser operator a bollocking, he should know better.
Then I would fill out a safety report so the airline could follow up the incident with the relevant authorities.

Nimrod 7 What are your opinions on cockpit image recorders?

Would it be violating pilots' privacy too much? Too expensive?

As long as its similar to the voice recorder tape, ie it records over itself every 2 hours and isnt beemed live back to the Chief Pilots office, I wouldnt really mind too much.
However I dont see what a video recorder could tell you that the flight data recorder and voice recorder already do?!

ProfessorPlum

I agree. I'd want to see some fairly convincing evidence that it would add significantly to an investigation. I'm not convinced.

fussyonion

New to this forum and I hope this isn't a totally newbie question..

When a plane leaves Dublin Airport, it's obviously in communication with the ATC.
But as the plane flies over England or France, is it in contact with Dublin still or the UK/France?

I always wanted to know!

DesperateDan

Hope this hasn't been asked yet (maybe someone could point me to the answer if so), but after hearing a lot about these conspiracy theories behind this MH370 flight: Are black boxes really built to be bomb proof / indestructible and transmit data for 30 days after sinking into the ocean? They sound like a frightfully expensive piece of kit if so. I would like to learn more about their construction.

Noo

Jimmy444 wrote: »

I don't think this is right. Maybe things have changed but I have definitely been on aircraft while refuelling was happening. I know this because we were asked to undo our seatbelts for the duration (in case a quick exit is needed?:eek:)

Yes I remember a couple years ago being held back at the gate with my not so mobile granny while everyone else boarded. They were refuelling and knew she wouldn't be able to pull off a quick evacuation.

basill

When a plane leaves Dublin Airport, it's obviously in communication with the ATC.
But as the plane flies over England or France, is it in contact with Dublin still or the UK/France?

As the aircraft travels on its journey it traverses country boundaries as well as ATC ones. There can often be local agreements between neighbouring countries for the "sharing" of airspace and ATC services. For example London does quite a bit of the high level controlling over the eastern part of Ireland even though the aircraft may be physically still flying within the boundaries of the State.

Each controller will hand you off prior to leaving their sector and give you a VHF frequency which we then tune and check in eg:

Dublin lower ATC: Shamrock 152 contact London on 123.45
Shamrock 152: 123.45 Shamrock 152
Shamrock 152: London Shamrock 152 FL310 direct Liffey
London ATC: Shamrock 152 radar identified cleared direct Bovingdon

And on it goes......

fussyonion

basill wrote: »

As the aircraft travels on its journey it traverses country boundaries as well as ATC ones. There can often be local agreements between neighbouring countries for the "sharing" of airspace and ATC services. For example London does quite a bit of the high level controlling over the eastern part of Ireland even though the aircraft may be physically still flying within the boundaries of the State.

Each controller will hand you off prior to leaving their sector and give you a VHF frequency which we then tune and check in eg:

Dublin lower ATC: Shamrock 152 contact London on 123.45
Shamrock 152: 123.45 Shamrock 152
Shamrock 152: London Shamrock 152 FL310 direct Liffey
London ATC: Shamrock 152 radar identified cleared direct Bovingdon

And on it goes......

Wow that's so interesting! Thanks so much

keith16

fussyonion wrote: »

Wow that's so interesting! Thanks so much

You may also be interested to know that you can listen in on ATC over the magic of the interwebz

The feed for Dublin is provided by one of our very own A&A boardsies http://www.liveatc.net/search/?icao=eidw

You can also "watch" the aircraft on www.flightradar24.com

fussyonion

keith16 wrote: »

You may also be interested to know that you can listen in on ATC over the magic of the interwebz

The feed for Dublin is provided by one of our very own A&A boardsies http://www.liveatc.net/search/?icao=eidw

You can also "watch" the aircraft on www.flightradar24.com

:eek: I know how I'm going to spend my weekend!
Thank you!!!

keith16

fussyonion wrote: »

:eek: I know how I'm going to spend my weekend!
Thank you!!!

You should also look at this thread. And this one.

So now you can watch, listen and chat about

It's particularly busy on all three when the weather deteriorates.

sopretty

Howdy.

Is it even remotely possible that an aircraft could have a fire onboard which would incapacitate certain navigational systems and also pilots and then continue on flying for 5 hours? :rolleyes:

SamAK

sopretty wrote: »

Howdy.

Is it even remotely possible that an aircraft could have a fire onboard which would incapacitate certain navigational systems and also pilots and then continue on flying for 5 hours? :rolleyes:

I think you may be referring to the same article that I read earlier?

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2014/03/mh370-electrical-fire/

That opinion piece was written by a commercial pilot who sounds very sure of his/her theory. Would be nice to hear opinions from other CP's on here. (Without turning this thread into a 'what happened to MH370' discussion!)

I don't understand this bit - In the case of a fire, the first response is to pull the main busses and restore circuits one by one until you have isolated the bad one."

How does that even work? Isolating burning wires?

Growler!!!

SamAK wrote: »

I don't understand this bit - In the case of a fire, the first response is to pull the main busses and restore circuits one by one until you have isolated the bad one."

How does that even work? Isolating burning wires?

To put it in simple terms. Imagine you have an extension lead plugged into a socket at home. Plugged into the extension lead are 4 appliances.
One of the appliances has a fault which is causing smoke to build up, but you don't know which one it is.

You isolate the entire circuit at the plug in the wall and the smoke stops. You have now isolated the BUS. Now each appliance can be turned off. The extension lead plugged in again and each individual appliance turned on again to find out which appliance was causing the problem.

Its the same in an aircraft. Initially there will be a memory checklist to complete. After this once you've established if it was electrical or air conditioning smoke there is another individual checklist to complete.

In the simulator (not flight sim:D) it can take quite a while to accomplish all the above while still following the creed of Aviate, Navigate and Communicate. It's surprising how often a call to atc is forgotten in all the mayhem.


It may sound like an odd procedure to carry out but some of the other equipment on the electrical bus may be needed for the Navigate and Communicate bit of the flight. Also, this isn't the first industry I've come across a similar thought process in regard electrical faults.

SamAK

Great answer Growler, thank you!

So once you've isolated the fault, what next? I imagine smoke = fire, so what if something is still smouldering away in there? Are there systems or something that can extinguish electrical fires? Or do you just descend, descend descend and get her on the ground ASAP?

Growler!!!

Once the fault is isolated you land ASAP.

The only fire suppression equipment we have on my type is within the engine cowlings. I don't know of any type with the ability to suppress a fire within the avionics. Maybe in the avionics bay on larger aircraft but again that's outside my experience.

The wiring used in aircraft is of a very high standard. Surprisingly the first indication is a noxious smell from the insulation itself breaking down rather than actual flames and smoke. Once the power supply is removed it begins to cool, eliminating the fire risk.

Dingle_berry

Growler!!! wrote: »

Once the fault is isolated you land ASAP.

The only fire suppression equipment we have on my type is within the engine cowlings. I don't know of any type with the ability to suppress a fire within the avionics. Maybe in the avionics bay on larger aircraft but again that's outside my experience.

The wiring used in aircraft is of a very high standard. Surprisingly the first indication is a noxious smell from the insulation itself breaking down rather than actual flames and smoke. Once the power supply is removed it begins to cool, eliminating the fire risk.

If you were mid Atlantic (or other ocean) and a non-engine fire started, would you just make a dash for the closest suitable runway or would you try things like climbing to a higher altitude to starve the fire?
The pilots have their own oxygen masks with independent oxygen supply but how smoke-proof are they? Are they like fire fighters breathing apparatus?

bkehoe

There are no memory actions for smoke or fire on my type. We have a checklist which firstly reminds us that diversion should be considered and also that any time the smoke or fumes becomes bad that oxygen masks should be donned, and if smoke becomes the biggest threat then to go to a smoke removal checklist that goes as far as opening a flight deck window.
Albeit while there's no memory actions, nothing stopping one from knocking off power to the galleys immediately if the cabin crew said they were getting smoke for example, and then just take it up in the checklist.

We have fire suppression in the cargo bays as well as the engines.

Our masks are combined oxygen masks and goggles and they are smoke proof as we can set the oxygen regulator to give a flow thats higher pressure than the cabin air, thus purging the mask of smoke. You'd be surprised though just how bad cockpit visibility can be in smoke situations though, instruments can be almost impossible to see. Our smoke checklists are printed in large print to help with this.

smurfjed

Gulfstream checklist calls for Crew Oxygen Masks and smoke goggles immediately, but its not a memory item. The UPS B747 crash in Dubai really educated me about how rapidly smoke can kill the crew.

http://www.gcaa.gov.ae/en/ePublication/admin/iradmin/Lists/Incidents%20Investigation%20Reports/Attachments/16/2010-Interim%20Report%20B747-400F%20-%20N571UP%20-%20Report%2013%202010%20-%20Rev%201.pdf

The problem with this occurring in the middle of the atlantic is that you have to balance the need to descend with fuel requirements. We at least have access to all areas of the aircraft as the cargo hold is accessible and we carry flight attendants even though not legally required to do so, they are trained to fight fires.

jasonb

Just a quick question about MH370, I don't want to hijack this thread.

It's hard to know exactly what 'reports' are true, and what aren't, but it seems to me that an important point is the aircraft's turn to the west, and whether it was 'pre-programmed' or not. Reports seem to suggest that they know it was pre-programmed because the last ACARS signal that was received had the pre-programmed course change in it.

So my question is this: Is it possible for ACARS data sent from the aircraft to the ground to include whether a future course change has been programmed into the Flight Computer?

Thanks...

J.

smurfjed

Is it possible for ACARS data sent from the aircraft to the ground to include whether a future course change has been programmed into the Flight Computer?

I'm going to say no, I have never seen an input option for the FMS to transmit primary or secondary flight plans, nor was there ever a need.

Growler!!!

Anything I've read about the ACARS system is that a flight plan can be uploaded to the FMS. It must be manually accepted.

There is no facility to download from the FMS.

jasonb

Thanks a lot, I appreciate your replies.

J.

Wise Old Elf

Any of ye experienced lasers being shone into the cockpit on approach to Dublin? Bar the obvious implications of temporary (or permanent) blindness, how disruptive is it?
I've seen a mention of it on the EIDW feed thread recently and it comes across as one of the most stupid things anyone could derive fun from.