Pilots

[fmxa]

It is a point of pride for a retiring pilot to bequeath his cane to a favoured junior pilot for that pilot's future use. Special "Cane Presentation" ceremonies are normally held at local taverns just prior to the senior pilot's retirement flight, though great care is taken to ensure that the ceremony is concluded well before departure time for legal reasons.

 

 

I guess you didn't fly for Northwest then

[ramjet]

Gosh, I just love kicking Mr Heath off on a spiel.

[Iconic Ride]

It doesn't take much, does it Michael.

[Al]

Gosh John,  I learn so much on these forums. 

 

There was me thinking that the planes followed electronic "railway tracks" in the sky and the pilots were really only there to keep the paying masses happy in thinking that humans actually did something. 

 

Next you will be telling me that the two tins and a bit of string are still working well for comms and you don't actually use radio yet.  That will be the ones that were fitted with the auto tensioning, self expanding, self retracting device fitted with high tensile but semi elastic property wire to allow for varing distances to base stations.  We still use that system on ships for comms obviously not being so high and by having two out can usually triangulate our position as well reasonably accurately so we don't hit the lumpy bits. (Obviously not effective on a certain Costa criuse ship in the Med)

 

Now having said all that one of my best flying experiences in the 60 odd flights a year I do was being in the jump seat on an Embrataer Jet flown by my mate from Edinburgh to CDG in early evening, not long after the AF Concord went down actually. Brilliant coming in to land in darkness. I was reasonably surprised by just how much was actually done and how busy on the radio they were as I had cans on for listening in.

[Iconic Ride]

It would be nice if every passenger were given the opportunity to observe cockpit activities during the approach and landing phase of flight. It would serve as a real awakening for some, as I'm sure it would, likewise, for folks permitted to visit your bridge enroute, Al...actually got to do that on a giant Greek passenger ferry (more like a cruise ship if truth be told) between Corfu and Venice many summers back...very enlightening...lots of electronic toys to oogle and a killer view.

The use of verbal radio communications has, somewhat surprisingly, actually declined substantially during the cruise portion of flight. Position reporting (particularly on long overwater segments) is now almost completely automated, using GPS and other onboard systems. The airplane "knows" where it is at all times (even if the pilots don't, har har), and continuously transmits this information both to the civil controlling agencies and the company flight followers. My guess is your vessel has a similar setup.

[Bibs]

Anyone had a go of one of these?

 

http://youtu.be/nw0gjw1XIIk

[Kimbers]

Does on my computer count?....incidently, I crashed repeatedly.

[Bibs]

[Iconic Ride]

 

It's been many moons since I'd last seen that little whippersnapper's essay. An aviation classic if ever there were one.

 

He's now the Fortune 500 CEO in seat 1A of "Upper Class" who keeps asking if the pilot remembered to bring the ignition key.

[Roger 912]

Just found this picture of my old Cherokee 235 ZS DTF

[Stuart Monument]

I fly a Hughes 300 helicopter for fun. Best but most costly thing I have ever done.

Edited October 25, 2013 by Stuart M

[flyingpip02]

Passed my ppl in 1999 to fly flexwing microlights I owned a pegusus Q first and then a

pegusus quantum sadly sold now, only fly with friends to keep my hand in.

[Bibs]

Nice toys! 

[Bibs]

Doh!

 

http://youtu.be/9fjPx_i2XIw

[comem47]

The takeoff from the shorter runway (6000 foot )vs 12000 foot at the correct airport looked like no big deal with some to spare.

My understanding is they didn't unload the cargo (but not sure about additional fuel)

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5UiAd2c-MM

[Bibs]

Do you think they let the guy who flew it in fly it out?

 

It's not a pretty plane is it! 

[fmxa]

I think he'll be lucky if they let him fly cargo in a Cessna after that!

[Iconic Ride]

My understanding is that they reduced the fuel load (hence, takeoff weight) and used a new crew to ferry the plane the remaining distance to McConnell Air Force Base.

And, under the "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon" category, my Dad used to be the "Operations Officer" at McConnell.

[fmxa]

Maybe you can shed some light on this John, but in this day and age how on earth did they land at the wrong airport!

[Iconic Ride]

I can add only the unfortunate fact that this is not the first time this has happened, even to "experienced" pilots. I know of at least three instances of it happening (to others, thank God) while I was still actively flying. The usual culprit (though it does not excuse the error) is having more than one airport in close proximity with similar runway layout/alignments. This is the case in Kansas City. The best way to avoid it occurring is to ALWAYS tune in the ILS (Instrument Landing System) frequency, if available and operating, in the navigation radios. Most professional pilots do this as a matter of course, even under visual flight conditions. If what you see out the window does not match what you have programed into the navigational aids, then loud alarm bells ought to be ringing in your head. As with the vast majority of pilot lapses, some form of "distraction" (often legitimate) is a contributory factor. Again, this does not excuse the error, but makes it more likely to occur. I do not know the details of what was going on in the cockpit of this particular crew, but I suspect that some form of diversionary activity was involved. Pure speculation on my part, of course.

[molemot]

A good few years ago, a PanAm 707 landed at RAF Northolt...mistaking it for Heathrow! This from Wiki...

 

 On 25 October 1960, a Pan Am Boeing 707, heading for Heathrow, mistakenly landed at Northolt with forty-one passengers on board. A Lufthansa Boeing 707 also attempted to land at the station on 28 April 1964 but was dissuaded by a red signal flare fired by personnel from Air Traffic Control. The letters NO (for Northolt) and LH (for Heathrow) were painted on two gasometers on the approach to each airfield, one at Southall for the approach to Heathrow's diagonal runway (coded 23L) and one at South Harrow for the approach to Northolt's runway (then coded 26), in an effort to prevent a recurrence of such errors.

 

 

They flew it out with a reduced load...involving taking all the seats out! Northolt was also the scene of a DC3 Dakota suffering problems taking off in heavy snow and ending up on top of a house!

 

In December 1946, after taking off during a heavy snowstorm, a Douglas DC-3 operated by British European Airways, flying from Northolt to Glasgow, crashed onto the roof of a house in South Ruislip. All the crew and passengers escaped unharmed by climbing through the loft of the house and leaving via the front door. No residents were injured, even though the owner of the house next door was standing at her front gate when the aircraft came down. The owners of the house had not moved in at the time of the crash as they were due to be married a few days later. The house was later named "Dakota Rest" after the Douglas DC-3's wartime operational name, and still stands today. The aeroplane was recovered from it's perch and returned to service after repair!

 

[fmxa]

I remember my Dad telling me about the 707 at Northholt, we used to eat at a restaurant near there in the 70's (funny the things you remember from childhood!)

[auRouge]

I've managed to fool a lot of people over the years and am now a Captain (Airbus A320) for a major UK airline based at Gatwick...

Been flying for 12 years now and still can't believe how lucky I am. It's not working as you know it, its a lifestyle of fun!

I still fly light aircraft (Cirrus SR22 at Denham) to keep my hand in.

The job also allows me to drive the Lotus when the roads are empty :-) Getting into the Lotus after a long flight is something I relish and still get excited about everyday! Says everything about my Lotus after I've been flying something worth $50 million bucks!! ;-)

[Bibs]

Airbus vs Boeing? Which is best?

[auRouge]

Airbus vs Boeing? Which is best?

Well the Boeing is supposed to be the "Pilots" choice.. I've flown Dash 8 Q400's and A320 & 321's so couldn't really comment.

The Airbus are very clever and I love using the stick rather than a yolk.. So for that reason I'd say airbus!!

Airbus also have the ability to correct errors in pilots, probably a good thing when I'm at the controls ;-))