My question is about co-workers. There was already a mention (by a non-UA pilot, I believe) about how miserable it can be to sit for eight hours in tiny space with a co-worker who hates his job, I wonder how often that happens to you, UA pilots who clearly love your jobs?
And what do you do when it does happen? Do you just make small talk, sit in silence and ignore them or outright tell them "hey, I love *my* job, so stop complaining and bumming me out!"
Actually, that's one of the things I like most about my job - there is very little office politics. If you don't like the person you're working with, just wait a week.
Sure, there are times you don't like the other pilot. But if there's a contentious topic (politics, the airline, whatever) you can usually find something else to talk about. The job is also so highly standardized that it's hard for someone to make my job unenjoyable. We have to be able to walk into an airplane with a pilot from the other side of the country, with completely different political views and perhaps a 20 year age difference, on a day with 40 knot winds and low visibility, have the engine explode as we rotate, and have both of us know exactly what is going to happen next and how we're going to fly the airplane. That takes such a high degree of standardization that my job function is _very_ well defined, so if I follow the Standard Operating Procedures and do my job well, we'll get along fine. And you also put in a good word for your crew meal with the F/As, since if you don't like the guy, they probably don't either...
The question: which a/c types will UA permit pilots to fly without operational flaps? Thanks!
With due respect to the OP, flap systems would not be deferrable. There is no UA aircraft that takes off without flaps, although flaps 1 on the 737 involves no trailing edge devices (contrary to what I posted yesterday), just leading edge devices. The DC-10 could also take off without trailing edge devices (or so I'm told by a family member and UA pilot in the room)
Hmmm, I really don't have a favorite airport for takeoffs and landings. I prefer destinations, so I like Vegas and Reno. Washington National is an interesting arrival. I probably dislike La Guardia and Newark the most and that is only because of all the delays we get into there.
This shows you how individual we all are - Reno is my least favorite place to fly to. We have very complicated engine failure on takeoff procedures, for which we have complicated a radio and FMC setup and a complicated briefing, but we (fortunately) never fly it. At least with SNA, we get to fly the complicated thing we brief, and it's a bit of fun.
But otherwise I agree - it's much more the destination and how fun the layover is, I generally don't care about the airport.
Some transport airplanes can takeoff without any flaps, the DC9/MD80 and B737 included. They do require that the leading edge devices (either L.E. flaps, slats or a combination of the two) be extended. In the Boeings the "Flaps 1" position is usually the leading edge devices extended but the trailing edge flaps retracted.
Each airplane will have a number of different approved flap/slat configurations for takeoff. Having more flaps for takeoff will shorten the takeoff roll which is useful on shorter runways. It also results in a slower speed at liftoff which is good for the tires and breaks in the event of an aborted takeoff. The disadvantage is that you'll climb slower initially so it will take more distance to clear obstacles. If there are significant obsticles in the area, or you are a hot and/or high altitude situation, the slower climb can be quite restrictive requiring a lower takeoff weight.
A takeoff configuration with less, or no, flaps produces a better initial climb rate and can clear obstacles much faster but it requires a higher speed at liftoff which requires a longer runway. Uses less flaps for takeoff can increase your max takeoff weight if you are climb limited as long as you have a long enough runway available. This is why high altitude airports, like Denver, have such long runways. Denver's runways are all 12,000' long except for one which is 16,000' long. That is one loooong runway and the reason for it is to allow high-speed, low-flap takeoffs to maximize your climb limit restriction.
This is a v interesting statement because a maintenance-deferred no-flap T/O sounds like you are committing in advance to a no-flap landing, which on the majority of the commercial fleet is not ideal. My guess is that you will NOT see a heavy a/c ever take off no-flap, and I would not hesitate to ask if I were ever in a big a/c that took the runway without some flap extension. In the same breath I must say that I do not think pax need to worry about monitoring flap extension as a safety precaution due to the highly professional crews and the back-up warning systems.
The question: which a/c types will UA permit pilots to fly without operational flaps? Thanks!
Never happened to me, but I know of someone who said he had to take off with flaps up one time. But, it was a ferry flight. Some jets only takeoff with leading edge slats out, but no trailing edge flaps.
We have very complicated engine failure on takeoff procedures, for which we have complicated a radio and FMC setup and a complicated briefing, but we (fortunately) never fly it.
Do you guys have the (off 16) left turn around the hill and back to the NDB to hold and climb? I did that once in the sim off of a V1 cut and it was quite interesting. It was easier than I expect to fly but the visuals were really something and the TAWS was screaming the whole time. I think we were only about 1000' above the field as we came back across it going toward the NDB.
Programs: UA GS, CO Plat. DL Silver, SPG Plat, Marriot Plat., HH Diamond, Hertz PC, many more
Posts: 309
Having worked as a GM of an aerospace engineering firm, I can vouch for what the pilots are saying. No mechanical device is indestructable, but aircraft are about the closest thing especially since they are rigorously tested and certified by multiple airworthiness authorities such as the Federal Aggravation Administration. Turbulence at high altitudes don't bother me in the slightest...just wear your seatbelt. Ever since having kids though, I get nervous in choppy air at lower altitudes even though I know I am still safe.
I too commend the pilots on here for taking the time to do this and for all the safe transport.
I also find the landings on bigger planes to be the smoothest but I always attributed that to the weight and balance of the aircraft and being less susceptible to cross-winds. However, all of my probably 4 million lifetime miles have been from behind the cockpit door.
*Without asking the pilots to be too specific, what is the scariest thing you have ever seen while on the job?
*What is the strangest thing you have had happen on one of your flights?
*What exactly is on the report the gate agent hands to you guys right before they close the door?
*How much have technological advancements / avionics improvements changed your job over your careers?
*Are your taxes complicated. I know athletes have to pay taxes wherever they play. Anything unusual for pilots?
*Is there anything frequent flyers like us can help you guys to make your jobs easier (other than holding management accountable which is a given)!!
Having worked as a GM of an aerospace engineering firm, I can vouch for what the pilots are saying. No mechanical device is indestructable, but aircraft are about the closest thing especially since they are rigorously tested and certified by multiple airworthiness authorities such as the Federal Aggravation Administration. Turbulence at high altitudes don't bother me in the slightest...just wear your seatbelt. Ever since having kids though, I get nervous in choppy air at lower altitudes even though I know I am still safe.
I too commend the pilots on here for taking the time to do this and for all the safe transport.
I also find the landings on bigger planes to be the smoothest but I always attributed that to the weight and balance of the aircraft and being less susceptible to cross-winds. However, all of my probably 4 million lifetime miles have been from behind the cockpit door.
*Without asking the pilots to be too specific, what is the scariest thing you have ever seen while on the job?
*What is the strangest thing you have had happen on one of your flights?
*What exactly is on the report the gate agent hands to you guys right before they close the door?
*How much have technological advancements / avionics improvements changed your job over your careers?
*Are your taxes complicated. I know athletes have to pay taxes wherever they play. Anything unusual for pilots?
*Is there anything frequent flyers like us can help you guys to make your jobs easier (other than holding management accountable which is a given)!!
1) Scariest thing? Probably the flight attendants based in Seattle!!! Just kidding. That one would be 9-11 and dealing with the unknown of hijackers and planes crashing around the country. I was on a 757 flying when it happened and we had to rapidly divert into another airport really quick.
2) Strangest....I guess on one flight I saw Jane Fonda in FC with Ollie North right behind her. Talk about the opposite extremes. They never talked.
3) The piece of paper from the CSR is just a copy of the manifest with names of Premium passengers and SA's onboard, along with the final passenger count. Nothing too big.
4) HUGE deal all the technical advances. United has been at the forefront in safety technology, from weather radar to windshear detection devices. Planes used to crash quite often due to mechanical and weather problems. Now, we have a lot of computers that help alleviate a lot of the risks. Weather radar and windshear avoidance computers help bad microbursts. GPS and RNAV equipment let us go direct point to point over thousands of miles versus flying inefficient routes VOR to VOR on the ground. Enhanced Ground Proximity computers keep us from hitting the side of a mountain or landing gear up. Traffic Collision (TCAS) systems allow us to see all the other aircraft in the area squawking a code and avoid them if a collision is about to happen. Altitude warning systems if you drift off altitude, cargo fire fighting equipment now to put out cargo fires. You get the drift, it is all good.
5) My taxes are pretty easy. After a 60% paycut, I just fill out a normal 1040 income tax form for my taxes.
For those interested, I posted on that thread a couple of posts about a typical civilian pilot's career progression, as the topic of pilot compensation came up over there. I'm sure the other guys will have stuff to add, too. It starts at post 22.
*Without asking the pilots to be too specific, what is the scariest thing you have ever seen while on the job?
A note on the flight release to contact crew scheduling.
Quote:
*Are your taxes complicated.
If you want to maximize your deduction for expenses you have to do a complex per diem vs. layover city calculation. Gives me a headache so I have a tax guy do it. We need a simpler system. Fair Tax, Flat Tax, I don't care. Just something simple.
I have flown the 727, 737, 757, 767, and A319 and A320 airplanes at United. I'd say the most fun I've had is the airbus. Flying with a little side stick versus a yoke in front of you is a nice change. It is a fly-by-wire jet, so it is like a little video game in a way, point and click. The 757 was a fun jet for the pilots to fly, lots of power available, although I know it isn't the best plane for passengers on a long haul flight. The 737 was fun somewhat, but ours are so old and dirty now, I always felt I needed a tetanus shot
I did 6 yrs on the 'bus, and now on the 57/67. I WANT MY TRAY TABLE BACK!!!
In the sims, I was wondering how long I could go, and then beg for my Airbus gig back!
Other than this being the best thread in the history of the UAMP forum, there is not much to like here.
I will be the 1000th person to add my thanks to our pilots.
Just devastated they don't want a thread about f/a's and how exciting we are.
Pilots, thanks for coming over and having your say!!!!! I really appreciate it, and I know the other f/a's here will too. And if you can, keep Ch. 9 on!
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The opinions expressed here are MINE and not those of UAL or any of its subsidiaries, etc., etc.
What do you do differently (if anything), when you hear "Caution, wake turbulence"? Is there a different procedure (landing or "position and hold")? Do you watch certain instruments more closely?
Same question for "Wind shear alert"?
(OT, liveatc.net for KSFO has been fascinating for the past couple of days, like the 70 knot gusts, 20 knot drop wind shear and the 300ft RVR, thankfully, the worst that has happened has been some missed approaches and delays)
)!!
