Prospero

This thread is a continuation of the ever popular http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...-archived.html thread.

We are incredibly fortunate on the BA Board to have a number of staff members amongst us who are willing to share their knowledge and expertise. We have pilots and cabin crew, ground crew, lounge staff, check in staff, air traffic controllers and even an ex-military ATC with a bear fixation!

So, this is the continuation of last year's ask the staffer thread. No question is stupid here, and nothing is too geeky! So please ask anything you like, with one exception. No questions about security please.

Happy new year all

PETER01

A great thread this and I have a question.

Is or does the Captain/SFO have to be the last member of crew off the aircraft after de-boarding?

SpurMan

One for our ATC friends at Heathrow.

The tower seems to be a rounded off triangular shape at the top. I appreciate that most of the work is done by looking at monitors, but on the times you do need to look out, does that make for a distorted view?. And do you have to use that funny orange lift on the side to get to the top?

(Oh and who is the cute girl in the photo Prospero? )

Jumbodriver

No. Passengers can be on board with no member of flight crew too under certain circumstances.

PETER01

Thanks Jumbodriver ^

I wasn't sure if it was the Captain/SFO was 'last man (or woman) frees all' so to speak as is the case in my line of work, sometimes.

Cheers

Pete

Heathrow Tower

SpurMan

We actually use the windows more than you'd think! The name of the 'room' is the Visual Control Room or VCR.

No, there is no distortion from the shape of the glass panes, each one weighs the same as a Mini by the way!

The outside lift is used, but only up to a certain wind speed then it's shut down. In December 2007 I got stuck in it about 2/3 up the tower for nearly four hours; it had been blown out of the tracks due to the strong wind. I was told I was in no danger, but equally nobody has ever reconciled that statement with the lift being 'blown out of its tracks!'

Littlegirl

No, they do sometimes leave before the last passenger.

Waterhorse

Much depends on the situation. There are certain switch selections that must be made prior to boarding and once passengers have left. Both these functions can be done by an engineer but this is an exception rather than the rule. Normally, before leaving the aircraft the pilots will ensure that the aircraft is in the correct set up to ensure that the batteries are not drained should the ground power fail, and this is not noticed by the ground staff. That said sometimes the pilots may be needed elsewhere and so these functions can be done by the engineers but the pilots would have to hand over the aircraft to them in a known state.

In an evacuation or ditching, ideally the flight crew will be the last to leave, like Sully on the Hudson, allowing them to ensure everyone is off. However, in an evacuation the situation may very well preclude this and then the pilots will leave by any suitable exit once they have completed the evacuation checklist.

PETER01

Thank you very much Littlegirl and Waterhorse for the replies on one of my favourite threads!

Pete

SpurMan

Thanks Heathrow Tower. That lift does look rather flimsy, and I would definitely not want to be stuck in it!

Heathrow Tower

1763 non-slip nodules on the floor.^

PETER01

That made me laugh ^^

gkyip

I have a question about securing the cabin for T/O or landing.

Do the BA Airbuses have the built in 'Cabin Ready' button on the FAP (fwd attendant panel) or is it relayed to the pilots via the interphone? I have noticed a little flip switch on the door of Lav A which has something about cabin secure, is this related to passing the secure up to the cockpit?

Yesitsme

It depends on the aircraft. ExBMI airbus have the "cabin ready" button on the FAP. I haven't seen a LHR A3XX for such a long time that I can't remember unless I look it up. I'm sure someone else will know though

gkyip

Ah ok, thanks for the information. Can I assume that if the button isn't there then you pass it via the interphone?

Interesting to see procedures for other carriers as our system seems to let us down sometimes