Jun 8, 2021, 10:33 am
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
This is an archive thread, the active thread is United Pilot Q & A thread
United Pilot Q & A {Archive}
Feb 17, 2013, 10:14 pm
#5101
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: FL 290 through FL390
Posts: 1,687
We do them all the time because as long as we can meet the criteria, it relieves the controllers of a lot of stuff that they otherwise are responsible for on an instrument approach, and they can allow a lot more landings per time. SFO is one airport that depends on pilots accepting visual approaches to keep the flow going. Just fly in there on a crappy day and you'll see what I mean.
FAB
I have a question for all the ladies and gentlemen pilots from sCO who keep us safe in the skies every day. This is something I meant to ask for a long time.
I heard a story from several sCO employees about Gordon Bethune when he apparently was on a flight where a displeased OnePass elite member was
ranting about not getting an upgrade. When an attendant tried to pacify him he said - who the *** are you?
Gordon walked up to the passenger and said, "I am CEO. Here's your refund - now get the *** off my plane."
Several versions exist online of this incident, and an sCO pilot once assured me personally that it did happen. Yet, another website calls this a myth. Can anyone shed some light?
I heard a story from several sCO employees about Gordon Bethune when he apparently was on a flight where a displeased OnePass elite member was
ranting about not getting an upgrade. When an attendant tried to pacify him he said - who the *** are you?
Gordon walked up to the passenger and said, "I am CEO. Here's your refund - now get the *** off my plane."
Several versions exist online of this incident, and an sCO pilot once assured me personally that it did happen. Yet, another website calls this a myth. Can anyone shed some light?
FAB
Last edited by iluv2fly; Feb 18, 2013 at 12:06 pm Reason: merge
Feb 17, 2013, 10:22 pm
#5102
Moderator: Budget Travel forum & Credit Card Programs, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYJ/YVR and back on Van Isle ....... for now
Programs: UA lifetime MM / *A Gold
Posts: 14,429
There was a time when domestic FC was oversold, and GB flew in the cockpit jump seat (apparently a licensed pilot) to free up a FC seat.
And yes, I was on a flight with him way back when prior to CO joining SkyTeam. We were both in Row 1, but I was the one with an empty seat beside me
Now there's something that never happens anymore
You decide.
EmailKid
Feb 18, 2013, 9:38 am
#5103
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: BNA
Programs: HH Gold. (Former) UA PP, DL PM, PC Plat
Posts: 8,185
http://skyvector.com/files/tpp/1302/...TOE_VIS28L.PDF
A similar charted visual approach is the QUIET BRIDGE 28L/R:
http://skyvector.com/files/tpp/1302/...GE_VIS28LR.PDF
Feb 19, 2013, 7:38 am
#5104
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: DEN, or so it says...
Programs: UA1K/RCC, Avis CHM, NWA Plat, SPG Plat
Posts: 2,889
Recently got off a EMB-170 and the crew that was going to take the plane on to its next destination was waiting in the boarding area.
As I was taking my coat out of my carry-on, the FO was complaining to an FA about his grueling schedule, and how exhausted he was. He stated he had been up an about since Monday and it was now Thursday.
I already don't care for regionals, and we've all heard the stories of fatigue but how bad it this? Personally, I would not have been comfortable getting on that flight, if that was the comment the FO was making.
I'm just wondering if I am overreacting in my dislike of regionals so I would like to hear someone else's perspective.
As I was taking my coat out of my carry-on, the FO was complaining to an FA about his grueling schedule, and how exhausted he was. He stated he had been up an about since Monday and it was now Thursday.
I already don't care for regionals, and we've all heard the stories of fatigue but how bad it this? Personally, I would not have been comfortable getting on that flight, if that was the comment the FO was making.
I'm just wondering if I am overreacting in my dislike of regionals so I would like to hear someone else's perspective.
Feb 19, 2013, 7:48 pm
#5105
Join Date: May 2002
Location: US
Programs: UA GS 2MM
Posts: 1,740
What are your thoughts on intersection departures? Are there any procedures/rules that prohibit when you can use them, other than the obvious need for a full-length TO due to weight?
I was always trained that runways are your friends and you would rather have more than less of them on takeoff. However, I noticed that RJs were departing 14L using U2 at ORD on a rainy night yesterday. On my very lightly loaded 777 the captain accepted an intersection departure out of DOH last month.
I realize that pilots have to make a judgement between getting out expeditiously and having more runway below them should things go wrong. Just curious as to what goes into the decision to accept, even request, an intersection departure.
I was always trained that runways are your friends and you would rather have more than less of them on takeoff. However, I noticed that RJs were departing 14L using U2 at ORD on a rainy night yesterday. On my very lightly loaded 777 the captain accepted an intersection departure out of DOH last month.
I realize that pilots have to make a judgement between getting out expeditiously and having more runway below them should things go wrong. Just curious as to what goes into the decision to accept, even request, an intersection departure.
Feb 19, 2013, 8:07 pm
#5106
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
Posts: 23,195
What are your thoughts on intersection departures? Are there any procedures/rules that prohibit when you can use them, other than the obvious need for a full-length TO due to weight?
I was always trained that runways are your friends and you would rather have more than less of them on takeoff. However, I noticed that RJs were departing 14L using U2 at ORD on a rainy night yesterday. On my very lightly loaded 777 the captain accepted an intersection departure out of DOH last month.
I realize that pilots have to make a judgement between getting out expeditiously and having more runway below them should things go wrong. Just curious as to what goes into the decision to accept, even request, an intersection departure.
I was always trained that runways are your friends and you would rather have more than less of them on takeoff. However, I noticed that RJs were departing 14L using U2 at ORD on a rainy night yesterday. On my very lightly loaded 777 the captain accepted an intersection departure out of DOH last month.
I realize that pilots have to make a judgement between getting out expeditiously and having more runway below them should things go wrong. Just curious as to what goes into the decision to accept, even request, an intersection departure.
Of course, 33 at Kilo still allows a good 10,000' of runway, so my guess is that still allows a typical domestic flight to hit V1 (takeoff decision speed) and still safely stop if the takeoff is aborted.
Feb 19, 2013, 9:30 pm
#5107
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,123
Recently got off a EMB-170 and the crew that was going to take the plane on to its next destination was waiting in the boarding area.
As I was taking my coat out of my carry-on, the FO was complaining to an FA about his grueling schedule, and how exhausted he was. He stated he had been up an about since Monday and it was now Thursday.
I already don't care for regionals, and we've all heard the stories of fatigue but how bad it this? Personally, I would not have been comfortable getting on that flight, if that was the comment the FO was making.
I'm just wondering if I am overreacting in my dislike of regionals so I would like to hear someone else's perspective.
As I was taking my coat out of my carry-on, the FO was complaining to an FA about his grueling schedule, and how exhausted he was. He stated he had been up an about since Monday and it was now Thursday.
I already don't care for regionals, and we've all heard the stories of fatigue but how bad it this? Personally, I would not have been comfortable getting on that flight, if that was the comment the FO was making.
I'm just wondering if I am overreacting in my dislike of regionals so I would like to hear someone else's perspective.
What are your thoughts on intersection departures? Are there any procedures/rules that prohibit when you can use them, other than the obvious need for a full-length TO due to weight?
I was always trained that runways are your friends and you would rather have more than less of them on takeoff. However, I noticed that RJs were departing 14L using U2 at ORD on a rainy night yesterday. On my very lightly loaded 777 the captain accepted an intersection departure out of DOH last month.
I realize that pilots have to make a judgement between getting out expeditiously and having more runway below them should things go wrong. Just curious as to what goes into the decision to accept, even request, an intersection departure.
I was always trained that runways are your friends and you would rather have more than less of them on takeoff. However, I noticed that RJs were departing 14L using U2 at ORD on a rainy night yesterday. On my very lightly loaded 777 the captain accepted an intersection departure out of DOH last month.
I realize that pilots have to make a judgement between getting out expeditiously and having more runway below them should things go wrong. Just curious as to what goes into the decision to accept, even request, an intersection departure.
AD
Feb 22, 2013, 6:44 am
#5108
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: ORD
Programs: AA Gold, Hilton Honors Diamond
Posts: 228
Smoke in the cockpit
First - HUGE thank you to all of the pilots who contribute to this thread!
I have a question about "smoke in the cockpit" - and I hope I don't sound ignorant or naïve.
When a pilot declares "smoke in the cockpit" - presumably, there's smoke in the cockpit. However, a couple of questions:
1. Is there ALWAYS smoke in the cockpit - or by saying "smoke in the cockpit", are you getting an indication for your cockpit readouts that say there's smoke elsewhere (ie. Cabin, from the batteries a la 787, etc.)
2. If there is smoke in the cabin but not in the cockpit, is that radioed as "smoke in the cockpit?
3. If there is truly smoke in the cockpit, where would the smoke be coming from - the electronics? Or does the smoke from other areas of the aircraft, some how "make it's way to the cockpit"m
I realize that this is a serious question - and again, just curious. I have no doubt that UA pilots are super well trained, and I ALWAYS feel safe when I'm on a UA aircraft.
Thanks in advance for taking the time to respond to this curiosity.
I have a question about "smoke in the cockpit" - and I hope I don't sound ignorant or naïve.
When a pilot declares "smoke in the cockpit" - presumably, there's smoke in the cockpit. However, a couple of questions:
1. Is there ALWAYS smoke in the cockpit - or by saying "smoke in the cockpit", are you getting an indication for your cockpit readouts that say there's smoke elsewhere (ie. Cabin, from the batteries a la 787, etc.)
2. If there is smoke in the cabin but not in the cockpit, is that radioed as "smoke in the cockpit?
3. If there is truly smoke in the cockpit, where would the smoke be coming from - the electronics? Or does the smoke from other areas of the aircraft, some how "make it's way to the cockpit"m
I realize that this is a serious question - and again, just curious. I have no doubt that UA pilots are super well trained, and I ALWAYS feel safe when I'm on a UA aircraft.
Thanks in advance for taking the time to respond to this curiosity.
Feb 22, 2013, 8:40 am
#5109
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: CLT
Posts: 181
First - HUGE thank you to all of the pilots who contribute to this thread!
I have a question about "smoke in the cockpit" - and I hope I don't sound ignorant or naïve.
When a pilot declares "smoke in the cockpit" - presumably, there's smoke in the cockpit. However, a couple of questions:
1. Is there ALWAYS smoke in the cockpit - or by saying "smoke in the cockpit", are you getting an indication for your cockpit readouts that say there's smoke elsewhere (ie. Cabin, from the batteries a la 787, etc.)
2. If there is smoke in the cabin but not in the cockpit, is that radioed as "smoke in the cockpit?
3. If there is truly smoke in the cockpit, where would the smoke be coming from - the electronics? Or does the smoke from other areas of the aircraft, some how "make it's way to the cockpit"m
I realize that this is a serious question - and again, just curious. I have no doubt that UA pilots are super well trained, and I ALWAYS feel safe when I'm on a UA aircraft.
Thanks in advance for taking the time to respond to this curiosity.
I have a question about "smoke in the cockpit" - and I hope I don't sound ignorant or naïve.
When a pilot declares "smoke in the cockpit" - presumably, there's smoke in the cockpit. However, a couple of questions:
1. Is there ALWAYS smoke in the cockpit - or by saying "smoke in the cockpit", are you getting an indication for your cockpit readouts that say there's smoke elsewhere (ie. Cabin, from the batteries a la 787, etc.)
2. If there is smoke in the cabin but not in the cockpit, is that radioed as "smoke in the cockpit?
3. If there is truly smoke in the cockpit, where would the smoke be coming from - the electronics? Or does the smoke from other areas of the aircraft, some how "make it's way to the cockpit"m
I realize that this is a serious question - and again, just curious. I have no doubt that UA pilots are super well trained, and I ALWAYS feel safe when I'm on a UA aircraft.
Thanks in advance for taking the time to respond to this curiosity.
A couple examples: a cooling fan for the cockpit displays or other electrical items can give a smokey electrical smell (and may have a little smoke). De-ice fluid, or a improperly completed compressor wash, can cause smoke in either the cabin or cockpit as it goes through the heating/cooling of the air conditioning system (it's another whole little discussion how the air conditioning takes hot air and makes it much cooler for cabin use).
Mar 5, 2013, 9:57 am
#5110
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 11
Thought of this one while waiting to fly out of Boston the day it opened after the big storms early Feb. Boston had managed to get 2 runways open (which was impressive) - but all the taxiways were still slushy and you couldn't see any of the yellow lines to follow. There also seemed to be a shortage of signallers (the people with the red sticks who help you 'park' - not sure what they're called sorry!)
I was sat watching for quite a while and saw a fair bit of aircraft movement and noticed that every plane that came to 'park' had to wait until the 'signallers' arrived (sometimes a few minutes) before they could pull into the gate.
1) is it mandated that the people signalling you into the gate are there?
2) How helpful are those yellow lines in reality (ie could you do it without the signalling people)
3) Slightly tongue-in-cheek question - do the UA pilots on here think they could park the aircraft without either yellow lines or signallers?!
Also - how much does the slushy ground affect your taxiing?
Cheers
Walkers
I was sat watching for quite a while and saw a fair bit of aircraft movement and noticed that every plane that came to 'park' had to wait until the 'signallers' arrived (sometimes a few minutes) before they could pull into the gate.
1) is it mandated that the people signalling you into the gate are there?
2) How helpful are those yellow lines in reality (ie could you do it without the signalling people)
3) Slightly tongue-in-cheek question - do the UA pilots on here think they could park the aircraft without either yellow lines or signallers?!
Also - how much does the slushy ground affect your taxiing?
Cheers
Walkers
Mar 6, 2013, 7:30 pm
#5111
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,123
Thought of this one while waiting to fly out of Boston the day it opened after the big storms early Feb. Boston had managed to get 2 runways open (which was impressive) - but all the taxiways were still slushy and you couldn't see any of the yellow lines to follow. There also seemed to be a shortage of signallers (the people with the red sticks who help you 'park' - not sure what they're called sorry!)
I was sat watching for quite a while and saw a fair bit of aircraft movement and noticed that every plane that came to 'park' had to wait until the 'signallers' arrived (sometimes a few minutes) before they could pull into the gate.
1) is it mandated that the people signalling you into the gate are there?
2) How helpful are those yellow lines in reality (ie could you do it without the signalling people)
3) Slightly tongue-in-cheek question - do the UA pilots on here think they could park the aircraft without either yellow lines or signallers?!
Also - how much does the slushy ground affect your taxiing?
Cheers
Walkers
I was sat watching for quite a while and saw a fair bit of aircraft movement and noticed that every plane that came to 'park' had to wait until the 'signallers' arrived (sometimes a few minutes) before they could pull into the gate.
1) is it mandated that the people signalling you into the gate are there?
2) How helpful are those yellow lines in reality (ie could you do it without the signalling people)
3) Slightly tongue-in-cheek question - do the UA pilots on here think they could park the aircraft without either yellow lines or signallers?!
Also - how much does the slushy ground affect your taxiing?
Cheers
Walkers
2) Not sure which one you're talking about, the parking line or the taxi line. Both are useful and serve a purpose. We need the line or marshaller to come into the gate at the right spot unless we have an electronic parking system, which we do have at a lot of the big hubs. There the marshaller just controls the lights on the electronic board. We control our left and right and he tells us when to slow and stop. The stop marks on the ground are below us, so without a marshaler or electronic board we really wouldn't know where to stop for the jetway.
For taxiways, the line isn't as important. We often taxi in the snow where we can't see them, we just go between the taxi lights, but it is more time consuming and dangerous, so we tend to taxi a lot slower.
3)See above answer. I could park without them as far as lining up, but knowing where to stop would be tough.
Slushy ground taxiing is like driving a car. You taxi slower due to the propensity to slide during turns and longer stopping distances when applying the brakes. We also will taxi with flaps up for takeoff when taxiing through the slush, so that slows down our takeoff checklists until we get down to the runway.
AD
Mar 7, 2013, 8:59 am
#5112
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 11
Thanks for your answer.
Last edited by walkers; Mar 7, 2013 at 9:21 am
Mar 7, 2013, 9:32 am
#5113
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Orygun
Posts: 462
Departing PDX last week in a 320 I once again was reminded on the professionalism and skill of the men and women getting me where I need to go.
Shortly after positive climb as the gear was retracting, all of a sudden we leveled off and banked about five degrees to the right. The movement of the aircraft was so sudden and we were flying pretty much level at a couple hundred feet AGL. For a split second I thought we were going into the trees at the end of the runway.
As quickly as the aircraft leveled off, we started quickly climbing again and followed the published departure off 28L. Luckily, channel 9 was on and as we started climbing normally, the captain called the PDX tower to report that there was a flock of birds right over the end of the runway.
I have heard that 320s don’t do well with geese in the power plants but man they sure seem maneuverable when they need to be.
Shortly after positive climb as the gear was retracting, all of a sudden we leveled off and banked about five degrees to the right. The movement of the aircraft was so sudden and we were flying pretty much level at a couple hundred feet AGL. For a split second I thought we were going into the trees at the end of the runway.
As quickly as the aircraft leveled off, we started quickly climbing again and followed the published departure off 28L. Luckily, channel 9 was on and as we started climbing normally, the captain called the PDX tower to report that there was a flock of birds right over the end of the runway.
I have heard that 320s don’t do well with geese in the power plants but man they sure seem maneuverable when they need to be.
Last edited by B787938; Mar 19, 2013 at 9:56 pm Reason: ETA: It was RWY 10L - good thing I stuck to 172s and didnt take up flying as a career.
Mar 16, 2013, 9:23 pm
#5115
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: New Yawk, NY
Programs: UA 1k,DL,AA
Posts: 42
while the flight crew did a phenomenal job, they trained for it and it was their job to do.
just as great a part of the rescue and no loss of life on that 20 degree day, were the ferry operators, who were NOT trained to do the job they did AND did an amazing job. Lasersailor, I am a hobie/melges/j24/farr-40 sailor and here is what people don't know.
The Hudson river (it's not really a river, it's a tidal estuary) ebbs at 7+ knots. Scullys plane was traveling downriver in that current and swirling (doing 180's) about 1 time every 3 minutes. The ferry operators immediately went to the rescue, nudged the nose of their ferries into the armpit of the plane, and kept the ferry in that position (the ferrys were sometimes a couple of stories higher than the plane), swirling with the plane. Even if you don't consider the dangerous hanging debris under the plane, it was an amazing rescue. I rarely hear the ferry operators mentioned or given any credit.
and what about the law enforcement pro rescue workers? they ran down the west side highway running out on the piers - each time too late as the plane was already past. while i'm sure they made a great effort, they were ineffective and looked like the keystone kops.
scully and the crew brought them down, and got them out on the wings safely, but it was the ferry operators that got them out of the river, in hypothermic conditions, with alacrity. Without those ferry operators, it would have looked like the plane that crashed into the east river 20 years earlier where people froze to death within finger-reach of rescue.
dan
from wiki - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_Airways_Flight_1549
Local commercial vessels from the NY Waterway and Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises fleets responded almost immediately to the emergency. NY Waterway ferry Thomas Jefferson, commanded by Captain Vincent Lombardi, was first on the scene arriving at the side of the plane just four minutes after the ditching. NY Waterway ferry Governor Thomas H. Kean, under the command of 20-year-old Captain Brittany Catanzaro,[55] was the second rescue craft to arrive reaching the plane a few minutes later.[56] Catanzaro reported to radio station WNYC that she and her crew used a Jason's cradle to bring people who were wet onto her boat. Aircraft captain Sullenberger stated in CBS News interviews that he advised the ferry crew to rescue passengers on the wing before the passengers in the inflatable slides, as the inflatable slides provided a higher level of safety. Time-stamped video from a United States Coast Guard (USCG) surveillance camera shows that the first of these vessels, a ferry boat, reached the plane at 3:35 pm (four minutes after the ditching) and began rescuing the 155 occupants. By this time many passengers were already standing on the wings or in the inflated slides.[53] The slides eventually detached from the fuselage to form life rafts.[44] At one point, as the plane moved in the strong ebb tide current, passengers on one of the slides, fearing that the stern of the ferry boat would crush them, had to shout to the ferry boat pilot to steer away.[57]
Within minutes,[58] vessels from the New York City Fire and Police Departments (FDNY and NYPD), the USCG,[59] and a privately owned former Coast Guard Buoy Tender were on scene to help with the rescue and recovery effort.[60] All of the passengers and flight crew were rescued safely.[44]
The FDNY sent four marine units and rescue divers.[61] On land, FDNY declared a level III (All Hands) emergency and mobilized their Major Emergency Response Vehicle, Logistical Support Units and had 35 ambulances ready for patients coming off the flight.[62][63] About 140 FDNY firefighters responded to docks near the crash.[61] The NYPD sent squad cars, helicopters, vessels, and rescue divers from the Aviation Unit and Harbor Unit.
In addition, about 30 other ambulances were made available by other organizations, including several hospital-based ambulances (St. Vincent, St. Barnabas). Various agencies also provided medical help on the Weehawken side of the river, where most passengers were taken.[64] Two mutual aid helicopters responded to the West 30th Street Heliport, one from the Nassau County Police and another from the New Jersey State Police.[65] New York Water Taxi sent boats to the scene but did not take part in the rescue.[66]
Within minutes,[58] vessels from the New York City Fire and Police Departments (FDNY and NYPD), the USCG,[59] and a privately owned former Coast Guard Buoy Tender were on scene to help with the rescue and recovery effort.[60] All of the passengers and flight crew were rescued safely.[44]
The FDNY sent four marine units and rescue divers.[61] On land, FDNY declared a level III (All Hands) emergency and mobilized their Major Emergency Response Vehicle, Logistical Support Units and had 35 ambulances ready for patients coming off the flight.[62][63] About 140 FDNY firefighters responded to docks near the crash.[61] The NYPD sent squad cars, helicopters, vessels, and rescue divers from the Aviation Unit and Harbor Unit.
In addition, about 30 other ambulances were made available by other organizations, including several hospital-based ambulances (St. Vincent, St. Barnabas). Various agencies also provided medical help on the Weehawken side of the river, where most passengers were taken.[64] Two mutual aid helicopters responded to the West 30th Street Heliport, one from the Nassau County Police and another from the New Jersey State Police.[65] New York Water Taxi sent boats to the scene but did not take part in the rescue.[66]
are there ever jfk/lga/ewr flights?
Last edited by FlyinHawaiian; Mar 17, 2013 at 6:12 am Reason: merge/ cut-and-paste of copyright-protected material