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}
Jan 25, 2017, 3:58 pm
#6511
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
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Time for http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...7-edition.html. Will retire the 2016 thread
WineCountryUA
UA coModerator
WineCountryUA
UA coModerator
Jan 25, 2017, 4:31 pm
#6512
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Redwood City, CA USA (SFO/SJC)
Programs: 1K 2010, 1P in 2011, Plat for 2012,13,14,15 & 2016. Gold in 17 & 18, Plat since
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OK, seriously dumb question time. Is this done with anyone in the cockpit, or can it be done on an empty and closed plane? I assume the latter. Probably some external switches that can be thrown, or more likely steering control automatically goes to the tug anytime it's hooked up.
Jan 25, 2017, 4:50 pm
#6513
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Location: Houston
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Jan 25, 2017, 4:57 pm
#6514
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 573
There is a manual process in the FOM quick reference guide. It works fine for an airplane or two with inoperative ACARS but it takes time and requires phones calls to the flight's dispatcher who then sends the information that normally goes through ACARS to a station printer. The crews then use manual entry into the FMS. With ACARS down for the entire "domestic" fleet there is no way for the dispatchers to handle that workload.
Dedicated move teams. They spend their entire shift moving airplanes around the airport service via tugs.
I was enroute to EWR last night when the ACARS failure occurred. First thing I noticed was requests for updated gate assignment, flight status update, and landing data weren't returned. We had an earlier gate assignment and calculated the landing distance requirements via alternate means.
After landing, we were scheduled for a B-gate due to being an international arrival but the gate wasn't available. Turned out that the airplane at our gate was waiting for the move team to move it over to the C-terminal. What we didn't know was that the entire ACARS system (for the "domestic" fleet) was down and our in-range and on-times were never transmitted so the move team didn't know that we were early and couldn't properly prioritized moving the airplane that was at our gate. (They did move the aircraft in time for our scheduled arrival, thankfully, so we still arrived at the gate early)
Another issue that came up from the ACARS outage was that us crews who weren't aware of the extent of the problem didn't know that we needed to call in our out/off/on/in times via radio (and the stations couldn't send us messages asking for them). Without those times, the flight status displays/web/app never updated.
Dedicated move teams. They spend their entire shift moving airplanes around the airport service via tugs.
I was enroute to EWR last night when the ACARS failure occurred. First thing I noticed was requests for updated gate assignment, flight status update, and landing data weren't returned. We had an earlier gate assignment and calculated the landing distance requirements via alternate means.
After landing, we were scheduled for a B-gate due to being an international arrival but the gate wasn't available. Turned out that the airplane at our gate was waiting for the move team to move it over to the C-terminal. What we didn't know was that the entire ACARS system (for the "domestic" fleet) was down and our in-range and on-times were never transmitted so the move team didn't know that we were early and couldn't properly prioritized moving the airplane that was at our gate. (They did move the aircraft in time for our scheduled arrival, thankfully, so we still arrived at the gate early)
Another issue that came up from the ACARS outage was that us crews who weren't aware of the extent of the problem didn't know that we needed to call in our out/off/on/in times via radio (and the stations couldn't send us messages asking for them). Without those times, the flight status displays/web/app never updated.
Jan 25, 2017, 6:31 pm
#6515
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: BNA
Programs: HH Gold. (Former) UA PP, DL PM, PC Plat
Posts: 8,185
OK, seriously dumb question time. Is this done with anyone in the cockpit, or can it be done on an empty and closed plane? I assume the latter. Probably some external switches that can be thrown, or more likely steering control automatically goes to the tug anytime it's hooked up.
The steering is disabled at the nose gear by inserting a bypass pin. It is also effectively disabled by the lack of hydraulic pressure with the airplane shutdown.
Jan 25, 2017, 6:36 pm
#6516
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Ah, after pushback, is that the pin that is removed and shown to the cockpit?
Jan 25, 2017, 8:42 pm
#6517
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: BNA
Programs: HH Gold. (Former) UA PP, DL PM, PC Plat
Posts: 8,185
Jan 25, 2017, 11:26 pm
#6518
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Redwood City, CA USA (SFO/SJC)
Programs: 1K 2010, 1P in 2011, Plat for 2012,13,14,15 & 2016. Gold in 17 & 18, Plat since
Posts: 8,826
Jan 26, 2017, 11:17 am
#6520
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 26
Transport aircraft typically do not use squat switches in the sense of a open/closed mechanical switch. They use proximity sensors to determine states. Multiple per gear truck, all cabin/cargo doors, ets. Less prone to failure with no moving parts. (lots of dirt/grime/ice/etc)
Jan 26, 2017, 11:18 am
#6521
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 26
That said, there are also large pins with flags attached that are used to lock the gear down for mx and other ground activities. They are not used for routine operations.
Jan 27, 2017, 6:35 pm
#6522
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: IAD
Programs: UA 1K 2MM, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 565
I was on UA309, SFO-IAD today, and the gate agents and FAs made announcements about the flight being weight restricted. However, they didn't seem concerned about overall aircraft weight - they seemed worried about adding weight in the baggage hold. Basically, they said they wanted to get as many carryon bags in the cabin as possible, and the FAs were announcing that they'd remove backpacks and coats from the overhead in order to squeeze in more larger bags.
Didn't really make sense to me, so I asked a FA who was standing next to me. "It's for weather. We're going to be getting moderate turbulence and that's why we're weight restricted."
That answer still doesn't make sense to me, so I thought I'd ask here.
Didn't really make sense to me, so I asked a FA who was standing next to me. "It's for weather. We're going to be getting moderate turbulence and that's why we're weight restricted."
That answer still doesn't make sense to me, so I thought I'd ask here.
Jan 27, 2017, 7:03 pm
#6523
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: BNA
Programs: HH Gold. (Former) UA PP, DL PM, PC Plat
Posts: 8,185
The weight for carry on bags is included in the passenger weight. Each checked bag adds weight. By maximizing the number of bags that fit in the cabin they reduce the number of gate checks which reduces the weight used in the weight and balance calculations.
I have no idea how turbulence would have factored into this unless turbulence enroute was forcing a lower cruise altitude which would require more fuel.
I have no idea how turbulence would have factored into this unless turbulence enroute was forcing a lower cruise altitude which would require more fuel.
Jan 27, 2017, 7:33 pm
#6524
Moderator: Budget Travel forum & Credit Card Programs, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYJ/YVR and back on Van Isle ....... for now
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Posts: 14,429
Jan 27, 2017, 8:31 pm
#6525
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: BNA
Programs: HH Gold. (Former) UA PP, DL PM, PC Plat
Posts: 8,185
If the pin is left installed we'll find out as soon as we start to taxi and the steering (tiller) won't turn. You'd just stop and have them come back out to remove the pin.