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}
May 31, 2017, 7:15 am
#6571
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 205
Yep welcome anytime during boarding/deplanning. I used to be Guam based. Middle aged Japanese men absolutely loved flight deck visits and the resulting photo op.
Jul 6, 2017, 12:04 pm
#6572
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: NTTB
Programs: UA Plat, Marriott Plat
Posts: 4,649
Question for our resident 737 pilots or I guess anyone that may have experience with this. Yesterday ORD-DEN on a 737-900, midway through spool up for take off at O'Hare, I heard a strange noise that I've never heard before. I was sitting in the exit row and directly overhead, I heard a sound that I can't articulate well other than it sounded like many dozens or hundreds of buckets of water or ice were dropped on top of the fuselage. Like a chunky splashing sound but for only about 2-3 seconds in length. It wasn't my imagination as many passengers looked up and at each other with the same puzzled look.
Jul 6, 2017, 1:51 pm
#6573
Join Date: May 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: UA MM, Marriott LT Plat
Posts: 264
Jul 6, 2017, 2:15 pm
#6574
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: BNA
Programs: HH Gold. (Former) UA PP, DL PM, PC Plat
Posts: 8,185
Jul 6, 2017, 6:14 pm
#6575
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Seoul
Programs: None anymore
Posts: 983
Question for the 747 pilots, do you think the retirement schedule is going to be accelerated before October?
Jul 6, 2017, 8:08 pm
#6576
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
Aug 14, 2017, 8:23 am
#6577
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 3
747 Flight
I will be flying from SFO-ICN on 8/31 on the UD. I am very excited for my first and possibly only 747 flight. I would love to get a picture in the cockpit before departure and wanted to see whether there was a proper manner in which to ask the crew. Can I just approach the flight deck and ask? I don't want to be a distraction, or cause any security concerns!
Aug 14, 2017, 8:46 am
#6578
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: BNA
Programs: HH Gold. (Former) UA PP, DL PM, PC Plat
Posts: 8,185
Aug 14, 2017, 11:41 am
#6579
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,424
Yesterday, I noticed that the plane I was on did not turn on its starboard engine while taxiing (turbine was not spinning) - only when we were relatively close to takeoff. Is that normal? To save fuel? It's possible it's normal and I haven't noticed before but I thought usually both engines were on when moving forward under own power 
Actually now that I think about it I'm almost always on the other side of the a/c so maybe this is just SOP.
Actually now that I think about it I'm almost always on the other side of the a/c so maybe this is just SOP.
Aug 14, 2017, 11:53 am
#6580
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 75
Yesterday, I noticed that the plane I was on did not turn on its starboard engine while taxiing (turbine was not spinning) - only when we were relatively close to takeoff. Is that normal? To save fuel? It's possible it's normal and I haven't noticed before but I thought usually both engines were on when moving forward under own power Actually now that I think about it I'm almost always on the other side of the a/c so maybe this is just SOP.
Actually now that I think about it I'm almost always on the other side of the a/c so maybe this is just SOP.
Aug 14, 2017, 11:54 am
#6581
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,424
Aug 14, 2017, 11:58 am
#6582
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: BNA
Programs: HH Gold. (Former) UA PP, DL PM, PC Plat
Posts: 8,185
That depends on the airplane. Different designs will have different single-engine configurations.
On the 737 we start the right engine first. That allows the bleed-air from the right engine to power the right A/C pack while the APU bleed-air powers the left A/C pack. That gives maximum heating/cooling in a one-engine configuration. If we started the left engine first there's no way to power the right pack from the APU so you'd have either the left engine or APU powering both packs.
On the 737 we start the right engine first. That allows the bleed-air from the right engine to power the right A/C pack while the APU bleed-air powers the left A/C pack. That gives maximum heating/cooling in a one-engine configuration. If we started the left engine first there's no way to power the right pack from the APU so you'd have either the left engine or APU powering both packs.
Aug 14, 2017, 12:05 pm
#6583
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,424
That depends on the airplane. Different designs will have different single-engine configurations.
On the 737 we start the right engine first. That allows the bleed-air from the right engine to power the right A/C pack while the APU bleed-air powers the left A/C pack. That gives maximum heating/cooling in a one-engine configuration. If we started the left engine first there's no way to power the right pack from the APU so you'd have either the left engine or APU powering both packs.
On the 737 we start the right engine first. That allows the bleed-air from the right engine to power the right A/C pack while the APU bleed-air powers the left A/C pack. That gives maximum heating/cooling in a one-engine configuration. If we started the left engine first there's no way to power the right pack from the APU so you'd have either the left engine or APU powering both packs.
I guess the moral of the story is I clearly haven't looked back at the engine while taxiing often enough!
Aug 14, 2017, 3:15 pm
#6585
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 217
Not really with jet aircraft. Critical engine problems are most prevalent with propeller aircraft where the spiraling slipstream and asymmetric thrust created by the propeller disc causes noticeable handling differences depending on which engine fails, assuming the aircraft does not have counter-rotating propellers. No real handling difference whichever engine fails dealing with turbojets (at least with twin engine aircraft. No idea for 3 or more).