BigJC

I always ask an FA and they've never had a problem taking me up there and introducing me. A lot less awkward (to me) than just wandering up there by myself.

TurboFan779

I will be on that flight UD as well.

LarryJ

I presume you mean when inflight? No, there is no 'critical engine' on any of the jets that I've flown.

Could be an issue with some engines having different systems than others but that doesn't come into play until you have more than two engines. i.e. the DC8 had engine-driven hydraulic pumps only on the inbound engines.

To expand on the single-engine taxi answer above... I mentioned that on the 737 we always start the right engine first due to the configuration of the pneumatic system. I failed to mention that by starting the right engine first you can then maintain heating/cooling during the start process on the left engine, by having the right engine provide bleed air to the right AC pack, while the APU bleed air operates the starter for the left engine. If you started the left engine first you'd have to have both AC packs off while starting the right engine.

Additionally, when we shut down one engine during taxi-in it is the right engine that is shut down first leaving just the left engine running. I don't know why it's always that right engine first but there's no longer any benefit in running the right engine so, perhaps, it is to balance out the operating time between engines?

I think, but am not sure, that the Airbus is the opposite.

Say Vandelay

Thanks for all of this great info. When taxiing with a single engine, does it have any effect on the movement of the aircraft on the ground? i.e., does powering with the starboard engine steer the plane to the left and require compensation with the tiller?

LarryJ

Of course. There is a turning tendency in the direction opposite of the operating engine. It doesn't take much tiller or rudder-pedal deflection to counter it.

You might also notice that to get the airplane moving from a stop, particularly when on asphalt instead of concrete, the Captain may let the airplane turn initially to help get the airplane moving before proceeding straight ahead.

When the airplane's heavy, the asphalt is hot, and/or an uphill gradient it might be possible to get the airplane moving on a single-engine without creating a hazardous amount of jet blast in the gate area. In those cases we'll start both engines to taxi and, if there's a delay for departure, shut one down again to save fuel once away from the congested areas.

fezzington

Also appreciated by the FAs, FWIW. Inquisitive pax are better than pax that feel like it's okay to just wander into the pit, regardless of where we are.

For what it's worth, not all crews will be okay with even asking the pit about it.

My turn to ask a question I never get a chance to ask onboard: Why do some of our pilots feel insulted if a cabin jumpseater doesn't get a chance to introduce themselves during boarding? We're cleared so late now sometimes that I hardly have time to get onboard and get situated in before the door is closing, so while I usually do, I don't always get a chance to say hi, and I've been reprimanded by a few different captains over it (on 737s and a 757) I know it used to be at y'alls discretion to allow us on, could that be part of it?

eng3

I was in the exact same situation last week on my own final flight. We were delayed and people were still boarding. Being in J on the UD, if you just get up the use the LAV, when you step out, you're in the perfect position to just ask without it being akward. As I got out, I saw two pilots just standing around talking with a guy in a vest in the seat. Since I was just standing there, I just politely asked. The pilot was very nice but told me they are in the middle of fixing something so now isnt the best time and welcomed me to come back once we arrived at the destination. (I think this is usually the best time unless the pilots are in a hurry to catch the next flight). Unfortunately our delay cut my layover down to 30min so I didn't have time.




My own question: The other day, I heard "FAs, please take your seats for take off" when I typically hear "FA, please take your seats for departure". This reminded me of an old episod eof air disasters about the tenerife 747 accident. I thought there a rule/guideline about use of the word "takeoff" only for take off clearance and to use the word "departure" for anything else. Is this correct? Is there an actual rule? Does this only apply to radio communications vs PA annoucements?

BBSHOPSINGER

Can I give a big thank you to United Pilots? Earlier this year my wife took my two grandsons with her and flew from Denver to Orlando and met me there. When the pilots found that it was the two boys' (9 and 5 years old) first flight, they invited them into the cockpit and allowed them to take pictures wearing the captain's hat. This extra attention meant the world to them, and they told me later that the flight was the best part of their vacation.

Is this pretty standard practice for pilots in this situation? I was impressed, and the boys will have a lasting memory of that time.

clubord

Absolutely it's standard practice, all you have to do is ask!

99.9% of us are more than excited to offer a tour of the flight deck. It's safe to say each of us had a moment like that when we were kids that lit the fire within us to pursue a career in aviation.

LarryJ

Sometimes when you pick up the microphone the words don't come out exactly as you intended.

There is no restriction on using the word "takeoff" on the pilot's side. Not sure about the controllers. The Controller's regulations are in FAA Order 7110.65W.

threeoh

Interesting read! In Section 3. Departure Procedures (page 185 of the PDF):

ROCAT

In addition to what is is the book you have other things that are usually not said: "Go ahead" on ground control, ""cleared" radar only uses cleared to mean direct to a fix which is diffrent then "cleared to".

Controllers, or at least smart ones, usually are stricter with phraseology then pilots as the FAA puts redback issues 100% on controllers.

eng3

Makes sense I suppose. A controller would be clearing a pilot for take off so the wording from the controller is more important than the pilot's read back. I suppose the pilot just gets use to using the same wording. For example, I would think that if a pilot kept using the word "takeoff", the controller (and maybe the other pilot) would want to confirm that everyone is on the same page and not confused thinking they have takeoff clearance when they dont.

Anyways, I suppose that me noticing this means even I have become accustom to hearing "FA, please take your seats for departure" instead of "takeoff"

14940674

On my UX flight yesterday, the flight crew turned off the seatbelt sign at 14,000 feet. Up to this point, it had been my understanding that US flight crews wait until cruising altitude to extinguish the sign. Was my experience unusual, or was my understanding incorrect?

manstein58

A question I would like to see answered is how often do planes abort their landing approaches because ATC has cleared another aircraft to take off on the same runway. This happened Tuesday at CLT about 0.5 miles from the runway at an altitude of 3-400 feet. Pilot banked the 737 hard to port and pounded the power. When he came back ion the IC to let the PAX know what had happened, he was not a happy pilot.