RRTrentSymphony
10th Nov 2012, 14:17
I'm looking forward to flying for an airline soon so I want to get used to a day (or night) at the office for a pilot.
First question:
What stuff would the pilot need to record for the company (not the officials & airport who need flight plans...). Do they need to note block times too? (because there usually done by ACARS) Do they note liftoff & touchdown times. Do they note weather changes like actual conditions on the runway & airborne data (and do they send live info to other A/C and ground too, if so how?). Do the pilots have to note down actual fuel quantities on block off, liftoff, touchdown and block on? Do pilots record aircraft actual weight (actual TOW, actual LDW at touchdown, ZFW...) Do pilots record engine start times and shut downs for the techs to calc engine hours or is there a counter in the engine doing it automatically, does the ACARS transmit these times? I've also heard somewhere they note TOC & TOD times, do the ACARS also record this?
Second question:
Do pilots record takeoff derate used, flap settings, autobrake settings and other performance based factors like Vspeed which could be found in the FCOM? Since these could be calculated from weight, do pilot just note the weight or do they note actual values used for log reasons and for investigation if stuff goes wrong.
Third question:
What does the ACARS record and send back to save time from pilots having to log and send in these other factors by hand. Some examples of the A/C types that can do it would also be useful because I know the widebodies (747, 777, 330, 340) have ACARS access (view the log times and send messages..) through the EFB, FMC or FMCG and theres the older (maybe not older but I guessed so) gen ACARS on the early (maybe all, unless retrofitted) 757/767 that automatically sends information and I don't think you can view info from it on the FMC. Theres also the 737NG ACARS that sends the info but also not accessable/viewable (and can't send text messages) on the FMC. What variables do these ACARS usually send, and if so, do the pilots have to log some of these variables to on paper to submit after flight?
Fourth Question:
Do pilot note down takeoff/landing runways and SID/STARs flown so they can be kept in log for calculating other stuff.
I know it's a lot of questions lol. I'm just so curious about these stuff as I already found out all other stuff about flying the plane by reading manuals and stuff.
First question:
What stuff would the pilot need to record for the company (not the officials & airport who need flight plans...). Do they need to note block times too? (because there usually done by ACARS) Do they note liftoff & touchdown times. Do they note weather changes like actual conditions on the runway & airborne data (and do they send live info to other A/C and ground too, if so how?). Do the pilots have to note down actual fuel quantities on block off, liftoff, touchdown and block on? Do pilots record aircraft actual weight (actual TOW, actual LDW at touchdown, ZFW...) Do pilots record engine start times and shut downs for the techs to calc engine hours or is there a counter in the engine doing it automatically, does the ACARS transmit these times? I've also heard somewhere they note TOC & TOD times, do the ACARS also record this?
Second question:
Do pilots record takeoff derate used, flap settings, autobrake settings and other performance based factors like Vspeed which could be found in the FCOM? Since these could be calculated from weight, do pilot just note the weight or do they note actual values used for log reasons and for investigation if stuff goes wrong.
Third question:
What does the ACARS record and send back to save time from pilots having to log and send in these other factors by hand. Some examples of the A/C types that can do it would also be useful because I know the widebodies (747, 777, 330, 340) have ACARS access (view the log times and send messages..) through the EFB, FMC or FMCG and theres the older (maybe not older but I guessed so) gen ACARS on the early (maybe all, unless retrofitted) 757/767 that automatically sends information and I don't think you can view info from it on the FMC. Theres also the 737NG ACARS that sends the info but also not accessable/viewable (and can't send text messages) on the FMC. What variables do these ACARS usually send, and if so, do the pilots have to log some of these variables to on paper to submit after flight?
Fourth Question:
Do pilot note down takeoff/landing runways and SID/STARs flown so they can be kept in log for calculating other stuff.
I know it's a lot of questions lol. I'm just so curious about these stuff as I already found out all other stuff about flying the plane by reading manuals and stuff.