433
Nice one - I might use that next time I get the usual "does the speed restriction apply tonight" from a "can we" airways (EK) pilot on a night shift when he's number 23 to land.
Chubbs
You think THAT was unprofessional? You should see and hear some of the operators here. English is not only not their 1st language, it's not their 2nd, 3rd or 4th either! (and that's just the Australians!!)
The pilot's operating notes are on the back of a fag packet and have to be regularly consulted during the flight because it looks like this is the first time the crew have encountered this a/c type.
Their idea of speed control is to be in the middle of a long sequence of modern heavy, slippery jets and, completely without warning, abandon their assigned speed and reduce to something (hopefully, but not necessarily) just above the stall.
Where the pilot using the radio is the non-English speaker and has to have the (barely) English speaking other one shout the approximately correct replies in the background over the open mic.
Where headsets appear to be a luxury and the use of hand mics results in feedback that Jimmy Hendrix would have been proud of. Captain, PLEASE put both hands back on the steering wheel as it frightens me to think how little control you already have over the aircraft!
Where there is often a strange background roar on the r/t which I am convinced is because they have the window open!
Where the undercarriage is lowered at about half a mile from touchdown, if at all.
Where many of the aircraft are at least twice as old as their crews.
Where callsigns are an optional extra in any r/t transmission.
Where it seems most airline's operations depts have a prize for the highest number of almost identical trip numbers they can schedule (No, I take that back, schedules imply planning) accidentally get airborne one after the other to confuse the poor ATCOs and pilots. We recently had 5 or 6 go off on the same route, one behind the other to destinations in Europe with 2 and 3 number callsigns all ending in the number 1. That means the crews will be taking each others calls in close to 20 FIRs for the duration of their flights. And that is a common occurence.
Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love working here - it's an experience you can't get in Europe that's for sure. And for the other thread, no, I have no intentions of returning home yet.