Hi,
I have a couple of things that I feel need clarifying on B757 / B767 operations. There are quite a many of these, but any help & additional information is really appreciated!
1. VNAV
After engaging VNAV passing 1500, how quickly does the AFDS command lower pitch attitude for acceleration (ie. passing acceleration altitude) ? Is it sharp or does it take time after the acceleration altitude for the horizontal F/D bar to move down ?
2. Lights operation
I have failed to find any documentation on what is the correct procedure for operating the lights.
I know that the red anti-collision light is put on prior the engine start.
At what point are the position lights, white ac-lights and wing lights put on ? When are they turned off then ? My belief is that only the Position and Red Anti-Collision lights are kept on during the entire flight ?
What about Landing, Taxi lights and Runway Turnoff lights ? I suspect that different operators have different ways of handling the lights, but at least one example of the operation would be nice
.
3. EEC operation
Is CLB automatically set after takeoff, or does one need to engage clinb thrust manually on the TRP(TMSP) after takeoff ? I think I read somewhere that the older models need the manual engagement, is it so ? Is the automatic version more common today?
4. At what point is the landing gear lever turned to OFF position ?
5. manual MCP speed selections
Is the MCP speed bug always put to the maneuvering speed for the existing flap position in approach / landing, or are "intermittent" speed settings used often ? I know that the ATC often instructs to fly different speeds, and pilots may also need to use speed intervention / speed select in various phases of flight, but is it generally so, that when slowing down only the maneuvering speeds are used in approach, ie. no speeds like Vref+55 ? This may sound like a very dumb question, but a comment in a B767 FCTM raised my eyebrows, which basically said that only maneuvering speeds are set.
6. Flight directors
Are flight directors always turned off on both sides when conducting a visual approach ? If not, what are the cases when they remain on ?
7. Seat Belts sign
Is the AUTO position always used instead of OFF at the flight levels, when pax are allowed to move ? Is there any situation (except after arrival at the gate) when the OFF position is used ?
8. Hydraulic panel setup
Are the L&R primary pumps always left ON ? Are the L&R demand pumps and C primary & demand pumps turned ON not before than in preflight ?
9. Electrical panel setup
Are the utility buses left ON or OFF in parking ? Are the L&R GEN CONT swithces always kept ON ?
10. Trim Air & recirc fan
Are Trim Air & Recirculation Fan switches always ON ? What are the situations where they are turned OFF ?
11. Apu bleed
Is APU bleed ON all the time, or is it turned off after APU shutdown ?
12. APU shutdown
When is APU shutdown commenced. Immediately after engine start or during taxi ?
13. Yaw dampers
Are Y/Ds always ON in normal ops ? Are they also left ON in parking ?
14. IRS alignment
What is the procedure for checking the IRS position during turnaround ? Or are they always turned OFF and realigned before the next flight ?
15. Fuel system
The crossfeed switch. Does the fuel actually flow from one tank to other when crossfeeding, OR does it only mean that the engines draw fuel only from the tank that has more fuel than the other. The end result is the same, but is actual crossfeeding taking place ?
16. DH
Is the DH set only for CATIII operations, and the orange DA bug used for CATI/II ops (and DH turned to zero or negative) ?
17. Flap operation
Why is it that the Boeing-recommended standard procedure for extending/retracting flaps is such that the retracting should be done 20 kts prior to the NEXT flap setting maneuvering speed when accelerating ? Extending the flaps 20 kts prior to the PRESENT flap setting maneuvering speed makes sense, but retracting seems a bit funny. Is it because the actual selection & retraction takes that much time, that when the setting is actually achieved, the aircraft is already above the maneuvering speed ?Does any airline do this differently, ie. retract only AFTER the NEXT flap settings maneuvering speed ??
regards
Tero