For the real pilots

[744pilot]

Hi,

I was wondering how many times you pilots have to do a position check, fuel check against the flightplan en report by atc at the reporting points. Yesterday I made a trip to Berlin with Easyjet in an A319. It was a nice flight BTW. But that god me thinking, those pilots doesn't have much of time since they only cruized for 15 min before they started there descent again.

Hope someone can give me an answer.

[Ray D'Avecta]

Typically, on shortish flights:

Position Check - Done at anytime in the cruise, prior to commencing descent (as a double check of the FMS position).....but can also be done during the descent

Fuel check with flightplan - can be done at anytime in the climb, cruise or descent.....as long as there is one check done every hour or part thereof (company specific rules).......so, in your example, a check at top of climb or a relevant waypoint in the short cruise would be fine.

Compulsory reporting points - as published or requested by ATC

those pilots doesn't have much of time since they only cruized for 15 min before they started there descent again

........and you thought all we did was read the newspaper and drink coffee, right? :D ......well, now you know that theres a fair bit to do in a short time on those types of flights ;)

[744pilot]

Thanks mate.
Actualy the pilot had some time to say something to us...about the arrival weather.:ok:

EDIT: you know wat I find the most confusing part of them all??
How can you prepare a flight in 20min.? That's wat easyjet does.

[Carnage Matey!]

You can turnaround an A319 in ten minutes quite easily on a standard day. The next flight plan can be stored in a secondary plan and activated after landing. Panel scans take a couple of minutes including jotting down the ATIS, performance calcs are usually straight forward and the briefing can be done in less than 5 minutes if both pilots are familiar with the routing. What slows down aircraft turnarounds is getting the fuel, bags, catering and passengers on. We're usually twiddling our thumbs waiting for everyone else to catch up. Short haul is busy busy busy and learning to manage your time is one of the first skills you need to acquire.

[744pilot]

And you fly an A319??
About the briefing...do you guys always do a briefing?? Even if this is the 100th time you fly this route with the same pilot?
And about the SEC. FPLAN. Can you also store the PERF factors and Vspeeds and etc. in the SEC. FPLAN?? Boeing isn't capable of doing this...except storing a Second LEGS.

PS. Don't forget the crew change and the logging of flight info.

[Ennie]

Briefing???:E

Ah, yes eh hem...Standard....

[Ray D'Avecta]

Ennie..........:ok: ..........yep,... thats the phrase!.........

[Gufo]

And about the SEC. FPLAN. Can you also store the PERF factors and Vspeeds and etc. in the SEC. FPLAN?? Boeing isn't capable of doing this...except storing a Second LEGS.

Yes, pal... I loved the Bus :sad:
734's don't even have that "Second Legs" thing.. At least we have Company Routes to back us up :)

[halfscaledelfection]

we opeate 733's and turnaround time's 25mins limit. 4 sectors a day, usually mixed up 2 long and 2 short sectors. Besides that we don't even have loadmasters! The copilot does the loadsheet during the turnaround and if he's fast enough the FMC and all that. wonder if things are any diff operating A319s....

someone shed some light?

[Gufo]

Well, back in Volare with the 320 we did 30mins -or less, actually- turnarounds. And we had to do the loadsheet ourselves in most places.
Now I fly 733s and 4s in a "traditional" airline: we get the loadsheet, have 45 minutes minimum turnaround, etc.
From the turnaround time point of view, it's no great difference between 73 and the Bus. You get some extra-points on the Bus for those wonderful Secondary FPL issues, but once you're used to loading a route from scratch, also on the 73 it may take less than 2 mins.

The great difference is fatigue. Now that I'm cramped in the hot and oldish flight deck of a 73, I really understand the value of a well conditioned, ergonomic cockpit like in the Airbus, where you get lots of pockets to put the papers in and, OOOHH, God, that lovely little table in front of you....
:{