Two Questions

[rich_g85]

Just two questions arising out of idle lunch break curiosity!

First, what activities take place on the flight deck during the cruise, say on a trans-Atlantic flight. Presumably one person has to monitor the radios at all times, monitor fuel flow/engine parameters etc, what about the other crew member?

Secondly, take a scheduled commercial flight (Flybe for instance) departing from Exeter, which is outside controlled airspace and therefore available to GA aircraft. What protection does the Flybe aircraft have from GA aircraft? Do they get a service from Exeter Radar like anyone else and then join CAS at a particular point on the route?

Would a commercial flight such as my Flybe example ever accept a Basic Service?

Thanks in advance!

[SNS3Guppy]

During an oceanic crossing, both pilots monitor the radios. Position calls are made at specific intervals, including weather and fuel reports. Plotting charts are kept which record position, altitude, and time, and which help ensure that accuracy is maintained (and is shown on the chart to have been maintained).

I like to read, albeit brief bits of reading in between monitoring or operating. Just lately I have a Kindle, which enables quick download of news magazines, or books, and fits neatly in a flight case. Reading isn't done in terminal areas or during times of high radio traffic or other busy activities, but on some legs when it can be 45 minutes between position reports, reading is good, safe, and keeps one awake and sane.

Company position reports, fuel calculations, equal time point calculations or recalculations, and other activities take place enroute.

When operating in uncontrolled terminal areas, the specific procedures depend on the company. I can't speak for flybe, but we have very specific limits as to when and where we can operate under visual flight rules, and the distance from the airfield from which we must be under positive control and on an instrument clearance when arriving or departing. We have limits on when we can cancel our instrument clearance.

Various tools supplement the single most important safety device, which is good old fashioned Mark 1 Eyeballs, when it comes to looking for traffic (other aircraft). The Traffic Collision Avoidance System is the most obvious, and this system interacts with transponder devices in other airplanes to help work out conflict solutions...it provides directions in real time to prevent airplanes from smacking into each other.

My "day job" airplane is too big, and requires too much runway to operate into small, uncontrolled airfields. None the less, we do operate regularly into less-than-ideal locations around the world. Such environments require more of a crew, because the onus to avoid terrain, other aircraft, and sometimes unusual hazards are more fully on the flight crew and not air traffic control.

[rich_g85]

Thanks for your reply SNS3Guppy! It's interesting to know what's happening up front while everyone else is blissfully unaware enjoying their roasted nuts.

I did wonder if Spotter's Balcony was the wrong place to ask questions of the professionals, but didn't feel qualified to post in 'Questions' - "(If you are a professional pilot or your work involves professional aviation please use this forum for questions.)" I'm a mere PPL student, so don't really satisfy either criteria!

Thanks again.
Rich

[windypops]

Flybe will get a deconfliction service from Exeter Radar (unless they have changed their procedure recently). This isn’t always an easy environment either. I have had to wait at the hold at Exeter for quite some time with a Dash 8 lined up and waiting to depart. The tower controller was unable to get a "release" from the radar controller as there was an unknown aircraft outside the ATZ but too close to allow the Dash to get airborne. Exeter is quite an interesting place like that. I've been on the ILS to Exeter, but outside the ATZ and the controller got very chatty as there was an unknown aircraft (no squawk and not talking to Exeter radar, which they didn't have too, but good airmanship would dictate otherwise) flew straight through the approach path. Fortunately it wasn't completely IMC and we got visual contact, he was about 300ft above.

When departing Exeter to join an airway (N864 is just west if my memory serves me correctly) the tower will hand you over to the Radar. When I was flying out of there going IFR we would request "traffic service outside", which was basically telling the controller we want a traffic service until inside of the airway which of course is controlled.

Regarding your comment "outside controlled airspace and therefore available to GA aircraft", FYI GA aircraft can go into controlled airspace, you just have to have the right equipment and of course permission. You don't necessarily need to have filed a flight plan (although I would not fly without having done one), as you can also call them up on the radio to request a transit etc. Of course the controller can say no if they don’t want you in there.