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Auto Throttles.

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Auto Throttles.

Old 28th Feb 2009, 19:16
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Will somebody just tell me what a TWR is. I suspect we may call it, whatever it is, something different over here.
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Old 28th Feb 2009, 19:29
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After googling, TRW is the american way of saying TS on a METAR/TAF.

...so yea, I know what a Thunderstorm is.
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Old 28th Feb 2009, 19:30
  #43 (permalink)  
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It's TRW, not TWR. TWR might be an abreviation for Tower.

A TRW is a weather-related acronym that any pilot who has ever flown anywhere where it rains knows what it is. Or, he'd better.

It's a.....THUNDERSTORM W/ RAIN SHOWERS

Sometimes they're just shown as 'T'.

And if you don't respect them as a few have not, you will cause a fatal accident. Although, I hardly call it an accident if someone deliberately flies into one. Or, even NEAR one.

But.....we digress.
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Old 28th Feb 2009, 19:30
  #44 (permalink)  
 
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Learn as long as you live, live as long as you learn

Can't resist to ask what a TRW is?

Sorry for not knowing. But then I have only flown globally for 22 years on F27 to A340-500 so I am just a beginner with my 11000 hours I guess

AutoAbort

Too late again
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Old 28th Feb 2009, 19:32
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And me with my 20000hrs!
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Old 28th Feb 2009, 19:34
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If you don't know what a TRW is, then I suspect you don't fly airplanes, or if you do, you don't check the weather.
Dunno, i fly for the last 24 years which is not all that long considering i have another 29 years until retirement, but over here we use ICAO and JAR abbreviations.

Oh, so i saw the posts above, TS for thunderstorm, RA for rain, SH for showers and it all can be combined.
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Old 28th Feb 2009, 19:35
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A TRW is a weather-related acronym that any pilot who has ever flown anywhere where it rains knows what it is. Or, he'd better.
Not my fault the FAA uses different METAR codes from the rest of the world(ICAO). I yield, I have never flown in the US. Just around Europe/North Africa.
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Old 28th Feb 2009, 19:39
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And by the way...I love automation, and still they consider me a decent stick and rudder pilot as well - very strange indeed

AA
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Old 28th Feb 2009, 19:48
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OK.....regarding TRWs.

METARS have changed the way weather is displayed. And I see it's different every where you go. That's just great for a 'global' operation! One more example where "they" have tried to make something better and have only made it worse. Of course, that's IMHO.

"They" really don't want you to know what the weather is. You might add more fuel or decide not to go.

Again.....we digress.

Keep your EPRs up.....or whatever they call those things today!

Edit for horrible spelling!

Last edited by DC-ATE; 28th Feb 2009 at 20:05.
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Old 28th Feb 2009, 19:50
  #50 (permalink)  
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Olden days

AutoAbort, it used to be that to be known as a "good stick" was the highest compliment to gain. If your rep was somewhat less, "stick" was a word not included in banter about your skill. (see below for exception).



A "Decent Stick" meant you were RHS, and might have potential. It used to be bad form to talk about your skill or reputation, I blame Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer.
rgds.
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Old 28th Feb 2009, 20:31
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DC-ATE,
Despite using the prefix "with all due respect", I have to admit I was a little offended by your recent reply to me, especially the part about the TRW. However, I now feel in quite good company as you seem to have insulted quite a number of highly experienced aviators. For your information, I do fly real aircraft (733s and 735s) for a UK LOCO and am no stranger to flight sim either ( I use it to brush up on those esential manual flying skills, though I've never managed to convince my wife or daughters that I'm not just "playing").
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Old 28th Feb 2009, 20:35
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CHfour

I am sorry I offended you. It is/was not my intention of offending anyone. I just felt that everyone would know about TRWs. But, as I said in another reply, even the weather presentation has changed.....for the worse as far as I'm concerned.

So.....good luck to you and yours.
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Old 28th Feb 2009, 20:41
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Smile

I am sorry I offended you. It is/was not my intention of offending anyone. I just felt that everyone would know about TRWs. But, as I said in another reply, even the weather presentation has changed.....for the worse as far as I'm concerned.

So.....good luck to you and yours.
No problem DC, I'm probably being over sensitive.
Good luck to you also and keep up the postings!
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Old 28th Feb 2009, 21:24
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The 'fors' and 'agins' are nicely polarised and t'was ever thus but ... am I the only one concerned about a contribution that states that (to paraphrase) "once the A/P is engaged I take my hands off the thrust levers"?
To quote an excellent training video, " remember the Airbus" - Sticky thrust lever, auto throttle reduces thrust for level-off, one comes back, the other stays put, aircraft rolls inverted, 300 plus dead, WITH HANDS ON THE LEVERS THE PF WOULD HAVE KNOWN WHAT WAS GOING ON!!! (yes, I KNOW that I was shouting - it worries me that much!!
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Old 28th Feb 2009, 21:34
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The PF should know what's going on anyway - as I said previously, you can see what the thrust is doing from the big gauges on the ECAM/EICAS/whatever, without the need to have a big lever moving backwards and forwards. There are people here who seem to think the word "automation" implies "enjoy the view while the aircraft does its thing".

If the PF is doing his/her job properly, they should be monitoring the level-off, part of which means making sure the A/T is doing its job correctly. If it's not, disconnect it. If you have an engine failure at altitude in the cruise, the aircraft isn't suddenly going to flip on its back without you having a chance to even blink. The same applies to the level off.
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Old 28th Feb 2009, 21:44
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I called for Climb Thrust in a B767-300 years ago out of Hong Kong at night at MAUW and exactly that
Sticky thrust lever, auto throttle reduces thrust for level-off, one comes back, the other stays put
happened.

It got my attention, I quickly checked the screens and pushed the errant thrust lever back where it should have been and all was well. Back in those days I didn't keep my hand on the thrust levers but quess what, now I do, every time they are moving. It also became company policy some years later.

As an aside, one reason I like having moving thrust levers is that it makes it a little easier to monitor the performance of both the autopilot and the guy sitting next to you.

Regards,
BH.
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Old 28th Feb 2009, 21:53
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On this subject, there's a further point I'd make - this is a genuine question, I don't know the answer...

Talking about thrust not coming back from climb power in the level off, for example; in A/T systems with moving thrust levers, doesn't the fact that the thrust lever needs to move potentially cause a problem in that if the thrust lever is physically stuck (jammed mechanism, FOD in the lever slots, etc), the thrust can't retard even if the A/T is commanding it? Or does the A/T system allow for the lever position to be over-ridden if it detects such a fault?

On a system with non-moving thrust levers, despite the fact that other parts of the system could still theoretically cause an error, the potential for the stuck thrust lever problem is eliminated.
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Old 28th Feb 2009, 22:04
  #58 (permalink)  
 
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Airfoilmod

I try to rephrase. Since my first language is not English or American, what I tried to convey was that probably I am considered OK in managing and handling the aircraft and its systems, even if the autothrottles fail and with a little bit of luck even land the thing.

Maybe I've seen Top Gun too many times.

Best Regards

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Old 28th Feb 2009, 22:16
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FOD in the lever slots, etc), the thrust can't retard even if the A/T is commanding it? Or does the A/T system allow for the lever position to be over-ridden if it detects such a fault?

If the thrust lever is stuck, Happens sometimes on the 146/AVRO. (Simply freezes if there is moisture in the cables) It will remain stuck and A/T not be able to control, and unless it unfreezes as you descend into warmer tempertures you may have to shut down the engine. (At least there are 3 left)

AA
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Old 28th Feb 2009, 22:19
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bjkeates

On all the autothrottle equipped aircraft I have flown, manually positioning the thrust levers will always override the autothrottle. So a jammed thrust lever would be a real problem.

Regards,
BH.
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