Sunday, March 16, 2008
Thrust to Idle
There it is... After six hours against the wind, a snowy Anchorage under blue skies. The view is stunning! We are descending to 8,000 feet, holding 287 mph (250 kts) until we clear the mountains; then I will raise the wing spoilers to hurriedly descend to 2,500 feet on downwind leg. The altitude over the runway's outer beacon is 1,600 feet. I will keep Fi-Fi's flaps up and engines at idle thrust until we line up with the runway. She will be carrying too much energy on downwind leg; I will dump that in a 30 degree right bank towards the final approach path. Gravity is my engine until we roll out on final. The name of the game, nowadays, is saving fuel. Approaching the beacon, the co-pilot will start lowering flaps and landing gear while I increase engine thrust to about 38% at exactly the moment we cross over the outer beacon and start a three degree virtual glideslope toward the touchdown zone. The plan is not to stop the descent until the mains touch the asphalt. A lot of fuel is required to maintain level flight, even for a brief horizontal distance.
I do love this job...
We will stay until tomorrow night; then it is back on the Line and heading southeast across the black pit.
Day number two of a four day.
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Hello Dave,
The view certainly is stunning - great pic, great blog, great work overall. Please keep it up.
I remember reading that you used to fly Boeing birds at one time, how difficult was it to switch to the Airbus then? Especially with the joystick in the picture? Also, have always wondered how does it feel to switch from the right seat to the left one in an Airbus with the stick switching hands too? Is that a difficult change to adjust to, especially for a right handed pilot?
Cheers,
A regular reader.
The view certainly is stunning - great pic, great blog, great work overall. Please keep it up.
I remember reading that you used to fly Boeing birds at one time, how difficult was it to switch to the Airbus then? Especially with the joystick in the picture? Also, have always wondered how does it feel to switch from the right seat to the left one in an Airbus with the stick switching hands too? Is that a difficult change to adjust to, especially for a right handed pilot?
Cheers,
A regular reader.
# posted by 
: 9:22 PM, March 16, 2008
: 9:22 PM, March 16, 2008
Can I ask a stupid question?
When cleared to an altitude/speed what is the margin/tolerance allowed. eg +-100ft 1 knot? 500ft 5 knots?
When cleared to an altitude/speed what is the margin/tolerance allowed. eg +-100ft 1 knot? 500ft 5 knots?
anonymous 922- the joystick was not difficult. However, the thrust system is not easy for a Boeing pilot. It is not instinctive and has caused accidents in the past. Took about a year to get used to it.
robin capper- there is two kinds of tolerance; checkride tolerance and operational tolerance. Checkride tolerance is much tighter. Operational tolerance is sloppier. Depending on the circumstances, it can be as much as 300 feet, +/- 30 kts.
robin capper- there is two kinds of tolerance; checkride tolerance and operational tolerance. Checkride tolerance is much tighter. Operational tolerance is sloppier. Depending on the circumstances, it can be as much as 300 feet, +/- 30 kts.
you wouldn't happen to be the "Captain America" flying from phoenix to las vegas on the short flight friday night (march 14th) would you?????
Capn Dave,
I've just finished reading all of your blog in chronological order. It's been my trusted lunch companion these past two weeks. Throuhg you writing, I've learned a lot about commercial air ops adn about life on the line. Like you, I'm not as young as I once was, but then again, neither is the wife of my youth (7961 days). Like you, I've had the pleasure to meet some genuine heros, many of them now flown west.
From one middle aged desk jockey who occasionally takes a flight for work, thanks for the wonderful blog and in all likelihood, for a trip somewhere in my past.
Keep the greasy side down!
Nelson
I've just finished reading all of your blog in chronological order. It's been my trusted lunch companion these past two weeks. Throuhg you writing, I've learned a lot about commercial air ops adn about life on the line. Like you, I'm not as young as I once was, but then again, neither is the wife of my youth (7961 days). Like you, I've had the pleasure to meet some genuine heros, many of them now flown west.
From one middle aged desk jockey who occasionally takes a flight for work, thanks for the wonderful blog and in all likelihood, for a trip somewhere in my past.
Keep the greasy side down!
Nelson
Hello dave!
this is alex an aspiring airline pilot and i have read all of your blogs and let me say thank you and keep up the great work! I flew recently into PANC and it was very very bumpy and our pilot told us that it would be. Idont know what approach it was but we flew over cok inlet and turnagain are and was wondering if ANC is usually a bumpy airport to fly into? thanks you can e mail me if you could so i could ask you some more questions but i dont want you to take up your time thanks a lot,
alex b ( abych@sbcglobal.net )
this is alex an aspiring airline pilot and i have read all of your blogs and let me say thank you and keep up the great work! I flew recently into PANC and it was very very bumpy and our pilot told us that it would be. Idont know what approach it was but we flew over cok inlet and turnagain are and was wondering if ANC is usually a bumpy airport to fly into? thanks you can e mail me if you could so i could ask you some more questions but i dont want you to take up your time thanks a lot,
alex b ( abych@sbcglobal.net )
Dave...in the above example, how much fuel did your efforts save? Can you make some kind of wild estimate and/or comment on that some more in general? Thanks!
SO Dave in this photo, you look to be SouthEast of the airport, so are you on the Yeska Three Arrival coming up to the Yeska Intersection? Obviously I dont know what apch you were expecting but my guess from your description would be since the weather is CAUV that you got the Visual for 25L or 25R..Am I right??
Thanks for the another great background photo for my laptop.. I have to move all my Icons around again.. to much snow...LOL Your the man.. Craig AT MCO...
Thanks for the another great background photo for my laptop.. I have to move all my Icons around again.. to much snow...LOL Your the man.. Craig AT MCO...
# posted by : 8:10 PM, March 18, 2008
: 8:10 PM, March 18, 2008
tim- no Captain America here...
bsalx428- yep, more often than not, PANC is a turbulent descent because of terrain in the area.
ian- in thick atmosphere, the engines suck fuel at an alarming rate, so even a level off that travels 10 miles across the ground can use several hundred pounds extra fuel. Mother has our fuel burn figured to the last drop, so it is a challenge not to exceed forecast burn. In this case, I probably saved 300 lbs.
craig- it was a left downwind for 7Right. You are correct on the Yeska 3.
bsalx428- yep, more often than not, PANC is a turbulent descent because of terrain in the area.
ian- in thick atmosphere, the engines suck fuel at an alarming rate, so even a level off that travels 10 miles across the ground can use several hundred pounds extra fuel. Mother has our fuel burn figured to the last drop, so it is a challenge not to exceed forecast burn. In this case, I probably saved 300 lbs.
craig- it was a left downwind for 7Right. You are correct on the Yeska 3.
Dave, I always really enjoy reading about your "life on the line". It's been a weekly read since I started training. I'm now in the Beech Duchess. Not sure about instructing. Did you ever instruct and what are your thoughts on that? Thanks for keeping FL390 the most entertaining and instructional aviation blog around. Tim
I have seen both PANC and KANC in reputable sources. I read that PA starts all in Alaska and PH starts all in Hawaii and K starts all in the continental. But then wouldnt it be PAANC? Can you clear up my student pilot confusion? GREAT blog.
What a beautiful view, and as a passenger it is not one I have had the joy of seeing as a first glimpse of Anchorage.
I vicariously enjoyed your description of your planned descent into that winter wonderland, Dave! Thanks for another great post!
I vicariously enjoyed your description of your planned descent into that winter wonderland, Dave! Thanks for another great post!
A fantastic post Dave! Really loved it. That is a really beautiful picture too - Alaska looks like a wonderful place.
Cheers
Dave
PS: Do you mind if I link to your blog?
Cheers
Dave
PS: Do you mind if I link to your blog?
Dave,
What is the minimum airspeed on a 319 required on descent to maintain airborne status? I was flying into jfk watching the airspeed on the monitor a few weeks ago and it seemed like we were going really slow.
What is the minimum airspeed on a 319 required on descent to maintain airborne status? I was flying into jfk watching the airspeed on the monitor a few weeks ago and it seemed like we were going really slow.
# posted by : 8:13 AM, March 21, 2008
: 8:13 AM, March 21, 2008
anon 813- minimum airspeed depends on the weight. A normal landing weight for a 319 would yield terminal area speeds of around 210 kts (clean), unless ATC requested slower. You could slow to 150 kts (flaps)with no problem.
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