Position: Toronto/Pearson International; runway 24 Right
Time: 2305 local
Passengers on Board: 147
Brake Temperature: Left 110 C/Right 85 C and rising
The co-pilot made a nice landing in the touchdown zone five minutes ahead of schedule. At 40 knots, he asked me if I was ready to take control. We made a smooth transition with no brake grabbing or nose wheel dancing. The tower instructed us to contact ground control. Clear of the runway, the co-pilot raised the flaps; I stowed the thrust reversers and turned OFF all the unnecessary lights.
The ground controller, in a cheery mood, told us to turn right on Delta, left on Echo, hold short 15 Left at Tango. That is pilot/controller speak for taxi instructions to the gate. The co-pilot read it back carefully as I was scribbling the same directions with my secret, left-handed shorthand on the trip sheet. Toronto is what I refer to as a technical taxi airport. It is a term of my own making and I mostly apply it to huge airports that I visit one time per month or less. Toronto is a very large airport with a complex taxiway system.
If we are at such an airport, I ask the co-pilot to "stay with me on the taxi." I tell him what I am going to do before I do it, i.e., right turn/left turn/stopping/crossing a runway, etc. Imagine crossing a runway in front of an accelerating, heavily loaded airliner with no chance of stopping... Forty tons of kerosene and 250 passengers two seconds from impact. I can barely think about it.
My biggest fear in this life is harming or killing passengers and I believe airport surface operations are the most likely location for that to happen. In my opinion, it is only a matter of time before a big, make that really big, event happens at one of our airports. My number one goal in this crazy aviator's life is to not be one of the captains in the coming catastrophe. Seems simple enough in concept... I hope. Sometimes, a mild state of paranoia is in order.
The controller clears us to cross runway 15 Left. We look both directions before moving across to the relative safety of the ramp, er, I meant apron. The apron controller clears us to the gate. We see our rampers in perfect position with wands raised high. The lead-in ramper must be ex-military; his arm motions are done with precision. OK, I need to taxi with equal precision. The nosewheel tires have got to be equi-distance from both sides of the yellow stripe. I can do that when I am motivated. I line up the right side of one of the cathode ray tubes with the left side of the yellow stripe outside. Perfect... Brakes set, fuel cut-off switches OFF.
Life on the Line continues...
24 comments:
"Forty tons of kerosene and 250 passengers two seconds from impact. I can barely think about it."~It sounds like you often think about it. I like your humility here Dave, when you ask your FO to stay with you throughout the taxi. Im sure a lot of the old the Old Salty Captains you have flown with were too proud to ask for your set of eyes. Is there any way of you telling the location of other aircraft during taxi? I know that some avionics on technically advanced pistons have what are called paperless charts,and the system can also show the planes current position.
What is the matter with the aviation mags that they have not picked you up for a monthly column?
(I will comment that your frequency is approaching monthly more than I like, but when your words appear, they flow like mercury.) Just read the AOPA rag and AVWEB columns, informative but written by professionals with no sense of words.
"Forty tons of kerosene and 250 passengers two seconds from impact. I can barely think about it."~
Those few words put the millions expressed by the FAA to shame.
Bruce Patton
Dave, I am a pilot myself, and (like most of us) I am an amateur aircraft accident/researcher/historian/investigator. I believe strongly in the value of the lessons that can be learned at no cost to the user, by studying the history of the safety of our aviation idustry. I, for one, agree with you. As soon as I touch down, and the aircraft is, once again, stuck to the ground, my paranoia levels go way up. I trust no controller, no pilot of other aircrat, vehicle, or hold-short read-back. In recent years, so many of our commercial aircraft have been involved in so many close calls (I mean REALLY close calls, such as the one on ORD with the two 747's, or the United 757 crew lost in the fog, etc) that the paranoia is more than justified. I am happy to know that you, and hopefully every commercial pilot, are also aware of this huge threat, when I am in no control in the back of the airplane.
Great post by the way!
I must admit,Dave, when i have been sitting in my passenger seat on domestic flights at Melbourne and Sydney airports, sometimes we have held short of the runways to give way to aircraft on their takeoff runs, and as impressive as they look thundering past at speed, i too have tried to imagine the consequences of an error by a controller or a pilot, but i figure thats factured into their salary, but we are only human, after all.
Terrific blog, thanks, as always. Oh, one more thing i was going to ask, will it be long before some of the Northern airports start to get snow and ice again? I`m guessing you`d be a few months off winter?
Regards from Ben
I generally prefer to fly United for the principal reason that they offer ATC audio on the in-flight entertainment system. It makes my time on the ground (and in flight, for that matter) much more comfortable when I know what's going on outside the plane (or why -- really -- my flight out of ORD just taxied to the penalty box and shut down). I wonder what pilots for other airlines think about this... is it "Boy, I'm sure glad I don't work for UA" or is it "I wish my company would do that" or something in between?
Dave- Here is a trip report from an America West Airlines FO who was PIC of an A320 that almost took out an Air Canada A320 in KLAS that had crossed 25R infront of them on their takeoff roll.
http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/trip_reports/read.main/105607/?threadid=105607&searchid=105892&s=HAL#ID105892
You should try Zurich (LSZH), where the typical clearance before crossing is "Vacate to via Hotel 1, then taxi via Bravo to Juliet, Hold short of 28 at Juliet"
My first time there in single pilot operation was memorable... I spent more time preparing the taxi than the flight itself. And if you really want some fun, look at Paris Charles-de-Gaulle.
Well written as always Dave. My first time at YYZ I made the mistake of calling it ramp control. The captain (a former Eastern guy who went to Airways and then had the honor of being furloughed into the left seat of a Jets For Jobs CRJ) just started laughing. I repeated my call to "ramp" control about 4 more times before he suggested I call "apron". They answered right away after that.
The irony was when we headed back out I made sure to call apron and not ramp, and yet the guy responded as "ramp control" when he gave us the taxi instructions. Go figure.
"My biggest fear in this life is harming or killing passengers"
Captain, we have the same "biggest fear". I'm sure many pilots have the same opinion as well. Fly safe.
Love, love, love reading your blog!
Are you sure to cross 15L? If you landed on 24R you'd be at the bottom of the airport. You must have crossed 33R :)
Former US Navy aviator here ...
When I read about crossing runways during taxi, all I can think about is Tenerife when two 74s collided and killed several hundred people.
I hope in all the air travel I do that I get to meet you, sir. Love reading your stories. Bravo zulu!
And don't you just hate it when they haven't cut the grass in summer, of let the snow drift in winter such that the taxiway signs are illegible?
What's the difference between an experienced Captain and a Co-pilot?
The Captain, after landing at a complex airport like Toronto has a tripsheet and knows left handed shorthand...
How the experience shows in your writings, Dave!
The difference between a "Technical Taxi Airport", as you coined it, and something more provincial...
and you can read body language too, you're a body language literate...distinguishing an ex-military-lead-in-ramper by his arm motions.
Thanks for another great post Dave. I listen to KMSP tower and ground on-line frequently and shake my head in wonder at how we never have a major incident. I can't imagine what it's like at a much bigger and busier place. Although here's a link to a blog that has links to audio of a tough day at JFK... scary.
http://telstarlogistics.typepad.com/telstarlogistics/2007/12/a-tough-day-at.html
Safe travels...
Tim G on MN
Rich: these days the difference between an experienced captain and a co-pilot/FO - particularly for ex XL, Zoom, Silverjet and a whole load of others - is not very much. As many of us are finding out.
Great post, as usual, thankyou.
I am simply a passenger - but, I believe your concerns regarding 'accidents' about to happen, i.e. runway incursions, are very real. A friend of mine is a Capt. for a regional airline - an oldtimer + very experienced pilot, and he would wholeheartedly agree with you on this. Especially after 13 hours days, at the end of the last leg, you can never let your guard down. Your efforts are very much appreciated.
Dave you make me want to fly unnamed airline more often. As a passenger I also pay extra attention during taxi and landing. Not that I can do anything mind you but it is nice to know that the captain is up to the same thing!
Dave , We cant thank you enough for taking the time to write these fantastic briefings about your life as pilot, Please please don't stop .NO.1 aviation blog on the net .
Great post as usual Dave. I don't worry too much when flying out of PHX but sometimes sweat it at LAX. (as a passenger)
Had the pleasure to work Toronto approach for a few years in the early 90's after being fired during the PATCO strike. Great place, great people, but used to chuckle on the mids while I monitored the tower freqs. No traffic, one airplane lands, tower gives him 5 taxiway routes to the gate. How 'bout: "Taxi to the gate!" Love the website and postings.
Pete
pete- thanks!
Pete, sounds like Perth Airport!
Another fascinating insight into this aspect of aviation, Dave. I hope your company realizes what an asset you are to them!
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