Position: South of CYEG
Altitude: 16,000 feet and descending; spoilers 50%...
Indicated Airspeed: 340 knots
Equipment: A320 V2500 A-5
Pax-on-board: 150
Airborne....
My right hand is on the spoiler handle which is fully aft. The A320 will only give half-extension with the auto-pilot ON, even if the handle is against the stops. The Canadian night winds are complicating my life... Too much tailwind!
We are dropping out of the velvety black sky for CYEG (Edmonton, AB). Visibility is truly unlimited tonight with Edmonton in sight before we passed over CYYC (Calgary, AB). Outside, the star fields are amazingly clear with Polaris about 28 degrees higher than Lost Wages.
After some trip trading, cash incentives, and tactical whining, I broke free from the East-West trans-cons and am flying the North-South system. Much better... For now.
Thirty inches from my eyes, Fi-Fi nav has drawn a bright green line extending north to MIPOT intersection, where the arc intersects the localizer beam to runway 12. The approach controller turned us loose a few miles ago... We are cleared for the visual approach to runway 12, CYEG... Contact tower at MIPOT. Roger that...
A normal comment from an experienced co-pilot at this time would be something like... Good luck! We're all counting on you.
My co-pilot is a young one fresh out of Fi-Fi finishing school. She is typical of the female pilots the hiring committee selects: good-looking with an elevated IQ. Her knowledge of the Electric Jet is limited at the moment, only what she learned in ground school and that just scratches the surface. However, in two years her system knowledge will be formidable... I have seen this type before. If my brain is... Say, like a 100 watt bulb, hers is like an aircraft landing light.
Still, she is apprehensive about turning OFF the smoke and mirrors, taking it down to the Super Cub mode, and flying her way out of mistakes where all new co-pilots find themselves. That is understandable, since training is all about becoming one with the Magic, sort of like the Borg queen.
Yesterday, we had one of those I'll bet you won't do that again moments going into Salt Lake City because she got behind the aircraft while trying to understand what the automation was doing. She was horrified with herself until I told her about a few of the lame-brain stunts I've pulled in Fi-Fi over the years... Don't worry about it.
Full Spoilers...
Auto-pilot OFF/Auto-thrust OFF/Flight Directors OFF/ bring up the FPV-BIRD; spoilers fully rise and the wings start to audibly rumble as more lift is sheared away. The vertical speed indicator continues to fall toward the bottom of the instrument case. We are too high for the geographic position related to the end of the runway, so I bank left toward the 15 mile arc (think of a circle drawn around the YEG VOR with a 15 mile radius). The radio magnetic indicator is a little used instrument in contemporary flight decks, but I still use it for flying arcs. It points at whatever radio signal it is tuned... I think of it like an old U-control model airplane; when the string is 15 miles long, I know I am on the arc.
Spoilers stowed...
Through 14,000 feet, I stow the spoilers. Our descent rate will take about 3,500 feet to arrest, and then it will be time to use the remaining descent energy to fly the arc and intercept the localizer. The engines have been at LO IDLE from 38,000 feet and I am trying to maintain that until two miles outside DEVON, the marker beacon. My idea is to show the co-pilot not to be afraid of this aircraft.
Arc intercept...
The RMI needle is pointing at YEG VOR, about in our six o'clock, and with a few miles of lead, I bank right and let the tailwind slide us onto the 15 mile arc at 12,000 feet; the string is taut at a length of 15 miles. The runway is 45 degrees right of the nose... We will be in a gentle right bank until we merge with the localizer beam. I am flying with the tips of my fingers on the joystick. Her flight controls are light and responsive... This is a fine flying machine.
Speed Bleed...
I begin to bleed the speed with a tiny bit of back pressure, which also slows the descent rate. A lot of newbies are tempted to think about Flaps 1 now, which is not flaps at all; the leading edge slats extend to 18 degrees (flaps stay retracted) and the engines switch to HI-IDLE negating any of the extra drag from the slats. It's a zero sum gain. Leave her slippery and clean; use wing loading, a smidge of spoilers (if needed), and angle of attack to slow down. Don't grossly waste any of your energy bank... You can get rid of it later.
Around the bend...
MIPOT is just around the bend... We are looking good. The glideslope is above us, i.e., we will merge with it from underneath. Now is a good time for FLAPS 1 and a spoiler bump. The co-pilot selects Flaps 1 and we watch the digital picture of the slats extending. I can't help it; I reach overhead and turn on the wing lights, and then look out my side window at the slats... Yep, they are extended. Captain's paranoia, I guess.
Over MIPOT...
The co-pilot calls the tower and they respond with their usual cheery welcome to Edmonton, you are cleared to land runway 12, winds are 180 at 10... What gate are you guys at tonight?
The radar altimeter starts picking up its reflections from the ground. It is pitch-black in our immediate vicinity. There is no horizon at all, other than the lights of Edmonton to our north. The runway lighting is bright, but there is zero depth-of-field. It is time to rebuild the automation safety net. A smart crew will always use it as a digital slave to increase safety ten fold (or more), especially on nights like this; clear and dark. Looks easy, but it can be deadly.
Flight directors ON/Auto-thrust ON/Auto-pilot ON/ Activate the APPROACH MODE/Arm the approach... More flaps, landing gear down, adjust my seat to proper height. The LCD screens are flooding the cockpit with digital information as the flight management computers take over the flight controls under my watchful eyes. The Star Trek mode is re-engaged...
Over the marker beacon...
My ADF needle swings to the tail as we pass over the beacon. I still tune it up and use it religiously, even though it is ancient technology. The engines are out of idle and stabilized at about 40%, flaps FULL, automatic braking selected to LOW. The co-pilot calls out one thousand... The radar altimeter shows 950 feet. The world is in sync... 140 knots and looking good. Fi-Fi is centered on the localizer and glideslope.
At 500 feet radar altitude, the landing lights start to illuminate the white stripes on the runway surface. Finally, some depth-of-field... I turn the auto-pilot OFF and take over the flight controls. I am following flight director commands and the auto-thrust is managing the engines, but my thumb, right hand, is on the auto-thrust OFF button... Just in case.
Over the fence...
At 140 knots, flaps FULL, three green lights, slight crosswind from the right. The white stripes are accelerating as we get closer to the concrete. I do the captain Dave thing and touchdown smoothly in the first third of the runway, pulling the reverse thrust triggers as soon as the spoilers rise. At wheel spin-up, the auto-brake computers start squeezing the brake pucks on the main gear wheels. The cool air stokes the roar of the V2500 A-5 engines under full reverse thrust; deceleration is heavy. For a Line pilot, it doesn't get much better.
Taxiing to the gate...
The co-pilot says you make it look so easy.
Don't worry... You'll get it. Six months from now it'll be a new ball game for you.
Life on the Line continues...
47 comments:
Another wonderful post Captain. Thank you.
I felt as if I was in the jump seat watching you.
Brilliant writing as always, Captain Dave. When's the book coming out? :)
Keep it up!
With luck and seniority, she will someday be able to hold a line and get one where her captain teaches her the finesse, the airmanship that is necessary to be successful.
Until then, she will be lucky when she gets a captain like you, who teaches her on an interim basis. One who understands that learning is critical and is as important as checking the boxes.
Thanks for the post, enjoyable as always.
Cap't Dave,
Just checked and "hey-a new posting".
As always you have captivated the audience with your prose. I just felt the bump of the night landing !
Fantastic...Thanks
Great post. Gives a great understanding of how pilots make use of technology and experience to fly us passengers safely to our destinations.
Wow!
Felt like I was right there watching the approach unfold in front of my eyes. Well done on your handling of the new co-pilot.
I'd say she mentally recorded everything you did, and will try to achieve that level of precision and efficiency as she gets used to the new aircraft.
Maybe you are her version of the french airbus demonstration pilot you mentioned in one of your previous posts!
As always, thanks for putting the time in to write these, posts; they are greatly appreciated by many.
Seán.
Wrote that on my brothers account by accident, hence the different name.
Apologies,
Seán. (Too lazy to log out, then into my account)
Another great post for sure, but I was really hoping for you to tell us a story of your day 10 years past...
Is a scary story still a possibility for Halloween?
Always a wonderful treat to see a brand new post Captain. I might have enjoyed this landing as much as your co-pilot. I think it's really cool that you look out for the new guys ... Hope they return the favor by getting your coffee preferences right!
~D
Great post as usual Captain Dave! Thanks for writing. I rode a 320 transcon from Lost Wages today and had a chance to finsih a book by F-105 pilot Ken Bell - 100 Missions North. Good stuff in case you have not heard of it. Lots of mentions of Col. Broughton in there.
I also felt like I was in the jumpseat...watching you manage, fly, manage, fly and say aloud what you're doing every step of the approach!
intriguing to a student pilot who's just starting jet transition program in a CRJ200 simulator!
That was fun. Throughout the profile all I was thinking about was the ultra-sharp copilot you wrote about a couple of months ago executing a flawless high energy descent (into ANC?). Since this isn't your first rodeo, I'll bet you had a hand in his success just as I'm sure tonight's right seater will someday be demonstrating to some other captain what she learned from this one.
Incidentally, that earlier post caused me to add a story to my Tales of ATC page regarding staying ahead of the airplane. Interestingly, it was my wife reading your post that put her in the mind that that's how I drive, too. It's made things easier for us of late.
LRod
ZJX, ORD, ZAU retired
TheBigSkyTheory.com
Starting IOE at my first Airline job on Tuesday. Looking forward to learning as much as I can from Captains like you! Thanks for your writings.
Hello Captain Dave
As always, simply m-a-g-n-i-f-i-c-e-n-t writing.
Beautiful blog.
You give us such a sense of all you cope with / watch out for / anticipate up there.
I’m goin’ to send you a pic of a plane (….think it’s a Boeing cos its plexiglass has two strut things down the middle instead of your “one”) approaching C.T. International at night by way of saying THANKS for having me along with you on these rides.
You know……frightened or not, I think I am/might be……just………about………….ready…………to……………………………………………fly………….with you !
It would of course require a pre-flight double brandy perhaps……….but that I even contemplate such a thing is, well, remarkable.
Is it because I know there’s no possibility of going up with you that has me stick my neck out like this ?
You’re the BEST !
Thank you Captain !
By the way –
“After some trip trading, cash incentives, and tactical whining, I broke free from the East-West trans-cons and am flying the North-South system. Much better... For now.”
Why the preference for the North-South route Captain Dave ?
Just curious.
Bev
Cape Town
Hi Dave,
Nice to see a post on Edmonton (I was a manager at the centre there until a few weeks ago).
So, tell me: why fly the procedure when cleared for a visual rather than fly it visually in full or partial piper cub mode?
Safe landings.
Christopher- thanks...
Ryan- thanks... Maybe when I retire and that's a big maybe.
Capt. Schmoe- thanks and your welcome...
Jeffrey- thanks...
Richard With- thanks...
Tim- thanks, but I wouldn't make a pimple on that test pilot's butt...
Absolutely thrilling! I hope new co-pilot finds her wings in time :)
"Still, she is apprehensive about turning OFF the smoke and mirrors, taking it down to the Super Cub mode, and flying her way out of mistakes where all new co-pilots find themselves. That is understandable, since training is all about becoming one with the Magic, sort of like the Borg queen.
Yesterday, we had one of those I'll bet you won't do that again moments going into Salt Lake City because she got behind the aircraft while trying to understand what the automation was doing..."
Dave,
This could be an excerpt from the AF447 report. Maybe she is apprehensive because she was taught to think of airplanes as computers to monitor and has never been taught or truly understood "the Super Cub mode"?
I would humbly suggest that you do your new co-pilot a favor and give her copy of Stick and Rudder. You can tell her that truly understanding the basics of flight, such as which controls are responsible for altitude and which for airspeed, will make her a great pilot. If she rolls her eyes at a book written in 1944 perhaps you can suggest that many pax died on AF447 because the folks that built the airplane and those who flew it never knew, or forgot, the fundamentals of flight.
Without such training neither she, nor any copilot at any airline, will "get it". As AF477 points out, the fundamentals matter, in both design and execution.
Steve
So glad guys like you are around to teach proper airmanship to young FO's like me.
Terrible what happened in Reno and in our aviation family. IMO the pilot was somehow unconscious, head down. Many pictures reveal a vacant canopy
Captain Dave,
Great post as always. Do the flight spoilers deployed at higher speeds give the cabin a bit of a 'shake' on Fi-Fi like they do on the B737?
YYC Dispatcher
YYC dispatcher- thanks... And yes the cabin shakes a bit with full spoilers.
av8rga- I'll bet the tail surfaces somehow failed. At 500 knots with 4,000 hp turning a 4 bladed paddle, you would be toast...
Steve- sounds reasonable, but that's not the way it works anymore. Guys like me who actually like to stick and rudder are becoming extinct. And, I will disagree with you on AF447... They didn't forget the fundamentals of flight at all. They were getting very confusing output from the flight management computers... For example, when they pushed forward on the stick to break the stall, they got a stall warning. That and many other grevious erroneous indications.
David- thanks... She has her wings, so to speak, just not up to speed with the Electric Jet. She'll get it...
Joel Morin- Nice to fly to YEG, too. I think I understand your question... You ask why I didn't fly the approach manually? Or partial manual? Because it is safer to use the automation as a third pilot for more safety margin. A dark, clear night is dangerous when there are no lights other than the runway lights.
Bev- thanks... I like the north-south routes because my favorite cities are north and south, like Cancun and Anchorage... Seattle, too. Anything in California, even LAX... Especially Orange County and San Diego.
bluesideup- welcome to the industry...
LROD- Seems like all the co-pilots are getting sharper as I age...
Ramiel- thanks...
Gary- thanks... I have read that book; probably need to re-read it.
Herman- thanks... I thought about it but was getting bombarded at work with warnings and cautions about 9-11 and decided not to...
DeAnn- thanks... This co-pilot tried to get me to drink some kind of foo-foo green tea; said coffee was bad for me.
Latest on the news from Reno was that there was indication that the plane lost part of its tail. If you look at the "death dive" photo, the vert stab and rudder are all there, so that means a horiz stab failure.
Since the horiz stab exerts down force, loss of any of it is instant, probably non-recoverable at low altitude, nose down.
Poetry in motion - I felt like an FAA check air-men - as I was holding on to each and every word -Just Textbook
Green tea!? Right seat must genuinely like you ... Only foo-foo if you're to read the leaves ... Maybe even an old dog can learn a new trick! Happy flying and sipping Captain Dave!
Capt. Dave that was a masterful piece! I have never read a better description of an approach. (I understood almost all of it)What a hoot it is to look over your shoulder. I have come to understand why you love Fifi so. Your young co-pilots are very lucky to be flying under your tutelage and we are very lucky to have found a guy who can write so well. Many thanks! (Now, I'm gonna re-read your post again cuz I might have missed something!)
I did my training in Alberta and flew into YEG plenty of times. Not nearly as complicated in a 172!
Next month I'll be in the riding in the back of the plane on my first visit to Anchorage. You refer to it as one of your favorite cities... is that in a personal sense or from an aviator's point of view? What sights would you suggest to a visitor with a few days to enjoy Alaska?
Hello to all.
Here's a short clip of an Owl flying at a slo-mo camera at 1000 frames/sec.
It's gorgeous and shows all one needs to know about true aerodynamics, I think,
http://www.dogwork.com/owfo8/
Thanks once more for the jumpseat ride!
Nowadays in Youtubedays one can find and follow up so many a filmed ride from the flightdeck. Some of them obviously are quite fun to watch.
But far they are IMO from the realism, the intimacy, from the feel Captain Dave at work writingly conveys to me from his strange office; whether in Star Trek mode or in Super Cub.
Super anyway ;-)
Excellent blog. Really enjoy reading it. Inspired me to write my own. I'm using the same format for mine also. Hope you don't mind.
Cheers.....from 2000 above
Looks like a trim tab on the p-51. Brutal.
I have to admit that after the first few paragraphs, I thought sure this story was going to be: "new FO gets behind airplane in Salt Lake. Captain Dave decides to teach by example. Got it right after the first go-around, performed to show new FO about command decision making."
I should have known better. We should all be so lucky to have instructors both skilled and patient.
I'ma a big fan of Microsoft Flight Simulator and the A320 is one of my favorite planes, so I love the flying detail in this post. I'm going to try an recreate you flight the same way you did it!
I have a question about takeoff though...how do you decide your THR RED/ACC altitudes? I'm having a problem with the nose pitching up and losing speed around 800-1000 ft. It helps if I engage the AP right at 400 ft, but I still can't achieve a nice smooth flight path angle all the way to ACC altutide. There's always a little hick-up in there somewhere when the flaps come up or thrust is reduced...
'll see it I can find a detailed takeoff in the archives.
Great writing Captain!
I once did a labor arbitration over the State of Alaska disciplining an employee for calling "runway clear of men and equipment" as an AS B 737 was on short final to Deadhorse. Problem was, he didn't have a clue where his men and equipment were and was probably smoking a little whacky-backy as well.
We had a horrible case against him but Alaska Airlines said they weren't going to Deadhorse as long as he was there, so we had to do something.
I spent a lot of quality time with their Chief Pilot and they gave me the pilot of the aircraft that almost hit our grader in his touchdown zone as my principal witness. My objective was to put the arbitrator in his seat in N 741 AS rocketing down through the gloom into Deadhorse, Alaska in snow and blowing snow with a ceiling of a thousand and visibility of a quarter mile - so they said.
This piece took me back to that; I laid out the approach to Deadhorse down a big conference table using sticks and strings and laid out the time references to the FSS tapes to show what was happening when. Used the Captain as my witness to tell what he was doing and hearing before the Non-flying pilot/1st Officer yelled, Go Around! It was right out of The Right Stuff; those guys went through that go-around checklist like Chuck Yeager. Then when they went around and got it down they burst out of the cockpit and went looking for the guy that caused it.
Anyway, you put me back there; it is a fond memory. And I palled around with the Captain for the two or three days we were doing this and I'd have been real happy to just take the ones he threw back - but my girlfriend, now wife of my youth, wouldn't have approved.
Sir, your compositions (because they are) make me remember of Richard Bach and his ancestor.
Santiago- Wow! Thanks for the nice compliment, but I probably would not make a pimple on Bach's writing butt...
Art Chance- thanks... I had something about like the incident you describe in Bloomington, Ind... Short final in a heavy snowstrom, strong x-wind and a dump truck appears on the runway; we got the hell out of there. It was like a sim-ride.
tillurdizzy- well, I've never used Micro-Soft Flight Sim, but try this... Leave the auto-pilot off until after flaps up/climb with TOGA power (max) at 17 degrees pitch, more if needed, not to exceed 18.5 degrees. At 1,000 feet or 1,500 feet (airline's choice) bring thrust levers back to climb (don't stop in Max Cont)/lower the nose to 12 degrees accelerate to climb speed (about 200 kts) and raise the nose to maintain climb speed/ raise the flaps on schedule/ after t/o checklist and auto-pilot ON if you want. If that doesnt work, let me know.
Are you making flaps 1 take-off? If so, don't raise flaps until you get to S speed marker on speed tape.
Andy- I saw a theory about the P-51 crash that makes a lot of sense: the seat broke and the pilot was forced backwards out of sight and that is the reason you can't see his head in the cockpit and why it pitched up violently because he pulled the stick with him. I think they are on to something there.
Anthony Martin- I don't mind...
Rich- thanks... Did you know it is illegal to make those vids in the flight deck? That is why I don't do it. You are making a record for the prosecution.
Steve- I would rent a car and drive into Turnagain Arm, then the next day, head north to Denali. That will burn up 2-3 days. Actually, anywhere you go in Alaska is perfect...
Larry Jones- thanks, I appreciate it much...
De Anne- I've tried reading tea leaves and it only confuses me... I'll stick to Starbucks Bold.
JB in KTPA- thanks...
Gene- did you hear the theory that the pilot seat broke loose from it's mounts and caused a loss of control. That makes a lot of sense to me... If he was unconscious, I think we could have seen his head slumped over...
A320 in MS Flight Sim
Ok, I figured out it's doing exactly what it's suppose to do, which is the same as you describe.
After lift off and engaging AP, it's pitching up to 17° and speed drops to V2 + 10. The drop in speed is what had me thinking something was wrong.
I'm taking off with flaps 2, and retracting to 1+F right after gears up, which I leave until after 1000 ft and target speed goes to 250 ... but I don't have an S speed indicated on the speed tape, I just retract at the Next Flap symbol which is usually right above 180.
Cap'n Dave, I hadn't heard that, but I haven't been following too closely. With the high-Gs they pull I could see that happening. I once failed to ensure the seat was locked in a 177RG. Luckily, I had one hand on the throttle and lots of runway ahead of me when it let go on rotate. The tail tie-down point was well abraded, but no structural damage. If my right hand hadn't been on the thottle, it would have been fugly...
Even in cars now I ensure that the seat is locked before I start the engine; lesson learned.
Captain Dave!
Do you think some or all air shows should now be discontinued? Aside from the entertainment value, is there any new science that comes out of these events?
Gr8 write once again cap'n Dave, thx for the excellent account. I am Flightsim enthusiast, and these DME ARCs have always been very interesting for me. Is there a bank angle you stick to for flying those angles with the string so tightly held at a constant DME or do you constantly make adjustments to keep the RMI needles at 90/180 deg? I have only tried them and failed miserably on piston acft (only the sim), haven't tried any jets yet. Any other tips you can throw my way is also appreciated.
Cheers
Dave,
You do make it sound easy. Thanks for a practical demonstration of an arc. I never really understood why they were important until just now...That might prove helpful going into JFK...No matter what I do I am alway high coming off the Lendy5... I'd gladly take Fi-Fi lessons from you. If only she could be rented for less than five grand an hour :(
Hi Cpt.Dave
Long time first comment.
I've been reading u since the beginning of my flight training. Recently I started Type Rating for the Electric Jet.
Your posts are really inspiring for me.
Right now I am having nightmares how to handle CBT, FCOM, FCTM, SOP etc. I am really curious how you handled "what is it doing right now" phases. Need some advices Capt.
Thanks
Note to Steve who's going to Anchorage "next month." I agree with the Captain that the Turnagain Arm cruise and then up towards Denali is a good trip, but...
You need to understand, if you don't already, that this time of year in Alaska, you could wake up with a foot of snow on the ground ANY day and the weather can change very, very quickly. So far it has been quite mild this "fall," but that could change in a half hour.
Line of the post was the one about a 15 mile string on a U-control model. I hope your co-pilot understands those references to learning your trade and using all your experiences when you do your job.
Capt. Dave:
I've commented on other time in the past few years of my read. I am a 500TT CFI/CFII/stage check airman and college student somewhere in the Midwest of the Empire about to hit the "real world." I noticed av8rga's comment regarding the role of experienced captains providing OJT for "young FO's" and the notorious (at least for the folks in my boat) ATP/1500 rule came to mind. What do you think of upping regional FO mins to 1500TT/ATP, especially with the impending pilot shortage? Looks like that hammer is about to finally fall, right before my and my buds/buddettes move on from the flight school. Quality over quantity, right? I'd love your take on this issue.
Thanks so much for the writing, as always. Very enjoyable!
Greetings from Cove, Oregon, after our time in Anchorage. Thanks for another great post - as always! Keep safe and well, Noella.
Awh. Flew for the first time ages ago when we moved to Edmonton for a year in 1976.
A Corsair took us from Odense to Copenhagen and a DC-8 the rest os the way with a short stop in Edinbourgh on the way.
Miss Canada and Edmonton a lot. And the DC-8 :-)
Ole from Denmark.
@glenn and The Captain: How many reading today have any memory of a control line model? Built and flew a few Gillows and others, crashed most of them. Little .049 engines and flip starts or those Godawful springs. Got a few scars on my fingers from props back in the days before I could afford starter.
Post a Comment