A Classic Morning.

The phone vibrates on the table beside the bed, but to be honest I was already half awake. I have been getting up in the early hours to go flying for more years than I have been driving a car. At first it was to steal a ride beside my father to some outback port, now it is to sit at the front of my own aircraft. Back then there was no subtle alarm to wake me, if I was fortunate my mother would call my name through a crack in the door, but more likely my Dad was the means by which I woke. His less than subtle voice would accompany the bedroom light switching on and the sheets being ripped back from my cocooned form; “Come on boy!”

Today I reach across, silence the alarm and calculate the minutes to the hotel’s pre-arranged wake-up call. It’s a good start as I immediately know which city I’m in and my orientation is underway. This is not always the case and sometimes it takes a moment or two to assess the location of the TV’s red standby lamp and the streetlight’s glow creeping around the curtain’s edge to get my bearings. I know that it’s a frosty Canberra morning outside and I throw my legs over the side of the bed in one action that takes me beyond the point of no return. Through the night, the cold has obviously infiltrated the concrete and now greets my bare feet through the carpet. I can’t wait for the tiled bathroom floor! I metaphorically smack myself over the back of the head at being so precious. In the pursuit of aviation I’ve lived in caravans and literally slept under the wing; these days I have a hotel room and a car that takes me to the airport. Toughen up Princess.........those tiles are cold though.

Showered and shaved, everything is in its place from the night before. The bag is packed, my ‘nav bag’ arranged and the ironed uniform hangs in the wardrobe. I flick the kettle on and sit down to flick through the latest weather on my phone to give me a ‘heads up’ for the day ahead. The cup of tea hardly touches the sides and I zip up my gear and flick the final light switch before checking out and receiving the dreaded question, “Your room number?” I know what city I’m in and wonder why I’m the only one at reception satisfied with that depth of knowledge. One by one the crew filter down to the foyer and greetings are mixed with complaints, conversation and the shuffling of the daily newspaper. All as one we move outside where the frozen morning smacks us in the face like a burst from an icy garden hose. Bags in the back, we take our seats and move off as the personal introductions continue. However, the internal light of the mini-bus remains off and a few of the crew grab those last cherished moments of sleep.

At the airport, we move up the escalators and onto security where there are very few passengers, but delivery men having their newspapers and various goods scanned by the X-Ray. We split from the cabin crew and proceed to briefing where synoptic charts, NOTAMs, flight plans and a state-of-the-art coffee machine greet us. As usual, a chance of fog is forecast at Canberra just before the sun decides to arrive, but otherwise the dominant high pressure system over central Australia is providing fine weather across the nation. If we can escape Canberra without delay, it’s shaping to be a fine day. We order the fuel accordingly and the ground staff let us know that our aircraft is parked on a stand-off bay without an aerobridge, so it’ll be a brisk walk to the aeroplane.

Leaving the warmth of the terminal, I head up the stairs as my partner in this venture walks around the outside and casts a particularly careful eye over the airframe for frost or ice. There is no fog at this stage, but Jack Frost can still visit the aerodynamic surfaces of the Boeing 737-400, or ‘Classic’ on a morning like this. Up the stairs and into the flight deck, I walk into the darkened workspace that has not received its wake-up call. Bringing a cold aircraft to life always reminds me of the scene from Tom Hank’s Apollo 13 movie, where they crawl back into the ‘LEM’ that they’d previously shut down. A maze of switches and circuit breakers, frozen from the night before as my torchlight skips around the panels before a safety check and the battery switch brings the aircraft slightly back to life.

There are fire warnings and circuit breakers to check before the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) in the tail-cone is brought online. As I turn the switch to do so I can hear the click of relays and watch the flick of gauges as the load on the battery increases. And then the low rumble and slow whistle moves up the aisle from the tail to reassure me that the start cycle is truly underway. It’s a characteristic of smaller jets on quiet mornings that I’ve grown to appreciate. For once the APU has come to life the aircraft has a pulse and a minute later respiration to breathe warm air into the cabin. I carry out some further checks and ensure the galley power and coffee brewers are on their way before I settle into the ‘piloting stuff’.

Align the navigation system, scan the flight deck panels, check the oxygen system, set the radios and program the Flight Management Computer (FMC) and so on. The list seems endless, but after twenty years and two airlines I’m getting the hang of it. The crew now shuffles up the stairs and my partner is back from the walk around where some frost was sighted on the airframe. I cast a glance over my shoulder and the rugged-up engineer is already aloft in the ‘cherry picker’ and spraying de-icing fluid on the wing. I grab out another book as the spraying of this fluid calls for extra procedures and a little more time, but still there is no fog.

Over the next fifteen minutes the performance for the aircraft is calculated with due respect to the variable winds, de-icing procedure and hill off the end of the runway. The magic of the electronic flight bag provides us with the answers after we independently input the data and cross-check our findings. It’s still dark as the passengers cross the tarmac in their coats, gloves and hats, while the air traffic controllers have only just brought their control tower back on line. We verify the latest weather at the airfield against our calculations and trouble the controller to read back our airways clearance.

It’s T minus ten minutes and we brief our departure and various scenarios before running a checklist. The log books and fuel docket rest against the window in a box on the end of a pole designed specifically for the task. The documentation is checked and the refuelling numbers are calculated and verified. As the last passengers are taking their seats, the final load sheet with its weights, trim setting and persons on board is messaged to the aeroplane where the figures are again cross checked and entered into the FMC. We pressurise the hydraulic system, check the flight controls, hand out the last of the paperwork to the cabin manager, shut the door, complete the final checklist. It’s T minus two minutes, let’s go.

The engineer assures us that the airframe is clear of frost through our headsets before we ask for pushback clearance, release the brakes and start the engines. The oil pressure already sits quite high as the cold viscous oil moves through the system awaiting the warmth of combustion elsewhere in the engine. With both engines started and providing electrical power, the APU is shutdown and the brakes are set. The tractor and engineer disconnect and the latter waves us goodbye. There are a few final precautions against icing to conduct before yet another checklist, a request for taxi clearance and we’re underway to the accompaniment of the safety demonstration in the background.

We bump along the taxiway initially as the bottoms of the tyres have a flat spot from sitting at below zero temperatures through the night. As they roll along the taxiway, the rubber warms and the round shape returns as the subtle thumping dissipates. Our red anti-collision beacon has a stroboscopic effect on the scenery around us and still there is no evidence of fog except for the odd wisp around lights on the corners of nearby hangars. The chimes sound on the flight deck to let us know that the cabin is secure and ready for departure just as the clock confirms that the five minute engine warm up period has passed. The final checklist is completed to verify flap and stabiliser settings before we call the tower and let them know we’re ready for take-off. With no other aircraft on frequency and none sighted on the approach to land, we’re cleared for take-off and line up at the end of Runway 35.

Our flashing strobe lights and landing light beams are droll by comparison to the runway lighting that lies ahead. A mix of colours and lines of light illuminate the blackened strip ahead. The thrust levers are brought forward and the engine noise spools up, slowly pushing the aircraft from its stationary pose. The TOGA button is pressed and the thrust levers move further forward to the take-off setting, now driven by their own servo motors as the Boeing gathers genuine momentum.

“80 knots.”...The runway lights flash past.

“V1.”...The hand leaves the thrust levers.

“Rotate.”...The runway lights disappear beneath the nose. 

Another day is underway.............................I love my job.

"Boeing Sun."

A QANTAS Boeing 737 taxies in to the backdrop of a setting sun.

"Sleepless in Seattle."

                                                         The "Red Barn" and the Museum of Flight.

"Uluru from Above."

The diverse colours of Uluru (Ayers Rock) in Central Australia. The vegetation surrounding 'The Rock' reflects the healthy rainfall in the region this year.

"Well Chosen Words." (Part Two)

CLICK HERE for Part One.

Say What? (continued)

......Last, but by no means least, comes the consideration of emergency contingencies. This may include an engine failure on the runway, or after take-off. What landing options lie ahead should the need arise and at what point and height does a return to land at the airfield become a possibility? Significantly, what are the vital actions and critical airspeed to maintain in this situation? Discussing the emergency situation lastly leaves those key points freshest in your mind should the added pressure of a problem arise. Obviously, the emergency plan will vary depending on such factors as the number of remaining engines in the case of a failure and the weather in the area. Hence, look at your plan realistically.

At the other end of the flight, the descent and approach phase is worth briefing and again it is best to follow a relevant order. Ideally, such a brief should be completed well in advance of commencing the descent. Start with the potential threats for the descent and in the terminal area. Terrain is always worth considering as a threat when you’re descending towards it. Review the ATIS, QNH and prevailing weather conditions as this will also provide some insight into the conditions you are likely to be confronted with. Review the descent profile in terms minimum safe altitudes and circuit joining procedures, before considering the approach to land. Revisit the flap setting to be used, the approach speed, the runway length available and where you anticipate turning off to taxi to the parking area. Importantly, examine the go-around situation. How will it be flown, what fuel will be remaining and what options are available in the event of a missed approach? What's my fuel status and options should I 'go-around'? Flying the missed approach should be thought of in terms of the actual aircraft handling as well as the flight path to be flown. With top of descent to the potential missed approach covered, pilot and aircraft are prepared to start heading down and reunite with the runway ahead.

Multi-engine aircraft and Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) offer more variables. On take-off, you are not likely to make a visual return to land if the cloud base is 200 feet above ground level, so setting up the navaids and having the relevant approach plate at the ready may be prudent in this instance. However, there is no need to brief this approach at this time. Conversely, when considering an instrument approach prior to descent, it is very relevant to thoroughly brief the approach and airfield lighting as well as confirming the readiness of the navigation aids. The weather at the minima also obviously plays a critical role in IFR and should be assessed to give some indication of what will be seen should ‘visual reference’ be attained right at the minima. For instance, in a strong crosswind and lowered visibility, looking straight ahead might lead to not sighting the runway which is now relatively offset.

Regardless, of the relative simplicity or complexity of the operation, the briefing should remain practical, ordered and relevant to the phase of flight. Many commercial flight providers will define the content of the briefing in their ‘Standard Operating Procedures’, but for the individual, the choice remains in their hands.

Speak Up.

As a point of technique, briefings should be spoken out aloud. This is obvious in the multi-crew scenario as the information is there to be shared. Equally importantly, the briefing offers the opportunity for other crew members to raise questions and point out any omissions. Through an open briefing technique, all of the flight crew are able to be ‘on the same’ page and not guessing the next move of the pilot flying.

In single pilot operations, there are also definite benefits in briefing out aloud. It may seem strange at first, but the spoken word will allow the content to also be absorbed aurally and not merely through the ‘mind’s ear’. This provides another layer of consolidation to cement the details in the mind. That is not to say that the briefing needs to be yelled out, but a quiet review to oneself will serve the briefing better. When flying with passengers, obviously keep the audio level down as words like ‘engine failure’ can tend to alarm them. However, if simply taking a friend for a flight in the front seat, explain to them what you’re doing. In much the same way as you explain the emergency exits to them, reviewing your plans is a case of preparing for every situation. Passengers will often be reassured by such thoroughness, as this is in line with briefings on an airliner.

Supporting briefings, pilots may also choose to have a simple check-list to assure that they have covered the content. Additionally, there is a real benefit to be derived from ‘touch-drills’ for such manoeuvres as an engine failure after take-off. Point at the best glide speed, touch those points associated with the emergency and the flap lever in unison with your words. It is a quick but very effective means of reviewing a very critical manoeuvre. Ultimately, the technique adopted will be the one with which the pilot is most comfortable and most likely to recall from day to day. Keeping the format constant will assist in guarding against omissions, maintaining a flow and keeping it concise.

Well Chosen Words.

Briefings are a mandatory component of standard operating procedures in airline operations. However, they need not remain the domain of multi-crew flight decks, nor are the benefits limited to heavy jets. Every pilot in every cockpit stands to gain from an enhanced level of mental preparedness. Keeping the content of briefings concise, ordered and relevant will allow critical points to be refreshed in a pilot’s memory without the pressure of a critical flight phase bearing down upon them.

Briefings are a relatively simple task, which when practised will become a small but vital tool in the pilot’s kit bag. They are not a major burden upon time or resources, but in the heat of the moment a successful outcome may well result from a few well chosen words.

"Rotate!"

"Hit the Ground Running."

An Australian Army 'Blackhawk' delivers its troops on a training exercise.

"Another Day in Paradise."

It’s 3am and the rain is pelting down. Actually, to be more accurate it is thrashing the walls of my house, driven horizontally by howling winds. It’s another half an hour before I have to throw my legs over the side of the bed and make my way to work, so I just lie there and listen to Mother Nature flexing her muscles. It’s an awesome sound.

It’s a sound that has meant many different things to me over the years. As a young student pilot, each rain-drop carried a sting of disappointment as I knew that the lesson the next day was sure to be cancelled. The cloud base would be too low for stalling, or the crosswind too strong for circuits, either way it would be another frustrating day on Terra Firma. Even when the bonds of the circuit and training area had been broken, low pressure systems and developing troughs would destroy any chance of cross-country flying. If the weather was marginal, I would still venture out to the airfield and loiter around the briefing office reading the latest forecasts and bothering the ‘Met Man’ as if he could actually control the weather. Sometimes I would be there for hours waiting for the weather to lift, only to travel home tired and disappointed. If only I’d really listened to that rain on the roof the night before.

Even the day of my Commercial Licence flight test got underway five hours late because of the weather and in retrospect I was weary before the propeller ever turned. Still it was a great day that I’ll never forget. Yet even when armed with a brand new CPL, the rain was still there to spoil the fun in other ways. Those early mornings, traipsing across sodden ground in the dark, up to my ankles in water as fresh drops ran down the back of my neck. Pre-flighting the outside amidst waves of falling water, only to take half the sea inside when I opened the cockpit door. I would then slide onto a wet seat with sodden socks and the peak of my cap dripping onto my already soaked flight plan and charts. Yelling “Clear Prop” at the top of my voice to make sure no-one else was stupid enough to be out in this weather and highlight the fact that I was. With the engines started, there was a chance that the de-mister might actually clear the windscreen, even if it only really served to turn my wet socks into ice.

When I was fortunate enough to fly, I was then either dodging thunderstorms in Australia’s vast north-west, or seeing flight lessons cancelled once again, but now as the instructor. An instrument rating brought some solace, but still no certainty. There would be days flying in that thin corridor between the lowest safe altitude and the freezing level, which always seemed to get very narrow over the Great Dividing Range. Or the nights when the rain came by stealth in the form of ice, insidiously creeping along the wings and only exposed by the beam of my torch reaching beyond the cockpit. Some of those nights I was wishing that I was lying in bed listening to the rain thrash against the walls rather than buffeting me about the skies.

Even at the journeys end, the cloud maintained its mystery; how far down did it really extend? Would I be lucky tonight and see the ground first time? The lights of the land below would teasingly glow through thin breaks in the cloud before....yes...a glimpse...no...yes....that’s it....definitely yes... the runway. VISUAL!!!! And still the rain would have its last words against the windscreen while the wind seemingly pulled the world sidewards. I would then do battle with the weather one more time to tie the aeroplane down and put her to bed.

Believe it or not, I still look back on those dark wet nights with real joy and a sense of appreciation for the lessons that I learned.

Today, the world is a little different. There are two experienced pilots in air-conditioned comfort flying an aircraft with in-built redundancies of everything you can imagine. Turbines have replaced pistons and anti-icing systems that are far more effective than a torch. There are ‘Head-Up Displays’, flight management systems, RNP approaches and autopilots that actually work. Every few months there is simulator training to prepare you for the worst case scenario and every day wonderful cabin crew that feed you when their workload permits. The rain and weather are still there, but these days experience, training and technology has provided me with the best set of defences that I can hope for. Regardless of whether it’s a Beechcraft or a Boeing, it is still up to the pilot to recognise the variables that the weather inevitably brings and cater for them in the safest possible way.

It’s now 4am and I’m driving along the freeway with the wipers sweeping across my windscreen as fast as they will go. The wind is rocking the car and the steering wheel intermittently twists in my hand as the wheels strike a patch of standing water. I sit well below the speed limit and readily concede that this is the most dangerous part of my day as another numb-skull overtakes me at Mach Two. Then my memory trips back to another wet night and I’m just a boy lying in my single bed in our little fibro home in Sydney. It’s 2am and the phone has startled me from my sleep before I hear my Dad’s lowered voice. There’s the unmistakable rustling of his uniform shirt with its wings and ID card and the steps of his undoubtedly highly polished boots. He has been called out on this foul night to guide the 'Air Ambulance' to some remote township to help a stranger in need.

As the front door clicks shut, I hear him scamper through the rain to open our front gate. The rain is pelting down upon the roof and the wind is shaking the screen upon my window, but if I listen really closely, there’s another sound. It’s my father and he’s whistling. It’s 2am, it’s pouring rain, he’s about to launch into the night....and he’s whistling. My head sinks back into my pillow and I think about my Dad whistling. And then I think about his job. There must be something to this pilot stuff. I might have to give it a go one day.   

Goodnight.

"Boeing 737. The Next Generation." (Part Two)

 CLICK HERE for Part One.

 The Next Genration Development. (continued)

......The 737NG is a great all-rounder. In the context of a comparison with the Classic, there are distinct differences from a pilot’s perspective. From handling characteristics and performance to “two cup holders instead of one”, there are a myriad of differences in the newest steed from the 737 stable. Some are subtle, some are distinct, but the vast majority are improvements for the better while still meeting the ‘common type’ constraints.

The majority of pilot’s speak of the NG with admiration. Much of this stems from the re-designed wing and winglets which provides enhanced speed, range and performance. The wing is also a major player from a handling viewpoint. The NG could be described as a “straight line aeroplane” when compared to the Classic. More like its bigger brothers, the increased weight and enhanced wing of the 737NG translates to higher energy that, in turn, calls for greater planning and anticipation when decelerating. On descent the NG can easily accelerate to its upper speed limit of the ‘Barber’s Pole’ and whilst the Classic was quite at home being wheeled around the circling area and washing off speed, the NG is a more ‘slippery’ candidate and needs to be handled on descent accordingly. In terms of turbulence penetration, the Classic possesses a seemingly more rigid wing that tends to “punch through turbulence”, whilst the NGs wing is more “giving” and tends to ride the turbulence better. Again, this is a feature the NG seems to have in common with the larger aircraft from Boeing.

The enhanced performance of the NG also received high praise. In the 737-300, the 1700 nm into wind sector between Australia’s coastal capitals of Sydney and Perth was not possible whereas such sectors are not a problem for the higher powered -800. Additionally, the capability to climb directly to 41,000 feet can prove an operational bonus when performance permits, allowing that extra 4,000 feet to get above more of the weather.

Whilst cockpit ergonomics seemed to have changed little, particularly with reference to the overhead panel, the accuracy of the GPS navigation system is a significant improvement for those up the sharp end. Constantly updated, there is no tendency for the map display to ‘drift’. The outside world is reflected with precision on the cockpit presentation, which assists greatly in visual manoeuvres such as circling off the bottom of an approach. This was not the case with the older IRS driven maps.

                                              Looking through the 'Head Up Display' (HUD) of the Boeing 737-800 (S.Ruttley)

The longer fuselage of the -800 offers a potentially limiting geometry on take-off, making a ‘tail strike’ a real possibility if the rotation is too fast. Landing the newer variant is also notably different aside from the longer landing distance that is required. With the shorter winged ‘Classic’, a few knots above reference speed in the flare did not seem to alter the touchdown point significantly. Once its mind is made up to land, the spot is fairly fixed. However, the carriage of excess speed, or flaring too early in the NG can result in the wastage of significant amounts of precious runway. The enhanced wing of the NG means that the aircraft wants to keep flying and will happily float as it slowly decelerates in ground effect. For pilots flying the dual variants it is always worth self briefing this point on approach when hopping from type to type.

Walking around the NG, there seems to be only subtle visible changes to the 737 beyond the prominent winglets. It is longer, wider and with a higher fin than the Classic, but unless it is side by side with its ‘parent’ these differences are all matters of scale. However, the aircraft does sit higher than its Classic forerunner and consequently allows greater clearance for the CFM56-7 engines that are slung beneath the wings. The trademark flat-bottomed cowlings of the ‘dash 3’ CFMs are not quite so flat and lean towards more conventional round cowlings. Additionally, since January 2005, Boeing has been rolling out the 737NG without the now familiar ‘eyebrow’ windows above the crew’s main windows.

The Next Generation?

2012 sees the Boeing 737 turning 45. Even so, it is still a design seeking more efficient ways to achieve its designed tasks. This year Boeing announced improvements to engine and airframe that will equate to around 2% in fuel savings. For the passengers, Boeing have looked to the 787 and given the 737 a facelift with the ‘Boeing Sky’ interior with newer sidewalls, LED lighting and bigger overhead lockers.

The 737 also has a proven track record that defies time as all marques of this Boeing are still gracing the sky. With such a bloodline it is not surprising that the 737 Next Generation has enjoyed success in the same vein as its predecessors. With ER (Extended Range) versions giving the type even longer legs; there are very few tasks that the 737NG can’t handle.

Forged from the legacy of another tremendous domestic stalwart, the Classic, it has built upon its strengths and alleviated most of the perceived shortcomings. And with the 737 Max now looming on the horizon, It finds that irrepressible the NG family has captured that quality of so many Boeing aircraft; a workhorse for the airline and a loved stallion by its crews.

"A Century of Posts!"

Hi All,

It almost slipped past me, but yesterday marked 100 posts on this aviation blog.

In three months the amount of visitors has steadily grown from around one thousand in December to nearly ten thousand last month. I don't know how that rates in the world of the internet, but it is enough interest to indicate to me that I should keep writing and sharing my photos from 'upstairs'.

As many visitors are new to the blog, they may have missed some of the earlier posts, so I recommend that you stay a while and look back to the posts from when it all began. The 'Practical Pilot' series and airline insights continue to be very popular, but the reflective pieces definitely seem to stir something in our readers. And I'm thankful for that.

These are particularly popular;

"Moments"

"Golden Days"

"So You Want to be a Pilot?"

To everyone who has supported this aviation blog from the outset, thank you. From the team at 'Australian Aviation' magazine and the lads at 'Plane Crazy Down Under' to Karlene Pettit and David Parker Brown in the United States. Without their guidance, this internet infant never would have been able to get this website off the ground. Thank you all so much.

That's all for now although the conclusion to "Boeing 737. The Next Generation." will be coming soon.

Cheers,

Owen