747-8: Flight Report

No surprise to me. I, for one, love real world, first hand info/experience on this sort of stuff. Really interesting.

 

Lou- Thanks. Not much experience with thrust reversers flying fighters.

 

Reverse idle... Interesting... didn't know that... so it's fairly quiet, not the loud roar? Are they mostly air brakes hanging out when you do that, not much thrust?


300 posts? Well, probably 50 of them are yours, with tons of interesting pics and descriptions; Thank you.

Also, a LOT of us envy you and your job...

 

How many places are there where we can ask questions of an active 747 pilot? That's one of the world's greatest jobs. Lou, you're too modest.

 

I agree with Jim and Tcar, Lou. You have opened up a window that few of us can manage to do. Thanks.

 

Lou- Plus you are obviously senior enough to bid on the really good routes. Takes a while to get there.

Thread is an excellent read.

 

If I remember correctly my company (KLM Cityhopper) has a deal that has all brake maintenance replacement included for a fixed price and so wants us to brake instead of using reverse. Now reverse is not really necessary for an Embraer 190, but more companies have those deals I guess, also with widebodies.

 

Lou:

Bob Callahan is a consultant to airlines. He recommends various things to reduce fuel usage. Has done very, very well for the airlines that use him, and inferentially himself. The use of reverse wastes fuel, and is not needed very often. What used to e something to be used in an emergency procedure or going into a runway that was either marginal or short, became commonplace. Now with fuel costs where they are, the economy of not using it is taking hold.

Art

 

Not nearly as much as it has been for us! Thanks again for the fabulous insights.

Seems that at least a few allow videos from the cockpit. I remember when UAL (?) had a cockpit video feed back to the passengers - Very cool stuff. I even enjoyed their audio only feed.

I guess I can understand the policy, but maybe you're senior enough to show the powers this thread and ask for dispensation? [Even if it moves to "subscribed" so Google doesn't find it?]

Cheers,
Ian

 

HDAM? I have been in there a bunch and it's an interesting place with a real mix of aircraft. Passenger planes, military cargo, military fighter, helicopters and various civilian cargo. The French used to crank of their Mirages and make a few high speed passes at 0700 every morning which was a lovely way to wake up. If a plane load of khat comes in it's entertaining to watch how fast they unload it. The stuff apparently has a very limited effective lifespan so they haul ass to get it to market as quickly as possible. There is an interesting old shipwreck about 1/4 mile off the coast if you are coming in on runway 27. Departing runway 27 the whole country looks like a giant trash pit/wrecking yard. I have always enjoyed flying in Africa, one of my favorite memories is chasing herds of giraffes in eastern Kenya

 

Another interesting perspective that very few get to have.
I wouldn't mind hearing more of your own adventures Mark. Maybe in another thread or is it "top-sekret stuff-n-junk"

 

But you fly over Somalia?!?!

 

Thanks for posting that 747-8 video, Lou. That brought back so many memories of working on RA001 back in 1967-70. I was there when the mock up building was missing a wall and they had a bunch of tarps hung up until it was completed. I know Brian Wygle and Joe Sutter and an awful lot of guys who worked on the airplane. We practically lived there. I saw Joe Sutter several years ago at a dinner and I mentioned the incident when number one fell off the jacks and he laughed and said, " Oh yeah, I was there that Saturday morning." There aren't many Incredibles left now, I think that out of all of us it is down to less then 100. Before I left Boeing after my last stint as a contract employee I did a little bit of work on the 747-500,-600 that was used on the -8. Great stuff.

 

Bob, is that the same Brian Wygle who drove the Thriftway Too hydroplane??

 

Yes, that's the same guy. I saw him do a flat 360 in Thriftway Two when the rudder came off at over 120MPH. I asked him how that felt and he said," Well, I wouldn't want to do it every day."very nice quiet sort of guy.

 

This thread is going to cause me to fail my FAA written test i sit down on the lap top to do some practice tests etc, think i will just check "lou's" thread...and 45 minutes later here i am all excited about Boeing again...great vid thanks for sharing..now i must get back to the books...LOL

 

The LARGEST fish on the planet...

One of the least dangerous, too.

Very cool.