I'm not sure which post you're referring to as incorrect, but I don't drive the heavy metal, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. Also, I referenced the info I took this from, and it looked pretty straight up to me. One thing you didn't mention on the 777 is the proximity difference if any to the ground. Vis-a-vis the 777, I don't know but it makes sense that if the FLCH is set to 0' elevation, once below a min altitude, whatever the designer set it would make perfect sense that the A/T would not advance the throttles, as the intent is to land the plane, and not maintain an altitude of 0' indefinitely(one hopes). I agree it's a bit disconcerting that two seasoned big iron pilots have a different take on the modes of operation. Maybe both of you should bring this up to Boeing, as if they already aren't evaluating and planning a revision already?
Off the subject but re 747-8. Thought of Lou when for the last several days a 747-8 in dark blue and white has been gracefully cruising and floating by, obviously being initially tested. Sad that this beautiful airplane is no longer desired.
I wouldn't say that. I want one. Perfect for that Sunday $100,000.00 hamburger Lou you think we could squeeze one down in Catalina ??
Sorry I missed this..... In smaller AC, a small pitch change doesn't have too much affect on vertical speed. Having less inertia, airspeed changes happen rather quickly when changing pitch. So most instructors teach pitch for airspeed, power for glideslope. In larger AC, a small pitch change has a dramatic affect on vertical speed. Having large inertia, airspeed changes happen slowly. If you were to try and pitch for airspeed, you'd find yourself all over the place. So it's easier to pitch for the GS, and use power to adjust airspeed. Even in smaller aircraft, shooting an ILS, it's easier to use pitch for GS and power for AIRSPEED. That said, most VFR flying is flown the opposite way, with pitch for AIRSPEED and power for GS. Don't let this info screw up your upcoming checkride!
Great .... to late for that now.. LOL, I will just stick with the basic's, aim for the numbers, keep them in the middle of the windshield and watch my speed, and just move my hands around randomly to keep it all there
Chronicle reporting this morning that Aisana "Go-Around" rate at SFO is 6X the expected number of aborts, based on their percentage of landings. It's unclear to me how this compares to other airlines, of if the dataset is large enough to be statistically accurate, but it would be an easy math problem to find out. SFO worries over Asiana?s landing record | Matier And Ross | an SFGate.com blog
A distinction should be made on the reason for the go-arounds. Bad weather and traffic conflicts being a couple of "it happens" sometimes type and an improperly flown approach where weather isn't a factor. If it is the latter type that is a major warning flag for any airline if it happens with any regular frequency. That indicates a serious training deficiency.
For this data to be accurate it would have to be for well over a year worth of data. The article list just 6 weeks so it could be just due to the fact that the ILS is down and the pilots are being safe after the accident and retrying the approach after the crew saw something that they did not like. Of all of my spotting trips to SFO I can only recall one "Go Around" in clear weather The go around allowed myself to snap off this shot of the ANA 777 landing on 28L with an UAL 747 landing on 28R at the same time. JA709A All Nippon Airways Boeing 777-281(ER) - Planespotters.net Just Aviation
Flight Level Change Video..... I just finished my 6 month sim check and asked the instructor if he would repositon me on a 6 mile final, VFR. I made this quick video to show how using Flight Level Change on approach could lead to problems. This isn't to excuse the pilots of the Asiana crash. There's no excuse for flying so slow. I also don't know if Asiana used Flight Level Change. It' just to show that Airspeed is not maintained if hand flying and not following the Flight Director Things to notice on this video: First off, initally the Autopilot and Autothrottle are engaged. The ILS is working and Approach mode is already captured. Meaning the Localizer and Glideslope are active. As you normally wouldn't switch out of this mode on approach, I first couldn't get Flight Level Change to engage. This is a design feature that keeps you from accidentally pressing another mode and deselecting the approach. To get out of Approach mode, you have 2 options. Press the TOGA buttons (used for a Go Around) or turn off both Flight Directors (FDs). As I didn't want to Go Around, I turned off both FDs, then turned them back on. It's important to note that the GS wasn't operating on the day Asiana crashed. They wouldn't have been able to engage Approach mode without a GS signal. So it would be just one button push to select Flight Level Change. On the PFD (Primary Flight Display), the FD (flight director) is the magenta "cross hairs". It shows you where the AP would be flying the nose of the airplane. As I pitch up manually, you'll see the FD bar showing a nose down pitch. If the autopilot was flying, it would have been pitching the nose down to keep the desired airspeed. It's important to note that more than likely the Asiana flight had the FD's turned off. When shooting a pure visual approach, they don't reference anything. We turn them off on a visual approach as they can be misleading. You'll also notice on the PFD the "eyebrows". They're the yellow bars on the display. They show the pitch at which stick shaker occurs. When I get too slow and "touch" these bars, the stick shaker activates. I only had a quick go at this video. So it's not that great. But it does get its point across. Again, I'm not saying Asiana used this mode. And again, I don't know how anyone could fly so slowly on approach. Truly unbelievable to me. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCR-JG33noI]Flight Level Change 747 - YouTube[/ame]
If you cant get in to the sim if you are in the SoCal area you can go and fly a 737NG sim. BOEING 737 Flight Simulator or in Dallas you can sim a 737 or Orlando an A320 Airline Training Orientation Program (ATOP)
Foreign airlines now urged to use GPS approaches rather than visual? Foreign airlines urged to use GPS at San Francisco
Sounds like Lou has it right (as usual)... AvLeak is reporting that the crew might have gotten caught in the "Flight Level Change Trap".. Were Asiana Pilots Caught In The FLCH ?Trap?? That's where they think the autothrottle system will control airspeed and it won't, and they didn't catch it until it was too late.
Agreed. I actually did a "flight" in this specific sim, was underwhelming. Lack of motion is part of it. However, the PCs running the sim were so old, the graphics for the environment were really bad. They could have updated the PCs and the graphics cards for a more photo-realistic sim. Sad that I can achieve that at home (albeit without the B737 cockpit). Also, unless you book repeat flights, you're put into the right seat, and only get to use the yoke. No throttle control, no anything else. I did it as a Groupon, so was ok for what I spent. But for list price, I didn't enjoy it.
Exactly. As my old instructor said - they were not flying the airplane, they were letting the airplane fly them.
As long as the planes can maintain visual separation parallel landings are approved AFAIK. In other words, no parallels when it's foggy/IMC.
^^ Correct. For simultaneous approaches in the WX I believe the runways have to be separated by 9000' or 4500' if ILS PRM approaches are used.
