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Frequently Asked Questions - Email Collections 9

1.  SARS and cabin air quality on the Boeing 777
2.  Could I take my own GPS on board the airplane?
3.  What are the signs and lights on the runway?
4.  Should you throttle back when you have a strong tail wind?
5.  Flying the Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002.
6.  What special considerations for trans Atlantic flight to US on the Boeing 777?
7.  What are the seat configurations and leg room on the Boeing 777?
8.  What is the effect of overweight people on a light airplane?
9.  The  Boeing 777 is a beautiful airplane to fly and maneuver in the sky and on the ground! 
10. How would the Airbus 320 holds up against turbulence?
11. What could have caused the tail strike on the Singapore Airlines Boeing 747?
12. Could the Boeing 777 limp on one engine after one  has failed whilst crossing the Atlantic?
13. Why it takes longer to fly in a Westerly direction?
14. Some technical questions about the Boeing 777.
15. Technical questions - Airspeeds, ETOPS and flying the MSFS  2002.
16. What can cause the increased noise level on the Boeing 777?
17.  The Boeing 777 is way ahead of the Airbus 340 in terms of comfort.
18.  I am really afraid of terrorist attack and bomb exploding in an airplane.
19.  Could the Boeing 777 fall apart if you had a very strong tail wind?
20.  Is it possible for an airplane to land safely with a defective landing gear?


1.  SARS and cabin air quality on the Boeing 777

Dear Captain Kay,

Your website is an interesting one, you have, as a matter of fact, answered a lot of my
queries. The deadly virus, SARS, is spreading out seriously in Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Canada and Vietnam.  This bring the tourist business into a very critical situation, not only hotel occupancy reduces substantially but many Asian airlines have to reduce their number of flights.  Both businessmen and tourist passenger stopped flying ! Some people said if you need to fly, you have to choose Boeing 777 because they are continuously using the outside air during flying time.  Therefore, the infected possibility should be much lower.  Is it true?

Regards,
Ivan

Hi Ivan,

I wish I had been paid to endorse their product, the Boeing 777 :-)!  Anyway, most of the latest Commercial airplanes are mindful of complaints about the quality of cabin air.   As I am more familiar with Boeing airplanes, I would discuss this topic with a little more
depth.

The subject of cabin air quality, in view of the SARS epidemic, has been of great interest to many passengers. It is not exactly true to say that the Boeing 777 continuously uses the outside air during the cruise.  This is because outside air, say at 35,000 feet, is very dry.  It would reduce the relative humidity inside the cabin further, causing more health symptoms such as dry, irritated eyes and dry or stuffy nose. This would make one even more susceptible to infection.

On the Boeing 777, re-circulation fans are used to augment the airflow in the cabin. It provides a mixture of about 50 percent outside air and 50 percent re-circulated air; a balance has been achieved to maintain a high level of cabin air quality.  For your
information, in-flight cabin air is of a better quality than air in the average office building or shopping complexes and is changed completely in a very short period of time (between 2 to 3 minutes).

The Boeing 777 cabin design provides a ventilation rate of 13 to 20 cubic feet per minute of air per passenger. The 50 % cabin air is highly filtered re-circulated air where viruses and bacteria are removed. The filtration systems used are High Efficiency Particulate Air Filters (HEPA-type), similar to that used in hospital operating rooms.

I hope you can draw a conclusion from the facts above.

Regards,

Capt Kay.


2.  Could I take my own GPS on board the airplane?

Dear Captain,

It would be a real pleasure if the airlines would have a display of the current latitude and longitude in the cabin, and pass out maps for passengers to follow the flight, especially on those long flights across the ocean. You know, this is more than that stupid airplane icon moving like a snail over the TV screen!  Is there some reason they don't?  Could I take my own GPS on board?

Enjoy your site a lot.

Thank you,

James Walker

Hi James,

I wish I own an Airline and I would make all my customers happy:-)  However,
your suggestion looks reasonable.

Now, lets see the practicality of it.   I think, latitude and longitudes can be inserted into the Air show quite easily with some changes of the software.  I suppose the manufacturer of the Air Show felt that such additional information may clutter the screen and it would be of very little use to passengers other than a few like you. Secondly, most Airlines have an In-Flight Magazine with maps and routes on them.   Perhaps you could have used them to check your position.  I know the GPS gives you a very accurate position of your current location and if you are familiar with this navigation system, it will give you more pleasure about where exactly you are.  Personally, I feel most passengers are quite happy with this airplane icon in the TV screen, notwithstanding its snail speed!  Remember, five to ten years ago, you have to make do without them!

I am not very sure whether you could take your own GPS on board.  Depending on the size of the GPS, you have to check it out with the boarding staff. You may have to remove the batteries to be on the safe side.  I know of a watch where the GPS is incorporated in it and I don't see any problem if you do have one of them.

Regards,

Capt Kay.


3.   What are the signs and lights on the runway?

Hello,

Your website is pretty cool. I have been wondering what do all those signs and lights mean on the runways and taxiways.  What does "cross check" mean?

Finally, someone to answer all my curiosities!

Mickey.

Hi Mickey,

You are asking questions that are generally difficult to answer specifically because there are so many signs and lights on the runways and taxiways.   I have already answered a question on why they refer to touch down markings on runway as 'piano keys'  in my previous FAQs.

However, I will cover some common runways lights. After landing, there are signs which can indicate to the pilots where and what taxiways he has been instructed to proceed to and park his airplane.  He has to follow the center line lights of the taxiway which is green in color.  The taxiway way edge light is blue and the runway edge light is white.  Using these lights in poor visibility, he can easily distinguish them (Now you know why pilots must not be color blind!) . If there are red lights across the taxiways, he must not proceed beyond the lines.  As the pilot taxis the aircraft to the parking bay, the name of the parking slot is written at the guide line as well as the parking board.  The critical part of parking is to stop exactly where he can position is such a way that the airplane's doors are exactly in front of the aerobridge entrances.  Every airplane is different in length and so the stopping distance varies.   So the pilot has to maneuver the plane according to the lights and signs in front of him.

These are some examples of the signs and lights on the runways and taxiways for the pilots to follow.

'Cross check' means to check again by the other pilot to ensure that an action has been carried out.

Regards,

Capt Kay.


4.  Should you throttle back when you have a strong tail wind?

Dear Capt Kay,

Firstly may I congratulate you on a very informative site. It has certainly helped me cross the Atlantic without too many concerns over the past 2 years.

My question is this. This March, we traveled from Heathrow to San Francisco (SFO) with United on a Boeing 777. We arrived at SFO some 1hr 30mins early. During the flight, the details about altitude and ground speed were displayed on the seat back monitors. During one section of the flight we were traveling at over 680mph!! This, I would imagine ,was due to an indicated tail wind of 120mph.

Is it normal for a Captain to allow the plane to reach such speeds? At what point would he 'throttle back'? If the tail wind was even faster than 120 mph, would the plane be allowed to
continue to accelerate?

Thank you once again, keep up the good work.

Regards

Dan Coote
London, England

Hi Dan,

You are right.  You have a very strong tail wind.  A tail wind is a bonus and it is harmless to a plane in a cruise unless it is landing!  The stronger, the better because it saves time and fuel!  The Captain will not throttle back and he is very happy to have that extra speed!

A tail wind is analogous to you blowing at a drifting feather in the air. The stronger you blow, the further the feather will go.

Regards,

Capt Kay.


5.  Flying the Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002.

Dear Capt Kay,
 
I am KH Koh from Singapore. I am not a pilot but I fly the Boeing 777 on Microsoft's Flight Simulator.
 
I have a question regarding the glide path during approach using autopilot on the Boeing 777.   If I am not mistaken, the pilot can set the run way frequency during approach and have the autopilot on to align the aircraft with the runway center line automatically.  My question is, does the autopilot take care of the approach speed and altitude automatically when coming nearer to the airport runway?  Or, these have to be set manually depending on the distance of the aircraft to the airport?  For example, if the aircraft is 20 nm away from the airport, the targeted altitude is 10,000 ft and speed say 250 KIAS, at 15 nm, the targeted altitude is 7,500ft and speed is 220 KIAS and so on.  Does the pilot need to change these data manually while approaching the airport even though the aircraft is flown by the autopilot?  If these are all automatically changed, what do you input to the aircraft computer so that the autopilot will know what to do?
 
Would you please advise?
 
Thank you very much.
 
Best regards,
KH Koh
 
Hi Koh,
 
The pilot must set the ILS frequency for the Runway before he flies the autopilot approach.  The autopilot will fly the approach accurately in terms of the landing profile but the pilot would have to adjust the speeds for each flaps setting, reducing progressively until the landing flaps (30) is selected.  So the speeds must be manually selected by the pilot until the final landing speed at about 1000 feet above ground level.  This is the real scenario but I am not sure how your Microsoft Flight Simulator works as I have not flown one.
 
Regards,

Capt Kay


6.  What special considerations for trans Atlantic flight to US on the Boeing 777?

Hello,

First of all, may I thank you for a wonderful website that educates people like me that are slightly fearful of flying.

I live in the UK and on Sunday I make my first trans Atlantic flight to the US (Raleigh-Durham airport.)

In view of the flying regulations that state airplanes should be within 2 hours of an airport in the event of an emergency, how could this be possible when flying over the Atlantic? What special considerations need to be given when making such a flight. I am flying on the American Airlines Boeing 777.

Philip Hayes.

Hi Phillip,

It is no big deal.   There are many airports within 2 hours  from any point on your route to the US.   In fact, I have just flown across the Atlantic from New York on a Boeing 777.  Don't worry.   Read my topic on ETOPS.

Regards,

Capt Kay.


7.  What are the seat configurations and leg room on the Boeing 777?

Hello,

We are about to go to San Francisco on a Boeing 777 and wondered if you could inform us of the seat configurations and leg room on the airplane.

Many thanks,

Denise and Les Ritson

Hi,

The general seat configurations are 2-5-2 in the coach class, 2-3-2 in business and 2-2 in first class.

The legroom varies from Airlines to Airlines, from airplane to airplane and even from seat to seat on the same airplane.  They range from 31 to 34 inches in the coach or economy section.   On American Airlines Boeing 777 planes crossing the Atlantic, most of the cabin seat have 34 inches of legroom but the seat in the middle cabin have only 33 inches. However, British Airways and Continental have a leg room of 31 inches. Delta,  31-33 inches and United Airlines with 31-32 inches.

According to Consumer Reports, American Airlines Boeing 777 scores best in terms
of legroom comfort.

Regards,

Capt Kay.


8.  What is the effect of overweight people on a light airplane?

Greetings Capt Kay,

Local media spot on a topic that overweight passengers caused light aircraft to crash.  I figure that the manufacturers (Cessna etc...) design airplanes for very big people as well as small.  What is your opinion?  

Darvin G McBrayer, 
Dallas

Hi Darvin,

When the media mentioned about 'overweight people' ... did they define what they meant by overweight?  A light aircraft is designed for a certain weight and so the manufacturers have to work out the average weight of 180 lbs for each normal passenger.  It does not cater for 'very big' people.
  
If a Cessna is occupied by 4 overweight passengers, it would certainly affect the safe performance of the airplane.

Regards,

Capt Kay


9.  The  Boeing 777 is a beautiful airplane to fly and maneuver in the sky and on the ground! 

Dear Sir,

I am a UK based Boeing 777 Co-pilot for United Airlines, mainly flying from Frankfurt to San Francisco and Los Angeles. I thought your site is very fact-based and tends to answer most of the questions that I answer on a day to day basis. Sadly now, the crew cannot do cockpit tours anymore.

I have been a Boeing 737 captain in the past, mainly traveling the UK to Spain and Greece routes, but wanted the prestige of trans Atlantic flights. I was offered a Boeing 757 captaincy with a UK based airline as I was trained on Boeing 757 but I wanted to move upwards. I must admit it was the best move of my life. The Boeing 777 is a beautiful airplane to fly and maneuver in both the sky and on the ground.

My main goal is the captaincy of a Boeing 747.  United Airlines still have a few but if I ended my career as a Captain of a Boeing 777, I would not be disappointed.

Excellent site, I can get all my questions answered now.

Steve Hughes

Hi Steve,

It is nice to meet another fellow Boeing 777 driver!  Hope you would finally end up on the B747! I welcome suggestions on improving my site but don't seem to have much time to get very involved.

Have a nice day!

Regards,

Capt Kay.


10.   How would the Airbus 320 holds up against turbulence?

Hi,

I am scheduled to fly from Philadelphia to Aruba tomorrow morning on a Airbus 320. Can you tell me how this particular aircraft holds up against turbulence as compared to the larger airplanes? I am very apprehensive as there appears to be a lot of bad weather in the South.

Thank you for your time.

Tom

Hi Tom,
 
The Airbus 320 is a pretty good airplane to fly in and against any turbulences but do read up on all the FAQs on turbulences in my Site. 
 
Have a pleasant flight to Aruba!
 
Regards,
 
Capt Kay.

11.  What could have caused the tail strike on the Singapore Airlines Boeing 747?

Hi Capt Kay,

A Singapore Airline jumbo recently hit and dragged its fuselage on the tarmac causing extensive damage to the aircraft while taking off at Auckland airport.

How did that happen?

Thanks
Vaness Williams

Hi Vaness,

I don't want to speculate as to what exactly caused the tail strike as it would prejudice the ongoing investigation.   However, I would like to discuss tail strike very briefly.

Tail strikes on the Boeing 747 are not unique because there is check list for 'Tail Strike on Takeoff' provided in all the airplanes.   So the manufacturer expect an incident of such a nature is possible.  What can cause the tail to strike?  The most likely cause is probably a C of G (Center of Gravity) too near to the edge of the envelope.  Alternatively, the actual weight and the figures on the load sheet do not tally. It has happened before. There was a mistake on the actual weight of the load at the back and the dispatcher was careless about it. Of course, is some planes, if the figures are incorrect, an advisory warning, 'Stabilizer Green Band' would come on.

A takeoff is executed manually by the pilot by rotating the control column to a certain pitch.  A tail strike can happen if an inexperienced pilot (usually a pilot under training) over rotated (pull back the stick too fast and too much!) with a C of G close to the rear at the incorrect lift off speed!

Regards,

Capt Kay.


12. Could the Boeing 777 limp on one engine after one  has failed whilst crossing the Atlantic?

Dear Capt Kay,
 
I have a question pertaining to the Boeing 777.  I am preparing for a flight from DFW to Frankfurt, Germany and was wondering about engine failure on the Boeing 777.  On your website, you state that the plane is designed to fly three hours on one engine (provided you attained sufficient altitude and speed beforehand).  But what about a long flight like my upcoming one over ocean?  Could the Boeing 777 limp into an airport if one of the engines failed crossing the Atlantic?  
 
Sincerely,
 
Wayne Simmons

 

Hi Wayne,
 
Your flight from DFW to Frankfurt will satisfy the ETOPS (please read this topic in my FAQS) requirements otherwise it would not be permitted to operate the route over the Atlantic Ocean.  Depending on which Airline you are flying with, a 180 minutes ETOPS covers a lot of routes over the oceans.  I fly over the Atlantic quite regularly and one of the possible diversions I used to rely on in the Atlantic is Larges Airport in the Azores.  It is only less than 120 minutes from my usual route across to Europe.
 
If it makes you feel any better, just last month, a United Airlines Boeing 777 from Auckland to San Francisco shut down one of its engines due to a mechanical problem and flew for 192 minutes on single engine to land safely at Kona Airport in the Hawaiian Islands.  It exceeded the 180 minutes ETOPS limits by 12 minutes because of strong headwind.  According to Boeing, this is a record for a passenger plane limping on one engine!
 
Regards,
 
Capt Kay.

13.  Why it takes longer to fly in a Westerly direction?

Dear Captain,
 
I am flying on a British Airways Boeing 777 trans Atlantic from London next month. I am usually a very good flyer and I want to become a pilot. 

Last year  I went on an American Airlines Boeing 767 to America, and I took a panic attack during take-off roll. Through out the whole flight I was a nervous wreck, and I cant explain it! This April I flew to Malaga on a Boeing 737-300 and I took a major panic attack as we walked out to the aircraft and had to be forced on by my dad :-(

Both of these flights went well with the bit of turbulence as usual. Weeks before both of these flights I couldn't wait to get on the planes and I am feeling the same after reading your site. (Well done, BTW, great Site) This time I am flying with my cousin who has never been near a plane before, and my Aunt and Uncle. I have been told that if I panicked before I got on the plane I won't be getting on it but I really wanted to go! I don't want to upset my cousin!
Please help!
 
Will the British Airways flights have games on board or just films?? Also, the flight there is 9hrs 15 minutes and back it is 8 hrs 35? I can't explain it, please help as well!
 
Please reply before mid-June,
 
Thanks  a lot in advance,
John Wales

Hi John,
 
I believe British Airways Boeing 777 has in flight entertainment on every seats with choice of movies and all types of games to keep you occupied throughout your flight.
 
The reason why it takes 9 hours 15 minutes to US is because of the strong prevailing Westerly wind that blows against the aircraft.  However, on your way back the Westerly wind is an advantage because it makes the plane fly faster, hence 8 hours and 35 minutes.  The wind is now blowing at the back, just like someone pushing your bicycle as you are cycling forward!
 
Regards,
 
Capt Kay.

14.   Some technical questions about the Boeing 777.

Hi Captain,

I have just finished DCAT exam. I will know my result by next week. Guess what? I have started my flying lesson 2 days ago and will continue for another one month (no ground school). At the Flying Academy, they train us on the Piper Warrior PA-28.

I have got some question for you. In the Boeing 777, what is the maximum IAS to extend the flaps? At what IAS do you rotate when taking off, and what is the maximum IAS when the aircraft touches down?

In the Piper aircraft, there are 0, 10, 25 and 40 degrees flap, how about the Boeing 777?  Is it necessary to trim when flying nose heavy or tail heavy (as the aircraft flight control  is based on 'fly-by-wire')? 

Now that I have started flying, I have thousands of question for you, but that's all for the time
being.

Wish me luck!

Fariz.

Hi Fariz,

I don't think I have the time to answer all your technical questions on the Boeing 777 because I intend to restrict my Website, whenever possible, to interesting Air Travel questions only.   If I start entertaining these questions, it will never end.   Wait until you are on the Boeing 777 in the future and concentrate on your Piper Warrior now. Many others have asked me the same type of questions which are found in the Airplane Operating Manual - thousands of them as you have said!

Just not to disappoint you this time.  The Boeing 777 lift off speed varies, and it depends on the weight of the airplane and the flap settings, can't give you a precise figure - around 110 to 120 knots.  Lands between 125 to 150 knots.  Maximum flap extension speed is 250 knots. Flaps varies from 1, 5, 15, 20, 25 and 30. It has an auto trim, so no manual trimming is  required.

Regards,

Capt Kay.


15. Technical questions - Airspeeds, ETOPS and flying the MSFS  2002.

Hi Captain Kay,

With reference to the question on the CAS and Mach,  I am not again satisfied with it.
I referred to some documents and I found the answer.

The reason is that for a target CAS the TAS increases as you fly higher.
If the target CAS is 300 knots at MSL, then the TAs is also 300 knots.
As you fly higher the TAS would increase for same CAS. Also,  as you fly higher
the Mach would decrease.

So for a target CAS of 300 knots, you would be flying super sonic if you fly at extreme
high altitudes.

So for a given target, CAS equivalent and Mach equivalent of TAS at a given altitude is same. This is called as crossover altitude. Up to this, they fly at CAS and after that they fly at Mach number.

This happens to be 31000 ft in your case.

I have further questions for you:-

1) Is the ETOPS Rules applicable to BRGA aircrafts? I see a lot of aircrafts like the Learjet, Canadair, etc which can fly non stop from London to NewYork. They are also twin jets. Do they also have to abide by the ETOPS Rules?

2) Do you have an ETOPS Chart, plotted for a particular route with the diversion time arcs from designated enroute alternates? I heard that every ETOPS pilot needs to carry that
for better monitoring. Could you give that and explain?

3) B777 is cleared for 180 Minutes ETOPS. So it can fly safely in single engine for 3 hours and land. Is this tested practically - for example, failing an engine and analyze whether it runs for 3 hours or more in air?

4) Have you ever flown a Boeing 777 in Single Engine? Please share your experiences?

5) I am  trying to make a perfect landing using MSFS 2002. I perfectly capture the localizer and Glide Slope and maintain perfect speed. But just before landing, at,  say 7-10 seconds before touch down, I see that the GS either move up or down. I think this happens when I flare the aircraft. I am never able to touch on markings nor keep GS at dead center. I have seen that some aircrafts like the B777 and B767 flare a lot and make a smooth touch down on the markings. Even the smoke appears to be very minimal.
  
 Do you keep the GS exactly at the Center at the time of touch down? Please explain the key for a nice landing... the LAST 10 seconds!

Thanks and Warm regards
Srihari J
   

Hi Srihari,

Your previous question was, when CAS and Mach number are indicated in flight in the Boeing 777?  The answer was when it crosses 31,000 feet. You have already researched the technical answers yourself regarding the speed relationship.   

1.   I believe all twin engine jets have to abide by ETOPs rules.

2.   Yes, there are ETOPS and Enroute Alternate charts in all the Boeing 777's.  Please read the details yourself as they are too lengthy for me to explain.

3.   Of course, the180 minutes on single engine are tested by the engine manufacturers during the development stages otherwise it would not be certified by the relevant authorities to be used in passenger airplanes.

4.   I have not flown on the Boeing 777 on single engine except in the simulator.

5.   Flying a MSFS 2002 Simulator and the real airplane is not the same! I have mentioned in many FAQs that these MSFS simulator are good  procedural trainers but the feel is totally different.  You never manually fly a Boeing 777 ON THE INSTRUMENTS until touchdown!  It would be too dangerous!  As a general rule, most pilots fly on the ILS up to 200 feet  above ground level on a Category 1 ILS  and then fly visual below this height with the GS as a reference, but NEVER up to touch down, unless he is doing an Autoland.  In an autoland, the landing is executed by the computer. For non-autoland, he must look out and land the airplane physically (without the help of the autopilot) below 200 feet.   In the case of the MSFS, you got no choice but to fly the airplane to touchdown because there is no visual guidance outside.  I have not flown a MSFS 2002  simulator and I cannot give you any guidance on how to fly it.

Regards,

Capt Kay.

Hi Captain Kay,

Regarding 2nd question, I can read it but I do not have any chart. If you could send or upload one of the charts which u have used, that would be great.

Regarding the 4th question, I was pointing to MSFS but it was with reference to  Boeing 777 only.

As you have said,  you fly manually after 200 ft above ground level (agl). I have seen many videos where they make the full final approach manually, say from the point they capture LOC and GS.

You have LOC and GS so you can fly manually up to the decision height. After 200 agl, how do you manage to land at the dead center of the runway touchdown markings?

What is the secret to LAND exactly on the markings,  even though you cannot see it?
Please let me know.

Thanks and warm regards,
Srihari J

Hi Srihari,

Sorry, I am unable to provide you the ETOPS charts.

It is true the ILS can be flown manually from the time the GS and LOC is
captured on instrument.  If an airfield is approved for a Category 1 ILS, you can legally fly to 200 feet agl only.   Thereafter, you must look out and fly visually, NO MORE INSTRUMENT FLYING.  If you can't see the Runway, you must go around! You CANNOT fly the GS and LOC on instrument until touch down as you would do in a MSFS simulator in your PC.   I hope you understand this.  If you are doing an Auto land approach, then it is a different story.  The Autopilot, with the help the computers, could fly the airplane until touchdown safely, but not human beings in real life!

Regards,

Capt Kay.


16.  What can cause the increased noise level on the Boeing 777?

Hi,

Every time I fly on the Boeing 777-200ER, there is a noise (TIK TIK, TIK, TIK) 5 minutes before it lands (like a very old bus :) Further, the end of the wings move up and down a lot.  I didn't notice that in the A340-200.Sometimes the Boeing 777 fly very quietly and some very noisily. Why?  Do the total weight play part in that!

Kind regards,
Sonique.

Hi Sonique,

The noise from the airplane can come from many sources.  They could come from the vibrations and the whirring sounds during the retraction of the landing gears.  Then there is the slamming sounds from the loose articles in the galley caused by the movement of the modules during take off or the reduction of power after airborne to comply with the noise abatement procedures in certain airports.  The air-conditioning noise may change to cater for the cooling or heating needs. 

The Tik, Tik, Tik sound seems to come from the operation of the landing flaps five minutes prior to landing.   All these noise are normal and are nothing to worry about.  Any abnormal noise would be picked up by the Flight Attendants and they would in turn notify the Captain.  If you sat near to the engines, the noise level is usually higher than elsewhere.

The little flexing of the wings is normal.  For your information, during a trial in the development stages of the Boeing 747, the wings were stressed and bent as much as  22 feet before it gave way! You observed the wing tip flex a lot because it is more obvious on the Boeing 777 as it has no winglets as compared to an A340.  

The total weight of the airplane does not play any major part in the noise of the airplane, except during take off, more power are required and that may contribute to the noise level.

Regards,

Capt Kay


Dear Captain Kay,

I have sent  you two questions previously and you have kindly answered them. Thank you. 

I was going through your FAQs and  I came across a question as to which is the better airplane, A340 or Boeing 777?  One gentleman had said that you were being  pro-Boeing 777 and that you should give a more balanced opinion. 

Let me express my view.  I have friend who is an Airbus 340-300 Captain with a mid size Asian Airline.  He had flown the L1011 previously. We emailed each other quite often. In a recent email, he told me he was caught in a major storm over the Bay of Bengal. He stated that the A340 did not handle the turbulence as well as the L1011and they had a very hard time in the storm. 

I have flown on the Singapore Airlines Boeing 777-200 and 777-300 from Melbourne to Singapore return. I have also traveled on the Airbus A340-300 .In terms of comfort, the Boeing 777 is far superior. It has more head and leg room. I find the seat bigger. A tall person can stand up without hitting his head on the overhead bin. The A340 is  no match to Boeing 777 as far as comfort is concerned. An A340 is similar to A300/310 in comfort with no improvement at all. 

However the side stick controller is liked by many pilots. I have spoken to a former Ansett Captain who has flown on a Boeing 767 and then A320.  He told me that he prefers the side stick as opposed to the yoke as it is easier and more comfortable to handle. The pilots have to make only very small wrist movements. 

Have you flown the A330/340? Do like the side stick?

I just felt like giving my feed back. You are right, the Boeing 777 is the best airplane in its class. It is streets ahead of the A340!

Thank you Captain
                  
Regards

Ravi

Hi Ravi,

Thank you for your feedback.  I will post your opinion in my next update when I have the time.

I have not flown the A340/330 as a pilot but I was similarly told by my A330 colleagues that the side stick is a better option as it provides more working space for the pilot in the cockpit.  I suppose I would have love it too!

Regards,

Capt Kay.


18.  I am really afraid of terrorist attack and bomb exploding in an airplane.


Dear Capt Kay,

I am flying in one week's time and I am really afraid of a terrorist attack, i.e. a bomb exploding inside the airplane. What happens to the plane if a bomb explodes? Also, most importantly, what happens to the passengers? Would you be aware of what is happening and do you get sucked out of the plane? 

I have read that cargoes on planes are not screened. Do all passenger flights carry cargo and what is the ratio of cargo to luggage?

Thank you, 

Cheryl.

Hi Cheryl,
 
I have answered a similar question on this in my FAQs before.  Security checks today are getting very stringent.   Some airports are taking more steps than others.  For instance, in the Boston Logan Airport, where two of the airplanes that crashed onto the Twin Towers originated, they have recruited clam diggers that worked in the muddy flats around the Airport to keep their eyes for suspicious characters.   Why?  This is because shoulder-armed missiles today are alarming security experts.  Remember the Israeli airliner that was nearly brought down in Kenya in 2002?  This incidence was the result of such cheaply and handy weapons that are easily available to terrorists who could make many less secured airports around the world very vulnerable.

I recently did a flight from the Middle East to the US and even though I was the Captain of the flight, I was subjected to 3 very thorough checks before I was allowed to even board my own airplane!  I had to take off my jacket and my shoes as well before I went through the final screening!  They were indeed very thorough!

Now, to answer your question about bombs exploding inside the airplane; In the unlikely event  of a minor bomb exploding in the cabin and provided no control cables are affected, there may be a rapid depressurization.  The pilot will definitely be aware because of the sudden loss of pressure accompanied by a loud bag. He would also have visual and audio warnings in the cockpit instruments. It is possible for all loose articles and passengers not properly strapped in to be sucked out through the hole. The oxygen masks would drop from the ceiling and the Captain would commence an emergency descent to 10,000 feet or to a safe level.

 I believe in certain airports, all cargoes are screened for explosives before they are loaded into the cargo compartments.  Yes, most passenger flights do carry some cargoes. I can't tell you exactly the ratio of cargo to luggage because the policy for different Airlines may vary. What I can say is that, cargoes are generally restricted by the volumetric size rather than by weight.

Have a safe journey always!

Regards,

Capt Kay.

Hi again,

Thank you for answering my question. I am a little confused in the case of a minor bomb as you told it. If you are strapped in your seat and there is a hole, can you still get sucked through?  Does it depend upon your location in the aircraft? 

In this situation, would the passengers be able to put the oxygen masks on? I have a four year old child. Would there be enough time to put mine on and then his? If the bomb was large enough, would the plane start to disintegrate immediately and what happens to you if you do get sucked out? Does rapid depressurization occur only at certain altitudes? 

What happens to you when a plane crashes into a building or mountain? Do you die on impact or do you get burnt alive from the explosion? 

In  a situation such as the Egypt Air crash when the pilot brought the plane down, were the people conscious the whole time because I read that the flight recorder recorded the two pilots talking the whole way down? 

Sorry for all the gory questions. Nobody ever survives these catastrophic events, so there is never a survivor's account and that is a big part of my fear.  I imagine the most horrific death!

Thank you very much, 

Cheryl

Hi Cheryl,
 
You appear to be very pessimistic air traveler!   You must learn to think positively!   As a statistician had estimated, the probability of there being a bomb on any given flight was one in a million. That is like striking a lottery! Do you know that the mortality rate is even worst if you were to compare being killed by a bomb aboard a plane  to driving a car or catching a coach to the airport?  You are thinking about all the negative things that can happen during air travel!  No wonder you feel very concerned about flying in the air!
 
Okay, I suppose you need some assurances. I was trying to be less negative by explaining about a minor bomb.  If it were a major bomb, the consequences would most likely to be similar to the Lockerbie bombing incident in 1988 where all the 259 passengers had perished.  Back to my description of a minor bomb; if you are strapped into your seat and the hole is away, you are unlikely to be sucked out.  In one incident in Hawaii, there was a severe decompression in the first class compartment where the roof was ripped off. Only the flight attendant, who was not strapped in, was sucked off.  The rest of the passengers who had their seat belts on were still securely fastened to their seats when the aircraft finally made an emergency landing.
 
Once an airplane has fully depressurized in the aftermath of the explosive decompression, the air would be equalized and you would be able to use the oxygen masks.  Yes, you would have sufficient time to put on the oxygen mask.   Remember, YOU MUST put on the mask FIRST before you attend to your child.  The reason is, hypoxia (lack of oxygen) may affect you and cause you to lose consciousness if you try to fit the mask to your child first. That is why you have to be conscious first to save your child!
 
As you have said, no one has survived an air explosion to tell the tale, so I can't tell you what will happen to a person who has been sucked out.  The flight attendant who was sucked out in the incident above was never found.
 
Rapid depressurization will occur at a normal cruising altitude of about 35,000 feet.   The first action of a pilot, following an explosive decompression is to carry out an emergency descent to10,000 feet or to a safe altitude due to high ground.  That descent will take about 4 to 6 minutes.  Your emergency oxygen will last for 22 minutes.
 
I just cannot give you a precise answer as to what would happen when an airplane crash into a building.  No one has survived the September 11 incidents.  If an airplane crashed into a mountain, there have been survivors before.  Your questions about what would happen to the victims of air crash is similar to asking, what would happen to them in a very severe motorway accident? I am sorry I just cannot answer these difficult questions like how one would die during the impact nor how one would be burnt by the explosion; or whether they would remain conscious or unconscious  on the way down. I would rather think positively and have control over my mind rather than let negative thoughts control me!
 
So, fly safely and think positively when you embark on your next journey by air!  Remember, your chance of encountering such a disaster is one in a million!
 
Regards,
 
Capt Kay.


19.  Could the Boeing 777 fall apart if you had a very strong tail wind?

Dear Capt Kay,

You have a very interesting site there, congratulations!

I have just flown back to Gatwick, U.K from Bridgetown, Barbados. We did the journey in 7hrs 20 minutes! (on a Boeing 777). The Captain said that we could have done it quicker as we had a tail wind of 100 mph most of the journey, but he couldn't land until 0602 at Gatwick, the first landing of the day I think. 

I was watching the seat screen at various times during the flight and noticed that at one point we where doing 688 mph!! What is the maximum speed this plane could fly at? If we had a stronger tail wind for example, could we have broken 700/750mph? I suppose at some point the aircraft would start to fall apart!?

I was also going to ask if I could visit the flight deck on this flight. I was pleased I didn't because I was unaware that this practice was stopped after Sep11th... maybe one day though..

Many thanks in advance,

Kind regards,

Dan Parker

Hi Dan,
 
You are asking an almost similar question as above (Q 13) and another one earlier.  What you saw was the GROUND speed of 688 mph.  The airplane  was flying at a constant TRUE AIR speed of 588 mph.  You had a tail wind of 100 mph and any strong tailwind is a bonus to the pilot!  It saves time and fuel.  He gets to go home early too!  

A layman find it difficult to understand this.  When an airplane is flying, it is in fact floating in a parcel of air.  You can get a tail wind as strong as 250 mph, especially in the core of a jet stream. When the airplane cruising at a true air speed of 588 mph in that parcel of air is blown by an external force, for instance, a very strong tail wind of 250 mph, your total speed or what we call the GROUND speed is now 838 mph!  As far as the airplane is concerned, it is still cruising at 588 mph and would not exceed it maximum designed speed. It would not fall apart!  

When you drive a car, you only refer to one speed on the road.  When you fly, you have two types of speed and most people are interested in the GROUND speed rather than the TRUE AIR speed.  A pilot will avoid a strong head wind by flying away from a jet stream because the opposite effect will take place!    
 
I hope I have been able to explain the effect of tail wind on the Boeing 777.
 
Happy flying... always with a tail wind!
 
Regards
 
Capt Kay  

20.  Is it possible for an airplane to land safely with a defective landing gear?

Hi,

Is it possible for all aircraft to land if one of the landing gear fails to engage? Or is it just certain types of aircraft?

A few years ago, the left wheel of the landing gear on a BMI flight in to a UK airport failed to engage. The pilot was forced to attempt an emergency landing - balancing the plane on the front and right wheel when hitting the runway. He successfully landed the plane with no loss of life or aircraft damage (which I remember as being a Boeing 737).

In the newspaper report some time later, the reporter said that pilots in simulators tried to replicate the problem. They failed to land the plane "normally" on all 20 attempts. Can you attribute this to - a very experienced pilot in the real scenario, overly pessimistic simulators, or
both?

Is landing a plane on defective landing gear something that pilots practice in normal training? I assume that if none (or one) of the landing gear deploys, and there is no water around to do a amphibious ditch - you're in trouble!

Yours sincerely and inquisitively,

Thomas Slattery.

Hi Thomas,

When one of the landing gear fails to extend, then it is an emergency.   The landing gear system design of the latest jets are getting more reliable. Notwithstanding that, Murphy law states that it can still fail.  So there is still a check list for this emergency in all jets today.  This check list gives some guidelines on how to handle any combination of landing gear problems.

It is difficult to replicate these problems in the simulator.   For instance, if only the left main and nose gear are extended, the procedural guidelines recommend the pilot to land the plane  towards the left side of the Runway and holds the right wing up as long as possible during the deceleration.  When the right wing runs out of lift and comes into contact with the Runway, the airplane would swing towards the right as it comes to a
stop.  Hence, the recommendation to land on the left side of the Runway. This part of the exercise is difficult to simulate but pilots are constantly trained on the evacuation exercises in the aftermath of the emergency landing. Of course, a lot of skill is required on the part of the pilot, especially when you have additional factor like a strong cross wind affecting the directional control. So, it is almost never possible to perform a 'normal' landing with a gear problem.

I would not say that landing with a defective landing gear is altogether a dire emergency unless a fire erupts.  It is safer to land on the hard runway than trying to ditch on the water with any gear problems.  Experience has shown that there are many successful landings with defective gears.

Have a safe flight always ...with all the gears extended!

Regards,

Capt Kay.


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