MM From United Kingdom, joined May 2006, 5 posts, RR: 0 Posted (7 years 1 week 18 hours ago) and read 10544 times:
I recently flew on an A330-200, and spent a total of 14 hours wondering what this button on the left hand side of the TV screen actually did:
You can pull it out, and twirl it round and round but as far as I could tell, it does not actually DO anything.
It is not a volume knob, as that is on the arm rest. It is not a contast/brightness thing as those buttons are on the other side. It is not an on/off switch either.
Mir From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 19715 posts, RR: 56 Reply 2, posted (7 years 1 week 18 hours ago) and read 10503 times:
It's the "Overly Curious Passenger Eject-o-Matic" (OCPEM). You should be thankful that your's wasn't functioning properly, otherwise you'd have found yourself on the express to terra firma station.
Actually,it's just to hang stuff on.
That's a nice interior. What airline were you flying? Emirates? Qatar? Etihad?
-Mir
7 billion, one nation, imagination...it's a beautiful day
MM From United Kingdom, joined May 2006, 5 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (7 years 1 week 17 hours ago) and read 10468 times:
Thanks folks, I spent all that time fiddling with it and it never crossed my mind that it might be for hanging things on. I assumed it was something electronic.
It was a brand new Etihad aircraft, really nice interior. I will hopefully write a trip report soon:
MM From United Kingdom, joined May 2006, 5 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (7 years 1 week 16 hours ago) and read 10431 times:
Right, now that we're getting some answers to life's deeper questions, I'll chance it by asking the next stupid question...
Question: Is it usual to have a window in the toilet? On most aircraft I can remember (not that I really ever paid much attention to it), the toilets don't have windows. On this aircraft I got an excellent view from 42,000ft while attending a call of nature. Is this normal?
ACDC8 From Canada, joined Mar 2005, 7598 posts, RR: 40 Reply 7, posted (7 years 1 week 16 hours ago) and read 10420 times:
Quoting AirWillie6475 (Reply 6): I've never heard of a heavy aircraft exceeding 39,000ft.
We were up to 41 000 ft between Iceland and Scotland on a TS A332 about a week and a half ago. I´ve also been over 40 000 ft several times in the B767.
Starlionblue From Hong Kong, joined Feb 2004, 15871 posts, RR: 66 Reply 9, posted (7 years 1 week 16 hours ago) and read 10403 times:
Quoting MM (Reply 5): Right, now that we're getting some answers to life's deeper questions, I'll chance it by asking the next stupid question...
Question: Is it usual to have a window in the toilet? On most aircraft I can remember (not that I really ever paid much attention to it), the toilets don't have windows. On this aircraft I got an excellent view from 42,000ft while attending a call of nature. Is this normal?
As we like to repeat here at "nitpickers 'r us", the interior is chosen by the airline. There's nothing stopping a window in the crapper. Most airlines just put an interior bulkhead and a filler plate there. I have seen two windows on SK MD-90s. Personally, I think more airlines should have windows in the loo. It takes away most of the claustrophobia.
"There are no stupid questions, but there are a lot of inquisitive idiots." - from Citadel by John Ringo
Actually that's 37,500. 1 meter is 3 feet. Actually I ask this question because it's known that the seat back monitors can have errors in indicated altitude. I remember a Jetblue pax in on the trips forum said a while ago that the PTV picture he took showed that they were flying at 41K feet when the A320 only goes up to 39K feet.
Jetflyer From Netherlands, joined Aug 2009, 0 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (7 years 1 week 13 hours ago) and read 10272 times:
Quoting AirWillie6475 (Reply 13):
Actually that's 37,500. 1 meter is 3 feet. Actually I ask this question because it's known that the seat back monitors can have errors in indicated altitude. I remember a Jetblue pax in on the trips forum said a while ago that the PTV picture he took showed that they were flying at 41K feet when the A320 only goes up to 39K feet.
12,500 * 3.28 = 41,000ft
3.28 feet to a meter.
Airliners don't fly at 37500 or anything ending in 500 because of 1,000ft seperation.
Starlionblue From Hong Kong, joined Feb 2004, 15871 posts, RR: 66 Reply 16, posted (7 years 1 week 12 hours ago) and read 10233 times:
Quoting David L (Reply 12): Quoting Starlionblue (Reply 9):
Personally, I think more airlines should have windows in the loo. It takes away most of the claustrophobia.
But then you get those strange people who get self-concious if there's a window in the loo, even at 30,000+ feet.
Easily solved. Every crapper with a window on a plane I've seen has had a curtain just like all the other windows.
"There are no stupid questions, but there are a lot of inquisitive idiots." - from Citadel by John Ringo
Aogdesk From United States of America, joined Jun 2004, 933 posts, RR: 4 Reply 17, posted (7 years 1 week 11 hours ago) and read 10211 times:
Quoting Starlionblue (Reply 16): Every crapper with a window on a plane I've seen has had a curtain just like all the other windows.
An added advantage of the curtain would be that the scary gremlin that is known to appear on the wings of DC-3's in major thunderstorms wouldn't be able to check out your equipment while he's ripping apart the wing.
Mir From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 19715 posts, RR: 56 Reply 18, posted (7 years 1 week 10 hours ago) and read 10187 times:
Quoting AirWillie6475 (Reply 6): Quoting MM (Reply 5):
On this aircraft I got an excellent view from 42,000ft while attending a call of nature. Is this normal?
I've never heard of a heavy aircraft exceeding 39,000ft.
I've been up to 40,000ft in a 330 twice. I think that's the limit. Other planes are able to go even higher.
-Mir
7 billion, one nation, imagination...it's a beautiful day
N600RR From United States of America, joined Feb 2006, 171 posts, RR: 0 Reply 19, posted (7 years 1 week 10 hours ago) and read 10189 times:
Quoting MM (Thread starter): spent a total of 14 hours wondering what this button on the left hand side of the TV screen actually did
I'm not certain, but I think I remember reading somewhere that it's either the beta version of Airbus' answer to "Connexion by Boeing" (which will be rolled-out officially on the A350), or it's a new IFE system for LCCs currently undergoing secret passenger acceptance evaluations on several voluntarily participating international carriers.....
"And the fluffy white lines that the airplane leaves behind are drifting right in front of the waning of the moon" -Cake
Star_world From Ireland, joined Jun 2001, 1234 posts, RR: 0 Reply 22, posted (7 years 1 week 9 hours ago) and read 10163 times:
Quoting AirWillie6475 (Reply 6): I've never heard of a heavy aircraft exceeding 39,000ft.
Have a look at some of the flights on Flightware, where you can see the current altitude of the flight, plus the filed flight plan altitude (note that these will change every day, as Flightaware only shows the most recent flight) -
Countries like Russia and China use the metric system for altitudes/flight levels and speed. In this picture, you can clearly see the aircraft is cruising at FL315, or around 9610 metres. As long as you can ensure the 1000 ft/300 m separation, it doesn't matter if you fly with the metric or the imperial system for measurements.
Some flightdecks like the Douglas EFIS cockpit can I believe even switch the altitude readout directly from imperial to metric.
25 ANother: Not exactly. According to Google (even though they can't spell metre) 12 500 meters = 41 010.4987 feet. I like the 4 decimal precision. A meter is wh
27 David L: True. I've also seen frosted loo windows. I thought of that but I thought I'd already gone too far. Obviously not.
28 MDorBust: It's actually the default option for carriers that decide not to install expensive IFE systems. That little knob has shown great ability as an entert
29 MM: You're right... my 2 kids (aged 3 and 1) made full use of the device during the flight. At one point it was actually the steering wheel of their imagi
30 ANother: That meter is measuring feet, not metres!
31 Andz: I have jumpseated on a 747SP than went to FL410 on a flight that lasted about 50 min. I also got to FL410 on a 738 on Tuesday.
32 N600RR: Umm, like, what kind of stuff?... Apparently, by looking at your pic, it did not cross the minds of your fellow passengers on that flight either... B
34 Starlionblue: I have. But I fly with a suit every now and then. Don't want too many wrinkles.
35 CX flyboy: I've been up to FL430 on a 777 a few times.
36 Redcordes: Boy, what a great public educational system we have here in the States. A meter is 3 feet? Unbelieveable. If it were, it would be called a YARD (no, n
37 Starlionblue: If ye would just go to metric like the rest of the world (including your military and medical professionals) things would be so much easier. But that
38 ANother: You aren't refering to a Garden, by any chance? (I grew up having a back yard, but my wife has re-educated me - I now have a back Garden (actually sp
39 Tugger: You are on A.net how can you possible go to far?!?
41 VC-10: I guess she will have to start on your grammar next - spelt
42 Wingscrubber: Guys... if you ever need to convert ANYTHING, use this- http://joshmadison.net/software/convert/download.php Convert.exe, it's a nifty little program
43 Starlionblue: There's also the very useful: http://www.onlineconversion.com/. Ever wanted to convert from Atomic Mass Unit (1937) to Bag (Portland Cement)? Now you
44 Vikkyvik: Not in the US! (at least according to my dictionary). spelt 'spelt chiefly Brit past of SPELL I used the Convert program a bunch last year. It actual
45 TupolevTu154: LGW-TFS, we flew at FL410 most of the way, A320. On BA's G-CIVC (744) In one of the first class loos there is a window. When the door is unlocked, it
46 HAWK21M: On BA's G-CIVC (744) In one of the first class loos there is a window. When the door is unlocked, it's frosted. As soon as you lock the door, it's unf
47 Bio15: I believe it is important to know by memory at least the most important conversion factors for daily life. Those are length and weight unit conversion
48 Skyman: FL 410 is no problem for a B747 or A340 when they are light enough. Bizzjets FL 530 if you got a good one. lol thanks. Ohh and I don't know if a windo
49 Gigneil: Heh, if you ever need to convert anything use Google. It also converts anything that can be converted. N
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