Philsquares From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Posted (5 years 3 months 1 week 2 days 16 hours ago) and read 7965 times:
I certainly don't want to take anything away from the original "A Day In The Life Of An Airline Pilot" but here is just a little different slant.
I am currently on an 8 day trip that takes me from SIN to BRU and back.
Day one, freighter leg, SIN-DXB. Check in time 1500L for a 1600L takeoff. Around noon, I figure it's time to think about my upcoming 8 day trip. Log on to dispatcher.org and check the weather in BRU/AMS to see what I need to pack. Weather looks pretty good, so it's some shorts, polo type shirts, bathing suit, hat, light jacket, shaving kit, shoes, trainers for running (yuck), uniform shirts, phone charger. Check the flight bag to make sure my kids haven't gotten into it, they love my foreign currency collection!
Get a taxi and arrive at the airport around 1430L, electronically check in and see my schedule for the next 6 weeks, not too bad, a LHR trip, SFO, an ICN trip and a NKG, ANC, ORD freighter trip.
My F/O is already there and has done an excellent job of getting the paperwork together. First thing I check is the weather, a clear shot to DXB with some TBs over India, but nothing to worry about, then Notams, nothing there, finally, since it's a freighter, the hazmat. Today our payload is just over 118 Tonnes, or 118,000KGS. Fuel is about 88,000KGS and we should arrive at DXB with 16,000KGS. I sign the flight plan and off we go to the A/C.
Arrive with about 45 minutes to go before T/O. I ask the F/O if he wants to fly and he is not hesitant about taking the first leg. I do the walk around and he does the cockpit. Loading is still underway so there is no rush just yet!
Now it's time to go to work, I get into my seat and I do my preflight checks. Then we both verify the FMS inputs, give a T/O briefing and we're done. It's now about 15 minutes prior to departure. Just about that time the loaders come on the gnd interphone and advise, they're just putting the last pallet and will be done in about 5 minutes. With that as a hint, we get our clearance and call our "5 minutes" to go to ground. We are going to try to get out a few minutes early.
Sure enough, ground buttons up all the doors and we're 10 minutes early when we release brakes and the clock is running. Normal push back and normal engine start. The F/O taxis out and we run the before T/O checks. No delay at the departure runway, so off we go...
We're just about 20 tonnes below MTOW, and elect to use TO-1 assumed temp. So, we roll a long way down the runway, and finally reach VR and off we go...passing 3000' we start to clean up...and settle in to our 277kias climb to 10000'. Then we accelerate to 340 and hold that until we pick up our cruise Mach of .847 we climb to FL330 and head west. The next 6hours are just normal cruise. In fact, we're about 6 minutes ahead on the flight plan and 2000Kgs ahead on fuel. Finally, around 135 miles from DXB and we start our descent. It's pretty much a straight shot to 12L and the F/O does a nice job of getting the airplane down softly and we use the whole length of the runway, It's about 42C in DXB and the airplane only has one hour on the ground there, so we don't want to get the brakes too hot. Once clear of the runway, we do the after landing check and I taxi to the parking spot.
It takes about 10 minutes to do our paperwork and the shutdown checklist. As we are leaving the a/c the next crew is arriving. We talk for a few minutes and then it's off to the hotel. My body clock is telling me it's around 11pm but the local time is only 7pm. The joys of international flying.
Luckly we are off the whole next day, but then it's an early AM departure for BRU. Clearing customs and immigration takes but a matter of minutes and once on the other side of that process we are met by the hotel representative who escort us to the Range Rover that is our transport to the hotel. The F/O and I make plans to meet in about an hour and have some dinner at a local restaurant within walking distance of the hotel.
Very uneventful night...I set my alarm for 8am to get up and run..before it gets too hot. Only 7 more days till I am home.....
FutureUApilot From United States, joined May 2004, 1365 posts, RR: 24 Reply 1, posted (5 years 3 months 1 week 2 days 15 hours ago) and read 7747 times:
Hey,
Very well done, I enjoyed that one also!!!
-future
Captain777 From Kuwait, joined Dec 2003, 271 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (5 years 3 months 1 week 2 days 10 hours ago) and read 7588 times:
A very nice report that I enjoyed reading and I hope that you and Wilco737 would post more of "A day in a life of a pilot" reports...........guys why don't you post us something when somthing funny or strange happened during your flight.
Philsquares one question though :- trainers for running (yuck)
Philsquares From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 5, posted (5 years 3 months 1 week 2 days 9 hours ago) and read 7577 times:
It's a bad habit started when I was in the military. Actually, helps pass the time on layovers..
Funny incident....Recent trip from SIN-ZRH. Just about 10 minutes prior to pushback, the Purser calls and tells me there is a pax who is absolutely petrified of flying. He and his wife would like to get off.
I go downstairs to see the situation, and explain the delay we will incur to off load bags. Turns out it is a relatively young couple, late 20s. The husband and wife are in the jetway and the husband is absolutely hysterical. Seems as though he took the train from ZRH-SGN. Took 15 days! The flew from SGN-BKK and had a terrible flight. Took the train (2 days) from BKK-SIN to fly to ZRH. However, he just couldn't get on the aircraft. After seeing his state of mind, I wasn't willing to have him on the flight either.
Finally, his wife decides to get on board...we off load his bags. Incur a 30 minute delay. Last seen being escorted out of the gate area by customer service agents.
Back to SIN a few days later, found out the husband just left the day prior for ZRH by train. Due to connections and timing, the trip was going to take 17 days!!!!
Captain777 From Kuwait, joined Dec 2003, 271 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (5 years 3 months 1 week 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 7473 times:
lol funny story fear of flying don't know why this happens to people ? but anyway i'm suprized that the wife decided to leave her husband and board the airplane....did you wink at her or something ??
Jake056 From United States, joined Mar 2004, 291 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (5 years 3 months 5 days 11 hours ago) and read 7045 times:
Phil:
Great report. Just curious. you said that the F/O used the whole runway on landing to slow down and didn't want to get the brakes too hot. My question is how is that decision normally made? Does it depend on how quickly the A/C will be flying again? How heavy the A/C is? Traffic so you need to clear the runway ASAP? I'm clearly not a pilot but was just curious.
Philsquares From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 10, posted (5 years 3 months 5 days 11 hours ago) and read 7038 times:
The decision to use the whole runway is normally made during the approach briefing, which occurs prior to out descent. Generally, on freighters, the turn time is about an hour, so if you have "warm" brakes, you either get fans or wait for them to cool. Also, if we're light it isn't a big deal to get on the binders and turn off prior to the end, but at MLW, you will build up heat fairly quickly.
DXB isn't a busy place, so taking the aircraft to the end of the runway isn't a big deal. However, into places like LAX, LHR, JFK and other busy places, if we're going to use the whole runway, all you have to do is advise tower. Technically, unless tower tells you to exit at a specific taxiway, you have the whole runway to use.
Jz From United States, joined May 1999, 252 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (5 years 3 months 4 days 18 hours ago) and read 6850 times:
Philsquares: excellent report!
Sitting on the left seat of the 744 is a privilege most of us can only dream about. Thanks for sharing that experience with us.
I assume you fly for SQ and on this 8-day journey basically flying west and progressively pick up various SQ flights from Europe and US and eventually rotate back to Singaproe. Is that true? Do they usually schedule in this same direction? Will a crew be scheduled to fly eastward NRT->SFO/LAX->AMS->SIN? What about intra-Asia flights?
Philsquares From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 12, posted (5 years 3 months 4 days 3 hours ago) and read 6728 times:
Thanks.
The trip I was on went from SIN-DXB-AMS-BRU-DXB-SIN. The last leg was positioning on a 777 back to SIN.
The freighters have some patterns that start in SIN and go east to LAX, ORD or DFW and then continue to BRU and then back to SIN. If I remember correctly, our longest trip on the freighter is 15 day.
We do quite a bit of intra Asia flying normally 3-4 day trips. We have a few longer ones to Australia and NZ.
Musapapaya From United Kingdom (England), joined Apr 2004, 744 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (5 years 3 months 4 days 3 hours ago) and read 6711 times:
excellent report here!
keep telling us more and more, and some of the strangest events you have ever encountered.
Philsquares From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 15, posted (5 years 3 months 2 days 8 hours ago) and read 6397 times:
Normally, we position in F. However, on some flights there are no F seats offered, so then it's J. Generally, there isn't a problem. However, if F and J are all booked then it's back in Y, but we get compensated for that. I usually just ride in the jumpseat then.
INNflight From Austria, joined Apr 2004, 3564 posts, RR: 70 Reply 16, posted (5 years 3 months 1 day 16 hours ago) and read 6277 times:
Very interesting report Sir! Had a great read!
Just a question regarding your nationality? Are you from Ireland originally? Have you started flying comercially with SQ or were there other airlines before?
Thanks,
Florian
AirTeamImages - take the high road and others will follow
Philsquares From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 19, posted (5 years 3 months 22 hours ago) and read 6120 times:
I can only speak for SQ, but if I remember correctly, it's 7000 hours total time (minimum) 3000 PIC (international jet operations) and 1000 on type (777/744) otherwise you are required to post a bond for training.
Remember, those are minimum requirements and all of the direct entry Captains generally have 2-3 times the minimum requirements.
Philsquares From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 22, posted (5 years 3 months 7 hours ago) and read 5976 times:
I am on vacation right now, but, I have a freighter trip in the beginning of Sept. We go SIN-HKG-ANC-ORD-NKG-SIN. I think I have 2 days in ANC. So, it's not a really long layover, but certainly enough to see ANC. The real problem is I have been to ANC about 1000 times, so there isn't much new to see. Great town though. Especially "F Street"
Philsquares From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 25, posted (5 years 2 months 4 weeks 6 hours ago) and read 5706 times:
After an 8 day trip, we get a minimum of 4 days, not including the day we arrive back in SIN. The ORD-NKG trip is scheduled for 14+55 block to block.
Generally, freight westbound from the states is no where the volume you have going in the opposite direction.
26 Kereru: Very interesting report Phil, I look forward to reading more in future. Cheers, Colin
27 Ejazz: ""However, if F and J are all booked then it's back in Y, but we get compensated for that"" Are you with Sin Cargo then? because at Singapore Airlines
28 Philsquares: No, not with Singapore Cargo. You're right about the F/Os getting compensated if J isn't available. I can't remember the last time I didn't get a F se
29 PIA777: Nice report, I would love to have a whole day in Dubai. Its an awesome city. PIA777
30 Trickijedi: Interesting and entertaining! Great read!
31 777200: Hi Phil, great report. Let me ask you one thing. When you do a trip in the freight like SIN-HKG-ANC-ORD-NKG-SIN you make the first leg an you lay off.
32 JAGflyer: I know 2 pilots from SQ. One is a FO on the MD-11, Julian C. and one a Captain on the 747 George F. Im sure you will know them. I didnt want to give t
33 Loadsheet: i didn't know that SQ operates MD-11 ?
34 Philsquares: Normally, the aircraft is different on each leg. However, you do fly the same aircraft several times. Hate to burst JAGflyer's bubble, but SQ doesn't
35 JAGflyer: How could I mistake EVA AIR for SQ!!!?? Sorry about that.
36 Sabena 690: Thanks, excellent report! How are the loads generally to/from BRU? And do you like flying to/from Belgium in general? SQC has a lot of cargo flights t
37 Philsquares: The freighter flights to and from BRU are normally just a tech stop in BRU. We have daily flights to JFK and flights from LAX/DFW/ORD to BRU. The load
38 IL76TD: Phil, When you fly into Dubai, are you referring to SHJ as "Dubai" or does SQ operate from both local airports. There is often one of you're "MEGA ARK
39 Philsquares: We fly into both DXB and SHJ. And you're right, it is the Intercontinental Dubai Creek. Nice location, fairly nice hotel. Interesting sights passing t
40 IL76TD: shoot me an e-mail next time you fly into SHJ, our w-house is right across from the LH and SQ stand, where all the russkies park
41 Philsquares: Right now it looks like 23 Oct SHJ-DUB SQ 7354 1035L departure. But, I will send you an email to confirm.
42 IL76TD: sounds good, i can shoot across the tarmac to meet you, I always find it interesting to meet people that you talk to on the internet face to face, eve
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