Thunderstorms

The mixed orange and blue sky is slowly being replaced by darkness as night sets in.

Straight ahead, the lights of Manchester illuminate the surrounding CBs (Cumulo-nimbus, typical thunderstorm clouds).

We temporarily level off at 16000 feet, just above the clouds tops. This evening view is amazing. The shape of the clouds contrasts with the redness of the dusk sky.

Quick fuel check, we will have over 3 tonnes of fuel upon landing, an extra 800 kg on top of the reserves, enough to hold 20 minutes if we need before we have to divert to Liverpool.

Descending into the tops of the frosty clouds, engine anti-ice ON, we enter the turbulent air of the upper layers.

Both the windshield and wipers are already showing signs of severe icing.

I ask the Captain to turn the wings anti-ice ON.

I get a hit of adrenaline from the speed feeling as we punch through the clouds, brightened by our landing lights. We’re doing 280 knots indicated, 350 knots true airspeed.

The whole airframe is shaking under the pressure of the storm.

We constantly request new headings to avoid the worst of the weather, depicted as red on the weather radar.

I notice that the winds are increasing as we descent, this is quite unusual. Add to that the sound of the hail which resonates through the length of the plane, this is really getting exciting!

I ask the Captain to update the FMC by re-entering the next waypoint and putting it on top again. It refreshes the vertical profile with the current wind.

The new VNAV (Vertical Navigation, calculating an ideal descent profile) deviation pointer shows a fly-down indication, direct consequence from stronger tailwinds.

We’re going to get high and fast. My left hand reaches the MCP and engages LVL CHG (Level Change), bring back the thrust levers to idle and pull out the spoilers to the flight detent position. They disrupt the airflow around the wings and help increase the rate of descent.

In a jet, it is very hard to loose altitude and decelerate at the same time. A tailwind makes it worse and the last thing we want is to be too high or too fast on the approach.

ATC asks if we can accept a left turn to establish onto the localizer, I shake my head and the Captain informs them we would like radar vectors for a 10 miles final instead.

We’re still high and fast, I bring back the speed to flaps-up speed and ask for flaps 1. Seconds later, flaps 5 and 190 knots in the speed window with spoilers extended, the aircraft dive to catch up with the descent profile. 

A flashing glow attracts my attention and for the first time, I get to witness St Elmo's Fires. Those are in fact electric arcs across the windshield caused by charged air around the airframe, creating an electric field. I am too busy to grab my camera but this is quite fascinating!

Out of the clouds, we can barely see the airport in our 9 o’clock.

We are all over the place and the turbulences don’t stop whatsoever.

Quick distance versus altitude check, we have 12 track miles to run and 4000ft to loose. It is coming together nicely. I stow the speedbrakes as ATC clears us to establish on the ILS for runway 23R. I arm the approach mode as the Captain tells me to give it a go and fly manually.

Quick check at the instant wind, the MFD is showing 160 at 52 knots. He certainly can see my hesitation here but after all, this is what flying is all about. “Go for it” are the calm words he addresses me once again.

Double-click on the auto-throttle disconnect button, and seconds later I disengage the autopilot, ready to fight against the wind.

The speed trend arrow is varying so quickly that it is pointless to chase it. I try to keep the average around my speed bug and it works out nicely.

I further slow down as the tailwind is going to push us through the centreline.

“Localizer capture” and left turn to establish onto final.

The Captain announces “runway in sight”. I look straight ahead, common mistake for new copilots I guess, the runway is in our one O’clock due to the strong crosswind.

This is going to be good!

I do my best to keep the vertical speed between 700 and 800 feet per minute, speed is averaging at 170 knots indicated and we are on the (extended) centreline.

I can clearly feel the turbulences through the controls.

"1000ft".

Crosswind is now down to 38 knots from the left. ATC confirms a ground wind of 160 at 19 gusting 26 knots. We still experience moderate turbulences on short final.

The threshold slides beneath us. Right rudder and left aileron to de-crabe the aircraft and line it up with the runway, I gently pull the yoke to start the flare, the nose pitches a few degrees and the main gear touches down surprisingly smoothly. I immediately deploy the reverses as the spoilers automatically extend.

Second detent activated, the reverse thrust kicks in and the plane decelerates quickly. At 80 knots, I override the autobrake by applying a greater pressure on the brakes pedals. The Captain calls “autobrake disarms”. 60 knots, reverses back to idle and I hand over controls to the Captain.

The taxi to the gate is eventless but my head is 5 minutes behind, still on the approach. One of those things from which it is hard to move on.

There is probably nothing more rewarding than flying a good manual approach in difficult weather conditions and strong wind gusts, the kind of approaches you don’t forget. What a feeling!

The passengers disembark the aircraft and as the flight deck door is slightly opened, a few of them pop up at the cockpit’s entry and compliment us.

All the paperwork for the next leg sorted out, it is time to fly back home.

Airborne life at its best!

Winter Operations

Transition from Type Rating to line operations wasn't quite smooth, to say the least. With some 50 hours already logged on type, I am kept fairly busy with the flying itself and flight preparation.
The weather we have at the moment isn't too helpful, de-icing on most sectors, freezing conditions (and special checklists for those), CAT II and III approaches, Low vis take-off (LVPs), diversions, ...
However, this environment makes the learning experience very useful.

The worst we had so far was 50 meters reported visibility (and 150m RVR) on take-off, 50 meters VIS / 250 meters RVR on a CAT III approach (we were not visual by 60ft radio-altitude and we saw the runway at the very last second), 50 kts crosswind on the final approach, ...
To give an idea, 50 meters visibility is the equivalent of standing in front of the aircraft and not being able to see the fin or the horizontal stabilizer.

Flying days are very interesting, that's for sure.
I cannot give specific details but I got to fly long sectors (5 hours), short ones (1 hour), I really like the diversity in the flying itself.

On the other hand, the flights can be quite stressful, there is a lot to do especially as I'm learning and very little time to actually enjoy the view or set back, even on longer trips.
Overall, the job is quite a bit different from what I expected, not to say it is not as good as I imagined it but you realise what it is like only when you're actually on the line.
The greatest surprise was the crew-environment, obviously very different from single-pilot flying. The atmosphere in the cockpit does depend a lot on the other pilot, someone you seat next to for 5 to 10 hours on a regular day.
Some flights go by very smoothly and as planned, some other flights don't. Last minute clearance change from ATC, delays, various passenger issues, diversions, anything that doesn't work as expected makes it a lot more stressful and difficult to deal with.
In the end, some days are extremely enjoyable while others seem very long and tiring.

Still, every time I look outside, the view is always outstanding and it's never disappointing.

Is there anything better than eating breakfast on top of the Alps at sunrise?

A few scenes from the cockpit

I finally bought Sony Vegas Movie Studio HD 11 (the cheapest one), superb software to edit and render 1080p Full HD videos. Camera used is a Sony HX9v (compact camera), soundtracks by Audiomachine. Hope you like it !

View from the Flight Deck

Last few days before first scheduled operations in the right hand seat, I got to observe a dozen flights as a transition from Type Rating to Line Training with the opportunity to do some of the tasks I will be doing on my own thereafter.

In the crewroom, gathering airfields and performances charts, weather and various documents we then use in flight. At the aircraft, walkaround (outside check of the aircraft), FMC and navaids setup and once we're ready to go I take care of the radiocommunications for the remaining part of the flight. I also offer to complete the in-flight reports, which most of the crew appreciate as this is not the fun side of the job.

Hopefully it will all help once I start operating from the right hand seat, as there is a lot of getting used to for a young First Officer, and a lot to do in a very limited time scale.
The jumpseat is probably the best place to take pictures so I didn't miss this opportunity either (all pictures are taken with a compact camera, if you ever wonder. I will take my DSLR someday but this camera does a great job in the meantime).
Some of the crew are very experienced and have great stories to share, it is always a pleasure to learn from them.

Airborne life continues...

 

 

First Flight at the controls of the 737

At the front end of the 60-ton Boeing 737, there is a calm and quiet atmosphere amongst the three crew in the flight deck.
My right hand on the control column, left hand on the thrust levers, I gently advance them onto a mid-position. The mighty CFM-56 engines spool up and some light vibrations start to travel through the metal structure of the aircraft.
The N1 fan blades are accelerating to around 40% of the full thrust setting, and all gauges are in the green as I hit the TOGA button and advance the levers fully forward. The roar from the engines almost immediately arrives to our ears.
Airspeed is rapidly increasing (in fact, very intense acceleration as we're light with no passenger), the Captain announces "80 knots", then "V1" and "Rotate". I gently pull the yoke and seconds later, we're airborne.

This is it! After years and years of achievements and failures, dreams and disappointements, I am flying a Boeing 737NG!

Positive rate, gear up, and away we go.
The feeling is just incredible! The 130 foot long airliner punches through the freezing cold air of this peaceful winter day.
Not a lot of souls onboard, just the three of us and the collegues from the Type Rating course at the back, awaiting their turn and probably as exited as I am.

It takes only 10 seconds from take-off to initiating the first turn, we aim to fly a tight circuit around the airport and come back in for a visual approach on the active runway for a series of touch-and-goes.
Despite the stress related to this being my first flight, the feeling is just outstanding.
Nothing comes close to that. I remember my first solo on the "One Filthy" (Cessna 150) almost 10 years ago, the most memorable event of my life. Well, I think this flight has just overtaken my first solo as the most intense and worth remembering day of my career!

The Captain possesses excellent airmanship and teaching skills. He keeps a clear and calm voice as he talks me through the procedure. He completes the checklists for me as I manually fly the plane on a rectangular-shaped pattern.
Turning final, the centerline is nicely coming in, I ask for flaps 30 and intercept the approach path visually (ILS beams are turned off) and reduce the speed to our pre-calculated approach speed.
The approach is eventless, I'm very impressed with the stability of the aircraft. It is said that the simulators are tougher to fly, I reckon this is true.

The threshold slides beneath us as I flare, the main gear touches the asphalt and the Captain starts to re-configure the aircraft for an immediate take-off (trim back in the take-off range, flaps back in the 15 position), full thrust again and back in the air for another circuit.

After six of them, we make a full stop landing and taxi back the holding point, a couple of handshakes and I leave the seat as one of my collegue seats in for his very first flight.

One hour of pure joy this was, manually flying a 737 in circuits like we would do in a Cessna, there's just no word to describe how great it feels like!

Some 10 years ago, I was taking my very first lesson on the small Cessna 150. I was young and full of hope.
I feel like this first flight on the Cessna was yesterday, and I never stopped believing.

Airborne life continues...

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year !

Boeing 737-3/900 Type Rated

Perfect timing for Christmas celebrations, two months and a half after enrolling in the B737 Type Rating course, the group of people I trained with and myself are now qualified First Officers and will start line operations within just a few weeks.

The training isn't complete yet as we still have to complete the Base Training (6 to 10 circuits flown on the actual aircraft, without passengers) and the Line Training which will last around two months.
The Line Training envolves normal operations however the first few flights are supervised by a third pilot (safety pilot) and all flights are flown with Training Captains only.
At the end will come the Line Check which we will have to re-take twice a year from then on.

The LST (Licence Skills Test) goes through the same process and has to be re-taken once every 6 months during recurrent simulator training (RST), to keep current with emergency procedures and failures management.
As pilots, we are tested all the time and in some ways the training never stops.

The Full Flight Simulator sessions (40 hours) included all the aspects of the fixed base training but added much more complete decision making processes and line operations.
We reviewed pretty much all the phases of flight where we could have any kind of engine issues (failure, fire, overheat, abnormal vibrations, high EGT, severe damage, etc ...) whether this is on the ground, on the apron, during take-off, just while taking-off (between V1 and VR), after take-off, in cruise, during descent, on landing, etc...
Some airports have circle to land procedures (visual maneuver) in place and we practiced them in the simulator.
We are now CAT II and IIIA ILS approaches qualified (minimum 50ft cloud base and 200m RVR for autoland on our operations).

We reviewed so many failures or critical scenarios that I stopped counting. The worst we had were probably the loss of all AC power, manual reversion (complete loss of all three hydraulic systems, which makes it almost impossible to move the flight controls and maneuver the aircraft) and double engine failure on take-off.

Next step: First flight on the real aircraft.

Airborne life continues...