Airman spots fuel leak on commercial flight

[usmarinemike]

I was thinking the same thing. I doubt very much that they would have gone on past a point of no return without having all their shit in one sock fuelwise seeing as how it's fundamental survivalwise.

Here's an honest question that I have for airline guys though. Does the pilot (essentially on a "tactical" level) have a batphone in the cockpit back to the elders that decide things on the operational level with regards to where "best" to land for the good of the airline's checking account?

 

[Gatordev]

Damn...down and welded seems so much better than that retractable stuff....

Bad stuff can happen w/ the welded stuff, too. I've never seen the cockpit dash of the helo move so much as when I was in the aircraft during a rolling landing w/ one stuck wheel. Yikes.

 

[Ken_gone_flying]

... so go to SEA or SFO. It 'looks like' SEA was not an option, so go to SFO ...

I was a pax on the UAL 875/876 flight to NRT out of SEA many times. 8:30 on a 777 one way, about 9:15 the other way. Not a bad flight if you have to cross the pond. Unfortunately for me, I took that flight round trip about 6 or 7 times...The last trip coming back to the states was grand.

 

[FrankTheTank]

Here's an honest question that I have for airline guys though. Does the pilot (essentially on a "tactical" level) have a batphone in the cockpit back to the elders that decide things on the operational level with regards to where "best" to land for the good of the airline's checking account?

Yes, most use ACARS-- Some have to use radio links like our 72s but they are getting a SAT phone sort of deal as they come out of maint checks.

Everything you wanted to know and more can be found here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_Communication_Addressing_and_Reporting_System

 

[A4sForever]

Yes, most use ACARS-- Some have to use radio links like our 72s but they are getting a SAT phone sort of deal as they come out of maint checks.

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh .... some still use HF when out of ACARS range, i.e., the NORPAC or downrange during GULF WAR 1

-- that's HF radio on a 'modern' jetliner, if you can call a 747-200 'modern' -- as in WW2 style feakin' HF radio --- tune the antennas --- HEY, is it summer or winter?? Can you say Polar aurora?? HELLO SUNSPOTS !!!

Sun goes up, frequency goes up ... sun goes down, frequency goes down ...

 

[A4sForever]

(SEA-NRT).... Not a bad flight if you have to cross the pond. Unfortunately for me, I took that flight round trip about 6 or 7 times.......

I 'took it' about 600 or 700 times ... make that more like 800 or 900 times ... seriously.

Think what my frequent flyer bank account might look like ...

 

[Flugelman]

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh .... some still use HF when out of ACARS range, i.e., the NORPAC or downrange during GULF WAR 1

-- that's HF radio on a 'modern' jetliner, if you can call a 747-200 'modern' -- as in WW2 style feakin' HF radio --- tune the antennas --- HEY, is it summer or winter?? Can you say Polar aurora?? HELLO SUNSPOTS !!!

Sun goes up, frequency goes up ... sun goes down, frequency goes down ...

LOL...l HF is freaky stuff. Sometimes couldn't talk to TSC while on the ramp at NUW, but could always talk to Incirlik AFB in turkey... go figger.

And "Sky King, Sky King..." got plenty sick of those.

 

[A4sForever]

...I doubt very much that they would have gone on past a point of no return without having all their shit in one sock fuelwise seeing as how it's fundamental survivalwise....

You don't ... as long-haul TRANSPACs or long-haul (max range) flights are "short released" to a potential point of landing short of the 'real' intended destination ... it's purpose is twofold:

1. To MAKE CERTAIN you have enough fuel w/ all 'fuel requirements' (holding, approach, missed approach, BINGO, etc for your intended final destination) when you reach the so-called 'point of no return', in order to pay homage to "The High & the Mighty" ...

2. To allow you to dispatch from point of departure and meet all 'fuel requirements' w/out actually loading ALL of that fuel (to meet FED paper requirements) at point of departure -- past data base experience on the route & forecast WX telling one-and-all that you really DO have enough fuel -- you just have to kinda' "prove it" to the FEDs & GOD & Country enroute during the flight ... so you then pick up a "RE-RELEASE POINT" at a pre-planned waypoint in the flight (think of it as a type of inflight re-file), and assuming everything is hunky-dory, you get your "RE-RELAEASE" from AIRINC and proceed on to your original destination. If you don't have the fuel (you'll have plenty of time to scope this out prior to RE-RELEASE) or possibly you have other aircraft problems -- you will get clearance land at your original 'short release' landing field ... then refuel, possible MX, dump the garbage, cater ice and beverages, and service the biffy's (heads), refile and GO ... all in @ 45 minutes or so from touchdown to takeoff which is an OUTSTANDING turnaround for a Whale; the aviation equivalent to an Indy pit-stop ... and then proceed on to your 'original' destination, probably arriving w/in an hour or less of original SKED ... the ground crews in ANC were GREAT at this ... they kinda' looked at it as a point of pride and really humped to do a snappy turn-around, compared to some 'other' stations.

Make sense?? Simple enough?? Of course not, that's why we get the 'big $$$$$" ...