Roehris Aviation Pages - Gallery on the job

If a pilot is trained to fly a jet aircraft, he usually attends a ground course (see pictures from my A320 ground course here), and with a full load of theory in his brains, his "stairway to heaven" continues to one of the famous full flight simulators, where somewhere around 50 hours of flight training are flown to bring a practical background to all the theoretical stuff of the past few weeks. The simulator phase is usually divided in two parts. A first part of some sessions where the sim is used without motion (hence the name "fixed base session") provides a familiarisation with all the screens, clocks and switches in the new "front office", and serves to go through all the checklists in detail, to drill the new procedures. Then it's off for the second phase, the so called "full flight session". Guess what the newbies do there? Right, flying at it's best. Or sometime not, as this phase serves to primarily operate the aircraft under normal conditions (including takeoff and landing training in crosswind conditions), but also under abnormal conditions (system problems, faulty equipment, engine failures and so on) and under unusual flight conditions (recovery procedures, approach to stalls, windshear and TCAS evasive actions a.s.o). These sessions culminate in the so called "Proficiency Check" where the candidate gets his Airbus A318-321 copilot license, entitling him to act as a right hand seat pilot in an "electrobus" environment. But now, there is an additional feature: Because most of today's flight simulators are so good at simulating the real physics and areodynamics, candidates may do a so called "zero flight time training", meaning that after this Proficiency Check, they may immediately start to fly with passengers on their first "real" flight. But there is one footnote: The regulatory authorities have mandated that for the first time a candidate gets a heavy jet typerating, he has to do six landings in a real aircraft under the supervision of a flight instructor, without passengers. This is called Aircraft Training, and guess what fun it is to bolt around in an airliner, and to just have fun and enjoy flying at its best for an hour or so... I have enjoyed this aircraft training on my first jet as well, which was the B737NG at Hapag-Lloyd in early spring 2004, and enjoyed every second of it, even though it's probably the most exciting and adrenaline-producing event that I have been in during my life. What I couldn't anticipate at this moment was the fact that I would be invited to do such a training again when I transitioned onto the A310 only one year later (see the pictures and the videos here). And as my new employer is no itsybitsy grasscutting airline, but a major carrier, they gave me the chance to do a real aircraft training on the A320 family once again. Lucky me... :-) To give you an impression of the aircraft training on the electrobus, I cordially invite you to check out the following pictures about the aircraft training I enjoyed together with my Swiss typerating (and ex-Swissair Aviation School) mates Elias Kohler and Jakob Stüssi under the brilliant supervision of A320 Fleet Chief Flight Instructor Gerhard Pitsch.
	There she stands, our poor A319-100 OE-LDD named "Moscow". We will treat the poor girl hard during the next few hours... :-)
	Place to be...the front office.
	And what a smile... after five months of only simulator flying or even no flying at all, I am finally about to get aloft again!
	Same feelings and same smile at Elias'.
	And Jakob is very happy as well to be aloft again. Jakob shares the same feelings like I. We have been flying jets for other carriers before changing to Austrian Airlines, and we both are aloft for the first time after a "training timeout" of several months. And being grounded is one of the worst impressions and feelings a pilot can suffer from. Although the training had been very interesting and the typerating on a new aircraft always features many new fantastic impressions, the fact of being on controls, aloft, the sun in your eyes, slipping in and out of clouds or soaring above the cloud deck, the movements of a real aircraft weighing dozens of tons following the small movements of your fingertips, engines going from whispering at idle to full roar at 23'000lbs each, controlled by you small human being, the responsibility for many passengers and crew, the smell of burnt JET A1 fuel, that's where we were meant to be.
	Our "award-winning" interior. We were teached that the colorful neckcushions should imitate flowers on a spring meadow. And the purple headrests on Business should show a "lavender field in a provence forest". Beautiful... :-O
	Elias was chosen to fly first, and so he is already busy in the front office, booting windows and the Norton firewalls on the Airbus computers... no, just kiddin'. :-)
	The inevitable tasks on a computer plane: Feeding all these computers with vital information.
	This notice may be quite important if I think about our next three hours' schedule... :-)
	Yesss, the company to be...
	A view of the "meadow" as viewed from the aft galley.
	Elias is feeding the takeoff performance programm with environmental information (temperature, barometric pressure, runway condition, takeoff mass etc.).
	I guess we don't need to talk about the runway condition, right? :-) Check the weather outside...
	The first ATC clearance after three years of idling. Well done, Elias!
	Departure briefing by the chief of training.
	"Before Engine Start" checklist is read and done by Elias...
	... under critical supervision by Jakob.
	The first "oven" is about to heat. Check the Engine and Warning Display (top): The core turbine (N2) is accelerating through 31.8% revolutions, while the large outer fan (N1) is turning at only 5% speed. The engine exhaust gas temperature is at 79°C, while the engine swallows 220kg fuel per hour.
	Our ramp guy. Poor fellow. He had to supervise our pushback outside in the rainy weather at only 6°C (see the outside air temperature information in the lower display in the picture above).
	Pushback nearly completed...
	Visible moisture and outside temperature below 10°C: Engine anti ice ON!
	Clear sign received - ready for taxi!
	Line-up on runway 29 at Vienna, right behind our former dreams...
	But now back to reality, as we are about to take an "electrobus" to the air for the first time!
	In a left turn to waypoint WW296, and the FMS commands "LVR CLB" (top left in the Primary Flight display), so we have reached the acceleration altitude of 1500ft above ground, where the thrust is reduced from Takeoff/Go Around (TOGA) or Flex Takeoff Thrust (in our case) to Climb Thrust (CLB). This way we produce less noise and save engine life.
	Elias follows the flight director bars.
	We have accelerated to 287knots indicated airspeed, about 650km/h ground speed in this altitude, and are about to reach our cruise altitude of 16'000ft (see the blue bent arrow in the navigation display - that's where we will be at cruise level).
	Gerhard Pitsch has received a weather report from Maribor by radio from the airport's ATIS (automated terminal information service), and Elias feeds the barometric pressure, temperature, wind info and the approach minimum into the FMS.
	The approach chart for Maribor, strapped to the captains sliding window chartholder. Right beside, the stickers with the feet-to-meter conversion table (for russian airspace) and the CG-to-trim chart are located.
	Approach briefing. When travelling at jet speeds, it is a large benefit if you are already used to it. Elias has done his homework, and presents a short, crisp briefing. In the meanwhile, the precipitation/rainshower is visible on the weather radar.
	We are approaching the holding pattern over MR NDB, which we will enter with a parallel entry. Luckily, the FMS agrees and has already painted the holding entry as well as the holding onto the Nav Display (ND). Speed is back to our green dot speed (a good value for minimum clean speed). And why are there no rainshowers on the captains side ND? Simple solution: He has chosen the terrain display (green pushbutton on the right lower side), in order to show the high terrain around the field. There is still no terrain displayed, because we are flying higher than the surrounding mountains.
	In the meanwhile, the copilot's ND is showing quite some stuff in the air. Green means light to moderate rainshowers, associated with some light bumpy air. Yellow means moderate rainshowers and quite some bumps. Red is not too good - heavy rain there, and for sure moderate turbulence. And from the magenta part, you'd better stay out. There's for sure hail and severe turbulence at these spots, so stay out if you don't want to have your bus bent by hail and turbulence. As we have no passengers on board, we are scratching the edges of the red part, to get on final course.
	"Rider of the storm"...
	On final approach, things start to get better: Moderate visibility, and just light rain. The runway has no standing water on it (that could get dangerous), so we shoot an approach. Last patches of fog are moving around, still no runway in sight, but the instrument landing system leads Elias precisely to the field, while he follows the beams flying manually (no autopilot).
	At 300ft above the field we get the runway lights insight, and we continue for a safe landing. The fat red area on the nav display does not show rainshowers this time, although it's a weather radar image and not the terrain display. The weather radar has sensed "cumulus granitus" there, more popularly known as a mountain. To the northwest of the field lies the ski resort of Maribor, where the internationally known skiing contests take place.
	A solid landing within the touchdown zone! The trim is set to takeoff, the flaps are reduced, and thrust is applied. And off we go for the second round. Here you get a nice comparison between terrain display (captain's ND) and the weather radar image of the mountain (copilot's ND).
	Because of the bad weather which does not yet allow visual patterns around the field, we climb away on the published IFR missed approach, and head off to the MR NDB again.
	Flaps are full, gear is down, and the final check completed. We soar in for another landing. It still rains quite strong, but the visibility gets better. And wet runways are more forgiving regarding the touchdown. But on wet runways, it is good technique to land "positive", with a pronounced touchdown, rather than a soft (passenger-comfort) "greaser", as the latter can lead to dangerous hydroplanning. This is avoided by really touching down, penetrating the water film and pressing the tires onto the concrete, which allows the tires to spin up.
	Foggy, foggy...
	A misty day...
	Grey landcape and a low ceiling.
	After another perfect touchdown, we thunder away from the airport and head off to the MR NDB again.
	Next approach. Still some precipitation. In the meanwhile we have been flying for 59 minutes since our first takeoff in Vienna.
	Perfectly established on speed, localiser and glideslope, under the watchful eyes of the training captain.
	At about 500feet above ground, the first faint lights of the approach light system are shining through the fog.
	At 300 feet, the runway is insight. Elias, highly concentrated during the last few feet.
	This is how an approach light system looks like from the "front office". But we seldomly really watch it. Not that we don't appreciate it :-) , but it merely passes by in the peripheral vision, as we are concentrated on speed, vertical speed, radio altitude, localizer, glide slope and the aiming point at this moment.
	This is what we call "fairly good visibility" :-) Now imagine what a visibility of 125m (our minimum for automatic CAT IIIb "fog" landings) looks like. You still see nothing from this position...
	And then, after 12 touch downs and about 4,5 tons of fuel burnt, it is time for a seat change. Elias gets back to the cabin for a well-earned rest. Jakob Stüssi moves from the jumpseat to the "hot seat", and I am invited to supervise from the jumpseat. A quick mental review of the visual training pattern, with its quick and intense sequence of orders and actions, is necessary before the first takeoff. Here, Jakob performs this vital short review.
	And soon we are thundering down the runway for another jump to the air.
	The weather has cleared up. As it is now sunny with only light winds, Jakob hit the "perfect middle" between Elias' foggy and rainy but wind-calm weather, and the beautyful but (cross-)windy backside weather I enjoyed afterwards.
	A whole different picture. If you remember the impressions during Elias' training session only one hour before, you can really see the difference that makes visual patterns possible. We are already established on visual final.
	A second impression how the beautiful Slovenian landscape looks like when the sun is shining (same spot like the foggy scene above).
	A little off track, but correcting back onto the centerline.
	A Styrian Spirit Canadair Regional Jet is approaching from the north, with the intention to land in Maribor. Therefore we are directed into a lefthand downwind, and fly over the snowy hills of the mountain range to the west of the field, until the colleagues have brought their Regional Jet to a safe landing. A smile flits over Jakob's face when the CRJ turns to final off our left side, as this aircraft has been home for him for the past three years.
	What a fun, to fly visually only 1500 feet over the sunbathed landscape...
	Enjoying the sun and snow while we do 360°-turns over the hills.
	Our own shadow...
	...pictured during approach...
	...after the CRJ has landed.
	And then it's time for me to take over. I have already written about the feelings above. Although one could think that the "first flight" after typeratings become routine after the fifth different jet, I can really assure you - it's definitely not! It is still this "first time" feeling that completely fills you with joy and happyness.
	Ready to go!
	Aaaah, finally airborne. What a feeling...
	On finals. But the wind has steadily grown stronger, and as you can see by the crab angle of the aircraft, we expect a crosswind landing.
	Here the crosswind and crab become more evident. According to the (faintly visible) navigation display (ND), the crab angle is about 6 degrees.
	Last second corrections against the crosswind.
	Soon we will be coming over the threshold, starting the flare. Landing is quite difficult with the light aircraft (no freight, no passengers, just the four of us and some 6 tons of fuel left over from our originally uplifted 15 tons).
	As it is prescribed in the international regulations, trainees have to fly at least one pattern with one engine inoperative (OEI) which is simulated by pulling it to idle. OEI flying is no problem, after the many training sessions in the simulator. But nevertheless, it looks stunning. This is a view you don't really want to see in "real life", with passengers on board.
	But I have to admit, it is fun to fly single engine, and therefore I flew half of my patterns (5 out of 10) this way. This picture is from the first pattern where I used autothrust. All other patterns were flown manual thrust.
	We have completed our aircraft training in Maribor, and are on our way back to Vienna. Approach briefing for an ILS 34 approach is completed, and the autopilot and autothrust have already been turned off about 40 miles inbound to vienna. You still have to enjoy some fun while it is possible :-)
	We are directed to waypoint WW022, to line ourselves up on the ILS34. The autopilot and autothrust are off (as indicated by the blank fields top right), only the flight directors are still on ("1FD2"), as we have to proceed to an RNAV point where we can't go to with conventional navigation.
	"Moscow" is still alive. The poor thing has been beaten with 32 landings within three hours. And we have burnt more fuel than a skyscraper needs to be heated during a whole winter...nearly 15 tons of JET A1 have been used for our training. Bless me...
	Welcome to the electrobus club! I hope you enjoyed the ride with us, and got some information and impressions about airline pilot aircraft training.

Aircraft Training on the "electrobus"
A319-100	AUA Aircraft Training Route Vienna (LOWW) - Maribor (LJMB) - Vienna (LOWW)	17.02.2006