pipe

Excessive rates of rotation have been the line "norm" for years at FDX. It was propagated via the 727 training program and culture, therefore ingrained in the vast majority of our pilots. There are a lot of guys who could have benefitted from some time spent carrying people and concerning themselves a bit with comfort. This is going to take a long time to fix.

Pipe

TonyC

You tell me.

When was the last time we had an Airbus tailstrike?






.

MEMbrain

I'm sure the UPS A300 pilots are laughing at us now with our anxiety over 15/0 takeoffs. They use all three configurations regularly without any issues or drama. Why can't we?

Bulletboy

It amazes me how little lip service is paid to "feel". My dad, a military(A-4) and transport pilot(DA-20,B-727,DC-10) always taught me, you can't force the plane to do what she doesn't want to do. The performance #'s are to satisfy the FAA(segments)....The pilot flys the airplane. Its hard to believe someone can scrape the tail on a A-300 on take off. And yes, was a capt on it for 7 years. Maybe I'm way out of line, but, WOW!!!

BB

frozenboxhauler

So true, Pipe. I always try to fly the airplane as if my mom, rest her soul, was on it.
In past, whenever I would jump seat on a Bus, I was ALWAYS amazed at the rate of rotation on take off!
Cheers,
fbh

Albief15

I have zero experience anywhere but FedEx, so I love these threads when we go from general *****ing into talking flying technique.

From my GA and later military fighter experience, I always thought there were a few things that made me go "hmmm" when I got my first 121 training. The one that leaps to mind the most was the "lose no altitude in the stall recovery" mindset. YGTBSM. Why not give up 200-500 feet, break the stall, and then fly home? Are we stalling jets with routine at 200'? The Air France mishap over the South Atlantic comes to mind...get the jet flying, then recover.

I have heard some say the late rotation/V1 allows more energy on jet, so if you do lose an engine you have more smash and less to clean up. I have also heard some smart guys with tanker backgrounds say that a high speed abort/runway departure is a more dangerous wrt survivability scenario than taking a jet with a bad engine into the air. Interesting to hear more experience airline/heavy guys batter the pros and cons...

My favorite "why not?" moment in the sim was when I got the dreaded 2 engine failure on 36, and proposed doing a 20 degree check turn and landing at Millington . Voted down as "not what we do..." but I still eyeball that concrete on every departure.

Last "***?": Why when its day or VMC do some want me to load the engine out departure radials, fixes, etc when what I will REALLY do is just turn R/L to avoid terrain. Reno is one thing...but Oakland? Anchorage? HNL? I'm going feet wet and dumping gas, thank you....and we'll work it out from there.

The Walrus

Albie

I agree that the engine out departure has grown wings and a tail at Fedex. It is only for IFR and night depts but seems to have lost it's definition.

MaydayMark

Albie/Walrus

The FedEx Engine Out Procedures are something a FedEx bubba (who knows what expertise he has?) had printed on a chart. THEY ARE NOT APPROVED BY ATC! And ATC has absolutely no idea of your "recommended" procedure. They seem to frequently keep you away from high terrain, other airports and radio towers. The IAD RW30 Engine Out Procedure departure directs you to turn away from the mountains (30 miles west? You can see them!) ... why not turn downwind and land?

I've sometimes wondered if Management wants us to "think like a professional pilot"? I think I've got lots of experience and sometimes my way might just be a satisfactory solution to our problem. I've learned that my suggestions are often discarded without ever listening to them. I won't offer my opinion anymore. They REALLY don't want to hear it.

During a Recurrent sim FRA was CAT III and I had multiple malfunctions. I asked for the Rahmstein Air Base weather 3 times before the instructor told me, "You're not going there." I guess it wasn't in his instructor guide?

Like Albie says ... why not just turn downwind and land?

Unknown Rider

I know we're not supposed to squeeze the Yoke too hard, but geez! Don't worry, it's just a yolk.

So riddle me this Batman, are we supposed to send everyone back to training so they can perform windshear profile takeoffs? Because that will drive you to a 15/0 takeoff. What if the climb gradient requires a 15/0 takeoff? We have to pull someone off the trip and deadhead another pilot in who can do the takeoff? The fact is we have all had training on 15/0 takeoffs during initial and a little word of caution should have been all that was needed. Just my opinion.

matty

DANG! I proofread that thing 100 times! That's what I get for making fun of the "two/to/too" guy on another post...