Mmmm fair comment, how do we work out whether it was an auto land or not. Always assumed the really effortless, no motor up or down, speed constant, no sudden elevator movements, to be Auto.
Came in on a A380 to Heathrow on Saturday, really really like a glider in that he powered off at 40000 feet and glide into Heathrow about as effortless as you could have got, powering on in the last 1 minute, just a tad, landing about as soft as you could have got, impressed on how almost surreal it was.
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Re: Timbo
[Re: pgp]
#251889 09/03/1207:25 AM09/03/1207:25 AM
That smooth, uninterupted approach was due more to lack of trafic in front of you than anything else. We have to do what ever ATC tells us to, speed and altitude wise, when being sequenced into the line up for landing. The autopilot was on, but humans have to tell it what to do, and some are better at it than others.
Now, the last 1000 feet and the touchdown may have been autopilot on, or off. Was it Quatas? They hand fly alot, and they are good at it. If it was Singapore it may have been an autoland, as that's what the Asians do.
In my experience, the 'smoothest' approach/landing is done by humans who have lots of experience, wether they are doing it with the autopilot on, or off, is the question.
The autopilot can be just as rough as any human. It's just a computer. It's still being programmed by a human and constantly being updated with new speed/fix/altitude crossing restrictions. You know the saying; Sh!t in, Sh!t out. So if the programer (pilot) doesn't stay ahead of it, you will get a lot of throttle bursts every time you level off.
Even when the plane is on autopilot, as it is 95% of the time, it's still being 'flown' by a human, who is constantly inputting new info into the FMS (Flight Management System). If he's new to the airplane, he will be a little behind in anticipating what's about to happen next, and getting the FMS set up for the next event.
Just because the autopilot is on, doesn't mean the pilots are asleep! The pilots have to be good at "Running the Box" (FMS) to make it all work out, without a lot of throttle jockying and abrupt level offs going on.
Now, on touchdown, the autopilot is always going to put it down, on target, right where the glideslope intercept is. It will not float, or hold it off just a bit to get a smoother touchdown, as we humans do, but it also won't hold it off just a little too long, and too high, and drop the last 3 feet! That's why if it was exceptionally smooth, or rough, it was most likely a human doing it, not the A/P.
Next time you get a really good (or bad) landing, go ask the pilots if it was an autoland.
Here's a better one when it comes to what is actually going on in the **** on arrival. This is a Lufthansa flight, coming into Seattle, on an Airbus A330, on autopilot, up until 9:15 in the vid. but they are manipulating the autopilot with the knobs/buttons on the glareshield, as they are being vectored into their arrival sequence.
If any of you guys speak German, you will get a chuckle out of their comments about the female controller's voice! "Smooth".
You will hear ATC giving them lower altitudes, headings, slow down, go down, turn around, etc. all the way in. They even had to do one turn in a holding pattern (see red flight path). At 9:15 the Capt. turns off the Autopilot to hand fly the last 2 minutes to the (smooth) landing.
This is an Airbus A330, but it works pretty much the same on a Boeing, except, the Boeings use a yoke (steering wheel) infront of the pilots, where the Airbus uses a side-stick controller.
Watch the little window of the Capt., see his left hand moving all around over there as they are about to touch down? That's him 'hand flying' the airplane.
And if you listen very closely, you will hear the Airbus calling them "Retards" as they flare and touchdown!
That's another reason most of us don't like Airbus airplanes, they call you a Retard every time you land!
We now, 11 years after 9-11, have FINALLY put in place, a "Crew Only" screening process, where flight crew, in uniform, with two propper ID's, can -not- get groped!
BUT...it only exists in about 10 airports around the country, not ATL or MCO, the two I use the most, of course!
And what would we do without the TSA??
I had thought that stood for "Thousands Standing Around" but after watching South Park, I think I finally know what it is...watch this!
"Do or do not. There is no try." - Yoda "Excuses are the tools of the weak and incompetent" - Two sista's I overheard in the hall "You don't have to be a brain surgeon to be a complete idiot, but it helps"
About 5 seconds after you start paying for that service.
With unmanned drones flying over Pakistan, controlled by operators in the basement of the Pentagon the technology looks like it is there. At about that time I will buy myself my own private airplane (Long-EZ anybody) if I have to fly somewhere
So when do you think they will outsource your job to a kid in China living and a cardboard box using an xbox controller?
Believe me Ding, it's being discussed right now. The technology is there. The military has said they have already built their last manned fighter jet.
The 'first step' is going to be in the cargo industry. Fed Ex and UPS are already looking at it.
You see, boxes don't care if there's no human pilots up front, and if things do go wrong, and the plane crashes, nobody dies, except the unfortunate ones in the neighborhood where it comes down! The ONLY reason the pax industry hasn't looked too closely at it...YET...is they don't think anyone would buy tickets on unmanned jets, but I believe as soon as the cargo industry "Proves" the technology is safe, the airlines will be next.
Luckily (for me) I'll be retired by then...I hope!
I would not want to be 19 years old, trying to become an Airline Pilot today.
But relax, your job is next.
The kids in China can do everything we Americans (and Europeans) can do, faster, better, and for 10 cents on the dollar, or less. I've been flying a lot of Shanghai lately, it is stunning how far, and how quickly, they have come in terms of manufacturing and technology.
But at least they out number us about 10 to 1, so we've got that supply and demand thing going for us...
"Do or do not. There is no try." - Yoda "Excuses are the tools of the weak and incompetent" - Two sista's I overheard in the hall "You don't have to be a brain surgeon to be a complete idiot, but it helps"
I've been running from the outsourcing axe for the last 12 years, I'm the master of being the hero and being invisible.
I've been trying to outsource my job since 04'......
I say bring on the chinese kids with remotes. I can tell you one thing, I am never getting onto a commercial liner if they take humans outta the loop. The only thing dumber than a person, is a god damn machine.
Oh, and we're just taking another step towards SkyNet taking control.
Then again, I'd maybe give commercial flying a try if I could do it like this:
The FAA is looking to ban FPV RC stuff.... I better spend some money quick, because I want one of these badly.
"Do or do not. There is no try." - Yoda "Excuses are the tools of the weak and incompetent" - Two sista's I overheard in the hall "You don't have to be a brain surgeon to be a complete idiot, but it helps"
That was pretty neet, Pete. And here's something completely off topic, a 'new idea' on using wind for power, and since that's really what sailing is, I thought some of you might find this interesting:
