phill1174
Well-Known Member
It's a surefire way to keep crews awake halfway to the west coast over the Rockies at 4amIt wouldn't do that if the company paid to update the FMC profile with the winglet mod.

It's a surefire way to keep crews awake halfway to the west coast over the Rockies at 4amIt wouldn't do that if the company paid to update the FMC profile with the winglet mod.
It's a surefire way to keep crews awake halfway to the west coast over the Rockies at 4am. Now they want us to use the boards to manage the speed when it gets too fast in cruise. Yep you read that right, idk who's idea it was. From all the stories i've heard from the senior daddies it wasn't abnormal to get the clacker several times during the flight, especially on the flights coming into the sort from the west coast.
I would have to look at the manuals to see what the official recommendation is on the Eskimo-tail guppy, but I have had captains say the same thing and it makes sense. Things could definitely get sporty if the autothrottle yoinked it back too far and then you hit the other side of the wave.I know for the 747 that’s actually in the Boeing flight crew training manual. Had a guy who came over from the 737 ask if that was our procedure. I said “no, that sounds weird. Let’s look it up.” Sure enough…
Kind of makes sense though. If you’re in heavy turbulence the airspeed is probably all over the place. Bringing the power back too far at altitude is asking for trouble as it’s much easier to bleed off speed than it is to find it again.
I know for the 747 that’s actually in the Boeing flight crew training manual. Had a guy who came over from the 737 ask if that was our procedure. I said “no, that sounds weird. Let’s look it up.” Sure enough…
Kind of makes sense though. If you’re in heavy turbulence the airspeed is probably all over the place. Bringing the power back too far at altitude is asking for trouble as it’s much easier to bleed off speed than it is to find it again.
Energy management in that scenario becomes either an over speed or low energy state in coffin’s corner (both of which are undesirable), but the consensus has been take the over speed, even if you have to write it up. It is much easier to deal with than deploying the speed brakes/ boards with the bottom of the airspeed cue rising.
Full disclosure, this is from conversations about flying light twins and not the 747, so I’m not familiar with the dynamics of that machine (spool up time at altitude or Vl/d).
I would have to look at the manuals to see what the official recommendation is on the Eskimo-tail guppy, but I have had captains say the same thing and it makes sense. Things could definitely get sporty if the autothrottle yoinked it back too far and then you hit the other side of the wave.
Video from the inside: