Ask me about being an airline pilot or flying in general - Page 372 - Other Topics Forum - Discuss Pop Culture, Arts and Entertainment

I'm not sure where the source is for me thinking that. I always thought of it as a combination of the way Aussies pronounce the first syllable, plus it being a mystical, far-away land.

So I'm probably the only person on Earth who ever thought that Oz was a legitimate shorthand, and it's just in my imagination.

Quote

01-18-2021 , 05:45 PM

#9277

Didace

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 19,879

Quote:

Originally Posted by W0X0F

Wow, I should have been able to puzzle that one out. Never heard that before. Do Australians use that?

Yes.

Source: My wife works with several people from Australia.

Quote

01-18-2021 , 05:49 PM

#9278

W0X0F

sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight

Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 5,830

Quote:

Originally Posted by golddog

I'm not sure where the source is for me thinking that. I always thought of it as a combination of the way Aussies pronounce the first syllable, plus it being a mystical, far-away land.

So I'm probably the only person on Earth who ever thought that Oz was a legitimate shorthand, and it's just in my imagination.

Well, it's a good one.

A bit of a tangent sparked by that...the first books I read by myself as a kid were the Oz books. We had 12 of them, some first edition, from around 1910. Beautiful illustrations and fascinating stories for kids. My dad used to read them to me and my older brother, and later, when I cracked the code on reading, I would read them to my younger brothers and sister. I remember a sad moment, as a seven year old, when I realized that my younger sibs would also learn to read eventually and wouldn't need me.

(btw, it turned out I was right. They did learn to read.)

Quote

01-19-2021 , 05:52 PM

#9279

Wondercall

veteran

Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 3,270

Can you think of any reason why we would have received an "FMC" message shortly after takeoff? I fiddled with the box enroute and came up with a few ideas but it never cancelled it. Captain forgot to load the descent winds but when he did the message remained. Would being logged out of CPDLC cause it? My other thought was we turned on AI right before takeoff but we didn't send for AI numbers. It was a ferry flight so we were empty. It went away in the descent fwiw.

Last edited by Wondercall; 01-19-2021 at 06:03 PM.

Quote

01-20-2021 , 02:27 AM

#9280

W0X0F

sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight

Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 5,830

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wondercall

Was the message on the FMC scratchpad and/or on the EICAS (assuming you have EICAS)?

I can't remember all the reasons why an "FMC" message might appear. What type of plane? Sometimes it can just mean you didn't initialize the box correctly (e.g. left out an employee number).

I don't think selecting Anti-Ice at the last moment would cause this, but I could be wrong.

Quote

01-20-2021 , 09:08 AM

#9281

Garick

Oberbiergenießer

Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 26,516

I'm guessing FMC doesn't stand for "fully mission capable" in civilian aviation? Odd that they'd use the same acronym for different things.

Quote

01-20-2021 , 10:25 AM

#9282

W0X0F

sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight

Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 5,830

Flight Management Computer

Quote

01-22-2021 , 01:16 PM

#9283

Wondercall

veteran

Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 3,270

It was an eicas message. -300er I think. Could be wrong though every airplane we operate is different

Quote

01-23-2021 , 09:48 AM

#9284

Videopro

Making TV

Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 19,241

Quote

01-23-2021 , 12:47 PM

#9285

W0X0F

sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight

Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 5,830

Fairly accurate, except for the FO wearing his hat during flight...that's just ridiculous.

Quote

01-24-2021 , 07:34 AM

#9286

Dutch101

old hand

Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 1,987

Quote:

Originally Posted by W0X0F

On an unrelated note: I'm thinking that once COVID is in our rear-view mirror, I'll use my non-rev flying privileges and fly around the world to see some places I've missed. Maybe in a year or less, I hope.

I think I have mentioned it before but if Sydney is one of your destinations then I would love to meet, pay for your drinks and give you advice on what to see and do. This thread with the insight you provided on being a pilot and flying in general will always be my favourite.

Quote

01-24-2021 , 10:28 PM

#9287

W0X0F

sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight

Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 5,830

Sydney is definitely on the list Dutch. I’ll let you know when I’m inbound.

Quote

01-27-2021 , 03:37 PM

#9288

Videopro

Making TV

Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 19,241

Ascending through the cloud layer a couple nights ago LAX to LAS.

Quote

01-28-2021 , 10:22 AM

#9289

W0X0F

sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight

Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 5,830

I'm guessing a departure from Runway 25R, out over the Pacific and a left-hand turn back to the East. You're killing me. I miss it so much.

Quote

01-28-2021 , 10:56 AM

#9290

Videopro

Making TV

Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 19,241

Exactly.

Quote

01-28-2021 , 01:39 PM

#9291

golddog

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 6,704

Quote:

Originally Posted by W0X0F

I'm guessing a departure from Runway 25R, out over the Pacific and a left-hand turn back to the East. You're killing me. I miss it so much.

I thought runways were designated by their degrees from magnetic north. If so, why not 205R?

Let me take a couple guesses, see if any are close:

1) To keep numbers lower, they're only designated measuring east; so the max would be 179.

2) It has a prevailing approach from the east, thus 25. If the prevailing approach was from the west, it would be designated 205.

3) the actual right answer.

Quote

01-28-2021 , 01:53 PM

#9292

TheRealIABoomer

old hand

Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 1,663

Quote:

Originally Posted by golddog

I thought runways were designated by their degrees from magnetic north. If so, why not 205R?

They are. Drop the trailing third digit. So a runway departing directly east would be 9 (for 90 degrees). The corresponding departure to the west would be 27 (270 degrees).

Occasionally, since the magnetic poles drift, a runway will need to be renumbered.

Quote

01-28-2021 , 01:56 PM

#9293

Garick

Oberbiergenießer

Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 26,516

i.e., 3.

Last edited by Garick; 01-28-2021 at 01:58 PM. Reason: and it should be 09. Always 2 digits

Quote

01-28-2021 , 07:56 PM

#9294

W0X0F

sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight

Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 5,830

Quote:

Originally Posted by golddog

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheRealIABoomer

As Boomer points out, the number corresponds to the runway's magnetic alignment. Thus runways are numbered from 1 to 36 and will have a letter added in the case of parallel runways (e.g. 4L and 4R at BOS; 19L, 19C, and 19R at IAD...the C is for Center).

Using a leading zero on single digit runways is common but not universal, as you can see here for runway 9L at ATL and on the taxi diagram for IAD (Runways 1L, 1C, and 1R).

Quote

01-29-2021 , 11:28 AM

#9295

golddog

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 6,704

Ah, the old 'drop the last digit' trick.

Thanks for the explantion guys, that makes sense now.

Quote

02-04-2021 , 11:37 AM

#9296

baronworm

enthusiast

Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 63

Quote:

Originally Posted by Videopro

far side pic

Gary Larson did lots of great comics set in the cockpit, but my favorite is great even without the visual:

"The fuel light's on, Frank! We're all going to die! ... We're all going to die! ... Wait, wait. ... Oh, my mistake - that's the intercom light."

(the wide-eyed passengers do put the bow on it, however.)

My biggest reason for replying here is to be sure that any Far Side fans are aware of the best thing that happened in 2020: new content on thefarside.com after a 25-year hiatus!

Quote

02-04-2021 , 12:15 PM

#9297

baronworm

enthusiast

Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 63

sorry my previous post is a little redundant.
that favorite Far Side strip I mention was brought up already (and I replied!)...

...ten frickin' years ago! (Oct 2010)

Quote:

Originally Posted by baronworm

Quote:

Originally Posted by W0X0F

I have never heard of pre-recorded messages advising passengers of imminent emergency situations and I would have dismissed this story out-of-hand except that it seems to be reported by several reputable sites.

...

Here's a Gary Larson cartoon on point. Copyrighted, so if that's a problem the mod can remove it...

This is my favorite of his many hilarious airline-related strips!

This thread easily sets the record for the online "community" that has held my attention for the longest time.

Last edited by baronworm; 02-04-2021 at 12:16 PM. Reason: typoes

Quote

02-04-2021 , 12:24 PM

#9298

W0X0F

sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight

Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 5,830

Quote:

Originally Posted by baronworm

Thanks for that information!

I went and looked at my bookshelf and I have 4 Far Side books there, as well as 7 Calvin & Hobbes books...my two favorite strips of all time.

Another great Far Side: "Hey, what's a mountain goat doing up here in the clouds?"

Quote:

sorry my previous post is a little redundant.
that favorite Far Side strip I mention was brought up already (and I replied!)...

...ten frickin' years ago! (Oct 2010)

Easy to do. I'm guilty of telling the same story more than once in this thread.