1、 rapid decompression
Cause
How to avoid
What you hear and see in the cockpit&cabin
How to deal with
Communications
There are many reasons can cause the cabin rapid decompression such as fuselage structure damage(including caused by explosion), pressurization system malfunction, etc.
To avoid a rapid decompression, a routine fuselage visual check is necessary, and during the whole flight, we should keep monitoring the indication ofthe pressurization systems ,include cabin altitude and cabin altitude vertical speed .and we also shouldtry to keep the cabin vertical speed in normal during climb and decent.
Once the rapid decompression occurs, in the cockpit ,the master warning lights will illuminate with the master warning audio sound, and the cabin vertical speed and the cabin altitude will indicate in red or amber. If the decompression is caused by structure damage, there will be some other abnormal sound also. In the cabin ,the passenger oxygen masks will automatically fall out and also the temperature sudden drop .this can be a indication of rapid decompression.
Once the cabin rapid decompression occurs, the first thing that the flight crew need to do is use the full-face quick-donning oxygen masks, and initiate the emergency descend immediately, use the procedure issued by the aircraft manufacturer to bring the aircraft to a lower altitude where the cabin altitude can be safe to the passenger, at the same time , the other crewmember should make the MAYDAY call to ATC, and give more detailed intension if practicable.
2、how does advanced technology affect civil aviation
i. e: composite material, airport weather radar
GPS
In generally, the advanced technology has been improving the safety and efficiency of civil aviation in many ways, like the composite material can be same strong as the traditional metal even stronger but with less weight, this enhances the safety of the aircraft and at the same time allows more payload to be carried and brings less fuel consumption and more profit to the operator. The developing electronics and computer technology is doing the same way as well, the typical example is the fly-by –wire technology of AIRBUS industry. The GPS give more precise location and navigation than the traditional method, this makes the approaches to a remote airport became possible, and also the airport weather system,can increase the safety awareness level than before.
But the same time, the advance technology make the aircraft system became more complex and more expensive. And it is becoming more difficult to be detected if the terrorists use the advanced technology to threaten the safe operation of flight.
3、bomb onboard
Detonator E. O. D(explosive ordnance disposal)
Describe the shape size type
Ask for assistance
How to describe: shape， column, square shape, what it looks like, box, can, in the bottle. Liquid or solid? With digital timer ?what is the color/ with the electric wire rounded or not?
How to deal: follow the BOB procedure on the flight manual and notify ATC and company operation center with the detailed information of the bomb, looking some the possible help.
4、violent(mentally illed)passenger causing chaos
How to deal with it and ask for assistance
Normally , I think the cabin crew have the company guidance to deal with such a situation, but the cockpit should provide the help if required.
The principle of the solution is ensure the safety of the passenger and company properties. If on ground, it can be more simple, try to find the reason of the chaos and solve it will be the easiest way. But once airborned, we need to calm the passengers affected and isolate the violent passenger
if it is possible, if necessary, constrain to such a passenger is practicable. If the situation getting uncontrollable, notify ATC and land the aircraft at a nearest suitable airport as soon as possible, request police service on arrival and notify company operation center, finish the paper report after flight is required.
5、severe turbulence
Describe phenomenon in the cockpit/in the cabin
Ask for assistance
Normally, avoid the turbulent condition is the best way, once the turbulenceis encountered, the phenomenon we can see in the cockpict will be the unsteady airspeed indication and vertical speed indication, maintaining a level cruising will become a hard job, the indicated wind will vary roughly in direction and speed. Any unsecured objects in the cockpit and cabin can be thrown into air ,even passenger and trolleys if untightened and the condition is really rough. it is very easy to get injured.
The pilot need to do is slow down to aircraft to a suitable speed and leave the turbulent level as soon as possible, of course ,approval from ATC is required to leave the assigned route and level. If the severe turbulence had caused structural damage or passenger injured, a diversion to the nearest airport is required.
6、what’s your suggestion for the aircraft manufacturer to improve performance and safety?
Not many to say about this because the manufacturer has been improving the performance and the safety all the time under such a competition in the aviation history. If the airliner can be equipped with more powerful engines, better feature design, and also the advanced technology is widely used in building the aircraft, the performance and safety will be guaranteed.
7、what are the measures your company take to improve safety?
As I know, there many measurements have been taken to improve the safety by the company, for example, a flight training center was built couple years ago for the pilots training purpose, and the QAR is used to monitor and improve the fly quality of all the pilots, the engineering department has been re-organized last year to enhance the airworthiness level of the fleet, a airlines operation center has been used to manage to total operation of the fleet. There are also many kinds of staff training are regularly in progress every year, such dangerous goods handling, operation manual training, etc.
8、do you prefer big or small airports?
Define big /small
Reason
The airport big or small is not only decided by the scale but more decided by the quantity of flights and the capability to support the operations
If prefer big airport: the big airports normally are the major airports in the region, they have the very advanced facilities to ensure the safe operation of each flight including precision radar, precision approach navaids, adequate length of runway. And the big airports have the good capability to support the flight operation as well, such as catering service, emergency equipment and facilities. Flying to a big airport is just a simple work sometimes under normal operation, the crew don’t need to consider too much. There are some disadvantages about the big airports also such as traffic congestion, complicated taxiway layout and some special requirement.
If prefer small airport: less traffic can lead less or no possible delays, and some kind of convenient maneuver is possible to save the flying time and fuel such as visual circuit, direct routes and etc. if enjoying in flying, the small airport can be a good choice because the pilots have the “right” to choose if a thorough preparation had been taken. The disadvantages of small airports are the poor facilities ,shorter runways require good handling skills etc.
9、debris on the taxiway
Describe the obstacle
Ask for detour
How to describe: the shape of the obstacles: cone, cylinder, quadrate etc.
The colour of the obstacles
The position of the obstacles: near,the exactly location of the obstacles
The quantity of the obstacles
Ask for detour: if able to cross , pay caution. If unable to cross there is not enough clearance for the engines or tires. Then a removal of the obstacles is required.
10、Rejected take-off due to eng oil low-pressure/high temperature
What need to be done
What need to be done depends on how serious the situation is. The first thing is stop the aircraft on the runway or if practicable, vacate the runway. If just simple oil low pressure or high temperature, then after rejection ,reduce the power of the affected engine to prevent further possible damage to the engine, return to the apron ,then shut down for further check. If the situation is getting worse, shut down the engine immediately and return to the apron for maintenances. If fire exist or possible to occur, the engine fire procedures need to be carried out ,and even worse ,a emergency evacuation is required, execute the emergency evacuation procedures. and notify ATC and company.
11、what kind of objects might be sucked into engine and cause engine
damage
many kinds of objects can be sucked into a running engine and cause damage to the engine, these happen normally on ground and at low altitude. On ground, rubber plastics, light weight part of some loose facilities or even sometimes human being could be sucked into a running powerful engine.
At a low altitude, the major part of the objects can be sucked into a engine is birds, and this can seriously damage the running engine.
12、describe a scene: On the apron, an engine-cowling –opened airplane
Connected by a tow –bar and truck
Describe the type of the aircraft, logo ,colour, which engine’s cowling is opened and which direction it is towed to by the truck
13、How would computer technology affect flying?
Is it a good or bad influence?
Would it be possible for the computer to replace pilots?
The modern computer technology is quite widely used in modern aircraft, it reduce the workload of the crewmembers and also improve the safety of the flight operations, such as the computer can calculates the speed, and load envelop, computers monitor all the system and give information if necessary, and the computer technology really reduce the weight of the aircraft a lot.
Upon now, the computer technology has a positive influence to the flying and the whole industry. Technically, the modern computer technology is able to fly the aircraft without human help, but flying is kind of activity more complex than a single aerodynamic movement, there are many things are unpredictable and can not be programmed , which could lead to disasters so, I don’t think the computers are capable to replace the pilots, but it can be helpful.
14、List the emergency equipments on an aircraft
Fire bottle/ PBE/ raft
The fire extinguishers ,the escape rope, the emergency axe, oxygen masks, PBEs, slider and life rafts, first-aid kit and speakers…….
15、what is your company policy to deal with “bomb on board”?
Refer to the SOP, please!
16、possible reasons for you to divert
Engine /fuel/ control
In real situation, many reasons can lead to a diversion, such as engine failure, fuel leakage or incorrectly loaded, any mechanical malfunction could endanger the safety, poor weather condition at the destination or sometimes other urgency or emergency situation exist like illness.
17、how does pudong airport authority manage their emergency equipments
(fire engines, ambulances),Layout, accessibility
I am not familiar with pudong airport recently because there must be many more construction had been built. But I think any airport authority of the world would manage the emergency equipments in a efficient method in case of the worst situation they could imagine. the facilities should be able to be used on require.
18、what do you think of pudong airport?
(Compared to small airports)
Pudong airport is supposed to be the biggest airport of Asia in the coming years,8 runways have been planed to be built, and at this stage two of them are in use and I think another two have being built in progress. All international flights to shanghai and some domestic flights are arranged to use Pudong airport for arrivals and departures, compared to small airport, obviously, it has a very large scale, longer runways ,taxiways, and better capability to support. And also as a bigger airport, there is higher possibility of delay than small airport.
19、patient on board
Pregnant/ heart attack/ stroke
The patient on board could be a pregnant woman is going to give birth, a man human with a suspected heart attack or stroke. 0nce this occurred,the cabin crew should follow the procedures on the operation manual try to help the passenger, as a flight crew, we should give the best help to the cabin crew such as request better cruising level, if the situation requires ,a priority approach or a emergency landing to a nearest suitable airport is necessary and ask the corresponding service to be prepared.
20、flight delays
Mechanic /flow control/ weather/ military operation
There are many reasons could lead to a delay, such as Mechanic /flow control/ weather/ military operation, actually, the flight crew can do few thing except waiting for the improvement. Maybe sometimes help the cabin crew to explain the reason to the passengers will be something else we can do.
21、your experience on going around
Reasons for going around (weather/ ATC/ airport/ aircraft)
I experienced four times of going around, and the major reason were poor weather condition like windshear, lost visual contact in heavy raining,, once was the proceeding traffic wae unable to vacate the runway due a sudden steering failure. The worst situation was we encountered a windshear and without any warning, the plane appeared like a boat in huge wave, we could hear the scream of the passengers. we wrer luck ,we restored to a high altitude very soon and it became very stable, and we made a diversion to the alternate and cam back two hours later and it became fine.
22、twin-engine and 4-engine acft
Major difference between 2-engine and 4-engine aircraft ,except the numbers of engines, will be the performance, 4-engine aircraft can make a longer none-stop flight, it makes the direct fly to the other side of the earth became reality.