tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18983680707670825762024-02-19T06:30:35.494+00:00The Dispatcher's DiariesA behind the scenes insight into ground handling operations of airlines and the internal workings of an airport.Dispatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18143587383561774168noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898368070767082576.post-7355023773284805482013-07-22T12:28:00.002+01:002013-07-22T12:28:42.256+01:00Anyone still read this?Fear not, I am alive. I think.
Does anyone still read this blog?
Dispatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18143587383561774168noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898368070767082576.post-60107578366773620922011-02-12T15:02:00.005+00:002011-02-12T15:59:57.295+00:00You can't cheat time...anymoreNot so long ago, I, with the help of friendly captains, used to be able to do weird and wonderful things with time. Time wasn't fixed, it was flexible. Together with the right crew, we could create periods of time that never previously existed, and delete bits we didn't want others to know about. No, I haven't quite lost my sanity or turned into The Doc from Back to the Future, but just feeling nostalgic and recalling some memories from the older days.<br /><br />However, the computers have ruined it for us. No longer can we work together to cheat the clock, for the clock sets the rules and requirements, and if we don't adhere to them then questions are asked. Questions from those above who wear suits and have never seen an aircraft apart from the one that rests upon the table in reception at Airline X HQ. Everyone knows how serious airlines are about punctuality, and now it really is right down to each minute and everyone falls silent when they hear the word ''delay.''<br /><br />Let me take an example of what I mean. Not so long ago, an aircraft would arrive on blocks behind schedule at 1600. The minimum turnaround time would be 35 minutes for the aircraft, so as the clock strikes 1635 it should be offblocks. It's perfectly achievable in 35 minutes, MOST of the time. However, things have a tendency to go chaotic very quickly. There are so many links in the chain that the aircraft is relying on, that just one kink in it can end up delaying everyone and thus the turnaround.<br /><br />Now let's say it has been a bad day, 35 minutes wasn't achieved and the aircraft actually goes offblocks at 1640. That's 5 minutes of a delay that has to be accounted for, whether it be down to crew issues, technical reasons, passenger handling etc etc. Generally, the airline will want the head of whoever caused the further delay on a stick!<br /><br />But then here is where the magic came in. The aircraft was actually offblocks at 1640, but if we're at a down route station where the airline doesn't have any officials overseeing the operation, how are they to know what time it actually departed? They only know what time it departed from the times I pass onto them, and then eventually from the paperwork the crew file after each trip. So Captain A and I would work together and say the aircraft was offblocks at 1635. People in Airline HQ are none the wiser. And no one really takes any notice if there is 10 minutes between offblocks and airborne time, or if there is 15 minutes between offblocks and airborne time, so the 5 minutes we covered up is magically transferred into taxiing time and waiting for departure.<br /><br />I liked to think of it as working together with the crew. Some days, my company would make mistakes and cause a delay, other times the crew would be late to the aircraft and cause delays. In either case, we'd both be chewed by our managers and the airline itself. As such, some days we would help cover them and in turn they'd have cover up our mistakes the next day. Similarly, if an aircraft was late on stand and we already anticipated it becoming chaos and not achieving the min turn time, we could start cheating early and round-up the onblocks time a few minutes to buy us some extra time.<br /><br />Unprofessional? Perhaps. But for the most part we can no longer do it. The latest craze with airlines is a computer reporting system known as ACARS, or Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System. The days of cheating time are over. It logs everything automatically and sends it back to Mother HQ before we even get our hands on the information. The touchdown time, onblocks time, offblocks etc are all detected and sent off via radio to HQ so we can't edit times anymore.<br /><br />It also logs the doors closed time on some aircraft. For if it was still late offblocks, we could have lied through our teeth smiling and said it was ready on time, but was delayed in moving off stand due to a magical reason that every dispatcher will have fallen back on at some stage in their career, Delay Code 89 - Restriction at departure aerodrome. This was generally another aircraft pushing back on an adjacent stand that prevented ours from moving. So the reality was there was some delay in the turnaround, the doors were closed late by a few minutes but we'd lie and say it was ready on time but Airline Y, the enemy, was pushing or arriving on an adjacent stand and thus we were off blocks late. But now with -ACARS, Airline X knows the doors were closed late, and won't accept our excuse! It's a case of there's no hiding anymore.<br /><br />I fear I may be shot for revealing such information. Many of you will have some sort of timing card for work that you swipe on arrival and when leaving work, and there is no way of cheating it. In days of old, it may have been a sign-in book where you had to write you're time, so you could cheat. Airlines have gone the same way, and now every minute is recorded. <br /><br />Any questions?Dispatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18143587383561774168noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898368070767082576.post-81096797156788078162011-01-23T19:16:00.001+00:002011-02-12T16:02:26.539+00:00Making a return?Hello to anyone who still actually checks this...<br /><br />To cut a long story short, with the way things were going in aviation I decided to take a career break shortly after my last post in August 2009. Since then I have done other things,went travelling, tried my hand at a few other things and now made a return to the industry.<br /><br />I checked my email account only recently and discovered e-mails from readers asking for me to keep it going and start re-posting, so having given it some thought, I think I shall try and get back int it.<br /><br />So with any luck I'll have a few posts on the way soon. Anyone any questions for suggestions for topics?<br /><br /><br />A belated Happy New Year to you all<br />DispatcherDispatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18143587383561774168noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898368070767082576.post-22453714704358077872009-08-11T16:13:00.003+01:002009-08-11T16:43:00.290+01:00The Paper TrailThe busiest parts of the summer are already over, and things have quietened down into a more acceptable pace.<br /><br />I had always planned to do a short post about some of the paperwork involved with each flight from my side of the operation, but now seems the perfect time since Kent Wein has just made a posting about it here; <a href="http://www.gadling.com/2009/08/05/cockpit-chronicles-paper-makes-an-airplane-fly/" rel="bookmark">Cockpit Chronicles: Paper makes an airplane fly</a> and Captain Dave's quote at the minute is Donald Douglas,' "When the weight of the paper equals the weight of the airplane, only then can you go flying."<br /><br />There are various bits of paperwork I have to complete before each flight can depart, some are for my company's use, some are for the airlines' uses and others are legally required documents for each flight. A lot of this is printed on dot matrix printers and telex rolls.<br /><br />Let's start by talking about the movies, you know the ones involving aviation and it pains you to watch because of the absurdity of it all. Anyway, how many times have you noticed the cabin manager/purser consult the passenger manifest looking for a doctor onboard, or a pilot, of a marshall etc? In my experience, I have never seen any passenger manfiest give anything more than a passengers name, sex and seat allocation and maybe some other supplementary information if they have a medical condition or vegetarian etc. I have never seen anything relating to their occupation or qualifactions. Yet.<br /><br />When everyone is checked in for a flight, the passenger manfiest or list is printed out, usually on two or three ply carbonated paper. I generally retain one copy to keep with my paperwork,and the rest is handed to the cabin manager for their information and is also possibly required at the destination depending on customs and immigration.<br /><br />With a widebody flight and maybe 300 passengers, this list can end up being around 5 to 6ft in length so its always a challenge trying to fold up it up into some sort of tidy format that the crew can make sense of. Though imagine trying to do this outside in the wind and rain when you're in a rush, and it quickly becomes a ball of mushy paper.<br /><br />I've previously talked about the loading of aircraft and how they have to be loaded in specific ways to ensure they remain within safe operating limits. We get this information from a Loading Instruction, another piece of paper specific to each flight that tells us where to load the bags and cargo on each aircraft. It's one of the legally required documents, and has to be signed by the loading agent and kept to, and any deviations from it have to be noted.<br /><br />This leads onto the next piece of legally required paperwork that the pilots require, detailing the weight and balance of the aircraft. It contains information about the weight of the cargo and bags, hows it's distributed in the holds together with a breakdown of the passengers' weight and distribution, and the aircrafts' operating weights and how it trims. The captain of the aicraft has to sign a copy of it to accept it, and a copy is retained on the ground in our records. Different airlines call this piece different names, and each have their own variation on what's required depending on the aircraft type.<br /><br />Other pieces of paperwork I have to fill out relate to the bags and cargo being carried onboard the aircraft, and that it has been screened and accepted for carriage according to government regulations and then the airlines' regulations. I also have paperwork that has to filled out during the turnaround that later helps determine what caused the delay if any.<br /><br />The crew will also pass me pieces of paperwork that they are required to complete, such as security forms, crew names or customs paperwork for incoming cargo or passengers. All of it has to be kept and compiled together to be kept on record for a length of time that escapes me right now, but generally it lies undisturbed for many many months in dark bunkers...Dispatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18143587383561774168noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898368070767082576.post-62092452517745765572009-07-09T12:35:00.007+01:002009-07-09T13:41:10.480+01:00Slot CityI'm on the 4th of 6 early starts. Each day I'm awoken from a deeper sleep by the alarm clock at o'dark hundred and each day the disappointment gets greater and greater as I realise I am actually working, rather than forgetting to turn the alarm clock off or it being a bad dream.<br /><br />It's a case of dejá vu each morning, the quiet roads on the way to work, the same aircraft sitting awaiting departure each morning, and equally unfortunate bleary eyed crews turning up and exchanging sympathies about how many earlies we're doing. Greeting most pilots in the morning, after the usual mutual moaning of fatigue the next question is always 'Is there any slot?'<br /><br />Early morning is a busy time for both airports and the airspace around them. With a wave of departures all wanting to leave at the same time and follow the same pieces of airspace to the same destination, or destinations close by, their flow has to be regulated. That's where the black art of slots come into play in Europe.<br /><br />I don't work in flight planning ops or air traffic, so the following simplified explanation will probably leave some banging their head and comparing me to an uninformed journalist trying to report on some minor aviation incident, but alas, I'll have a go.<br /><br />Each flightplan filed in Europe goes through a computer known as CFMU, or Central Flow Management Unit. I imagine it as a massive super computer stored in a darkened room with it's own micro-climate, with many operatives nurturing it and keeping it happy. In return, it will crunch many numbers and try and attain the most efficient use of airspace around Europe, keeping things moving and preventing bottlenecks at busy spots. To attain this regulated flow, it devises a time for each aircraft to depart/arrive/pass overhead a point, and this results in a Calculated Take Off Time, or CTOT. Since modern flight planning is so precise, sectors of many hours can usually be accurate to a minute or so easily, it churns out a CTOT for a flight so that it should progress smoothly.<br /><br />This CTOT, or slot as it's commonly referred to, is the time the aircraft should be taking off at. This puts added pressure on everyone, if the slot is missed it could be a long time before the flight gets another one. Although the CTOT is an actual time, there is a discretion of -5 to +10 minutes that provides a window that the aircraft can depart in. However, it's to be used only by the local Air traffic controllers, to allow them to work the aircraft into the flow of traffic on the ground, since it won't always be possible to have it at the runway at that exact time. For us the ground crew, we're working to get the aircraft off stand 10, 15 or 20 minutes before the CTOT, depending on the ramp traffic and taxi time.<br /><br />So on any early morning, it's not unsual to have most of the departures having slots. This messes up the usual order of departures we would be expecting, as a flight due to depart at 0630 may have a slot of 0720, but a flight due to depart at 0635 may have a slot of 0642. It's also not unsual to have a slot that results in the aircraft having to depart the gate early in order to make it. Slots often tend to change as well, as the traffic flow changes. In the space of the hour leading up to departure, it can be common to have the slot to change three or four times, jumping forward or even backwards.<br /><br /><br />Finally getting around to taking a picture now and again, without giving too much away about where I work. Below is one I took recently, the panel located on the back of the nose gear strut of a 767. You can see some of the buttons I talked about in a <a href="http://dispatchersdiaries.blogspot.com/2008/11/secret-conversation.html">post</a> last year when discussing the headset conversation. Don't be tempted to push the large red or black button...unless you really need to! You'll just create endless amounts of paperwork for yourself, and a no tea and biscuits meeting with the manager.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8fG9O7-PjGU0t24Nm-2d_qsXBaAenNN3XkYZwxG2C3WCfMigFuJwStntcqrOGkyM1U9lvMcJMxUiNow5KKNH757ofEMs28HO1asZ7vIF97xXskzTKb_OIs8ZzTpfIZsrPfjNJ6imE_8Dy/s1600-h/767nosegear.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 230px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8fG9O7-PjGU0t24Nm-2d_qsXBaAenNN3XkYZwxG2C3WCfMigFuJwStntcqrOGkyM1U9lvMcJMxUiNow5KKNH757ofEMs28HO1asZ7vIF97xXskzTKb_OIs8ZzTpfIZsrPfjNJ6imE_8Dy/s320/767nosegear.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356439497193600642" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />The headset lead plugs into the jack on the bottom left, titled Flight Interphone. The wheel well light switch controls a light inside the wheel well so it can be easily inspected, and the switches relate to the APU, so that it can be shut down and the fire bottle discharged should anything happen.<br /><br />2 earlies to go...then some proper sleep!Dispatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18143587383561774168noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898368070767082576.post-53661504542004613782009-06-12T16:34:00.004+01:002009-06-12T20:18:24.140+01:00SITA Message Examples explained...So despite the cryptic code, a few of you were able to decipher the bulk of the message which is more than I could do when I first started. Here's a quick explanation of the message examples I posted.<br /><br />Starting with the departure message:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">MVT</span></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />RAT0123/09.ECENZ.IST</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />AD1245/1253 EA 1559<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">DUS</span></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />PX323<br /><br /></span>It's a Movement (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">MVT</span>) message for flight number RAT0123 on the 9<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">th</span> of the month, aircraft registration EC-ENC, departing <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">IST</span> or Istanbul. The flight departed, as in off-blocks time or push back from the gate) at 1245z, and was airborne 8 minutes later at 1253z. It's estimated arrival time in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">DUS</span>, Dusseldorf is 1559z, and it has 323 <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">passengers</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">on board</span>.<br /><br />The arrival message is pretty similar:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">MVT</span></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />RAT0123/12.ECENZ.IST</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />AA1340/1354</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />SI NIL</span><br /><br />It's a movement for RAT0123 again, for the 12<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">th</span> of the month, aircraft EC-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">ENZ</span> arriving at Istanbul. It touched down on the runway at 1340z, and was <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">on blocks</span> at 1354z. The SI section is for supplementary information. We might use it to explain there were no stands available upon arrival if there is a large interval between touch down time and on blocks time.<br /><br /><br />The Load message:<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">LDM</span></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />RAT0123/09.ECENZ.Y323.3/8</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />-DUS.161/119/43/19.T.9335.2/2105.4/5330 5/1900 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">PAX</span></span>/323 B/8775 C/1450</span><br /><br />It's a Load/Distribution message for RAT0123 on 9<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">th</span> month, aircraft again EC-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">ENZ</span>, with a seating configuration of 323Y, Y denoting economy class. 3/8 is the crew configuration, 3 flight deck member and 8 cabin crew.<br /><br />Destined for Dusseldorf, there are 161 males, 119 females, 43 children and 19 infants (yikes!) Some airlines rather than using males, females, children and infants will instead using adults, children and infants, in which case it would read -DUS.280/43/19.<br /><br />In the holds, there is a total of 9335kg of cargo and bags.<br />In hold 2, there is 2105kg,<br />In hold 4, there is 5330kg<br />In hold 5, there is 1900kg<br />There are 323 passengers <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">on board</span>, and of the total load in the holds, 8775kg of it is baggage, denoted by the B/8775, and the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">remaining</span> 1450kg is Cargo, denoted by the C.<br />If it were a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">multi stop</span> flight, say continuing on to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Heathrow</span>, it would have another line beginning -<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">LHR</span> with similar information on the load destined for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Heathrow</span>.<br /><br /><br />Finally, the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">CPM</span>.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">CPM</span></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />RAT0123/02.ECENZ.31904H01</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />-11L/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">PKC</span></span>/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">IST</span></span>/630/C</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />-12L/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">AKH</span></span>/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">IST</span></span>/600/C</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />-41L/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">AKH</span></span>/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">IST</span></span>/620/C</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />-42L/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">AKH</span></span>/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">IST</span></span>/583/BC/BY0</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />-43L/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">DZH</span></span>/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">IST</span></span>/96/E/BY</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />-5/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">IST</span></span>/50/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">BY</span></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">SI - TWO BABY-STROLLERS IN <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">CPT</span></span> 5<br /></span><br />The anonymous reply to the first post mentioned when reading <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">CPMs</span>, they picture it as an aircraft, which is a good idea to help understand it. By now you'll probably now it's a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">CPM</span> message for RAT0123 on 2<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">nd</span> of the month, aircraft <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">ECENZ</span>. The 31904H01<br />part I'm not actually sure about, usually it mentions an aircraft type but I'm not <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">familiar</span> with these numbers. Any of my readers able to educate me?<br /><br />Referring back to one of my old posts about <a href="http://dispatchersdiaries.blogspot.com/2008/11/heavy-play.html"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_41">widebody</span> aircraft and their loading, </a> that will explain the hold positions mentioned in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_42">CPM</span> of 11L and container types such as <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_43">AKE</span> and ALF.<br /><br />The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_44">CPM</span> simply describes what is located in each position in the hold, a bit like a more detailed <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_45">LDM</span>. So for the example, in position 11L, there is a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_46">ULD</span> container, type <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_47">PKC</span>, destined for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_48">IST</span> weighing 630<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_49">kgs</span> and contained Cargo. <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_50">Similarly</span>, in 12L and 41L there two <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_51">AKH</span> type containers for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_52">IST</span> containing 600 and 620<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_53">kgs</span> of cargo respectively. In 42L, there is another <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_54">AKH</span> container with 583kg of club class or business class baggage, denoted by the BC, and no economy baggage denoted by the BY0.<br /><br />In most aircraft I have <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_55">dealt</span> with, if they have a hold 5 it tends to be a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_56">smaller</span> bulk hold in the tail of the aircraft where crew bags will go or last minute gate items. In this case, there is 50kg of economy baggage, and the SI section explains that it is two baby strollers/prams/buggies, call it what you will, or I prefer <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_57">dpierce's</span> explanation of "<span style="font-style: italic;">a duo of infant conveyances may be discovered in the fifth of the aircraft's various and sundry compartments.</span>"<br /><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>I'm not sure whether part of the CPM got lost in the formatting while posting, or whether the example just didn't have it, but it should have twice as many lines or at least be twice as 'wide,' listing the contents of the right hand positions in the aircraft, so 11R, 12R etc.<br /><br />The more you work with these messages the quicker you become at reading them. On a busy day in work, messages like these will be pouring out of a telex printer constantly together with other types of messages. As such, unless you keep up with it you'll find yourself with 30 ft of paper to go through looking for the information you need and checking you haven't missed anything!<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br /></span>Dispatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18143587383561774168noreply@blogger.com39tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898368070767082576.post-83423014185608587792009-06-09T21:03:00.006+01:002009-06-12T20:18:01.432+01:00SITA Message ExamplesAfter my last post, Wayne asked just how cryptic the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">SITA</span> operational messages we use are, so here are a few examples of each type. I ended up finding these examples in a few online manuals after some googling as opposed using some from my own place of work, that would only give away my anonymity!<br /><br />Starting with a departure message:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">MVT</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />RAT0123/09.ECENZ.IST</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />AD1245/1253 EA 1559<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">DUS</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />PX323</span><br /><br />An arrival message:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">MVT</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />RAT0123/12.ECENZ.IST</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />AA1340/1354</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />SI NIL</span><br /><br />A Load Distribution Message:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">LDM</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />RAT0123/09.ECENZ.Y323.3/8</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />-DUS.161/119/43/19.T.9335.2/2105.4/5330 5/1900 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">PAX</span>/323 B/8775 C/1450</span><br /><br /><br />And finally, a Container/Pallet message:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">CPM</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />RAT0123/02.ECENZ.31904H01</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />-11L/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">PKC</span>/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">IST</span>/630/C</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />-12L/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">AKH</span>/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">IST</span>/600/C</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />-41L/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">AKH</span>/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">IST</span>/620/C</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />-42L/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">AKH</span>/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">IST</span>/583/BC/BY0</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />-43L/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">DZH</span>/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">IST</span>/96/E/BY</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />-5/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">IST</span>/50/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">BYSIT</span></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">SI - TWO BABY-STROLLERS IN <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">CPT</span> 5</span><br /><br />Have a go at trying to decipher them, I'll post a brief explanation in a day or two. As a hint, RAT0123 is the 'fictional' flight number and EC-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">ENZ</span> the registration of the aircraft, I haven't looked to see if it exists.Dispatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18143587383561774168noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898368070767082576.post-89593497620892423642009-05-30T20:06:00.003+01:002009-05-30T20:33:54.940+01:00Ops secret text messagingHere's a brief insight into the 'secret world' of airline operations and text messaging.<br /><br />Working for a company that represents and handles airlines at our station, we are obliged to send short text messages to the airlines operations department and other companies that may need to be notified updating them on the progress, or slow-gress of the flight.<br /><br />Consider a flight for example that departs from my station. Once airborne, we must send a message to the airline HQ as well as the handling company at the destination airport(s) notifying them of the aircraft's departure times, estimated arrival time at destination, and any other significant information such as passengers that require special assistance. The airline HQ receives these messages and it acts as a voiceless method of being able to track their aircraft in real time. Similarly, the workers at the destination airport now know an arrival time for the aircraft and can plan accordingly, so they are ready for its arrival. These types of messages are known as MoVemenT messages, or MVT messages. We send one for every flight we handle, using a specific (primative, but functional) network that we're all connected to.<br /><br />When the aircraft arrives downroute, the station will send a message back to us and also to the airline's ops department, detailing its touchdown time and on-blocks time. This lets both parties know that the aircraft has arrived safely. These messages are known as Arrival messages.<br /><br />There are endless other types of messages we use; some are just variations on the message and others are more specific to the loading of the flight. Load Distribution Messages, or LDM are sent in a similar manner. These messages explain how the aircraft has been loaded, such as how much cargo and baggage is onboard, and how its distributed within the holds. These are particularly necessary for multi-stop flights, so we know in advance where the cargo and bags that need offloaded at our station, are located in the holds.<br /><br />LDMs must be sent before the aircraft is due to arrive down route. Obviously it wouldn't be much use sending a LDM after the aircraft arrives, as we'd have already opened it up and started looking for our cargo and bags. In most instances, LDMs are sent automatically even before aircraft departure, once the flight has been finalised or closed.<br /><br />Another variation of a LDM is a CPM, or Container/Pallet distributon Message. These are more common with larger, widebody or cargo aircraft. It lists the positions of each ULD or pallet in the holds, together with what's loaded into it, such as cargo, baggage, crew bags or simply empty.<br /><br />All these messages are sent via a network called SITA, many will be aware of it or even use it and others will have at least heard of it. If you don't fit into either group, fear not, as you aren't missing out on much! Messages sent via SITA are charged for, and usually by the number of characters. As such, all the messages have a strict format of abbreviations and codes that look like random numbers and letters and mean very little to the untrained eye. They take time to get used to, but after that reading them becomes second nature. I can read MVTs, LDMs or CPMS much quicker than I can read some silly text message from a friend using 'txt sp8k.<br /><br />So there you have it, a quick insight into the voice-less exchange of information between many parties in the airline industry.Dispatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18143587383561774168noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898368070767082576.post-13225938281061587482009-05-03T00:30:00.000+01:002009-05-03T00:32:10.127+01:00Too late for check-in?Fear not, Dispatcher is alive and well. I took some time off work to pursue other projects, and also to recharge my batteries before the summer season kicks in, I can almost smell it now. The stress, the sweat, the jet fuel, the passengers trying to smoke on the ramp, the arguments... As I expected, nothing has changed in the time I have been away. The crew still look the same, there were no A380 diversions and 787s still haven't appeared. None the less, I have missed it, and I'm grateful for being able to say such a thing. I like to get a vacation as much as the next guy but work is fun and it's good to get back. Now to the more serious issue of blogging!<br /><br />Following on from a previous post about information sometimes lacking when it comes to delays, and how passengers can feel out of the information loop, I thought I might also cover another scenario in order to inform what is actually going on.<br /><br />It's common knowledge that check-in closes at a particular time depending on the flight and airline. Some flights may close at STD - 40mins, -30mins, -20mins etc and with good reason. By closing check-in at a suitable time, it should provide enough time for the passengers to pass through the airport to the appropriate gate, maybe even taking in the shops on the way. But behind the scenes it also allows their bags to be screened by security, transported and loaded onto the aircraft in time, and for the paperwork such as passenger manifests and weight and balance sheets to be completed in ample time before departure.<br /><br />Sometimes this check-in closure time can be a bit more flexible, and we can extend it in some circumstances. If flights are running late, we can often allow passengers to check-in at a time after check-in should have closed, should they have been held up. Because the flight is late, we still deem there to be sufficient time for you to make it to the aircraft without causing any further delay. Unfortunately, due to Murphy's Law the chances are that when you're running late and need to make that flight for an important meeting or family reunion, that we're unable to accommodate you. I'm afraid it's not us being awkward or spiteful, but luck isn't on your side today and we don't feel we could get you on the flight without delaying it.<br /><br />If a passenger turns up late, pleading to get on the flight we'll do our best to help. The staff will phone or radio through to myself or someone else aircraft side to check on the progress, and whether it's too late to accept the passenger for the flight or not. Rest assured, we do have a heart and a conscience so won't automatically say no each time, however, we do have get the aircraft away on time.<br /><br />If you have baggage to check it, there's a high chance we'll refuse. It only takes a few seconds to place a bag in the hold, but first it has to pass through the network of conveyor belts behind check-in, be screened by security and find it's way into the baggage make-up area. From there, it has to be transported by the ramp guys to the aircraft and loaded. If the holds are already closed, that would mean re-opening them, placing loading equipment back at the aircraft to get it on board, all costing valuable time.<br /><br />We'd also have to wait for you to be make your way from the check-in area, through security to the gate areas. Assuming the usual queues at security, and the size of airports, it's almost certainly going to take you more than a few minutes. Remember, we usually assume it'll take you around 20 minutes to 'drift' through to the gate area.<br /><br />The paperwork regarding the aircraft weight and balance has probably already been completed. If another person is travelling, it will have to be amended. It can be easily changed, but has to be accurate. Most weight and balance sheets I use have a small section entitled 'LMC' for Last Minute Changes. It's used for late off or on-loading of cargo and passengers. For larger aircraft, an extra 76kg for a passenger won't make much of a difference, but for smaller aircraft that are more trim sensitive, it can present a headache. It also starts to look messy as you amend it to onload an extra passenger and bag which then fail to turn up at the aircraft in time and have to be taken off again.<br /><br />Hopefully that provides a little insight to why sometimes we can and sometimes we cannot accept you after the usual cut-off point.Dispatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18143587383561774168noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898368070767082576.post-74015906730953050612009-04-25T20:43:00.001+01:002009-04-25T20:45:17.746+01:00The Dispatcher has returned...almostSorry, sorry... I have taken sometime off work in order to pursue other life projects and recharge my batteries before summer kicks in.<br /><br />I'm in the middle of writing a post that I should hopefully get blogged this week.Dispatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18143587383561774168noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898368070767082576.post-76312923108239021412009-03-13T21:25:00.003+00:002009-03-13T23:30:12.824+00:00Next Information at...We've all been there I'm sure, sat at the gate with one/two/three hundred other passengers, as the flight information screen shows your flight as <span style="font-weight: bold;">Delayed </span>or <span style="font-weight: bold;">Next Information at</span>... The staff at the desk are being berated by your fellow angry passengers demanding to know what the problem is and when they are eventually going to depart. The staff unfortunately don't have any answers which only further fuels the passengers' frustration. Are they just being lazy and unprofessional, do they have really bad news they're too scared to tell you, or do they actually know as much as you do?<br /><br />I've been on both sides of the fence, experiencing the frustration as a passenger without information about delays, and also as the staff member being at the forefront, being bombarded by a mass of angry passengers. Not a pleasant experience, and so I'd like to explain it from our side of the fence so hopefully you better understand next time it happens.<br /><br />Depending on which airport you're at and which airline you're trying to fly with, the staff may be employees of another company contracted to represent the airline at that airport. I don't think many passengers actually realise this, that for the most part unless your flying from an airline's hub or one of its larger out stations, chances are all the staff you encounter are employed by a separate company (hence the different uniforms.) They are there to look after you from check-in to departure, and unfortunately all the delays in between.<br /><br />I work for such a company, contracted by airlines to represent them. I'm not a direct employee of an airline, I wear a uniform that is non-representative of any airline, just my own company. Some of my colleagues do have airline branded uniforms, as they'll tend to work specifically representing that airline in my company. But none the less, they work for a separate company. As such, we aren't always fully aware of what is happening at the airline with regards to delays and cancellations, until the airline decides and then tells us.<br /><br />We are generally at the mercy of each airlines' operations department in receiving information. These departments lie concealed in darkened rooms, deep in armoured bunkers, filled with computers, marker boards and phones. They are never seen by the public, or even by me, and are staffed by a magical workforce of busy bodies keeping an airline running. Or so I like to think so, given the impression I get when on the phone with them. They're job is on a different stress scale than mine, I can only deal with one aircraft at a time, they're looking after a whole fleet.<br /><br />So when a flight has a technical problem on the ground, even though I may be standing aircraft side fully aware of what the problem is, talking with the engineers and the captain, I can't always pass that information on to my colleagues to tell the passengers. I am all for giving the passengers all the information I know, but I can't or I'll be slapped on the wrists by the airline's ops department. In these times of small profit margins, and stringent compensation rules, airlines are reluctant to pay out compensation in the form of food vouchers, hotel rooms or refunds. As such, information that is passed onto the passengers is considered carefully, and isn't always available immediately, especially to us as a third party.<br /><br />Technical problems take time to diagnose and then fix, and it's unwise to estimate the time involved as it'll likely be wrong by a factor of three. Operational problems such as crewing or aircraft rotation issues, constraints with enroute ATC or destination, poor weather, local airport restrictions etc happen regularly but every case is unique and as such a different solution is required. The first solution isn't always the best, so the most efficient (and safest, if that comes into the question) has to be found, but it takes time. So your sitting in the lounge, you can even see your aircraft sitting outside the window, but all you know is it's been delayed. Rest assured that the folk behind the scenes are working on a solution, but until they come up with one, there's no point in giving you infomation that will most definitely be inaccurate.<br /><br />Believe me when I say, if each time there was a serious delay I could hotel the passengers for the day, I would. 200 tired, angry and frustrated people hanging around in your airport lounge tends to prevent your day running smoothly. But we can only start to organise hotels and accommodate passengers when we are authorised to do so by the airline. Getting them to do this is generally akin to getting blood from a stone. <a href="http://www.gadling.com/2009/01/05/cockpit-chronicles-anatomy-of-a-26-hour-delay/">Kent Wein</a> did an interesting post a few weeks ago about a 26 hour delay on one his flights, and makes interesting reading telling the story from the crew's point of view.<br /><br />For any airline ops people reading, I am not attacking your hard work, and I realise that many of the decisions regarding what eventually happens are made by folk above you, rather than those who keep the whole operation ticking. But hopefully you can sympathise with the situation faced my end, with my colleagues on the front line left dealing with the passengers.<br /><br />Anyway, I hope that gives you some insight to where the problems lie and why there is sometimes a lack of information. As Captain Dave would say, <span style="font-style: italic;">life on the line continues</span>...<br /><br />Well in my case, life on the ramp continues...Dispatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18143587383561774168noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898368070767082576.post-75005441774020467542009-02-21T22:43:00.003+00:002009-02-25T23:35:58.206+00:00Summer's coming...Yikes, I didn't realise it had been THAT long since my last post. I'm still thoroughly de-thawing after the deepest darkest winter months, which have now passed for another year. Scarily though, it's almost the end of February already.<br /><br />Work hasn't been that interesting lately. The height of excitement has been watching for clear weather and possible sightings of the International Space Station passing over head. Sad I know, but times are quiet and excitement is hard to fall upon recently. There is only so much youtubing, photocopying and tidying that can be done to pass the time. My bookmarks in Firefox have never looked so tidy and my e-mail is sorted into more folders than ever before. I shouldn't complain though, for in another few months free time will become rare and every shift will be near non-stop work, aircraft after aircraft.<br /><br />The summer schedule is slowly being pieced together as we find out what movements will be happening and when. The airlines have already known their summer schedule and had it on sale for many months, but we rarely get the final details of it until nearer the time other than our own deduction from airline websites.<br /><br />There's always a glimmer of hope there will be a new interesting airline or aircraft type to handle, or interesting new schedules but unfortunately year after year it tends to be the same aircraft running almost to the same schedules as previous years, even with the same flight numbers. The faces of visiting crew during last summer will probably once again become familiar, and as such it's always a good idea never to fall out with anyone on bad terms. The aviation industry employs millions, but when you make enemies, it becomes a very, very, small community in my experience. Friends come and go, but enemies accumulate! Remember that.<br /><br />Most scheduled airlines switch between their winter and summer timetables as the time change occurs to summer time. So come Sunday, 29th March, things should at least start picking up in the right direction and by the end of May most airlines' summer timetables will be in full operation, giving me something to do!<br /><br />Perhaps I'm a bit premature in thinking about the summer in such depth already. I know in the months ahead there will be many endless days filled with sweat and running about, regular stress, disagreements and quarrelling, almost insurmountable problems to overcome, missing passengers, drunk or disruptive passengers, an infinite number of minimum ground time turnarounds... etc etc. But hey, it's part of the job and it can be a hell of a lot fun on good days.<br /><br />In any other job I've had, thinking about all the possible problems that could occur filled me with dread and a resultant great reluctance to turn up. In this job, I see them as challenges that need to be overcome. I'm looking forward to being able to see how I can use the experience I picked up last summer and during the winter helps me deal with another busy period and the problems it presents.<br /><br />So bring it on! No doubt I'll live to regret saying that on somedays and return home tired, fustrated and emotionally wrecked, but you have to take the bad days among the good. And like I say, it beats a normal job!Dispatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18143587383561774168noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898368070767082576.post-77929930532203742452009-01-24T22:02:00.005+00:002009-01-24T23:37:24.668+00:00Sometimes it goes like clockwork,Sometimes a turnaround or the first departure of an aircraft runs like clockwork, or even better. Catering, fuelling, cleaning and maintenance are all completed well ahead of departure, the crew turn up at the correct time and 200 happy people arrive at the gate and board the aircraft in time for departure. These types of days are rare, but an absolute gift when they fall upon you. There's no way of working out when they will happen, they're governed by Murphy's Law rather than weather patterns or how far away it is from payday.<br /><br />When things run smoothly, my job is one of the easiest in the world and it's great to be able to almost sit back and enjoy the ride, and be thankful for having such a cool job. You'll see me buzzing around the ramp with a spring in my step. You could set the whole day to a piece of rock music producing a cool video like Kent <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Wein</span></span> did last year on his Paris trip. More commonly though, things goes wrong one after the other and you're left with a giant jig saw puzzle with pieces that are refusing to fit together and you have to work around them. Yesterday, was one of these days.<br /><br />STD -50. I arrive at the aircraft 10 minutes later than I like, as my previous flight was running late. As I race up the steps to the front of the cabin, I'm greeted by a puddle of water covering the floor in the forward galley. Either someone has spilled an awful lot of tea or <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">something's</span></span> leaking. Questioning the crew, I find it's the latter, the forward lavatory. I hear your screams of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">eughhhh</span></span> and disgust, and echo them as I'm already standing in the said puddle of leakage in my recently polished shoes. Apparently engineering had been working through the night to fix it, and had it under control. But when the crew turned up they found it leaking again and covering the galley floor.<br /><br />STD-40 The engineer returns to work on the toilet, and eventually manages to cut off the supply to the lavatory, to stop it leaking. Excellent, I hope it holds out but meanwhile there's still several millimetres of water covering the floor. The purser will not allow passengers to board through it, for one it looks unprofessional and smells, they'll tramp it into the carpet down the aisle, and they might even slip on it. I've already called the cleaners to get them to come up and mop it up but as of yet none have turned up.<br /><br />STD -25 The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">fueller</span></span> still hasn't arrived. Now I'm getting worried, they are usually some of the most reliable services and turn up well in advance but this morning they're adding to my stress. I call them again requesting them to come and pump 13,000kg of their finest Jet A1 into the thirsty tanks. If they're not here soon, it will delay the aircraft. I'm not sure of the exact flow rates, I'm sure it depends on which truck they're using but as a rough guide I think it's around 800kg per minute.<br /><br />The cleaner arrives at the aircraft to get rid of the toilet water, but there's been a breakdown in communication somewhere between my phone call and them being told to come here. They turn up, without mop only to have to disappear again to find a mop. Now would be a good time to take up smoking to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">de</span></span>-stress, but not on the ramp!<br /><br />STD -20 Time is running out. If boarding doesn't start soon the flight is going to be late. I talk with the pursuer and we come to a compromise to start boarding via the rear only. Not ideal, and with it comes more problems in worrying about the aircraft tipping. I check with the captain if she's happy for it to happen, if I filter the passengers in the forward rows on first. She agrees, on that condition.<br /><br />Q me, standing on the ramp trying to explain to passengers that those sitting in the forward rows should proceed on board via the rear steps and the rest should wait a few minutes. In the corner of my eye I spot a fuel <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">bowser</span></span> pull up under the opposite wing, one less thing to worry about. The cleaner arrives back and begins mopping up the water. Not a moment too soon, it's cleared and the crew allow boarding via the front steps.<br /><br />STD - 4 The last of the passengers ascend the steps. I signal to the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">rampers</span></span> to close up the holds and take away the back steps. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">fueller</span></span> is just finishing and I see the hose disconnect. I follow the last passenger up the steps into the cabin and inform the purser all are on board. In the flight deck the engineer is still in discussion with the captain, and the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">fueller</span></span> enters to exchange the paperwork. 5 men in an A320 flight deck is a tight squeeze and resembles some scenes from the movie <span style="font-style: italic;">Airplane! </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.northwestfrequentflyer.com/media/blogs/nwatravel/Airplane.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 354px; height: 200px;" src="http://www.northwestfrequentflyer.com/media/blogs/nwatravel/Airplane.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />A few minutes later I'm on the headset and about to push back. I overhear the crew exchanging comments about the strange smell in the cockpit, caused by the disinfectant contained in the toilet water. The brakes are released, the wheels start to roll and the off-blocks time is noted as on time, only just.<br /><br />Looking back through the post, it's hard to convey the stress I was having at the time. Driving for an on time departure is paramount <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">every turnaround</span>, after safety of course. I'm the one tasked with making the decisions to achieve the on time departure, and if it doesn't happen, I have to be able to say what the problem was and why it couldn't be worked around. We take pride in being able to make things work even in the most difficult situations, but it's not always possible. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Some days</span> it can be a fun challenge, others it appears more like an insurmountable one and everything starts to wrong, you just have to go with the flow and manage it as best you can.Dispatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18143587383561774168noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898368070767082576.post-56434802745869707472009-01-17T22:48:00.003+00:002009-01-17T23:30:14.438+00:00De-icing timeApologies, I got lost in the fog of life recently and haven't had the time to write anything. Work continues to be quiet after the holidays have subsided, and I've been managing to get other things done in life with the time off I have.<br /><br />I was doing well this winter to avoid the messy business of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">de</span>-icing, but my luck ran dry shortly after Christmas and I ended up with more than my fair share. I started off in the business as a seasonal worker, covering the busier times of year during the summer and so managed to avoid anything to do with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">de</span>-icing for a long time in the job. As such, it's not one of my areas of expertise so I can't give you a short lesson on it, other than the basics I know and the mess it causes for us.<br /><br />There are a few different types of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">de</span>-icing fluid that range in the time they remain effective for before <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">de</span>-icing would be required again. The Type II fluid we use I'm told is little more than a more expensively priced version of sugar and water, and is sticky stuff. After being applied to the wings it tail, it drips off onto the ramp forming puddles. I end up walking through it while doing my job, my trousers get covered in it, my headset gets covered in it, and I end up back in the office feeling somewhat like a school glue stick.<br /><br />Those of you who follow <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Flightlevel</span>390.com will have seen Capt Dave's recent two posts on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">de</span>-icing at JFK, and the specially built 'house' for it. At my lesser equipped airport, we have no such facility and the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">de</span>-icing is carried out on the apron where the aircraft park.<br /><br />A fancy cherry-picker type truck drives around the aircraft. One ramp guy is in the basket of the cherry-picker with the nozzle, directing it at the required areas, while a driver in the truck moves around the aircraft as necessary. The two of them communicate via an intercom system in a 10-4 Rubber duck type lingo similar to that in the 1970s film, <span style="font-style: italic;">Convoy</span>. Or so I like to imagine anyway.<br /><br />The fluid is heated before being sprayed on, to around 80 degrees Celsius. It can be used at lower temperatures but is most effective around 80. It's heated within the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">de</span>-icing rig, and can take about 10 minutes to heat up. The rig then moves <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">around</span> the aircraft to allow a good position to spray the required surfaces. De-icing usually takes about 10-15 minutes, depending on what areas need <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">de</span>-icing and the size of the aircraft.<br /><br />A gauge in the truck records the amount of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">de</span>-icing fluid used for each aircraft, and this is used to work out the billing for the airlines. Some typical values are around 200 litres to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">de</span>-ice the wings and tail of a 737 or A320 sized aircraft.<br /><br />It's a surreal image standing freezing on the ramp watching an aircraft get <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">de</span>-iced. In the darkness of early morning you watch the steam rise from the aircraft as the heated <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">de</span>-icing fluid hits the wings and tail. The sight always reminds of giving my dog a wash, while scratching behind his ears to keep him happy.<br /><br />Thankfully, in my climate, we don't get the more extreme cold temperatures that New York get and so the fluid tends to last unless it's <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">significantly</span> colder than usual or it's snowing/raining. I can only remember a select few occasions where aircraft have left the ramp for departure but had to return due to exceeding the hold-over time.<br /><br />It can lead to delays, which we always try best to avoid but sometimes just happen. We can't <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">de</span>-ice during boarding, unless the aircraft is on a jetty/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">airbridge</span>. Spraying 80 degree hot fluid over the tops of passengers would lead to around 150 law suits per flight, and that would put us out of business rather quickly. Instead, if it's 'warm' enough with no rain/snow, we can try and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">de</span>-ice before the passengers start to board. This means we need to get an early call from the crew to say they need <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">de</span>-icing, and what areas they want done. It might just be the wings and tail, it may be over most of the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">fuselage</span> too. If we can't find out early enough, it will have to wait until after boarding and the doors are closed.<br /><br />Don't let my ignorance of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">de</span>-icing worry you, the crew and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">de</span>-icing guys know much more about it than I do, in this situation I'm merely the messenger boy between crew and ramp guys. I'll stick to smaller tasks of trying to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">de</span>-ice my windshield when I return to the car after a cold shift.Dispatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18143587383561774168noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898368070767082576.post-24450139783535296092008-12-27T21:32:00.004+00:002008-12-29T01:08:52.536+00:00Back to the grindMy alarm goes of, it's o-dark hundred and still in that transitional period during the night where it goes from being very late in the night to ridiculously early in the morning. I am by no means an airline pilot living in hotels but when the alarm goes off at these silly times it takes me a few moments to get my bearings and realise what's happening.<br /><br />Up, shower, dress, raid the fridge for breakfast and get assaulted by the smell of various meats being kept from yesterday. The roads are emptier than usual this morning, in fact I'm certain the only other cars I see are airport workers or the passengers. As I pull into the staff car park though it's business as usual, we're all back to work.<br /><br />I arrive in the office to see which of my colleagues have drawn the short straw and are working this morning. Some would prefer to be at home but I don't mind. My three flights for this morning are spread across the shift and should go fine, should being the operative word.<br /><br />As I walk across the ramp, it's still littered with aircraft that have been sitting over the holiday but the eerie silence is long gone as trucks buzz around the apron and ground power units hum in the dark. I make it to my first aircraft and see loading is going well, the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">fueller</span> is finishing up and the crew are on board prepping the aircraft. Perhaps the morning shift will actually go well. I go and greet the crew, and find them in a surprisingly cheery mood. I say surprisingly, not because I stereotype them all to be grumpy, but suspected they might have been unhappy at spending the holiday down route away from family. However, they assure me they had a wonderful day though in the hotel.<br /><br />Everything goes smoothly and I even have time to stand around and have a chat with the crew over coffee. Before long, it's fully boarded, I collect my various bits of magical paperwork complete with the captain's autograph and then get cornered by the cabin crew when trying to exit, wanting to know if I'll look after them again when they pass through next week. I'm not sure if that means they like me or hate me so much as to want to avoid me dispatching them? Ah the wonders.<br /><br />Checks complete, headset on and ready to kick the tyres, bad news comes over the headset. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">ATC</span> has said there is a slot time of 50 minutes from now. Bad news indeed, for that messes up my morning. However, no sooner have the crew finished telling me about the slot than it is cancelled. Someone is toying with me this morning! The beacon light goes on, I signal the tug driver and we're off. We're the first aircraft movement of the day.<br /><br />I arrive at flight number 2 and notice my first aircraft blowing the dust and tumbleweed off the runway as it jets off into the dark sky. My next flight crew have definitely drawn short straws today, as they are having a line check by a training captain. He seems almost as apathetic as they do about it. I wonder what soul in the training department decided to schedule it for today. I quickly tell them what they need to know and disappear, the last thing they will want is me hassling them.<br /><br />The cabin crew on this flight I know, for they are based here and I see them on a regular basis so it's good to get caught up with each other. I can also rely on them to be ready when they should be, and so smooth as clockwork as they finish their security checks I have the first passengers arriving at the aircraft door to board. When it works as well as this you can almost guarantee the flight will be ready to depart early, and if they're lucky enough it will carry through out the day and they can get home earlier. It's a long shot in this business, but worth a try. I ruin their happiness though by explaining every seat will be full.<br /><br />The passengers start flooding out of the terminal towards the aircraft and I assume my position under the wing tip playing the Shepard again, trying to heard people out around the wing. I notice that when I tell people to walk out around the wing edge they look up at it, as if they don't believe me there is actually a wing there or maybe they have concerns it's going to fall off. I do feel slightly silly standing under the likes of an A330 wing making them walk the half mile <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">de</span>-tour around the edge of it, especially since it's 20-30ft off the ground, but rules are rules and I obey them to keep my boss happy and my job safe.<br /><br />As the last of the passengers turn up, I signal to the ramp guys to remove the back steps and close up the holds. With any luck, that's all the passengers through the gate and boarding the aircraft, with 20 minutes to go. A few seconds later I get word from the gate agent, all 180 passengers are accounted for, excellent.<br /><br />I join the back of the queue of passengers going up the steps, and several decades later it make it to the flight deck. I look intently at both crew members but can't see a bead of sweat on their foreheads yet, so things must be going <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">ok</span>. I collect the paperwork and make a quick escape before they ask me something I don't know. I push it back, a few minutes early and give a wave to the crew showing them they are clear to move off.<br /><br />My last flight is slightly different, it's purely cargo travelling on it. Someone else has already taken care of the load plan and loading of the cargo for me, so I have the easy task of finalising the paperwork and closing it up for departure. 5 minutes later, it's wheels start rolling backwards too. I enjoy doing cargo flights, it can be more challenging and satisfying dispatching them instead of passenger flights, plus the cargo always turns up on time unlike passengers.<br /><br />My 3 flights are away and looking at my watch I'm guessing most people still haven't even got out of bed yet. I walk back to the office, 324 are on their way to sunnier climates and 14 tonnes of freight, maybe even delayed Christmas presents, are on their way to be scattered across the continent. I'm content, and now in need of another breakfast!Dispatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18143587383561774168noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898368070767082576.post-3023417366117905792008-12-24T14:20:00.003+00:002008-12-24T14:43:02.474+00:00Christmas Eve<span style="font-style: italic;">Twas the night before Christmas, when all across the ramp,</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Not an aircraft was starting, nor evening </span>de<span style="font-style: italic;">-icing,</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The windsocks were still flapping, but no one to notice</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Except St Nicholas when he finally made it</span><br /><br />At the time of writing this, Santa has already started his busy schedule and has passed through Magadan, Vladivostok, Brisbane, Christchurch, Pago Pago... I hope he manages to achieve another record year for On-time performance (OTP) and that he isn't held up due to the weather.<br /><br />The last of our flights have arrived and are parking up for the day. Thankfully this year we have no flights on Christmas Day, so we can shut up until the morning of the 26th and return to work as normal, hopefully avoiding the usual Christmas conversation about how the day went. So the crews and I can hang up the Santa hats for another year, be thankful they don't have to wish another few hundred passengers happy Christmas and now get home in time for their own Christmas.<br /><br />Don't get me wrong, I am no Scrooge by any means but I have once again succumbed to the frustration of shopping and the empty shelves in all shops as everyone panic buys for the 24 hours the grocery store will be closed.<br /><br />As I walk across the ramp after my last flight, other flights are still arriving with full loads. I won't get the experience this year again of walking across an apron full of aircraft, all sitting in utter silence, no APUs running, not even any GPUs running, just the eerie silence interrupted by the clacking of engines as they windmill. A somewhat odd sight, like a ghost airport long abandoned.<br /><br />So Happy Holidays everyone, I'll have a nice warm lie in this Christmas please, Santa!Dispatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18143587383561774168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898368070767082576.post-71160764372543238572008-12-22T14:56:00.001+00:002008-12-22T14:58:44.505+00:00The easy shifts go wrongIt's a quiet evening in work and I only have two flights to dispatch, one is a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">day stopper</span> leaving at 1800 and the other is a turnaround arriving at 1810. In theory that should be perfect, dispatch one and have time to spare as I walk to the next aircraft for its arrival. However, it didn't turn out like that.<br /><br />I walk out to the aircraft an hour before departure to check how things are going. There are only five passengers booked for the flight, and already all five are checked-in and their suitcases are already loaded into rear the hold. The ramp guys can take it easy and wait inside in the warmth until we need the steps removed.<br /><br />As I walk around to the left hand side of the aircraft I see something that always worries me, the engineers have the engine cowlings open and are working away in the dark with head torches. I ask them what's wrong and whether it's going to delay the flight. The news is bad, they can't diagnose the origin of the problem so can't make an estimate on how long it will take to fix once they find it.<br /><br />The cabin crew are already <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">on board</span> prepping the cabin so I brief them about their busy passenger load and tell them to relax for a bit, as it doesn't look like the flight is going anywhere on time, but at least it isn't my fault.The flight crew arrive a few moments later, Starbucks coffee in hand, and speak with the engineers to see what's happening.<br /><br />I inform my colleague looking after the passengers of the problem and ask them to explain to the passengers the flight is delayed and we'll have more information in about 30 minutes. As all five are sitting at the gate already waiting to board, my colleague goes round and personally tells them face to face rather than over the address system. All of them, surprisingly, are in good spirits and I'm told none of them know each other but are all mingling and chatting away.<br /><br />Back at the aircraft, I've taken a seat in the cabin chatting with the crew while waiting to find out what the engineers find. We jokingly blame the last crew who brought the aircraft in for wrecking it. I enjoy these rare occasions where I get to chat with the crew while waiting on something that is out of my control, but soon I'm going to have to <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">abandon</span> them and head to my next aircraft. The only redeeming feature is that I remember reading about the International Space Station being due to pass overhead us this evening, and with the frosty cold and clear skies it should be a good view.<br /><br />Sure enough, at the time the website said I spot a light on the horizon speeding towards us. If I hadn't known what it was, it could easily been mistaken for an aircraft speeding overhead except for the lack of strobe lighting. It appears AS a bright dot moving overhead, still catching the sun's rays but we're in darkness on the ground. The captain appreciates the sight, but the rest of the crew aren't bothered by it and continue hiding inside from the cold.<br /><br />Murphy's law would suggest that as soon as my other aircraft arrives, this one will be fixed and ready to go, and Murphy's law was right. A few minutes before my other aircraft arrives, the engineers have nearly fixed the problem and say they'll need to do an idle engine run on stand to check everything is okay. The bad news is I can see my other aircraft rolling out on the runway, so it'll be on stand in a few minutes. Ensue- Dispatcher running madly across the ramp between non-adjacent stands to cover two aircraft. It wasn't suppose to happen like this, the night was so to be so quiet I'm the only dispatcher on shift. So the easy shift has now turned into trying to dispatch two flights simultaneously.<br /><br />Eventually I get rid of the first flight about an hour later than scheduled and as one puffed out dispatcher. Running with steal toe-caps, many layers and a clipboard isn't easy and the cold has sucked the life out of my lungs.<br /><br />Anyway, time for me to suit up and head to work for the rest of the day. I won't wish you happy holidays just yet, as I'm hoping to get another post in before Christmas Day to make up for the quiet few weeks lately.Dispatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18143587383561774168noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898368070767082576.post-83177138234286714252008-12-04T19:02:00.003+00:002008-12-04T19:34:03.950+00:00Dispatcher vs DispatcherNo no, it's not a post on me competing with my colleagues. After my last post Wayne asked about the road to becoming a dispatcher. There seems to be a lot of Americans and Canadians reading, and since I'm from Europe I should make clear that I am not a dispatcher in the sense you may be thinking.<br /><br />In Europe, or at least in my country, the term dispatcher is also used for a member of the ground crew who is tasked with oordinator the turn-around. I am a ramp dispatcher, also known as a turn-around coordinator, team leader or dispatch agent. There's probably more titles that I haven't come across and a few rude nicknames I don't want to come across. I'm sure I've been referred to use as 'Useless <insert>' some days.<br /><br />In N.America, my understanding is that when people refer to a Dispatcher, they are commonly referring to the Flight Dispatcher, a person who prepares the legal documents for a flight and tracks it throughout its journey. Any readers of <a href="http://flightlevel390.blogspot.com/">Flightlevel390</a> who are familiar with Capt Dave referring to 'mother' e-mailing them, he's referring to the dispatcher. These dispatchers are FAA licenced who have undergone much studying. I'm not sure of the exams they sit but they do have to go through certified courses to get there, and know much more about the technical aspect and legalities involved in a flight from A to B. My job involves looking after the aircraft on the ground at A, or indeed B. They'll be trying to get it to the destination as safely and efficiently as possibly, minimising delays, helping to flight plan it to avoid nasty weather, and providing the crew with the documents they need such as as the flight plan, weather information, and anything else. As far as I know they work in darkened rooms deep in underground bunkers...or in airline headquarters or operations department.<br /><br />I have nothing to do that more formal paperwork side of the flight. The only aircraft documents I do deal with are those related to any charges for ground handling, aircraft weight and balance and passenger manifests. My job is managing the turnaround aircraft side, working directly with the crew and my colleagues to get the airlines' passengers from check-in to an on time departure. I oversee loading, make sure things are happening as they should, the crew have what they need for the flight,<br /><br />My own training involved aviation weather, aircraft loading and principles of flight, turnaround management, load sheets, specific airline policies for ground handling, security and requirements, headset responsibilities, hand signals. I don't have to be licenced in the same way FAA dispatchers are, but I do have some legal responsibilities regarding the flight and its safety. I sit exams but the majority are set by my own company and a few airlines I work with, rather than an aviation governing body.<br /><br /><br />dpierce asked about split destination flights and how the bags are loaded.<br /><br />Generally, if it's loose loaded, i.e. the bags are not contained in metal bins, we'll try and keep the bags for different destinations in different holds. If I have a flight going from A to B and onto C, I'll try and keep bags being offloaded at B in one hold, and bags for destination C in another hold.<br />The holds are separated by nets that we attach to points in the hold, that prevent the cargo and bags from sliding during flight.<br /><br />If the bags have to be mixed to keep the aircraft in trim, unfortunately the ramp guys at the other side will just have to check them as the bags are offloaded. In most cases, it isn't too much hassle as the label attached at check-in will have the destination in large lettering so it can be identified and offloaded without having to check long tag numbers on each bag. If the flight is bin loaded, it's easier and we'll put bags for each destination in different bins so they can be offloaded at each destination.Dispatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18143587383561774168noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898368070767082576.post-22610958241886350202008-11-24T20:12:00.008+00:002008-11-28T17:43:29.197+00:00Heavy PlayFollowing on from my last post, Aviatrix has published two interesting posts about weight and balance on Cockpit Conversation <a href="http://airplanepilot.blogspot.com">http://airplanepilot.blogspot.com</a> . Have a look at those if you want to know a bit more.<br /><br />In my company, we do get wide body aircraft on a regular basis during the peak season. During the off-peak season we're in now, they are few and far between but we still get the odd ad-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">hoc</span> charter passing through our hands. I had the luck of the draw recently for an A330 passing through us, destined for shores more exotic than my own.<br /><br />The flight was a split-load with another airport, and positioned into us with passengers and cargo already on board going to the same destination. They remain on board the aircraft as my passengers join them and we load the holds with more bags and top up the fuel.<br /><br />The basics of loading a wide body are much the same as the smaller aircraft I discussed in my last post, in trying to balance the weight to get an ideal trim. But sometimes with wide body aircraft it can get a bit more complicated. On this particular A330, there are belly holds at the front and rear of the aircraft. Some versions of it also make use of the area between the wings.<br /><br />The flight is bin loaded, meaning that all the suitcases are in aluminium containers called Unit Load Devices (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">ULDs</span>). They come in various shapes and sizes to fit aircraft holds. For example, on A330s we can use <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">AKE</span> and ALF type bins, but on 767s we have to use <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">DPE</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">DQF</span> bits. The dimensions and shapes are different to allow them to fit snugly in the hold of each aircraft without wasting space.<br /><br />We're using <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">AKEs</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">ALFs</span> to load this flight. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">ALFs</span> are large containers that span across the belly hold from left to right, where as <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">AKEs</span> are half the size and you can fit two side by side in the aircraft. We load and count the bags into these bins, and then work out the gross weight of each.<br /><br />I have a plan view of the aircraft's holds, depicting the different locations we can load the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">ULDs</span> or cargo pallets. The diagram is marked with squares labelled 11L, 11R, 12L 12R, 13R <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">etC</span>. The first number is the hold number, and the second number is the row number for the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">ULD</span>, followed by L or R for which side of the aircraft. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Eg</span> 13R is Hold 1, row 3, on the right side of the aircraft. We can fit 1 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">AKE</span> in this position, or 1 ALF positioned across 13L and 13R. Cargo pallets are bigger yet again than <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">ALFs</span> and have their own divisions that span across the hold and over 2 rows. Their divisions are labelled 11P, 12P etc.<br /><br />The aircraft arrives at my airport carrying carrying bins and cargo pallets from it's first departure airport. The handling company there has placed all their cargo and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">ULDs</span> in the rear holds, and taken up all the available positions leaving me only the front hold to place my outbound <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">ULDs</span>. The ramp guys have managed to fit all our bags into 3 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">AKEs</span> and 1 ALF, and I also need to load some empty <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">AKEs</span> that are to travel to the destination at the request of the airline's <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">ULD</span> Stock Control people.<br /><br />A quick count reveals there are 14 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">AKE</span> positions in the front holds, or can be used as 3 pallet positions and 2 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">AKE</span> positions. The rear hold has room for 2 pallets or 6 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">AKEs</span>. I plan to put the ALF at the rear of the front hold, nearest the wings, with the loaded <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">AKEs</span> in front of this, followed by the empty <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">AKEs</span>. Today it's easy enough, but on the return flight with the split load it could get more difficult. Generally if an aircraft has two destinations, the handling company at the departure airport will load it so the first destination cargo and bags can be offloaded without moving the remaining the cargo for destination 2. Sometimes, it's not always possible though as it results in the aircraft being too tail heavy, so we would need to remove <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">ULDs</span> and pallets to get access to our <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">ULDs</span>, and then reload the bins and pallets for the next destination.<br /><br />On the other hand, if we are able to remove our <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">ULDs</span> without moving anything else, the result might be the aircraft is out of trim now and so we need to move the remaining weight anyway. It's good practice to try and plan it so it works out easily for the ramp guys the other end. For you can be sure if we make it difficult for them, they can end up doing the same for us when the aircraft returns! With so much to consider, it's easy to get caught up in the loading of the aircraft alone and forget about the other things that need done.<br /><br />Upstairs, the first of 186 passengers are already boarding and taking their seats for a long 9 1/2 hour flight ahead of them. I'm used to working with smaller aircraft so much that it still surprises me a little when I step on board and notice the size of them inside and galleys big enough to put restaurant kitchens to shame.<br /><br />Fuelling is taking place, the crew have requested 68,000kg of jet fuel. That's a lot, and still makes me go '<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">Whoaa</span>' when I think about it. A fuel truck is parked under the wing pumping fuel in, and another truck is waiting behind it. I can see the drivers are bored sitting watching the gauge tick over, gallon after gallon. It takes a long time to uplift 68,000kg of fuel.<br /><br />Once the positions of each bin is decided, loading is speedy and finished well ahead of the scheduled time of departure. It's a good day, all my passengers turn up and board on time too so all I have to do is wait for fuelling to finish before we can go.<br /><br />Fuelling finally finishes and paperwork complete, I say goodbye to the crew and let them close up. I do my walk around feeling like a little kid in a big playground. I'm looking for anything unusual like I discussed in my <a href="http://dispatchersdiaries.blogspot.com/2008/10/walk-around-checks.html">Walk Around</a> post, but I'm also in awe of the size of the aircraft. The main deck sits well higher than any other aircraft I deal with, the wing span is massive and I can see the wings drooping under the weight of the fuel. We begin the push back and the tug struggles a little at first. Pushing 204,000kg of aircraft takes a bit of grunt, especially on the slight incline we have. The engines start up and I get a nice whiff of jet fuel as I hear that resonant hum.<br /><br />Push complete, we disconnect the equipment and I wish the crew a good journey. I have to walk a few miles away before I can even make eye contact with them and show them the pin because they're sitting so high they're almost in orbit.<br /><br />A few minutes later, I hear the engines spool up and it starts to accelerate down the runway. The engines make a fantastic snarling sound of a roar that makes the hairs on your neck stand up. It speeds past me, I see the wings load up and a few seconds later the nose lift gently off the runway. The main gear lifts off and assumes its usual angled position before being raised, and off into the cloud it climbs gracefully...Dispatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18143587383561774168noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898368070767082576.post-26827719499835968252008-11-23T22:50:00.005+00:002008-11-23T23:31:32.204+00:00Standard LoadingI had started to write a post about a recent wide body jet I had to deal with in work and about the loading of cargo and bags on it, then realised I better start with an explanation into loading of smaller aircraft.<br /><br />So you've all seen the ramp guys chucking/throwing/pass the parcel-ing/delicately placing the suitcases into the belly of the aircraft, but have you ever considered it in anymore thought than that? Unless your an aircraft buff/engineer/physicist etc then I hope not but here's a short explanation into what happens.<br /><br />For example, one of our flights with an A320, with 180 people onboard and nearly all of them having suitcases checked in will result in around 180 bags. At an average of 15kg per bag, those 180 bags amount to 2700kg. That means we have 2700kg of bags to place in the belly holds and that need to be distributed so that the aircraft not only remains in balance, but go one step further and make sure it's distributed to give an aft Centre of Gravity and help reduce fuel burn. Most of the flights I deal with are all lose loaded, the bags are loaded on individually and aren't contained in the big metal bins or Unit Load Devices (ULDs) you'll see on some of the larger aircraft.<br /><br />On the A320s I work with, there are holds both fore and aft of the wings. The front hold is numbered 1, there is no number 2 hold for reasons beyond me, and then hold 3 and 4 are located aft of the wing. There is also a smaller hold 5 at the tail of the aircraft which we rarely (have to) use. The aircraft in question, without passengers and bags is pretty well balanced, not too nose heavy or tail heavy, so the obvious answer would be to split the bags between the front and back equally. Almost, but that's pretty much what we do.<br /><br />The standard way we load a full A320 is by putting 1/3 of the bags in H1, 1/3 in H3 and the other 1/3 in H4. So 60 bags each in 1, 3 and 4 resulting in 900kg in each hold. This holds true for when the aircraft isn't full as well, with lighter passenger loads we can still split the bags up into 1/3s among the holds providing the passengers are distributed equally throughout the cabin. 99 times out of 100, this method works fine and if we're feeling adventurous and have the time, we'll co-ordinate with the flight crew to try and refine it to an even more suitable arrangement producing a more ideal CoG.<br /><br />A321s I don't have a lot of experience with and so I can't tell you off hand the way we usually load them, but we do have to be a bit more careful. The longer fuselage means any weight in H4 or H5 has more of an effect in making the aircraft tail heavy. If you're not careful enough and place too much weight in H3/H4 without any in H2, you'll very quickly find the tail making it's way to the ground and have endless paperwork to fill in as the flight crew berate you, to put it lightly.<br /><br />For 737s, it varies depending on which series. On the older -300s and -400s, we're generally load around 100-120 bags in H3 and anymore in the front in H2. On the larger -800s, we'll usually fit around 140 bags in hold 3 aft of the wings, and the remaining 30-40 in the forward holds.<br /><br />For 757s, the numbers are bigger yet again with around 180 bags in the rear split between holds 3 and 4, and then the rest in H2.<br /><br />Some particular aircraft have their specific quirks about them. For example some aircraft are particularly nose heavy or tail heavy due to modifications, such as those that operate dual role and have a cargo door in the side of the fuselage. We'll always load and unload the aircraft in such a way as to minimise the possibility of it tipping while on the ground, meaning we'll generally load weight in the front first, and start offloading the weight from the rear on arrival. I've had captains call me overly cautious about my order of loading. However, that's easy for them to say, they won't be the one taking responsibility for it if it ends up nose up while sitting on stand.<br /><br />Anything bigger than these such as 767s, A300s and A330s are in my experience all bin loaded and so get a bit more complicated. At least now the next time you see the ramp guys place some bags in a hold and then moving to the back/front hold before the other is full, you'll have an idea why. Now I can get on with finishing my wide body post...Dispatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18143587383561774168noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898368070767082576.post-82753709535172466942008-11-12T18:49:00.001+00:002008-11-14T22:44:14.996+00:00The race is onAnother quiet week in work, and many more destined to come by the looks of it until nearer Christmas. If you have any specific questions or queries, ask and I'll have a go at answering them as best I can in case I run out of blog ideas.<br /><br />One of my flights this week was a short domestic 30 minute turnaround, lots of fun to do when things are going well and generally hassle free. Passenger numbers are usually around 60-80 with maybe only 30-40 pieces of hold luggage so everything can be loaded and unloaded quickly.<br /><br />I head out to the aircraft parking stand a few minutes before it's due to arrive. I check everything is ready, steps are standing by, tug, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">chox</span>, a ground power unit, and the outbound bags. As I nosey across the ramp I see an old friend on the stand beside me.<br /><br />I have known this guy for longer than I have worked at the airport. Both of us from very different backgrounds and a friend of many years. When we first met it was through another line of work, and here we are a few years down the line both working in dispatch at the same airport, albeit it for different companies. I have a quick chat with him and catch up, and find out that he is dispatching a flight on the adjacent stand to me in 25 minutes. His is due out at 1700, mine at 1705, but mine is due in slightly early and ahead of his. The race is on!<br /><br />1632 - My aircraft arrives on stand, 3minutes early. The engines spool down and the ramp guys spring into the action. As soon as the steps are on, the doors are open and the passengers start getting off and head towards the terminal.<br /><br />1635 -About half way through <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">de</span>-boarding, my friends aircraft taxis in on the stand beside. This means I have to stop our passengers disembarking until the other aircraft comes to a stop and the engines have spooled down as it's parking on the same side of my aircraft. The <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Fuller</span> arrives at my aircraft and starts pumping, he should only take a few minutes.<br /><br />1648 - My outbound passengers start boarding. I have already given the crew all the necessary paperwork, the outbound bags are on board, fuelling is already complete and all I need now is for 67 passengers and 3 infants to be on board a.s.ap and I can get the aircraft away again. I stand on the ramp under the wing, making sure passengers don't walk under it and complete my own paper work. I glance across towards my friend's aircraft and see him standing grinning at me. He is already boarding his passengers too. The airline he is working with runs a 'tighter ship' with turnaround times.<br /><br />1656 - Boarding is complete, it's one of those good days where all the passengers turn up and board, no running around looking for the last two or three who are still sampling the terminal bars. I inform the crew, collect my signed paperwork and close up. The ramp guys pull the steps away as I spring off the bottom of them.<br /><br />1658 - Walk around complete, equipment clear, I don my headset and eagerly await to get going to beat my comrade. To my right I see him and his aircraft closed up and also ready to go. Unfortunately it's now down to whichever flight deck crew request clearance from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">ATC</span> first.<br /><br />1658 - <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Doh</span>! The beacon on the other aircraft starts flashing top and bottom of the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">fuselage</span>, and I see my friend give the hand <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">signal</span> to his tug driver to push back. He's got in ahead of us, and we won't be able to push back now until his aircraft has <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">taxied</span> off. <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Frustrating</span>, but my flight is still on time.<br /><br />My friend gives a smug smile across the ramp and a wave, I'll get him back someday :-) It's time to return to the office for another few hours of poignant discussion about inane subjects and browse <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">youtube</span>. It's a stress free day again.Dispatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18143587383561774168noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898368070767082576.post-22712601340507414402008-11-07T14:38:00.001+00:002008-11-07T14:38:47.933+00:00Spare a thought...So we all knew summer wouldn't last forever and the cold would return, but that doesn't make it any easier.<br /><br />The frost is back, the de-icing trucks are being used again and everyone is walking about the ramp looking like they are smoking as the breath escapes their mouth. It's bitterly cold, but I like it, almost.<br /><br />The cold brings with it a crisp clearness that gives great visibility. From the ramp I can see out for miles towards hills and mountains I haven't seen all summer with the hazy air and cloudy skies. Where I am we see more of the sun in winter with the cloudless blue skies on frosty days, than in summer. Wearing sunglasses for driving is a fashion statement in summer, but a necessity for winter here.<br /><br />So as I stumble about the ramp with multiple layers on, looking remarkably like a Michelin man figurine wearing a high visibility vest, I'm in a slight mood of awe. Contrails criss-cross the skies above me, I can see the aircraft lined up for miles one after the other on approach, and friendly crews look down from the flight deck at me and grin as they watch me stand involuntarily shaking in the cold. With the light passenger loads at the end of the season, aircraft are far from full. Couple these low take-off weights and the cold air jet engines love, they blast off the runway and climb towards the sky like rockets.<br /><br />I'd much rather have the frosty cold days with blue skies and no wind than any rainy wet day with gales blowing. The bitter cold makes me slightly uncomfortable, but wind and rain make my job painful and messy. Try completing paperwork as the rain lashes down turning it into paper maché, and any dry bits remaining have a strong desire to go flying on their own across the ramp in the wind. I take pride in my appearance, but there's no way to look diginfied walking into a flight deck to talk to the crew with water dripping from your face or your hair pointing skyward, and handing them a piece of paper that once was a load sheet but now vaguely resembles a box of tissues that have been plucked from a puddle.<br /><br />So as you step outside on your way to work in the cold these mornings, spare a thought for those of us who have to work it, and and I'll think of those even more unfortunate than me who are stuck in it all day or work somewhere colder than my airport. Still, I love my job...most of the time.Dispatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18143587383561774168noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898368070767082576.post-87594795292641020492008-11-05T19:08:00.000+00:002008-11-05T19:38:46.335+00:00The secret conversationI apologise for the silence over the past two weeks but I've been kept busy, not with work, but other things. Hopefully I'll get a bit more writing accomplished over the next few weeks. Continuing on from my last post about walk around checks, this one will give you a little insight into what the guy wearing the bright luminous headset is doing during push backs.<br /><br />So with my walk around checks complete I'll plug-in the headset so I can communicate with the crew. If it's familiar type like the A320 or 737s, I know where to find the plug. If it's something I'm not used to working with such as an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ATR</span>, I'll stumble about around the nose and gear looking for some sort of plug to connect the headset to because I forgot to ask the crew where it is when talking to them.<br /><br />Once I'm plugged in, depending on the aircraft, I'll either give the Push to Talk (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">PTT</span>) switch on the headset a click to let the crew know I am now ready when they are, or stand in their line of sight awaiting their call. For 737s, I can easily stand within the headset cable's extension and the first office or captains line of sight, as they sit much lower than the A320s. For the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Airbii</span>, I'll give a a quick mike click, as to see the flight crew I would need to move a considerable distance out from the aircraft stretching my precious cable. It extends to something like 12m when stretched but I never pull it this far as I don't fancy trying to recoil and carry 12m of cable away once finished.<br /><br />Some aircraft have a Pilot or Flight deck call switch located next to the port for my headset, though I've never used it it. I figure the last thing they want is another ding or dong going off in the cockpit as they make the final preparation before push back.<br /><br />Speaking of thee Pilot call buttons, I was almost caught out once with a 767. On the 767s I have worked with, the headset plug is located on the back of the nose gear together with some other buttons. Beside the headset plug is a <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">LARGE RED</span> button, and most, including myself would assume it is the flight deck call switch. Assume nothing. Experience has taught me flight deck call switches are located next to the headset plug, but equally experience has taught me not to push large red buttons unless I'm certain I know what they do. The red button is in fact an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">APU</span> fire extinguish button. Press it and I'm sure you will get the attention of the flight deck, but more a long the lines of chronic swearing as they wonder why the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">APU</span> has just died and the fire bottle discharged.<br /><br />When the crew are ready, the First Office or Captain will speak to me on the headset, depending on company procedure, generally starting with,<br /><br />"Cockpit/flight deck to ground, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">helloooo</span>?''<br /><br />I'll respond with a hello with more <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">o's</span> than his. Again, dependent on the airline procedure or the captain in question, he may well ask for my checks to which I reply that all the aircraft doors and hatches are secure, ramp workers and equipment is out of the way, the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">chox</span> are removed from the wheels, and the steering by-pass pin and tug are all in place.<br /><br />By this stage, he may already have his clearance from Air Traffic Control or ramp control, to push back. If so, he'll tell me they're cleared for push and start, together with which runway they'll be departing from. It's important I know which runway or taxiway he'll be taking after the push back, so as I leave him pointing in the right direction. So providing both parties are ready and clearance is received, I'll ask him to release the parking brake and wait until he replies with a unambiguous 'Parking brake released, cleared to push' message or words to that effect.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Ground to Flight deck?</span><br />Go Ahead<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">We're ready for push back, release parking brake please.</span><br />Parking brake released, cleared to push for runway 30/taxiway Golf etc.. let us know when we can start engines<br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Ok</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"> pushing back, standby for start</span>.<br /><br />The aircraft is now 'in my control' through the tug. I signal to the tug driver the parking is off and we can push back, and through a series of further embarrassing hand gestures making me look like an 1980's dancer, tell him what direction to leave the aircraft facing.<br /><br />So as we start moving back, I'll be on one side of the aircraft watching the wingtip making sure we don't hit anything, and a colleague will be on the other side doing the same. When it's safe to do so, I'll inform the flight deck they are clear to start engines and they'll let me know the sequence they are starting, such as no.2 first followed by no.1<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Clear to start number 2 and 1 as you wish</span><br />Starting engine 2 then 1<br /><br />As the engines start up, I'll observe them to make sure nothing out of the ordinary happens such as black smoke, or foreign objects being sucked into engine or fire. I believe there are still some airlines who require the person on the headset to be an engineer for the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">push back</span>, but none that I deal with.<br /><br />When we have finished pushing the aircraft and come to a stop, the tug driver will signal to me that he has set the brakes. I'll call the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">flight deck</span> and ask them to set the aircraft parking brake again. Once I'm told it's set, we'll start disconnecting the tug, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">towbar</span> and remove the pin from the nose gear. If all the engines have been started and everything appears normal by this stage, the crew will inform me I can disconnect, revert to hand signals and show them the pin.<br /><br />I'll reply and tell them what side to look for us on for the hand signals, wish them well and disconnect myself from the aircraft. I'll then walk with my <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">colleague</span> to one side of the aircraft, my friend will hold up the steering pin he has removed, that has a large red flag attached. It tells the crew they now have steering control back, and I'll give a thumbs up signal followed by a wave letting them know we're all clear from the aircraft.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Ground to flight?</span><br />Go ahead...<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Push complete, set parking brake please</span><br />Parking brake set, 2 good starts, clear to disconnect and revert to hand signals, thank you<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Ok</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> watch for the pin on the left, good morning</span><br /><br /><br />I told you it wasn't exciting, but maybe the next time you're sitting at the gate and your companion asks what the guy on the headset is doing you'll be able tell them. However that's just in my part of the world and how we work, I'd be interested in what it's like elsewhere. Any input from crews on their experiences with ground crew and push procedures would be interesting.Dispatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18143587383561774168noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898368070767082576.post-18476822364430268982008-10-31T14:24:00.000+00:002008-10-31T14:25:59.443+00:00I'm still alive...Sorry for the delay between posts at the minute, even though work is quiet I'm busy with other things the past few weeks.<br /><br />I'll try and get my post about the headset up over the coming weekend, if my fingers thaw out from the cold!Dispatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18143587383561774168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898368070767082576.post-11975451549210686362008-10-21T20:02:00.001+01:002008-10-21T21:06:01.525+01:00Walk around ChecksI have had a few people ask me what the ground crew are talking to the pilots about when they see them plugged-in to the aircraft during push back, wearing the bright luminous headset. I'm planning to cover that in the next post following on from this one to explain a few things first. Yes I know, it's not particularly exciting stuff but it may cure someone's curiosity and times are quiet in work with no interesting stories to tell this week.<br /><br />Once it's confirmed all the passengers are on board and every thing's good to go, I'll collect my paperwork from the flight deck, check with the cabin crew and step off their aircraft onto the steps or jetway, allowing them to close up. I'll wait until the door is closed and check the handle latches or returns to the correct position, before descending the steps to do my walk around in a religious manner.<br /><br />Starting at the nose, I'll walk round in an anti-clockwise direction (is that bad luck?) checking for several things, including paper notes of money. Yes, it has happened! I'll be looking around the main gear to check that the chocks are now removed. I'll have a quick look round the engine making sure the engineers haven't left any servicing panels up and that nothing is dripping or oozing from the wing or gear area.<br /><br />I am not an engineer and the primary aim of the walk around in my position is to make sure we haven't left anything lying open, unlatched or dripping. Any discrete leaks or abnormalities will have been picked up by the flight crew as they did their more detailed walk around already. Anything I think is abnormal, I'll bring to the attention of the crew or the engineer if he's still around and get them to check it out.<br /><br />Further back, I'll check any more doors are closed and properly latched, and then pass round the back of the tail, generally by this stage being deafened by the APU exhaust and hot air. Up the right hand side of the aircraft, I'll check the cargo hold doors are all closed the main doors are again all securely closed. Same with the right engine or engines, check there are no access panels left open, and that the fuelling panel on the underside of the wing has been closed by the fueller.<br /><br />Towards the front of the aircraft, I'll check that the nose wheel chocks are removed, the tow bar is properly connected to the aircraft and to the push back tug, and the all important steering by-pass pin is in place complete with red flag.<br /><br />The pin has an important function other than it's flag faffing in the wind. When it's in place, it disables the hydraulics used for steering the nose wheel. This allows us to move the nose wheel freely letting us control what direction we are pushing the aircraft. The tow bar should never be connected until the pin is in place, and should only be removed when the tow bar has been disconnected from the nose gear. Anyone removing the pin prematurely or trying to connect the tow bar without it quickly finds themselves acquainted with my metal-toe cap boot.<br /><br />Common things to find during my walk around aren't actual doors lying open but the small flaps covering the switches that operate them to be left open. On the A320, the forward and aft hold doors are opened hydraulically. The ramp guy will pull the handle on the cargo door to unlock it, and then use a switch to open raise it open. The switch itself is found on the belly of the aircraft with a small flap covering it that is sometimes left overlooked by them when closing up.<br /><br />I usually find lots of FOD (Foreign Object Debris) items lying around the aircraft. If you ever wonder why the padlock you locked your suitcase with before leaving has disappeared, it's probably lying on the ramp. I have found countless padlocks of all descriptions, together with the fancy address labels contained in a leather tag joined to a case by a mere piece of string. It's just as well I'm not in the business of stalking, for finding random addresses comes easily in this business.<br /><br />With my checks complete I put on the headset and take one final look making sure all the ground equipment and union workers are clear of the aircraft on both sides, and await the call from the flight deck. Coming next.Dispatcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18143587383561774168noreply@blogger.com2