Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
Plane Answers: Do jets have keys, my first airline flight and overwing exits
Welcome to Gadling's feature, Plane Answers, where our resident airline pilot, Kent Wien, answers your questions about everything from takeoff to touchdown and beyond. Have a question of your own? Ask away!Lee asks:
Hi Kent -
Two items, please...
Silly question here, but I've always wondered, does a typical jetliner have "keys"? You know, like you have keys to the car. And is the same true for a 757 or 767, whatever?
Believe it or not, Lee, they do have keys, but only for the cockpit door. Fortunately they're standardized, so we only need to carry one key. For security reasons, this key doesn't open our 'bank-vault' style door inflight.
Also, do you remember your first REAL solo? You know, when they handed you the "keys" (maybe) and said, "you're the man today."
And not in some Cessna or tree-topper. When you got that big break after you were hired by one of the big name commercial airlines. You were behind the wheel of your first big jetliner taxiing across the field and made that final turn only to see a mile of runway in front of you knowing it was up to you to get 50 tons of flying brick in the air.
What'd all that feel like?
Since airliners are flown as a crew with two or three pilots, for me, it never really felt like my first solo flight did. There's just nothing to compare to that experience; it's one that I'll always remember.
I do remember just a few things from my first flight in an airliner. It took two hours to taxi our 727 out of Newark airport and I was amazed that any airline could make money with such long takeoff delays. Fortunately, I've never had as long of a taxi since.
But really, I can't recall anything else on my first flight at a major airline probably because it really wasn't entirely different from flying a smaller aircraft. It was exciting at the time, and I'm sure I was awash in the new procedures I had just learned, but I can't say flying a 12,000 pound airplane is that much less exhilarating than flying a 500,000 pound aircraft. The same is especially true when transitioning from, say a 737 to a 777.
Oh, I do remember that there was no hotel room for me that night in Indianapolis, so I slept in the hotel's conference room instead. But the flight itself was a blur.
Patrick wonders:
On the little card that shows what to do in case of an emergency the little pictures show the little cartoon guy putting the door on the seat. Wouldn't this get in the way? Why not just chuck it out the opening?
I wondered about that as well. Some aircraft have two over wing exits next to each other, so it may be preferable to place the door on the seat (I would use the one behind or in front of the exit row) rather than risk hitting someone who is already standing on the wing outside.
Also, keep in mind that it's more common to have those over wing exits used in an evacuation that may or may not have resulted in any damage to the airplane. I'm sure those doors are hugely expensive in that case.
Do you have a question about something related to the pointy end of an airplane? Ask Kent and maybe he'll use it for the next Plane Answers. Check out his other blog, Cockpit Chronicles and travel along with him at work.
Filed under: Plane Answers
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Ken Sep 18th 2009 3:48PM
I was told they want to keep the doors inside so you don't chuck 'em out on the wing and create a gash and fuel leak which would cause more fire.
Roy Sep 18th 2009 4:38PM
The doors don't really "open" so much a fall inward. It's quicker (conservation of motion) to simply redirect it's fall onto the seat than to stop it's fall and force it out the door. If you miss the opening, you also have now obstructed the exit for what ever time it takes to retry.
Chris Sep 18th 2009 5:38PM
It shouldn't obstruct the exit, either... you're meant to put the door on the armrests. I'd guess tossing it over the seatback to the forward or aft row of the exit would have the same conservation of energy issues and would also have the potential of injuring other people if they were still *in* that row...
Jeffrey Sep 25th 2009 10:22AM
On many different aircraft types, window exits are equipped with inflatable ramps or slides outside on the wings. These would be damaged or obstructed by tossing the
doors out of the opening. Emergency training procedures for flight crews is also standardized with one procedure for all aircraft. This eliminates the risk of doing the wrong thing on the wrong aircraft. Good question!
Kent Wien Sep 25th 2009 10:23AM
And a much better answer than mine, Jeffrey. Thanks!
cadu Sep 25th 2009 7:13AM
Arn't those doors build to only open to the inside?
Like the interior side of it being larger than the exterior one.
The higher pressure in the cabin will make them fit even thighter into their fittings making it impossible to open during flight, allowing construction to be lighter as you won't need as strong latches to keep it in position as if it were to open to the outside.
Kent Wien Sep 25th 2009 10:25AM
Most of them are built to come inside only, but the question was whether or not it would be a good idea to then turn the door and throw it out.
Interestingly, the 737-800 and larger over wing exits are not 'plug-type' doors. They are on a hinge and open upward rapidly when the handle is pulled. They remain attached to the outside of the airplane in an evacuation.
Rey Oct 5th 2009 8:12AM
Hey Kent,
I'm curious and i know there are a lot of factors that come into play that can affect the answer weight, weather conditions, cruise altitude etc., but what's the average amount of fuel burned by the 763ER an hour? About how much is planned for alternates and taxi time on domestic and international routes?
Matt Jamieson Nov 2nd 2009 1:43PM
I do like the question on if Airliners have keys. I used to be a ramp worker for American West (HP) in SLC a few years ago. I got to know many of the people there well and started a 'Rookie move' after a while. Although many of us worked there for the fun of being around airplanes (and aspiring to become pilots one day), there are some that come in who just need a job and have no clue about airplanes.
One particular Rookie got the adventure of 'finding a spare' key for an 737. We talked to the pilots and asked to say they lost the keys and needed a spare. Luckily, I was the ramp lead and sent our rookie up to talk to the pilot. He informed of the problem and down he came to the ramp. I stated to check with United as they fly some 737's in. On the other end, my op's guy was calling UA's op's telling him the joke. He played along, told him they didn't have any, but to check SouthWest. Although I'm unsure if my UA guy called SWA, they also told him no, and sent to Delta.
In the end, he came back 20 min's after the flight left, very upset after a mech at Delta told him 'Planes don't have keys to start. Someone's playing a trick on you'.. Needless to say, he learned something new about planes. Planes don't use keys! Also, planes don't require a sound check by 'Yelling' into the engine. Another story for another time - Thanks for sharing Kent. Love reading your chronicles.