It is very hard to write this with one fractured wrist and and one wrist with internal bruises but I will give it a try.
Flt: BY616A (LGW-TLS) Date:22/12/02 Dep: 06:45 Reg: G-BYAY = 757
Checked in at 03:30 without a problem, howver,was assigned a middle seat in row 8. I hate these seats. Check in was a breeze apart from I had to go to another part of the airport to check my snowboard in. The real fun began when the ground crew couldnt find the aircraft and this included a tour of the north terminal. When they got to plane we couldnt board as they were one crew member down. It also got worse because we didnt move for 1hour and 20 minutes because they had nothing to tow the aircraft off the apron because of staff shortages we were told. When flight took off it got even worse as there was turbulence after about 20 minutes into the flight until touchdown at Toulouse. Overall flight was okay (exclding delays as airlines cant control weather). Nice smooth landing at Toulouse but did have 1 hour wait for all baggage to come out.
Flt: BY616B (TLS-LGW) Date: 29/12/02 Dep:10:30 Reg = G-BYAH = 757
After a 1 hour delay from Andorra we checked in at 09:15 but cause of Icy conditions in Andorra all coaches got in late. Check in was a disaster as they computer systems were down. ANd to some my luck upm I was given row 13 !!! but I did get my prefered aisle seat. The great thjing was because of the condition I was in I didnt have to check in any bags as one wrist is in plaster and the other in some other weird contracption. As usual customs go through my bag but they opened it and closed it. Well I wasnt suprised with all the stuff that was in it but they did have a moan at me for having ski walkie talkies in their and not in the hold, burt I just took the batteries out of them and it shut them up. Flight was great because of the condtion I was in I was one of the first to board. Flight took off 20 minutes late, but there were loads of empty seats. I was annoyed as they had no models for sale as I dont have a britannia one yet. The food was well usual airline standard which meant I looked at it and only had they role and drink. Descent to LGW was rough. When plane was on final about 300 feet off ground it hit a real strong cross wind which scared other passengers like anything and sent a few loose bags flying through the cabin. Getting baggage was fast and easy for me as my family got it for me which was great.
This was the first time I flew on Britannia and I would give them 6/10 because they covered all stuff in a flight like this but because they lost crew and late running take offs and pilots who cant land in cross winds very well I can only give them 6/10.
I was in Andorra snowboaridn for this time and lets say I made the mistake of falling on a red slope at very high speed and doing serious damage to my wrists. I can say I have learnt andI wont be trying thatt stunt again.
By: EGNM - 31st December 2002 at 00:36
RE: Flight Reports BY616A and BY616B
Hiya – not really a lot between then – i know 12 options sounds a lot but between for example the B747-100 and -300 there’s dozens – especially considering the fact there was nearly 20 years between the first desings of the -200 flying compared to the -300 – and a lot of customer feedback inbetween!
By: Jay330 - 30th December 2002 at 20:22
RE: Flight Reports BY616A and BY616B
not too bad, should be out of plaster by end of January hopefully, has meant I have had to cancel going to alpes d heux in febuary, was gonna fly from LGW-LYS on Thomas Cook. Pity but I should get a nice refund.
By: wysiwyg - 30th December 2002 at 20:18
RE: Flight Reports BY616A and BY616B
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 30-12-02 AT 08:19 PM (GMT)]Sorry 777 but winter sports is one of many things I know almost nothing about. How’s the healing process coming on? I should think that typing on the keyboard is a bit of a slow process. Good report though.
Regards
Wys
(skiing/snowboarding incompetant)
Ren – lol, how true!
By: 777crazy - 30th December 2002 at 19:21
RE: Flight Reports BY616A and BY616B
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 30-12-02 AT 07:23 PM (GMT)]WSIWYG, lets make one thing clear, I am a snowboarder, never call me a skiier. I dont like skiiers very much and they dont like snowboarders either. So the feeling is mutual between people in this very safe sport !!!
By: Ren Frew - 30th December 2002 at 17:38
RE: Flight Reports BY616A and BY616B
Sounds like flight deck layouts are a bit like TV cameras then… Never designed by the people who have to use em !
By: wysiwyg - 30th December 2002 at 16:37
RE: Flight Reports BY616A and BY616B
Fairly well back on the center console so you have to reach back slightly behind you. On the 300 there is still one in that position but they have included another on the outside edge of the glareshield so your hand only had to move about six inches to reach it. There is of course another PTT on the control wheel but when you fly 2 crew the non-handling pilot for that sector does the radio and it is considered bad practice to touch the wheel when the other guy is flying.
By: Ren Frew - 30th December 2002 at 16:32
RE: Flight Reports BY616A and BY616B
Where was it before then ?
By: wysiwyg - 30th December 2002 at 16:08
RE: Flight Reports BY616A and BY616B
The conversion (you have to have 200 hours on the 757-200 before flying the 757-300, company rule not CAA) consisted of half a days ground school followed by 2 online sectors (I went to Paphos and back) with a training captain and that’s it.
We operate it in exactly the same way that we fly the 200 but it really does feel quite different. The main differences are –
1- it’s bloooooooody long (178 feet 3 inches) but still a narrow body so it flexes a lot in turbulence
2- the extra length makes it even easier to hit the tail on the tarmac
3- although the engines are uprated it doesn’t climb as well
4- in our config we get 280 passengers on board as opposed to the 200’s 235
5- 1 extra toilet
6- with the extra weight the brakes get very hot on landing needing longer turn around times to cool down and much more use of reverse thrust
7- eats up a lot of runway on take off and landing and takes off at a very high speed (typically crossing the hedge after take off at about 180 knots, nearly 200 mph)
8- although certified to FL420 at typical charter weights it rarely gets as high as FL370
9- overwing exits for use in an emergency
10- a retractable tailskid which has an indicator that pops out if you’ve lightly scraped it. If you’ve heavily scraped it you’ll find it in the middle of the runway!
11- GPS updating to the flight management system as standard rather than being a £1million upgrade
but best of all…
12- Boeing have finally put the press to talk button for the radio in a place where you can easily reach it!
By: EGNM - 30th December 2002 at 13:46
RE: Flight Reports BY616A and BY616B
Just wondering Wys – as u fly both the -200 and -300 was there much conversion training needed between the teo a/c as i preume the SOPs are more or less the same between the 2 a/c?
By: wysiwyg - 30th December 2002 at 11:12
RE: Flight Reports BY616A and BY616B
I think Britannia are a very very good outfit. I had the chance to go there this winter but I’m trying to stop moving my pension fund every 2 years coupled with the fact that I’m very happy where I am.
By: andrewm - 30th December 2002 at 10:52
RE: Flight Reports BY616A and BY616B
Wysiwyg,
Now you spoiled our fun in thinking Britania crew were bad!
By: wysiwyg - 30th December 2002 at 10:37
RE: Flight Reports BY616A and BY616B
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 30-12-02 AT 11:09 AM (GMT)]Good report Jason. There are a few things that I can explain for you.
‘The real fun began when the ground crew couldnt find the aircraft and this included a tour of the north terminal.’
Presumably the aircraft was on a remote stand in the west park. In this case you board the aircraft by catching a bus and being driven to the stand and then climb the steps. There is no direct road across to the west park from the south terminal so the driver has to drive to the north terminal and then down to the stands. It is a roundabout route that appears to show that the bus driver doesn’t know what he is doing but it is the fastest way to get there.
‘It also got worse because we didnt move for 1hour and 20 minutes because they had nothing to tow the aircraft off the apron because of staff shortages we were told.’
Your outbound flight was on the first weekend of the ski season this year. The ground service companies (who the airlines have contracts with to provide handling, tugs, baggage services, etc) were woefully prepared for the ski season. We have changed our contract with our handlers (Servisair) so that next year there are penalty clauses for their lack of service.
‘Nice smooth landing at Toulouse…’
This is the part of the write up were the crew got it wrong! Let me quote from the Boeing 757 flight crew training manual – ‘…prolonged flare increases the body pitch angle 2 to 3 degrees. When prolonged flare is coupled with a misjudged height above the runway, aft body contact is possible. Fly the aeroplane onto the runway at the desired touchdown point and at the desired airspeed. Do not hold it off and risk the possibility of a tailstrike. NOTE: A SMOOTH TOUCHDOWN IS NOT THE CRITERION FOR A SAFE LANDING’.
‘Well I wasnt suprised with all the stuff that was in it but they did have a moan at me for having ski walkie talkies in their and not in the hold, burt I just took the batteries out of them and it shut them up.’
After the shoe bomber incident which departed from a French airport I’m surprised they didn’t confiscate your walkie talkies.
‘Descent to LGW was rough. When plane was on final about 300 feet off ground it hit a real strong cross wind which scared other passengers like anything and sent a few loose bags flying through the cabin.’
Crosswinds don’t generally cut in suddenly in a way that you’d feel like that. At 300′ on the approach I’d say that you most likely hit the wake turbulence either from the aircraft that had just landed or from the wind stirred up as it flowed round either the terminal or the southside hangars.
‘…and pilots who can’t land in cross winds very well I can only give them 6/10.’
A bit unfair bearing in mind you don’t know the circumstances! Even if it was a sudden severe shear (which it can’t have been as the SOP is to initiate a max performance go around) there is nothing the flightcrew can do to smooth it out without deviating course and altitude. At 300′ on the approach that wouldn’t be very sensible.
Last Sunday I went to Lyons (another ski flight) in the 757-300 and brought back 285 passengers (280 adults and children with 5 babies on laps) and I reckon there must have been 20 to 30 plaster casts on board! Anyway, I hope the above has helped with understanding why some things happen.
Regards
Wys
(non-skier as I like my bones intact!)
By: Saab 2000 - 30th December 2002 at 08:46
RE: Flight Reports BY616A and BY616B
Nice report 777Crazy. I was in TLS last year when I went skiing in Andorra as well.Going back there this year in February.Which resort did you stay in?
By: EGNM - 29th December 2002 at 23:31
RE: Flight Reports BY616A and BY616B
lol – yea i flew em last year – same flights and all this april for me bak to Lanzarote – hit and miss i suppose like all charter companies and their reputations getting dragged down sometimes by those who fly the bigger mainline carriers and see the huge differances in the setups
By: dcfly - 29th December 2002 at 22:04
RE: Flight Reports BY616A and BY616B
I’ve also flown Britannia and found them organised, but no wonder they couldnt find their plane on LGWs north terminal, Britannia use the south terminal.
Dave
By: T5 - 29th December 2002 at 21:04
RE: Flight Reports BY616A and BY616B
Great report 777crazy,
It’s not like Britannia to be quite so unorganised. My previous experiences with the airline have been great and everything has gone smoothly and according to plan and they knew where the aircraft was. But my most recent flight was a long-haul one, so the quality of service may vary I guess.
Thanks for the report anyway, really good read.
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December 29, 2002 at 8:40 pm