I had the choice of 747 or 340 when I joined but chose the Bus even though I came from Boeings before. Thank god I did.
Not keen on the 330 as although it’s a great machine it doesn’t give the lifestyle I’m after. I reckon the 330 is a short term stop gap until the 350, which is where I think the future lies. Have recently been offered a 320 command with a new operation based out of Larnaca operating primarily to Russia and western Europe but having just bought my dream home in south east UK I’m not really interested in expat lifestyles.

Yes you are right. I was assuming it was similar to the 767 and 747 but here is the relavant bit from the 777 manual…

Flight Control Surfaces

Pitch control is provided by:
• two elevators
• a movable horizontal stabilizer.

Roll control is provided by:
• two flaperons
• two ailerons
• fourteen spoilers.

Yaw control is provided by:
• single rudder
• partial span tab.

The two elevators and horizontal stabilizer work together to provide pitch control. A detailed description of pitch control is given in a separate section later in this chapter. The flaperons and ailerons provide roll control, assisted by asymmetric spoilers. The flaperons are located between the inboard and outboard flaps on both wings. In the normal mode, they are used for roll control with the flaps either retracted or extended. For increased lift, the flaperons move down and aft in proportion to trailing edge flap extension. The ailerons are located outboard of the outboard flaps on each wing. For increased lift, the ailerons move down for flaps 5, 15, and 20, to improve takeoff performance. In the normal mode, the ailerons and spoilers 5 and 10 are locked out during high–speed flight; the flaperons and remaining spoilers provide sufficient roll control. During low speed flight, these panels augment roll control. Yaw control is provided by a single rudder, which is almost the same height as the vertical tail. The lower portion of the rudder has a hinged section (tab) that deflects twice as far as the main rudder surface to provide additional yaw control authority. During takeoff, the rudder becomes aerodynamically effective at approximately 60 knots. Flaps and slats provide high lift for takeoff, approach, and landing.
Symmetric spoilers are used as speedbrakes.

Virgin A340’s have been operating with airbags for at least 8 years. I believe the B747’s have too.

Multiple stage axial flow compressors and turbines would, in an ideal world, allow every stage to rotate at its own ideal speed however this is not practicable as it would mean that every stage would have to be on its own shaft. The real world answer is to accept either 2 or 3 shafts and that there is a compromise in the efficiency of the stages sharing the same shaft. These inefficiencies can be reduced by having three shafts rather than two (all stages on the same shaft being closer to optimum) at the expense of the extra weight and complexity of having a further shaft. It took RR some time to sort out the triple spool engine as initially they wore out very quickly but those issues have been resolved now. I have flown with the RB-211, Trent and the CFM56 and I’m embarassed to say that out of all of them I actually slightly prefer the CFM56. I’m not dissing the RR’s it’s just that I find the CFM the easiest to live with. In fact I shall spend today in close proximity with 4 of them for the first time since July and frankly I’m quite looking forward to it.

Most of the odd bits hanging off the Beech 1900D were attempts to resolve aerodynamic problems!

Also, my hobby these days is flying my Paramotor. A few weeks ago I test flew a pre-production paramotor in China that had winglets on each tip of the propeller!

Hi Val. I renewed my SEP this summer as it was nearly 10 years since I last renewed it and it was going to be a serious pain to revalidate in the future if it went over that time. I’m interested in microlights too so made some enquiries. I was told that you can fly a microlight on a JAA/CAA PPL however you will need to get a microlight add-on to your license (probably pass a GFT with associated training to be able to do so and undoubtedly pay the CAA a further fee). The problem with this route is that as well as satisfying the renewal requirements for the micolight add-on you must also satisfy the SEP requirements as well. If you pay more wedge to transfer your license to a NPPL you can then do a micolight test to qualify fo a NPPL(M). This NPPL(M) can be revalidated without the necessity to keep the pure NPPL valid.

This is it as I understand it. If I am incorrect please feel free to correct me.

Is that a company rule or an FAA one? Is it also required for cat 3? If the markers are unservicable does that preclude you from making am approach?

…I remember jumping in freight when the fire alarm went off…

😀

Must have been an ex-BA now DHL 757 then!