November 19, 2007
Completing my Initial Operating Experience (I.O.E.) on Monday afternoon, I now
have qualifications as a B727 first officer.
Flight operations begin on Monday at the early morning hour
Arriving at the airport, we observe another eight Boeing 727 and 767 jet
cargo planes park along the ramp. They silently wait their call to transport
vital cargo across long distances. For now, it is our turn.
Boarding the well used B727, our crew of three begins duties to bring this
machinery to life. We complete engine pre-start checklists, watch
ground support workers connect a tug, and then receive a gentle pushback which
eases the plane out of the ramp and into a taxiway. The trip begins
in the morning darkness of 3:30AM for a trip from
Specifically located on the airport in an area known to the air traffic
controllers as
Moving cargo is an ancient business which
stretches back to early traders who developed routes. We continue this
passage, serving customers, bringing good and exchanges supplies.
Many parts of trade remain the same. The speed has changed and
reduces the time to transport goods, increasing the quantity which may be
delivered, and covering large distances with ease.
Parking the plane in the alley, the crew begins the process of starting three
jet engines. The process is fairly simple: holding down
a switch which engages a starter motor and directs high pressure air into the
engine. When the engine speeds up enough, add fuel and
ignition. After about :40 seconds, release the starter and observe
the engine speed increase to a self-sustaining level. Then repeat
the process until all three engines are started. Ponder this idea and you
quickly draw a parallel of life from birth, childhood, to
adulthood.
Having engines running allows power to be directed from high pressure air and
electrical generators. The three generators are connected one at a
time until their mighty power is available to command the airplane.
How much power? Consider that the 102 kilowatt electrical output of
a B727 is sufficient to supply the electrical needs of a small village - about
40 homes.
Power is now available online and we run a pre-taxi checklist. Just
then the several lights flicker, go out, and then some return. We
have lost power. Murphy's law arrives to inform us that no good
deed goes unpunished. Aging equipment, wiring, electrical busses,
connectors, and solenoids wear. Today brings forth the news.
A short circuit has occurred, resulting in the protection systems
activating. We are down one generator.
What to do? The problem occurring at the departure airport provides
many remedies to fix or defer. A discussion is held with
maintenance experts and the decision comes: Defer repair, continue with
the remaining generators, and fly the trip. Out comes the dreaded
paperwork, forms completed, the checklist is restarted, power restored, and the
trip continues.
Taxing to the runway in the darkness, the crew completes the remaining
checklists, sets the radios for the first navigational fix, and reviews the
departure briefing. It is my leg, airspeeds and takeoff decisions are
reviewed. If there is a problem and the plane can stop, or the plane is
too fast and instead is flown and the problem handled in air. All is part
of professional airline training, born out of tested procedures and years of
experience. If all goes well then the flight departs to the east,
climbs to a heading and altitude assigned by air traffic
controllers. "Any questions?", is the final
comment. None are raised. We are nearly ready.
The countdown continues with a taxi route ends at the runway. Contacting
the air traffic controller and advising, "ready for takeoff." brings
the reply, "cleared for takeoff runway 9." Easing the
plane onto the active runway, a new set of lights is observed.
White edge lights mark the runway width. Green and white centerline lines
mark the middle, at the far end the edge lights turn alternating red and white
to mark the runway's end." Aligning the a nose
wheel on the centerline, the captain brings the plane to a stop, momentarily
sets the brakes, and then calls out, "Your brakes your throttles."
It is a short and simple command but it carries with it the blessings of a wish
granted. It is a wish spawned decades ago as a young child when
gazing into space. Now a wish held as an adult, poised to take command of
the takeoff, and to launch a career.
Replying , "My airplane.", the waiting is complete with the
advance of thrust levers to 30% power. Checking engine output of
three massive jet engines which produce over 15,000 pounds of thrust
each, a final check is made of the engine performance. Such
power is delicately balanced with precision engineering and
mathematics. Five instruments are critically monitored during the
next several moments and any error requires an immediate takeoff
termination.
Memories instantly flash and a story is
briefly recalled. A new crewmember is riding as an observer in a cockpit
which was piloted by a senior captain with European ancestry. The
captain demanded just before advancing the throttles, "What are we getting
ready to do?". The new crewmember gave a puzzled reply,
"I don't know. Going to Cincinnati?" But the
captain retorted, "Ve arh getting ready to
abort!" Mental preparation sets the expectation at
this most critical time. Add jet fuel and ignition to produce
over 45,000 pounds of thrust and something is going to happen. Hopefully
it is something good.
Stabilized engines at 30%, the power throttles are advanced fully forward and
the command given, "Set Takeoff Thrust". Power is
advanced to nearly 100% by the non-flying crewmember. Throttle
control is shifted to the captain who handles final decisions until flying
speed is attained. Continuing with parking brake release results in
a burst of acceleration and takeoff begins. Pushing the crew back
into their seats, the airspeed indicator rises to a first indicator and the
non-flying pilot call-out is made, "Airspeed alive", followed
by the flying pilot acknowledgement of "Check". Forward
motion rapidly advances as surging jet power roars out of the engine, exhausts
into the surrounding air, and screams for flight. Airspeed
increases to the 80 knots, then continues to the critical point: Decision Speed
- V1. It is at V1 that a last chance is given to abort and still
stop safely on the runway. No problems occur. Takeoff
may continue.
A few knots more and the call-out is made,
"Rotate". Control wheel forces made to pull
backwards result in the plane's nose gently rising. It continues as pitch
forces increase to an initial target of 11 degrees pitch up.
It is enough to change all that was and is to be. The planes rising
continues, wings produce lift, jet power thrusting overcomes the 190,000 pounds
of airplane weight and then it happens. The plane is flying.
So too is my soul.