UALR OpNote 010

6 July 2010

Short OpNote this week…

1. Dual Center – due to a large number of pilots out on vacations Dual Center will be postponed.  This week’s regional flight on Thursday will be single center as usual.  However, we will be launching a contingent of Starliners along with the usual CRJ’s and ERJ’s.   Flight Officers in particular will be asked to fly the Starliner, however non-flight officers who feel confident in their abilities with the aircraft please send a note to operations via Skype indicating your interest in flying the 1649 this week.

 Starliner operators be advised of reports of hard landings causing nose wheel damage such that steering is inoperable after landing.  Operators should strive to set the nose down gently after touchdown.  High speed turns have also been reported to cause damage.  Starliner operators are advised NOT to use the high speed exit taxiways but instead to slow fully before attempting to steer. 

2. Flight numbers – Please note that soon we will begin assigning flight numbers to ROUTES rather than to PILOTS.   While I know this change may annoy some pilots who prefer to use the same flight number they have become accustomed to, there are several reasons for this change.  (1)  With the sheer number of routes and pilots being managed at this point it will make it far easier to prepare dispatch if routes are fixed with numbers and pilots are assigned to routes based on availability, (2) in real life, flight numbers are assigned to routes rather than pilots so this will in part move us another step closer to reality, and (3) we should try to mix things up every once in awhile.  Keeps things from getting stale.
3. ZBW Corner - We’ve received a few correctional pointers from ZBW this week.  Please note the following:

 Aircraft may never pushback onto a taxiway without authorization.  In the U.S., the ramp is uncontrolled.  That means unless you are told otherwise you may pushback as long as no part of your aircraft will incur onto a taxiway.  However, if you are going to need to pushback with any part or your aircraft – even your wingtip – covering a taxiway, you must receive clearance to do so.  As always, ATC instruction overrides this rule.

In the US, “flight levels” only exist above 17,999 feet.  In other words, pilots should not declare that they are at “flight level xxx” unless they are at 18,000 feet or above.  Any altitude below that level is simply verbalized in thousands of feet, for instance 12,000 is not “flight level 120”, it is “one two thousand”.