SurClaro Flight Simulator Resources

Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 9:43 am Post subject: Throttle lever setting....

A small question. In movies, doccumentaries etc. in the cockpit, when the throttle setting has to be increased, you see both the captain and the co-pilot pushing the throttle lever together. Why is it? I am sure the other guy is not just lending a hand. Is it some regulation that enforces this? And I think they dont do this when the throttle setting is to be reduced, am I right?

Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 10:07 am Post subject:

Hi,
In take -off thy do that to prevent that one of the pilots be mistake pull down the trottles. Its a regulation for supervison for each pilot.

I know because my uncle is a pilot with SN Brussels airline.

grzzz

Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 10:11 am Post subject:

Not really. That is only done on takeoffs. The regulation is that the captain must keep the hand on the throttle lever until V1, because if needed to reject takeoff, he could easilly retard it back to idle. The first officer would, on an old type airliner be the one setting takeoff power, the procedure would look like this:

Captain taxies the aircraft onto the runway, sets the brakes (unless a rolling start is made). Then, releases the brake and pushes the TLs all the way forward, and then he'd remove the hand and the F/O would look at the instruments and set takeoff EPR (or N1), remove his hand and captain puts the hand back onto the throttle till V1.

Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 10:23 am Post subject:

So there is no throttle operation where they both hold the lever?

Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 12:02 pm Post subject:

Well, I didn't say that it is not done. I just never met such a situation in my own experience. Rolling Eyes

Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 2:26 pm Post subject:

Ok. It's just that recently I was watching an old movie, "Free Fall" (I dont know if you have seen it, it's one about some guy sabotaging a/c) and in that there is a scene where this lady talks a pair of pilots (whose plane's electronics has been tampered with) out of a situation. In this scene the captain has to increase the throttle to full and immediately the FO joins in by placing his hand on the captain's while the throttle is pushed up to full. Suddenly it looked familiar as if I had seen the same thing before and I was just wondering if there is some such procedure.

Thanks.

Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 2:40 pm Post subject:

Nah. As I said, the only POSSIBLE moment where that would be done (both pilots keeping the hand on the TL) would be on takeoffs, and nowhere else. That is because during takeoff, the Pilot flying keeps a visual out the window and keeps the aircraft on the rwy, while the pilot not flying keeps an eye on the instruments, and call out the speeds.....neither can look at the TLs, so they would keep the hand on to make sure they are in the right position.

Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 3:03 pm Post subject:

OK Thanks Max.

Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 6:28 pm Post subject:

Max is correct for civilian flying.

But, as the military is concerned, it is slightly different.

On the larger jets, C141, C5, C130, RC135, etc. Both have their hands on the TL's. As Max said, only on take off.

They do this for security and safety reasons. This way both front seaters have the intentions of making the flight. The military has what is called the 2 man rule. And, to a degree, depending on a/c and cargo, it is strictly enforced.

RD

Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 8:26 pm Post subject:

I get it. ThanX!

Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 8:49 pm Post subject:

Could you ardie please elaborate a little bit on the 2 man rule. Being that I have no exp with military air operations, I am interested to hear more. Thank you!

Max

Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 3:42 am Post subject:

Max,

The 2 man rule is a security measure used in alot of highly classified fields and operations.

So I will make this very short. No one person can do something without another person doing the same thing. It is considered a fail safe system, or a safeguard to the mission/operation. If one goes astray from the mission/operation, the other, if need be, either ends the mission or the other person.

RD

EDIT BY ARDIE: Max, check this link. It also applies to IT: http://blogs.sun.com/gbrunett/20050420

Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 4:56 am Post subject:

Heard of the Egypt air (I think it was) crash? The one pilot decided to crash the plane and the other resisted? Of course, didnt help much...

Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 5:09 am Post subject:

Sorry Shankar, but please don't add something like that. It has no value here.

RD

Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 5:25 am Post subject:

Sorry RD. I was not trying to be smart OK? It just came to mind when yoiu described the procedure and it seemed that that was the kind of situation one was trying to avoid by this procedure.