4 ms·

I just flew on this same route on Eva last week and at one point the tailwind speed was 200mph. We were close to or over supersonic relative to the ground for m

by ykl 3y ago

I just flew on this same route on Eva last week and at one point the tailwind speed was 200mph. We were close to or over supersonic relative to the ground for most of the trip; we left like 20 minutes late and arrived over an hour early. The turbulence was pretty rough though; at three separate sections the captain had to make the cabin crew strap in and after the third section like that the captain clearly decided he was done and gunned the engines to take the plane up another 4000 feet. That El Niño effect on Pacific air currents right now is no joke.

ulfw 3y ago
> the captain clearly decided he was done and gunned the engines to take the plane up another 4000 feet That's not how civil aviation works, but never mind. Sounds like a neat story.
- geor9e 3y ago
  The captain clearly decided he was done and radiod air traffic control for permission to go to +4000 ft and gunned the engines to take the plane up another 4000 feet is that better
  - insaneirish 3y ago
    Or, they asked ATC if they had any idea what might be a smoother ride, and that's what ended up being suggested. If you listen to ATC radio at all, it's a lot more anecdotal than you'd otherwise suspect, with private planes that fly higher sometimes reporting smoother air at higher flight levels.
  - bruce511 3y ago
    Honest question; is there air traffic control over the Pacific? I guess this was a China to US flight (can't read TFA), so maybe within land based radars? I'm no pilot, but I assumed over large open water it's pretty much "designated highways" with designated altitudes. But sure, if permission is needed I think it's implied in the original post that he got clearance to so. If theres more to "doesn't work like that" I'd be interested.
    - phire 3y ago
      You don't actually need radar to have air traffic control. It's just that ATC can't provide tracking services for the entire route. Instead, aircraft file their routes in advanced (which are either a series waypoints, or a fixed airway), and pilots occasionally radio in position updates as they progress. The airspace is still controlled, but without tracking, the separations are much larger. Any two aircraft that might be on the same route or might cross paths have different assigned altitudes, and they must communicate with ATC before changing altitude or route.
- ykl 3y ago
  Well, I assume he asked ATC and all of the usual stuff, but as an unaware passenger all I know is we climbed and then things got smoother. The engines sound super impressive when climbing.
- CalRobert 3y ago
  Ages ago, United would let you listen to the radio Comms in the in seat audio. I miss that.
ninthcat 3y ago
Note that as a plane burns fuel, its maximum sustainable altitude and its most fuel-efficient altitude both increase. This explains why the pilots did not climb to a higher flight level earlier.

by ykl 3y ago

ulfw 3y ago

> the captain clearly decided he was done and gunned the engines to take the plane up another 4000 feet That's not how civil aviation works, but never mind. Sounds like a neat story.

geor9e 3y ago
The captain clearly decided he was done and radiod air traffic control for permission to go to +4000 ft and gunned the engines to take the plane up another 4000 feet is that better
- insaneirish 3y ago
  Or, they asked ATC if they had any idea what might be a smoother ride, and that's what ended up being suggested. If you listen to ATC radio at all, it's a lot more anecdotal than you'd otherwise suspect, with private planes that fly higher sometimes reporting smoother air at higher flight levels.
- bruce511 3y ago
  Honest question; is there air traffic control over the Pacific? I guess this was a China to US flight (can't read TFA), so maybe within land based radars? I'm no pilot, but I assumed over large open water it's pretty much "designated highways" with designated altitudes. But sure, if permission is needed I think it's implied in the original post that he got clearance to so. If theres more to "doesn't work like that" I'd be interested.
  - phire 3y ago
    You don't actually need radar to have air traffic control. It's just that ATC can't provide tracking services for the entire route. Instead, aircraft file their routes in advanced (which are either a series waypoints, or a fixed airway), and pilots occasionally radio in position updates as they progress. The airspace is still controlled, but without tracking, the separations are much larger. Any two aircraft that might be on the same route or might cross paths have different assigned altitudes, and they must communicate with ATC before changing altitude or route.
ykl 3y ago
Well, I assume he asked ATC and all of the usual stuff, but as an unaware passenger all I know is we climbed and then things got smoother. The engines sound super impressive when climbing.
CalRobert 3y ago
Ages ago, United would let you listen to the radio Comms in the in seat audio. I miss that.

ninthcat 3y ago

Note that as a plane burns fuel, its maximum sustainable altitude and its most fuel-efficient altitude both increase. This explains why the pilots did not climb to a higher flight level earlier.