Flight Training - June 2015 - 48

ADVANCED PILOT»

management computers (FMC)
that calculate how much thrust
is needed given the WAT limits
entered into the box by the pilots.
Older turbine airplanes may
require pilots to delve into the
performance charts to determine
the same information.
Methods used to actually calculate a reduced-thrust takeoff
setting vary, but in general, pilots
enter a higher temperature into
the FMC to trick the box into
reducing power accordingly, to
mimic degradations in performance that such a temperature
would create. This is called an
assumed temp.
So even though it's 15 degrees
Celsius at the airport, if WAT limits allow, a flex temperature of, say,
57 degrees could be used. In turn,
the FMC commands the engine
controls to supply the thrust that
would be used with temperature at
57 degrees C.
While not nearly as fun for us
pilots as unleashing all the ponies
behind the thrust levers, flex
takeoffs are the economical choice
for jet operators-for several reasons. Perhaps the biggest reason
is that going easy on the engines
can greatly extend their lives. And
when turbines can cost millions

WHEN TURBINES CAN
COST MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS EACH, IT
MAKES ECONOMIC
SENSE TO GET AS
MUCH LIFE OUT OF
THEM AS POSSIBLE.
of dollars each, it makes economic
sense to get as much life out of
them as possible. Operating temperatures and pressures are lower,
which reduces strain on nearly
every component in the engine.
From a maintenance standpoint,
modern engines are replaced on
condition, unlike the calendar
time/time-between-overhaul
method used for piston engines.
While a typical Continental or
Lycoming piston engine is good for
12 years/2,000 hours, a jet engine
could go tens of thousands of
hours before needing replacement.
Sure, they get inspected at prescribed intervals, but if everything
is good they can be buttoned up
and sent on their way again.
In addition to engine longevity,
flex takeoffs reduce fuel burn and
overflight noise for the neighbors
around the airport. In fact, if the
airplane's really light, takeoff

power may actually be less than
the prescribed climb power. If
you're riding in the back of a jet
and you hear the power increase
after climbing beyond about 1,000
feet above ground level, you can
be sure the WAT limits were quite
low. This will never occur on a hot
day in Denver, though.
Airport and atmospheric conditions can dash attempts for a flex
takeoff. Wind shear, runway contamination (standing water, snow,
slush), and inoperative equipment
are common reasons to abandon a
flex takeoff in favor of a full-power
takeoff. Crews themselves may
elect to do a full-power takeoff
if, for example, they are departing behind a heavy jet and want
to clear its wake turbulence. As
always, if the crew believes that a
flex takeoff may jeopardize safety,
they can abandon the plan and use
max thrust.
So while flex takeoffs may be the
norm in jet operations, don't try
to emulate the big boys by doing
partial-power takeoffs in your light
single or twin.
Pete Bedell is a pilot for a major airline
and holds type ratings in the BAe Jetstream 41, Canadair RJ, Boeing 737, and
Airbus 320.

REGIONAL AIRLINES OFFER SIGNING, RETENTION BONUSES TO NEW HIRES
A PILOT SHORTAGE at the regional airlines is causing

"Incentives such as Endeavor's four-year pilot retention

carriers to sweeten hiring deals with signing and reten-

program also pay dividends well past the beginning of a

tion bonuses worth thousands of dollars, according to the

new pilot's career," Templeton said.

PilotJobs blog on the Airline Training Professionals website
(www.atpflightschool.com).
Incentives to sign on and stay at the airlines increase effective wages by thousands of dollars, said Paul Templeton,
ATP regional jet program director.
Templeton included a comparative table of signing and
retention bonuses and tuition reimbursement programs.

Other examples include a $12,000 signing bonus at
Silver Airways that bring a first officer's effective first-year
wages to $37,000, and GoJet's $8,000 signing bonus,
which boosts first-year wages to $33,000.
Mesa Airlines offers a $6,000 tuition reimbursement
program that increases year one wages to $30,500.
The complete table is available at the website (www.

Endeavor Airlines, for example, offers an $80,000, four-year

atpflightschool.com/2015/02/09/regional-airlines-are-

pilot retention program that pushes a first officer's effective

offering-signing-and-rention-bonuses-to-pilots/).

first-year wages to $43,000.

48 /

FLIGHTTRAINING.AOPA.ORG

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Flight Training - June 2015

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Flight Training - June 2015