ERJ Drivers........

[sinkrate]

Rottweiller said:


About ten years ago all of us had to endure those infamous tapes at our company. For some reason the tapes just went away.

Same here. But wait! The course is now available for home use! Seriously though - If your employer won't pony up it will be the best money you ever spend on your education. I've suffered through the course twice. And if one more FO asks me to teach him radar in one flight I'll puke. It amazes how many pilots don't know the difference between convective weather and rain. Maybe they should learn a little about weather while they are at it.

http://www.sportys.com/PilotShop/product/13324

 

[dojetdriver]

I know the ERJ uses Honeywell Primus EFIS, like the Dornier...just wondering if the radar is the same as well. We have the Primus 880 radar...it works VERY well.

Same EFIS, but it's running the 1000 series and not the 2000 like the the Dornier. NO VNAV, VHF preview mode, auto ID for the ILS, vertical profile display, etc. Can't bug MDA/DA, no audible VTA

VIVA THE 328!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Baronman]

Same EFIS, but it's running the 1000 series and not the 2000 like the the Dornier. NO VNAV, VHF preview mode, auto ID for the ILS, vertical profile display, etc. Can't bug MDA/DA, no audible VTA

VIVA THE 328!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No VNAV on the 145? What's that little magenta glideslope that pops up? I guess baby VNAV?

 

[dojetdriver]

No VNAV on the 145? What's that little magenta glideslope that pops up? I guess baby VNAV?

Pretty much. Or in a more technical term, it has what's known as VNAV advisory ONLY, as opposed to actual VNAV capability. When it gets a button on the MCP labeled "VNAV" and has the ability to couple and follow climb/descent profiles/schedules either from what's on the arrival/approach procedure or what's programmed in the PERF INIT, it's not really a VNAV system.

The CRJ got the same thing on the EICAS 2000 mod and it was referred to as the "snowflake".

 

[BrickTop]

I've used some pretty crappy radar in the past but I've seen more problems with people who have no idea of how to use radar (it's not just like the weather channel you know). On board radar is no more reliable than the operator.

100% correct. I have seen nearly 70% of pilots who incorrectly use or misinterpret radar imagery. I have take many hours of airborne radar studies and practical use and can tell you with confidence that 70% of you are misusing/poorly manipulating radar. It is the least understood and most improperly used instrument on-board.

Do yourself a favor and educate yourself on radar technology. It could save your life or at minimum embarrassment from driving into an area that could have been avoided with proper equipment understanding.

 

[pilotkppsg]

As long as we're talking about the EMB...whats that pod looking thingy on the bottom of the XR? Missle defence? Super powered relief tube? Chemtrail dispenser?

Best,
Nu

Its where we keep the ASA management kool aid to dump it over Atlanta suburbs like Alpharetta and Kennesaw.

Seriously, it's a ventral tank

 

[UnstableAviator]

All good advice in this thread. I've been flying the ERJ for nearly 7 years, and after applying techniques I've learned through research and practical experience, I still think it leaves a lot to be desired. Of course it will paint the obvious storms that will cause damage/injury, and during the busy thunderstorm season it works quite well. During this time of year (Nov for example) with embedded cells and low freezing level, it might as well be turned off and don't plan on seeing anything more than 25 miles out. My worst turbulence encounters have been in the upper midwest or northeast during the seasonal transition. It's sometimes disconserting to hear mainline aircraft asking for deviations while we blindly plow along through whatever lies ahead. As before, at least the really hazardous weather is reflective enough to avoid.

Honeywell Primus 660 data
http://www.honeywell.com/sites/serv...t?docid=D7921978A-D1D0-2320-11C5-6BB6D3CB72D8


The new Honeywell Intuvue series (G650, A380, 777, 737NG,etc) sure looks impressive. I'm not sure what the A320 series use, but when jumpseating I'm usually amazed at the detail and distance at which it can show even weak non-hazardous precip.

http://www.newfromhoneywell.com/

 

[av8tor19]

Here is Archie's site: www.radar4pilots.com

I know him quite well and he would be happy to answer questions on the EMB radar. You will also notice some of the pictures are from the EMB.

http://radar4pilots.com

 

[SpauldingSmails]

Tilt control is essential. Ranging down as you approach is invaluable as well for evaluating size, intensity, and deviation strategy. You lose a lot of resolution keeping it out at 100+ range when working around cells.

My favorite: The guy who insists we deviate around the city of Chicago everytime you fly by Lake Michigan.

 

[AAsRedHeadedbro]

See my posts above (#18 and 19) from 2004. I agree. While the radar needs to be used a bit more actively than a radar mounted in a 757 with its huge dish, it has always kept me safe.

 

[filejw]

FYI you better be working both tilt and range in most mainline a/c too, less you run into a supprise.

 

[dougdrvr]

FYI you better be working both tilt and range in most mainline a/c too, less you run into a supprise.

It's depressing to read comments about how "boring" it is to learn all you can about the the idiosyncrasies of airborne radar.

 

[Rerouted]

Do a little reading on zero tilt angle - once you understand how to compute that, the radar in the ERJ works quite well unless you find yourself embedded in heavy rain.

RR

 

[Axel]

... the radar in the ERJ works quite well unless you find yourself embedded in heavy rain.

RR

It works well when in heavy rain, too, if you know what you are looking for.

 

[dougdrvr]

It works well when in heavy rain, too, if you know what you are looking for.

Yes, if you know what you're looking for, you'll be amazed at what you can't see! Especially with a dinky antenna and the power output of a cell phone.

 

[Axel]

In heavy rain you look for what you can't see and stay away from it when you find it. It works quite well.

As I was walking down the stair,
I met a man who wasn't there.
He wasn't there again today.
I wish, I wish he'd go away.

 

[acaTerry]

http://www.sportys.com/PilotShop/product/13324[/URL]

Part of your job as the captain my friend. It's monotonous and silly that a CA should have to be a flight instructor but that's the reality and beauty of whizkid academy programs and accelerated training. Next time you want to puke, just think that the lesson you give the FO may one day save many lives when he is in your seat and knows what he is doing because you were there to show him. So far as being amazed at things people don't know...you just got inducted into the "crusty old captain club"....welcome aboard!

 

[Seahawker01]

Part of your job as the captain my friend. It's monotonous and silly that a CA should have to be a flight instructor but that's the reality and beauty of whizkid academy programs and accelerated training. Next time you want to puke, just think that the lesson you give the FO may one day save many lives when he is in your seat and knows what he is doing because you were there to show him. So far as being amazed at things people don't know...you just got inducted into the "crusty old captain club"....welcome aboard!

I think his point was that it takes more then one flight to teach radar. But otherwise, spot on!

 

[sinkrate]

I think his point was that it takes more then one flight to teach radar. But otherwise, spot on!

All though that is true my point was if you don't know anything about convective weather systems the radar will be useless to you. And if it is impossible to teach radar use in a week it is even more impossible to teach weather in a week.

As far as Captian crusty goes the pilots I work with will tell you I joined that club several decades ago.

As far as teaching goes I've been doing that for several decades too. And the pilots I work with will tell you I'm very good at it.

What I will say about the new hires and CA upgrades I see today is generally they are the least prepared and least self motivated I have ever worked with. They are rarely familiar with such basics as at the AIM, much less any of the other outstanding official resources available on the web. They don't apply themselves. They typically want to be spoon fed on Company time with the smallest spoon available. If that is all they are going to put into it - they better not expect much from me. Now for the few I see that do apply themselves - they are more challenging than I've seen in many years because they use those resources. I really have to work to stay ahead of them and that's good.

Soooo - if you aren't familiar with Avaition Weather, Aviation Weather Services, the ADDS website and its tutorials, don't ask me to teach you radar in one flight. After I puke I'm going to be very quiet the rest of the day. Get over it.

 

[Baronman]

What I will say about the new hires and CA upgrades I see today is generally they are the least prepared and least self motivated I have ever worked with. They are rarely familiar with such basics as at the AIM, much less any of the other outstanding official resources available on the web. They don't apply themselves. They typically want to be spoon fed on Company time with the smallest spoon available. If that is all they are going to put into it - they better not expect much from me. Now for the few I see that do apply themselves - they are more challenging than I've seen in many years because they use those resources. I really have to work to stay ahead of them and that's good.

Soooo - if you aren't familiar with Avaition Weather, Aviation Weather Services, the ADDS website and its tutorials, don't ask me to teach you radar in one flight. After I puke I'm going to be very quiet the rest of the day. Get over it.

I generally agree with the above observation. The fact that there are guys 2,3,4 years in who have no idea where to find weather data or how to interpret it reflects the low level of what we as captains have been bringing to the cockpit.

The WX packet the company gives us aside from TAFs and Metars is largely useless as it has no maps, radar, satellite, convective maps. To not familiarize yourself with other sources is a disservice to all aboard the AC.