How hot is your cockpit?

[flx757]

Metrodriver & Thedude,

I've been around a while, and have flown a wide variety of equipment, but I'd have to agree...ain't nothing hotter than the Mighty Metro in Texas (or the Mighty Metro anywhere, for that matter!!) Even in the relative cool of the Colorado Rockies, you baked under that greenhouse windscreen, with no way to get any air whatsoever.

A quick story. When I flew the Metro for a regional (I guess it was a "commuter" in those days) in TX, a couple of the more enterprising pilots routed some clear plastic tubing from the eyeball outlets in the coat closet up to the cockpit and stuffed these down their shirts in an effort to get even a LITTLE relief. One of the pax noticed this tubing, and wrote to the company wanting to know why the pilots were getting oxygen, and the pax were not. True.

 

[NuGuy]

Hey B190Capt,

I too flew the mighty 1900 (UCs and UBs). The AC would work well enough once the engines were started (if the VCS was working), but you're right...on the ground you were toasty.

What was the tail number of that UB that had the ground AC unit? I too flew a UB with that unit installed. It would only work when there was external power plugged in (an on), and nobody could tell us exactly how it worked.

Best,
Nu

 

[chperplt]

What about the pax? I'd hate to deadhead on your flight in a hot summer.

I didn't say I cut the air off completely... just that I decreased the airflow. They still get plenty of air. As a passenger, wouldn't you want your flight crew to be comfortable??

 

[Jetsnake]

Assist your FA in pulling down the shades
and open every gasper valve there is, if
you close the pax door you need to open the
Avionics bay door on the CRJ, the front one,
This will prevent any pressurization problems
if you leave the aircraft, simply meaning, if
your FA or rampers come and open the door
and your not there, it won't pop open on then
injuring someone by mistake, this has happened
in the past.

If your company doesn't have the new mod in
which to hook up to an AC cart, if your APU is INOP,
have then run the AC cart line through the service
door at least 10 feet to cool the plane. The other option
is to make every attractive female strip down to
disperse the heat from there hot little bodies.

 

[B190Captain]

Hey B190Capt,

I too flew the mighty 1900 (UCs and UBs). The AC would work well enough once the engines were started (if the VCS was working), but you're right...on the ground you were toasty.

What was the tail number of that UB that had the ground AC unit? I too flew a UB with that unit installed. It would only work when there was external power plugged in (an on), and nobody could tell us exactly how it worked.

Best,
Nu

N189GA (UB series 1900)

 

[low-key]

the embraers are great, you can make it snow

 

[Dash8]

the problem with the dash's is that their packs weren't designed to cool down a hot plane,
just keep one cool,
thats why they all have the ports on the tail to plug in the external airmachines (that you see sitting under most jetways with the 1.5' diameter yellow hoses).
then you have the problems with the filter systems plugging up, the paper/cardboard ducting, the silicate style packs to absorb condensation in the ducts (and then plug up said duck) so that the poor pax don't have a drop of water blow out on them with the cool air rather than the rivulets of sweat most of them are emiting because of it.

not to mention that as soon as the packs are turned off during start or takeoff the cockpit goes up at least 5-10 degrees in as many seconds (and hotter sometimes)

 

[rice]

JETSNAKE/B190CAPTAIN

Man, you guys are making me look like a rookie with those Avatars!!!!!
But I like the way you think .

 

[NuGuy]

Hiya B190CPT,

Yea, I think mine was 125GP or 126GP. I can't remember which.

best,
Nu

 

[fr0g]

another vote for the metro..

I'll have to cast another vote for the metro! When it's 100 degrees on the ramp, you just cook inside! Hey! I can turn on the "fresh air" fan.. and blow 100 degree air on me..
I know some guys that carry towels with them. Recently, our company got us ONE A/C unit for the main ramp.. of course, now we all just fight over it!!

 

[Loafman]

With the CRJ, I think the key is to keep the aircraft cool and not let it get hot. If you have the same aircraft all day, then start the APU asap and leave it running anytime that you are on the ground. When it's hot outside, I set the temp. controllers to full cold on the descent. That way when we land, all the ducts and the cabin is cool. If the ducts are cool, then it's much easier to cool the airplane. Another thing that you can do is to have the external air (if available) hooked up and running. Run the external air and the APU and you should get some pretty good flow. And make sure that there are no "kinks" in the external air hose. You won't get much airflow with a kink in the line. As previously stated, open all vents in the cabin, galley, and flight deck. Close all window shades. Use window shades for both cockpit windows. And keep the main cabin door curtain closed to keep the heat and humidity out.

I think it all depends on the APU and how worn out the packs are. I've been in some aircraft where they cool well, and others where the airflow is weak. But with external air, all aircraft cool down quickly.

That's all fine and peachy if your airline wasn't so cheap that they require the APU be shut down for all but quick turns...

Even the AA guys are going without APUs on turns, but hey, that POWERBACK sure saves tug gas!!!!

Short-sighted management morons can't figure out the simple thermodynamic principle that it's more feasible to just leave it running.

 

[Birddog]

One idea that we have sucessfully used on the Be1900D is to open the top of the bulkhead in the rear of the cabin, pull the hose from the A/C cart through the cargo door, and hang it in the cabin. You can get it quite cool in there. Pull it out right before boarding and board as quickly as possible.

Otherwise imagine a dark blue 1900 in STL when it is 100 F with the VCM mel'ed and no GPU to run the fans. I am amazed we haven't had any cases of heatstroke.

 

[av8raaron]

"Hello and welcome to Sheppard Air Force Base in sunny Texas. Today's high for your T-37B flying enjoyment will be ONE BILLION DEGREES."