Back Home!

Corner Talk: This weekend was spent at home - home sweet home in Kuching to celebrate my Mum's lunar calendar birthday, the 8th days of 4months. I am still recovering from my sickness, heavy cough and sore throat. It has been a week now, yet, there still no sign of improvement after consuming half bottle of Bena Expectorant. Hope to get well soon, as exam for Module 4 Cat B2 Electronics is just around the corner, on the 8th of May. then, 2 weeks later, on the 22th of May, it will be Module 5 Cat B2 Digital Technique Exam. Oh my ... Hectic and busy schedule ahead! Wooooh ... :)

____________________________________________________________

Yesterday, as usual, flights were all packed. People were traveling as this weekend will be a public holiday - Labour's Day. Furthermore, with MAS is offering cheap and affordable, it is a temptation not to travel with the airline. ELF was a boom, since its launching last year, it has received overwhelming positive response from the clients. Well done, MAS! At the same time, for people alike me, who travels under Stand-by ticket, it is difficult for us to obtain any seats at this period of time. Luckily, I have the advantage of using Jump Seat if the cabin seats are not available. There is no exception this time. Another series of Jump Seat experience with B737-400 ...

Flight MH 2718, 9M-MMI, took off from KLIA at 1830 hours was piloted by Captain Toh CS from Ipoh. His flight officer, a new fresh pilot, F/O Asri. Captain Toh is really a nice guy; he is friendly, passionate and willing to teach me throughout the flight. He is very patient in coaching his F/O, nevertheless, I did pick up a few knowledge from him as he lectured during the flight. The Captain is a great teacher, I must say, even though, sometimes, he teaches you though the hard way, but, that's the way of learning, right? Nothing best come without effort!

Autopilot Flight Director Control Panel
With this system,
it is so much convenient for the pilots to fly the aircraft
in the border less sky without getting lost!
Generally, the Flight Director gives the commands
to the pilots to fly the aircraft according to the flight route / plan.
With Autopilot coupled to the Flight Director System,
the pilots can just take his hands off the control column! Haha ...

Red - Autopilot / Flight Director Control Panel
Blue - Course Selector Knob
Yellow - IAS / Mach function switch
Purple - IAS / Mach Select Knob
White - Level Change Mode
Green - Heading Select Knob

The commands from the Flight Director System
are displayed through the Primary Flight Display (Purple)
What the pilots need to do is, just,
fly the aircraft as per the commands on the commands bar.
It is just that's simple!
Once the commands are satisfied,
the aircraft symbol will align with the commands bar.

Purple: Primary Flight Display (PFD), below: Navigation Display (ND)
Yellow: Standby Altimeter
Blue: Standby Vertical Speed Indicator (VSI)
Green: Standby Airspeed Indicator (ASI)
Red: Gyro Horizon

All the engine parameters are displayed in the
Engine Indicating Crew Alerting System (EICAS).
Information such as Exhaust Gas Temperature (EGT),
N1 Speed, N2 Speed, Engine Vibration,
Fuel Flow and Oil Pressure are
displayed in two sets of indicators,
left for engine 1 and right for engine.

Green: EICAS Displays
Cyan: Yaw Damper Test Indicator
Purple: Flap Position Indicator
Red: Landing Gear Selector Knob

Along the journey of my flight with 9M-MMI,
it was flew under Heading Mode.
In short, HDG mode was made reference with
the Earth's horizontal magnetic field.
Selection of HDG was as per instruction from ATC.
Selection of HDG mode can be made from
Autopilot / Flight Director Control Panel.
Apart from that, Flight Management Computer
is used for the navigation and flight planning as well.
Click the photo to enlarge ...

Overall, it was a productive trip,
weather was calm,
and I had gained some new knowledge
from this experience,
once again, special token of appreciation to
Captain Toh, F/O Asri and
Leading Steward Kenny Lim
from Flight MH 2718, 9M-MMI


Happy Labour's Day!
(Happy Scholar Day to all students too!)

Your truthfully,
KeithK :)