For You Twin Otter Guys

TenForTwelve · Post by **TenForTwelve** » Mon May 28, 2007 8:55 pm

Hey Guys,

Got a Twin Otter ride coming up next week, maybe some of you guys who have been doing it for a while could post some of the weird/unusual questions you have been asked. I'll be flying a 300 series with -27's. Thanks.

rightseatwonder · Post by **rightseatwonder** » Mon May 28, 2007 9:28 pm

got this once...not sure if it applies to a -300 series though...

"whats made of wood on this airplane?

V1CUT · Post by **V1CUT** » Mon May 28, 2007 10:24 pm

hey, good luck, you will love the machine and find it hard to leave behind in the end! I did and miss the things a Twotter can do that if you tried in another A/C........ well things wouldn't go very well!

- in cruise if torque is increasing and the prop RPM decreasing whats happening and what's the first thing you do?

- your on the take-off roll you are just passing 35psi of torque and one of your engines starts to feather what is happening and why? what do you do?

- you have the full fuel system installed on the aircraft (tip tanks) and you look at your fwd tank a half hour into the flight and it's lower than it should be, you have quite an impbalance, and you know you should have more than what is actually in your main tanks (no fuel smell in the cabin), what is likley the problem?

-whats the max you can have for fuel in the tip tanks to be doing offstrip work? if any?

-the push rod attached to the back of the co-pilots yoke what is it's purpose?

-your on final approach, solid IMC, temp -3C, winter, night your nose suddenly pitches down and the yoke is pulled from your hand, what happened? why? what do you do? what can you do to continue safely for another approach? what limitations should/shouldhave been followed?

-what fuel quantity do you have left when the fuel low level lights come on fwd? aft? how much flying time at best efficiency do you have left?

- your on final approach, your visual, you select 20 deg of flap and the stall warning goes off roughly through 12 deg of flap at 90kias, what is most likley your problem?

i have some more but this should be enough to get you started

take it easy!!

V

Lurch · Post by **Lurch** » Mon May 28, 2007 10:39 pm

Ok Somebody has to post the answers

The only one I think I can answer is Question 6, at the risk of being chewed out, I believe it is a tail plane stall and you pull back and reduce flaps? I need to look this one up.

just curious · Post by **just curious** » Tue May 29, 2007 6:21 am

Hey Guys,

Got a Twin Otter ride coming up next week, maybe some of you guys who have been doing it for a while could post some of the weird/unusual questions you have been asked. I'll be flying a 300 series with -27's. Thanks.

I have lots of questions there Twelve...
But I'll be asking them next week. During your ride!
JC

J31 · Post by **J31** » Tue May 29, 2007 8:06 am

Go easy on him JC I think he is keen to impress you!

Now if the training pilot did a good job you should have no problems Twelve!

TenForTwelve · Post by **TenForTwelve** » Tue May 29, 2007 8:17 am

Sorry to blow your bubble JC, but I don't work at Borek. If you have some real stumpers, I'd love to hear them. PM me if you like. Thanks for the questions V1, I think I may have met you in Ft. McMurray last summer. Keep 'em coming guys!

ybp · Post by **ybp** » Wed May 30, 2007 5:06 pm

rightseatwonder...I work on -300's and haven't seen any wood....other than what I put in

. Were is it?

NWONT · Post by **NWONT** » Wed May 30, 2007 5:25 pm

The nose section baggage is wood.

ALT SEL · Post by **ALT SEL** » Wed May 30, 2007 5:50 pm

Every DeHavilland has atleast one bit of wood. In the Dash 8 I beleive its in the aft baggage section.

Cat Driver · Post by **Cat Driver** » Wed May 30, 2007 6:36 pm

What is the maximum speed you can taxi in reverse in a Twin Otter on floats?

C-GGGQ · Post by **C-GGGQ** » Wed May 30, 2007 7:27 pm

ALT SEL wrote:Every DeHavilland has atleast one bit of wood. In the Dash 8 I beleive its in the aft baggage section.

pretty sure yeah, I think at least part of it is wood.

EPR · Post by **EPR** » Wed May 30, 2007 7:41 pm

There is a little bullet shaped piece of wood in the fuel vent opening to help prevent the vent from becoming blocked from ice build up.

ybp · Post by **ybp** » Wed May 30, 2007 7:50 pm

NWONT, on the DHC-6-300 I think the nose is fiberglass. Some have a wooden floor in them but it is not approved.

I know of one that had wood in the aft baggage door to support the latch rods. It was WAY better than those sloppy bushings.

NWONT · Post by **NWONT** » Wed May 30, 2007 8:48 pm

The long nose baggage compartment is made of a balsa wood and fiberglass laminate.

ybp · Post by **ybp** » Wed May 30, 2007 9:03 pm

Damn it, I thought I knew everything

I'll have to pass that one around the coffee room, thanks.

rightseatwonder · Post by **rightseatwonder** » Wed May 30, 2007 10:10 pm

bing bing...!

Yup the fuel vent opening does have a wood bullet shaped object right in front to prevent ice build up...but also speeds the air up in the local area and create low pressure around the opening to induce fumes to draw out. Wood so no static can build up around the fuel fumes venting! Thats what i was taught anyways.

As for taxiing backward.... on wips or caps there Cat? I know the caps shape can drive your tail down but on the flat ended bumper capped wips i never had that happen.

I am embarrassed to say that i would have to really think about the more operational questions asked above..its hasnt been all that long but I am on NG stuff now and I can only take so much studying!

All I can say is watch out for tail stalls...nasty. Train, train and be ready.

also another strange one.....on the -100 series....where is the DH issued sponge?

cheers,
RSW

Capt Pistolla · Post by **Capt Pistolla** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 3:30 pm

If you really want to ace it...when he asks "Who sleeps with battery?", whithout hesitation you exclain..."Why, I do Sir!"

Rudy · Post by **Rudy** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 3:57 pm

When you fart and you want your co-pilot to smell it instead of yourself and your passengers what do you do?

just curious · Post by **just curious** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 4:38 pm

Twelve,

Thanks for asking, but no, my feelings aren't hurt that you aren't doing your ride with me.

While there are, of course, a few thousand tricky questions one could be asked (and I have most of them

), I prefer to focus on something a bit more work and safety related.

When assessing a candidate:

Can they perform the duties expected of their postition, and operation?
Are they aware of the specifications in their ops manual as to how they can perform their job?
If they fly their machine in a variety of configurations, do they know the performance numbers for each operation?
Can they plan a flight and be able to discuss the weather, weight and balance, IFR, and operational concerns with respect to flying say, in a mountainous area at night in -40 weather, and potentially some ice along the way?
If the company has, and uses SOPs, does the candidate understand them, and apply them?
If the company has, and uses an MEL, does the candidate understand them, and can they apply them?
Does the candidate understand that while checklists are for guidance, some events require memory drills. Can they identify the items which require a memory drill?
When briefing an approach, does the missed approach/ go around briefing yield the idea that there is an action plan if in fact the weather was unsuitable, as opposed to just not being lined up and stable for the landing? ie... Try the approach again, try a different approach at the same field, or divert to the alteranate, or another more suitable alternate.
Is the candidate managing a flight and the crew commensurate with the level of experience and the postition- or are they being lead by the hand?
Are there specific aircraft situations that a candidate should be aware of? Tail ice, beta failure, that sort of thing?
Are there specific tools or equipment that a candidate uses during the course of their job that they should be familiar with? Barrel ramp, honda pumps, astro compass...
Are all the required additional skills stuff, (whimis, first aid, crm, tdg) and documents (ramp pass, passport, AVOP), all up to date?

If all of this is being well handled then trick questions like chunks of wood (Cockpit floor under the flight bags...) are really just conversation starters.

Good luck,
JC