4.7 Landing clearance

Exercise 4.7.1 Read and translate the text.

The new frequency is tuned and John checks in with the Hong Kong tower controller.

Captain R/T: ‘Tower, Speedbird two five is a seven-mile final’

Hong Kong Tower:’ Speedbird two five, good afternoon, continue approach.’

The big jet bumps through some turbulence. The winds on the approach are light yet the pilots are mindful of the airport’s reputation for windshear and bad turbulence. In addition to the turbulence detectors, the 747 has its own predictive windshear system that can detect dangerous air current ahead. It would seem an aircraft the size of the 747 would be immune to the vagaries of the wind. Size does help. But even jumbos can be affected by turbulence kicked up by hilly terrain and the windshear and microbursts that occur near thunderstorms. Jets are most vulnerable when landing and departing, when they are low and slow. The 747’s windshear system and years of pilot training minimize the chances of such an encounter creating problems.

The passengers note the sensations as the jet manoeuvres for landing. They hear the whine of the hydraulic motors as gear doors swing open and the massive wheel bogies drop down into position. They feel the vibration of the flaps being deployed into the slipstream. They hear the engines throttle up to counter the drag of the gear and flaps. They feel the nose dip, the wings bank one way and then the other as the pilot tracks the ILS down to the runway.

On the flightdeck, the expansive airport island is taking shape out of the front windscreen – the runway directly ahead, the taxiways, hangars and terminal.

The jet is 5 nm back on the approach, level at 1,500 ft, when it intercepts the glideslope. For this long runway, Flap 25 will suffice. The flap handle is moved back to this setting and the jet slowed to Vref + 5kt, or 154kt. The crew can add up to 15kt to Vref to compensate for gusty winds.

Harry lowers the nose slightly and the jumbo begins the last stage of its descent. With the runway in sight, the Captain takes control.

Dynasty 652, the China Airlines A300, has touched down and can be seen turning slowly off the runway.

Hong Kong Tower:’ Speedbird two five, surface wind is zero eight zero seven knots, cleared to land zero seven left.’

Exercise 4.7.2 Answer the questions.

1. What final is Speedbird 25 on?

2. What does the big jet bump through?

3. What kind of system does the 747 have to detect dangerous air current ahead?

4. Can jumbos be affected by turbulence?

5. What sensations do the passengers note as the jet manoeuvres for landing?

6. What is taking shape out of the front windscreen?

7. What is the position and level of the jet when it intercepts the glideslope?

8. What flap setting will suffice for this long runway?

9. What is the position of Dynasty 652, the China Airlines A300?

10. What is the surface wind on landing?

Exercise 4.7.3 Are the following statements true (√) or false (×)? Correct the false ones.

1. The winds on the approach are strong, so the pilots are mindful of the airport’s reputation for windshear and bad turbulence.

2. The Boeing 747 doesn’t have its own predictive winsdshear system.

3. Even jumbos can be affected by turbulence kicked up by hilly terrain and the windshear and microbursts that occur near thunderstorms.

4. The jet is 5 nm back on the approach, level at 1,500 feet, when it intercepts the glideslope.

5. Flap 25 won’t be suffice.

6. With the runway in sight the First Officer takes control.

Exercise 4.7.4 Give English equivalents for the following words and word combinations.

Турбулентность; массивная колесная тележка; сдвиг ветра; вибрация предкрылков; система прогнозирования сдвига ветра; спутная струя; воздушный поток; переднее лобовое стекло; капризы ветра; ангары; холмистая местность; аэровокзал; микропорыв; порывистый ветер; последний этап снижения; ощущения; гидравлический двигатель; ВПП в поле зрения; створка шасси.

Exercise 4.7.5 What do the following abbreviations stand for?.

747 Vref kt A300

Exercise 4.7.6 Find in the text synonyms for the following words and expressions.

Slight; meet unexpectedly; attentive; oppose; as an extra; vast; forecasted; windshield; flow; straight; happen; be enough; be adequate; unprotected.

Exercise 4.7.7 Match the word combinations and expressions in column A with those in column B.

A	B
1. landing clearance	a. гидромотор
2. hydraulic motor	b. спутная струя
3. microburst	c. лобовое стекло
4. predictive windshear system	d. воздушный поток
5. slipstream	e. средство обнаружения
6. windscreen	f. разрешение на посадку
7. air current	g. микропрорыв
8. detector	h. створка шасси
9. gear door	i. распахиваться
10. swing open	j. система прогнозирования сдвигов ветра

Exercise 4.7.8 Fill in the gaps with the words from the text choosing from the ones given in brackets.

1. The pilots are ____ (mindful, careful, helpful) of the airport’s reputation for windshear.

2. The 747 has its own predictive windshear _________ (device, indicator, system).

3. Jets are most ______ (vulnerable, violent, varary) when landing and departing.

4. The passengers note the sensations as the ___________ (plane, aircraft, jet) maneuvers for landing.

5. The passengers hear the engines throttle up to _____________ (count, counter, encounter) the drag of the gear and flaps.

6. On the flightdeck, the __________ (expensive, expansive, extended) airport island is taking shape out of the front windscreen.

7. The crew can add up to 15kt to Vref to compensate for ____________ gusty, gustly, gust) winds.

8. Harry lowers the nose _____________ (lightly, slightly, slight) and the jumbo begins the last stage of its descent.

Exercise 4.7.9 Fill in the gaps with the necessary form of the words given in brackets.

1. The big jet bumps through some __________. (TURBULENT)

2. In addition to the turbulence __________ , the 747 has its own predictive windshear system. (DETECT)

3. The system can detect ___________ air current ahead. (DANGER)

4. The windshear and microbursts occur near ____________. (THUNDER)

5. The passengers note the _____________ as the jet manoeuvres for landing. (SENSE)

6. The ____________ wheel bogies drop down into position. (MASS)

7. The runway is __________ ahead. (DIRECT)

8. Dynasty 652 can be seen turning _________ off the runway. (SLOW).

Exercise 4.7.10 In the list below the box find a definition for the given words.

Hangar Terminal Taxiway Glideslope Detector Thunderstorm Slipstream Air current Flap Gusty

1. building at an airport or in a town where air passengers arrive and depart

2. large shed in which aircraft are kept

3. path along which aircraft move at an airport

4. device for detecting

5. stream of air from the propeller or jet engine of an aircraft

6. stream of air

7. part of the wing of an aircraft that can be lifted in flight to alter its upward direction and speed.

8. storm of thunder and lightning, usually with heavy rain

9. stormy

10. a descent profile determined for vertical guidance during a final approach

Exercise 4.7.11 Translate the following sentences into English.

1. Спидберд 25, на семимильной прямой.

2. Продолжайте заход.

3. 747 имеет свою собственную систему прогнозирования сдвига ветра.

4. Размер все-таки оказывает помощь.

5. Реактивные ВС наиболее подвержены сдвигу ветра при посадке и взлете.

6. В кабине экипажа обширный остров аэропорта появляется с лобового стекла – ВПП прямо впереди, рулежные дорожки, ангары и аэровокзал.

7. Самолет входит в глиссаду на расстоянии 5 морских миль и на высоте 1 500 футов.

8. Рычаг управления закрылками устанавливается в позицию Закрылок 25.

9. Закрылок 25 является достаточным.

10. Экипаж может добавить до 15 узлов к скорости V_ref в связи с поры-вистым ветром.

11. Гарри немного опускает нос, и ВС начинает последний этап своего снижения.

12. Дайнести 652 произвел посадку и медленно сворачивает с ВПП.

Exercise4.7.12 Make up your own sentences using the following words and word combinations.

Manoeuvres for landing; swing open; drop down into position; being deployed into the slipstream; throttle up to counter the drag of the gear and flaps; dips; bank one way and then the other; track the ILS down to the runway; be directly ahead; begin the last stage of its descent; turn slowly off the runway.

Exercise 4.7.13 Retell the text.