4.10 Final checks

Exercise 4.10.1 Read and translate the text.

Speedbird 25 has arrived on schedule. It made the trip, gate to gate, in 11 hours, 37 minutes. It consumed 116 tonnes of fuel, almost 5 tonnes less than the flightplan predicted, leaving 18.5 tonnes of fuel in the tanks, enough for another hour and 20 minutes of flying, with a five-time reserve.

The crew move quickly through final checks. The APU generator switches are turned ON: Nos 1, 2 and 3 hydraulic systems are turned OFF and No4 is turned to auxiliary for one minute to pressurize the brakes; the four fuel control levers are moved to the cutoff position to shut down the engines; seatbelt signs are turned OFF; fuel pumps are selected OFF; anti-ice systems are turned OFF; the aft cargo heat is turned OFF; and the inertial reference systems are checked for accuracy and then turned OFF.

As the engines spool down, the beacon strobes are turned OFF – the signal to ground staff that it is safe to approach the jet. The jetway is moved into position and a cabin door opened. For almost 12 hours this long metal tube has been a temporary home to 276 people. The jet isn’t in Hong Kong for long. In just over an hour, a new crew will fly it to Taipei, Taiwan. But there is a lot to do during the brief layover. Cargo has to be unloaded, the jet refuelled and the cabins cleaned.

The pilots have more work to do. They complete the cabin defect report and fill in the maintenance log with any airworthiness defects that occurred during the flight.

They file away charts and also place the complete ‘flight docs’ in a brown envelope that forms a record of the flight for the archives. Finally, there is the housekeeping. Rubbish is tossed in the garbage bins and any remaining cups and plates are cleaned away. As a courtesy to the new crew, they try to leave the cockpit as tidy as they found it.

Later this afternoon, Victor Alpha will be back in Hong Kong from Taiwan for a short layover before making the return flight to Heathrow. But for the weary pilots and cabin crew, their workday over. They are off-duty until Thursday night when they will return to the airport to take Speedbird 28 back to Heathrow. Now they make their way through the expansive airport terminal and outside to meet the crew limo that will take them over the two massive bridges and through a tunnel to their hotel on Hong Kong Island with its great views overlooking the harbour. The layover allows time for shopping and socializing. But after more than 13 hours on duty and a journey that has spanned two continents, the first priority for most of them is to get some sleep.

Exercise 4.10.2 Answer the questions.

1. Has Speedbird 25 arrived on schedule?

2. How long did the trip take?

3. How much fuel did it consume?

4. What final checks do the crew move through?

5. How many people has the jet been a temporary home for?

6. Is the jet in Hong Kong for long?

7. What do the pilots have to do?

8. How long are the pilots and cabin crew off-duty?

9. What will the flight number of the jet be back to Heathrow?

10. What is the first priority for the crew after more than 13 hours on duty?

Exercise 4.10.3 Are the following statements true (√) or false (×)? Correct the false ones.

1. Speedbird 25 has arrivaled on time.

2. Nos 1, 2, 3 and 4 hydraulic systems are turned off.

3. When the beacon strobes are turned OFF it is the signal to ground staff that it is safe to approach the jet.

4. The jet is in Hong Kong for long.

5. The same crew will fly the jet to Taipai, Taiwan.

6. The pilots have nothing to do during the brief layover.

7. The pilots and cabin crew are off-duty until Thursday morning.

8. They will return to the airport to take Speedbird 25 back to Heathrow.

Exercise 4.10.4 Give English equivalents for the following words and word combinations.

Согласно расписанию; топливные баки; резерв в пять тонн; окончательная проверка; гидравлическая система; тормоза; топливный насос; противообледенительная система; инерциальная система отсчета; точность; посадочная галерея для пассажиров реактивных самолетов; временный дом; технический отчет о дефектах в пассажирском салоне; коричневый конверт; уборка; мусорный контейнер; короткая остановка для стыковки с другим рейсом; уставшие пилоты; обслуживающий экипаж; с видом на гавань; общение.

Exercise 4.10.5 What do the following abbreviations stand for?

APU limo flight docs

Exercise 4.10.6 Find in the text synonyms for the following words and expressions.

Flight; used; compress; cut off the engine; chosen; exactness; very short; shapes; litter; tired; vast; permit.

Exercise 4.10.7 Match the word combinations and expressions in column A with those in column B.

A	B
1. maintenance log	a. летная годность
2. jetway	b. проблески сигнального светового огня
3. cabin defect report	c. журнал подготовки ВС
4. airworthiness	d. технический отчет о дефектах в пассажирском салоне
5. beacon strobes	e. рычаг управления топливом
6. fuel control lever	f. топливный насос
7. inertial reference system	g. положение «выключено»
8. fuel pump	h. противообледенительная система
9. cutoff position	i. инерциальная система
10. anti-ice system	j. посадочная галерея для пассажиров реактивных самолетов

Exercise 4.10.8 Fill in the gaps with the words from the text choosing from the ones given in brackets.

1. Speedbird 25 has arrived on _________ (time, Timetable, schedule).

2. It made the trip, __________ (gate to gate, stand to stand, bay to bay) in 11 hours, 37 minutes.

3. The crew move _____________ (fast, rapidly, quickly) through final checks.

4. The ____________ (initial, inertial, internal) reference systems are checked for accuracy and then turned off.

5. The beacon strobes are turned off the signal to ground ___________ (staff, personnel, service) that it is safe to approach the jet.

6. The pilots complete the cabin ____________(detect, defect, defective) report.

7. The crew _______________ (fill, five, files) away charts.

8. Rubbish is tossed in the __________ (rubbish, litter, garbage) bins.

9. For the ___________ (weary, worry, worried) pilots and cabin crew, their workday over.

Exercise 4.10.9 Fill in the gaps with the necessary form of the words given in brackets.

1. Hydraulic system No 4is turned to auxiliary for one minute to _________ the brakes. (PRESSURE)

2. The inertial _________ systems are checked for accuracy and then turned OFF. (REFER)

3. Cargo has to be ________. (LOAD)

4. The jet has to be ____________ . (FUEL)

5. _________, there is a housekeeping. (FINAL)

6. Any _________ cups and plates are cleaned. (REMAIN)

7. The crew limo will take the crew over the two _________ bridges and through a tunnel to their hotel. (MASS)

8. The layover allows time for _________. (SHOP)

9. The first ___________ for the crew is to get some sleep. (PRIOR)

Exercise 4.10.10 In the list below the box find a definition for the given words.

Temporary Unload Accuracy Airworthiness Weary Priority Log Harbour Pump Aft

1. precision or exactness

2. in, near or towards the tail of an aircraft

3. state of aircraft fit to fly; in good working order

4. device for forcing fuel into fuel tanks

5. place of shelter for ships

6. book of an aircraft

7. right to have or do sth before others

8. very tired; exhausted

9. remove a load from an aircraft

10. not permanent

Exercise 4.10.11 Translate the following sentences into English.

1. ВС израсходовало горючего почти на 5 тонн меньше, чем было предусмотрено в плане полета.

2. Экипаж осуществляет окончательную проверку.

3. Рычаги контроля топлива устанавливаются в положение ’выключено’, чтобы отключить двигатели.

4. Табло ’Пристегнуть ремни’ выключено.

5. Устанавливается посадочная галерея и двери салона открываются.

6. ВС будет в Гонконге недолго.

7. Груз должен быть выгружен.

8. ВС должно быть заправлено горючим.

9. Пассажирские салоны должны быть убраны.

10. Пилоты заполняют отчет о повреждениях в пассажирском салоне.

11. Пилоты заполняют журнал подготовки ВС информацией о любых неисправностях, которые произошли в полете.

12. Экипаж старается оставить кабину экипажа такой же убранной, как они и нашли ее.

13. Сейчас они проходят через огромный аэровокзал аэропорта на улицу, где их ждет машина.

Exercise 4.10.12 Make up your own sentences using the following words and word combinations.

On schedule; fuel tanks; final check; hydraulic system; brakes; fuel pump; anti-ice system; inertial reference system; accuracy; jetway; temporary home; housekeeping; layover; weary pilots; cabin crew; overlooking the harbour.

Exercise 4.10.13 Retell the text.