WorldFlight 2013

[Edward Watson]

WorldFlight13 Dates Announced!

November 4th to 10th 2013

WorldFlight is an event conducted every November to raise monies for charities.
Worldflight is conducted on the VATSIM network with ALL ATC positions filled during the event.

This year (2013), Noble is putting in our own team for world flight. (TeamNoble)

The official Team Location will be Adelaide, Australia where we will take part using Ed's 737-800 Home Simulator
(every switch, every knob works as in the real one)



Full training is provided on Day1 (before the start of Worldflight)
Full Boeing737-800 checklists and FCOM is used.

Some features of the Sim:
Full 737-800 avionics package
Fully working Overhead, Pedestal (all radios/weather radar/TCAS), MIP controls, Throttle Quadrant
Fully working Dual Linked FMCs (display different pages on each screen from the same data source), data can be entered on either unit.
Dual saitek Yokes and rudder pedals (either 1st Officer or Captain can control the aircraft)
Full instructor station
Real Time Flying, INS position alignments and refuelling times.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7ZgrSHpYys[/youtube]
(Throttle Unit and Visual dispalys have been upgraded since this video and cockpit is partially enclosed)

Worldflight is held over 7days and is conducted 24hrs per day, flying the aircraft around the world. approx-45 flights.

Each flight of worldflight (1.5hrs - 4hrs) has a crew of 3.
- Despatch Officer - responsible for weather, route, loadings planning and to brief incoming 1st officer.
- First Officer - Radio communications, brief Captain, assist with checklists, gear, flaps operations
- Captain - responsible for the flight and the safety of crew and passengers.

Crew members will rotate through each position on a roster system (so there won't be much sleep!)
Due to the nature of the event, accomodation space will be provided in the form of a large caravan onsite so you can grab some zzzz when you can!

If you would like to take part in this great event, enjoy 8 days in Sunny Adelaide Australia and experience Noble Comradery as never before...
Add your name to this post.

(Expression of Interest Only - full details about TeamNoble will be posted later)
Welcome to Team Noble (WorldFlight2013):
*NBL3668G - Ed Watson
*NBL5147G - Peter Watson
*NBL5136G - Tony Forrest
*NBL5370G - Geoff Thomson
*NBL2862G - Norbert Finger
*NBL5277G - Ray Lang (to be confirmed)
*NBL5281G - Gary Smith
*NBL1227G - Roger Eve
*(non-noble member) - Jim Repo

[Geoff Thomson]

As long as I can get the leave at that time and have the doh to get there I will be there

[Edward Watson]

Dates have been announced!... 1st post updated.

We are well on the way to having the sim ready, and will be enclosed by the time of the event.
Also we need another 4 pilots to want to come and be a part of this great week!...
any shortfall and we will advertise on VATSIM site for pilots.

Essentially it will go something like this... (lets assume you are 1st rostered for leg4)
Report for Duty to the Despatch Officer at least 20mins before the preceeding flight lands.. (aircraft is still on leg3)
- Recieve Charts, Flightplans, Weather, file Vatsim flightplan (for leg4)

*aircraft lands and shuts down..
1st Officer now becomes Captain
Captain now becomes despatch officer.
- Handles ground operations (pushback, refuel, jetway/airbridge etc) for leg4 (your 1st Leg)
- Prepares documents and briefs for incoming 1st officer for Leg5.

*You step in as 1st Officer and brief captain will all flight details (leg4)
- During Leg 4 you are responsible for ATC comms (dual Headsets so Captain hears every call)
- Liasing with Noble Despatch/Ground for pushback, jetway etc.
- Aircraft Checklists
- Gear / Flaps / FMC duties as required

*After landing and Shutdown, you now become Captain for Leg5
You will be briefed for Leg5 by the incoming 1st officer
Sim is now your responsibility

*After Landing Leg5, you become Despatch Officer where you handle ground operations for Leg6 and prepare documents for leg7.

Once the Leg 7 first officer has boarded the aircraft and the Leg6 Captain reports to you..

You sleep until your next roster!..

With an average of 3hrs per flight.. thats a 9hr Duty Roster of 6hrs flying (of which 3 hrs in command) and 3hrs Ground Duties.

*Using 9 pilots this gives you an 9hrs on / 18hr break (6 flights) before reporting for Duty again..
24hrs per day... for 7 days!

So who's Coming!???

PS. The simulator has a Full instructor station, so Despatch/Ground will have full control over the Jetways, Pushtug, Ground power availabliity, refueling etc..
So once the 1st Officer has recieved clearance to "Push and Start".. he will convey that to the Despatch Officer via Voice/Headset, Despatch officer will move jetway/airbridge away from aircraft, disconnect ground generator, request the captain to "parkbrake off", then move tug in and push aircraft back, remove Tug, "request park brake on".. meanwhile the crew on board are going through the Engine start up procedure..

We are setting up a seperate Depatch/Breifing room (away from the Sim) just for these duties.

[Edward Watson]

We are still looking for Pilots.. we need 9 to make the whole process work with 3 crew - Captain, First Officer & Despatch (and allowing some pilots to sleep!)..

We can get away with 6 without the Despatch officer, but it becomes a busier roster..
with 6hrs in the sim, then 12hrs out of the sim.. (a very! busy week indeed!) - not to mention doing your own despatch!..

So if you are interested (or even are thinking about joining in) but are still deciding.. let me know so we can start the convincing process

It will be educational - learning 737 systems and processes.. (and about sims!)
It will be entertaining .. (especially when you miss a step in the checklists and find VNAV/LNAV wont engage and you have to hand fly it taking turns for 4 hrs!) - not to mention when the despatch officer has to wear the Hostie uniform and bring "coffee" to the cockpit!.. oh bugger!.. did I let that out!.
It is horribly realistic - with the very! different visual perspective (screen is 3.6m wide) Captain actually lands on the left side of the centreline instead of your home PC where you land in the middle!.. and as the baggage carts, catering trucks, fuel trucks, parking marshalls, follow me car etc. service the aircraft on the ground. - It is very different from using mouse clicks and a keyboard behind a PMDG screen.

Airbridges, Refueling, doors, pushback commands, generator connect/disconnect are all handled outside the sim.. as in real life!

Worldflight is a sanctioned VATSIM event where all ATC positions are filled, as well as a ground crew staff member on our Teamspeak whom you will communicate with who handles all of the our aircraft ground services (eg refueling, doors, pushback etc). - Both pilots have headsets with full comms to ATC and Ground Crew and flight controls and either pilot can be PIC (pilot in command).

[David Franklin]

Man if I had to dough (and time), I'd be down there in a heartbeat!

[Gary Smith]

G'day Ed, you can add my name to the list. I am about 90% sure that I can make it, just a little bit too far out to make a firm decision at this stage.

[Roger Eve]

Hi Ed,

I have discussed this with her indoors and as long as Wendy can come along too (observer only) you can add me to the list. We have never been to Australia, and Adelaide in the springtime sounds good. A long haul, but it would be great to meet some of you in person

I will email you about accommodation etc.

Cheers

Roger

[Jeff Smith]

Hello Ed,

Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend WF this year in Oz. After the last two years, I am taking a break, but I have some real world 737-800 documentation you may find useful based on a real world carrier. I've got a folder with FCOMs, QRHs, RIMs, SOPs, MELs, Pilot Briefs, Safety Manual, Winter Ops, Station Notes, GOM, Fuel, FPPM. When you get a chance, let's chat on TS.

[Edward Watson]

sorry to hear you will not be able to make it Jeff...

Thankyou for your offer, the items in blue I have managed to collect.
FCOMs, QRHs, RIMs, SOPs, MELs, Pilot Briefs, Safety Manual, Winter Ops, Station Notes, GOM, Fuel, FPPM.

Roger:- Thankyou for joining us, we will try to make it as interesting for Wendy as possible!..
So when you are on the flightdeck, do we change the callsign from "TeamNoble" to "Noble1"?..

[Roger Eve]

Noble One, now that is what I really call respect