Peter Smith

SIAFC training is conducted on Cessna 172's up to CPL, before transition to Beech 58 Baron. From there they move from Jandakot, about 30mins south of my house, to Maroochydore, Sunshine Coast, Queensland for Learjet 45 training, and their first experience in the right hand seat. From there the EXTREMELY lucky graduates, move onto Singapore Airlines mainline fleet. On fairly frequent occasions the Lear45's are flown to Jandakot, to pick up those pilots moving east, etc. Always a pleasant site to see. On topic now, I believe the A320 would look awesome in MH livery.

Hmm, my worst few... A320-211 VH-HYF PER-MEL, violent drop on decent into MEL, we hit a small airpocket. 747-338 VH-EBU "Nalanji Dreaming" BNE-SYD, departed in violent tropical storm, gusts up to 45kts. Cruise was on 3 engines, due to problems on Numer 2 (nothing too major, never heard anymore about it) A330-201 VH-EBB "Albany" SYD-BNE quite heavy chop on approach rwy19 at BNE, hit a small pocket in the flare, very hard landing. BNE is known for windshear. 737-301 9M-AAK (now HS-AAK) SIN-BKK-SIN, heavy chop at FL370 on the way up, and right through an electrical storm on the way back that evening. These flying experiences only add the joy of flying. However, most pilots will testify, bumpy weather when slow and slow is usually not the best, makes that greaser just a little bit harder to execute.

Couldnt tell you the FO's (the convo may have been the Capt, as PNF does the radios) nationality, but yes MAS0124D was a ferry flight only. 2 POB.

"Malaysian 124 Delta" was Romeo Golf, she departed PER this morning just after 1030.

Pass on my comendments to Capt Norhisham and his FO for their professionalism, and excellent handing of not only the a/c, but the incident in general. They are a credit to Malaysia Airlines. The ATSB are now investigating the possible interference by a Cellular phone (handphone/mobile phone) as a direct cause of the problems with the autopilot. For such an incident to occur, it seems more than one mobile would have to be involved. May they find the cause, and those responsible prosecuted under the highest power of the law. As the black box and flight data recorder are being analysed in eastern Australia, Romeo Golf remains grounded in PER. Imran, your only young, but they do ask you (repeatedly) to turn off your phone for a reason!

737 classic comes with 3 different flightdeck configs. Fully Analogue, EFIS + electronic engine instruments (such as MHs) and EFIS with analogue engine instruments. I believe AK/FD operate 733's with all 3 different configs to be found amongst them! Best time to ask is just as your getting off, or inflight ask if you can once the a/c is shutdown and most pax are joining customs queues. Most airlines allow it, but only if a/c is on the gate. AK is one exception to this.

Sandeep, hows things going?! Yes, this incident has been blown miles out of proportion. I don't believe it was near as major as they, the media, have made out. This afternoons MH124 was 30mins delayed and the media reported that as a technical fault with the a/c, but thankfully Malaysia Airlines confirmed it as routine. Guess what is was! Tyre change on the bloody nose gear! Can someone please teach our media correspondents some air rec skills. most called it a 747 and for the few that got it right, usually class anything smaller than a 737, a "cessna"! You just can't win with the media!

Skyeyes has been around for a while. Mainly charter work beforehand none the less. I saw one of their L-1011's in SIN last Sept.

PER loses one A333 service as a result. Down to one MH126/127 per week! (KUL-KCH-PER rtn)