Introduction to Pilot Podcast

➤ Introduction
➤ Introduction for WingedEngineer
➤ Introduction for Captain Neha
➤ Introduction for Nilay
➤ Introduction for Pilot Podcast
➤ Journey from Junior First Officer to First Officer
➤ Diversion C172 vs A320
➤ What is Diversion?
➤ What is Minimum Diversion Fuel?
➤ What is 10 mins to diversion?
➤ Why is planning important in Aviation?
➤ Pilot Podcast Episode 50
➤ Cut scenes

Key Points

  • Crew Intros

    WingedEngineer (civil eng→gemologist→FO), Capt. Neha (15yrs trainer→A320 Captain), Nilay (real estate→junior FO, 1st international Amritsar-Sharjah).​

  • Dust Storm Diversion

    Amritsar vis=0, gusty 30-35kt winds, prior aircraft runway-blocked; holding south, hit MDF (200kg remaining), diverted Delhi preemptively.

  • Minimum Diversion Fuel (MDF)

    Fuel for destination→alternate + 30min alternate holding; decide BEFORE MDF reached (e.g., 3,500kg threshold).

  • 10 Minutes to MDF

    India-specific ATC call (no priority guarantee); MAYDAY fuel (<30min landing fuel) gets priority, triggers DGCA/airline audits.

  • Diversion Stressors

    Dynamic weather (thunderstorms/dust), commercial pressures (passengers/crew/fuel), rapid decisions vs. C172's simpler diversions.

  • Key Lesson

    Stay calm, follow procedures—training covers all scenarios; constant EOB/fuel monitoring, no panic despite multiple simultaneous factors.

Summary

Celebrating EP50, hosts recap journeys (WingedEngineer: engineering→diamonds→FO; Capt. Neha: 2008 recession trainer→A320 Captain; Nilay: real estate→junior FO) before Nilay details 1st-month diversion: Amritsar dust storm (vis=0, gusts 30kt), holding amid runway blockage/MAYDAY priorities, MDF breach risk, captain's decisive Delhi diversion; explains MDF (alternate+30min hold), 10-min calls, commercial vs. training stressors, CNTAA ground school promo.

Conclusion

Diversions test training under commercial pressure—remain calm, monitor fuel obsessively, decide preemptively before MDF; fuel planning starts in flight training (no airline FDM monitoring then).

FAQ

  • What triggers an A320 diversion decision?

    Approaching MDF (fuel for alternate + 30min holding), deteriorating weather (dust storm vis=0), runway blockage, gusty crosswinds (30-35kt), go-around risk into storm.​

  • Minimum Diversion Fuel (MDF) calculation?

    Fuel required from destination to filed alternate airport + 30 minutes holding fuel at 1,500ft above alternate.

  • What's "10 minutes to MDF" call?

    India-specific ATC notification when 10min from MDF—no priority guarantee unlike MAYDAY fuel (<30min landing fuel).

  • Commercial vs C172 diversion differences?

    Passenger/crew inconvenience, fuel costs, ATC coordination, rapid decisions vs. training's simpler fuel/environmental factors.

  • Dust storm diversion sequence?

    Hold south of field (better weather), monitor prior aircraft (runway-blocked), calculate EOB vs MDF, captain 180° turn, divert Delhi preemptively.​

  • Primary pilot lesson from diversion?

    F