Cramos From United States of America, joined Nov 2000, 554 posts, RR: 0 Posted (10 years 7 months 2 days 10 hours ago) and read 2496 times:
I know this subject is strange. But as a flight simmer, I've found it somewhat difficult to ask pilots questions. What kind of questions should I ask after a flight (the FAA won't let you go up front in flight). The pilots, I know are tired after a transatlantic crossing or they may have another leg to fly.
So what would be some good things to ask about, or how do I introduce myself? I don't want to sound like I'm some person who thinks I know it all (I'm only at the flight simming level anyway), but I also want to get as much from my "cockpit visit" as I can. I can understand the basic technical terms. How far are pilots willing to explain the systems without thinking that the person asking is annoying?
The last time I visited the cockpit was that of a United 777. I asked the pilot "what's it like flying the 777", I got some good input, and I also got his oppinion on what he thinks on the new 120min ETOPS rule. Are these the kind of questions that pilots "like"?
I also like to get a copy of the flight plans, which by the way, when is it a good time to ask for this? I never realized that one can get the flight plans so easily, all I need to do is ask, and they are glad to give you a copy, I found that rewarding!
Another thing is when I am talking with them I feel rushed because the plane must be deplaned and people have things to do. In summary, how do I get the most out of the cockpit visit?
Anyone who has been in my situation, I would appreciate your comments on the matter. Who knows, maybe I will take some of your questions with me the next time I go on a trip.
Flyordie From United States of America, joined Apr 2001, 50 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (10 years 7 months 2 days 6 hours ago) and read 2408 times:
Well, Cramos, hopefully I can help you a bit here. I too love to ask questions whenever I get into a commercial flight. First of all, when I get into a plane and know I want to ask some questions, I quickly sit down and write on a piece of paper a quick intro for the pilot. The general format is: I say who I am (age, student or career, etc.), express my enthusiasm for flying, and maybe jot a couple basic flight questions (altitude, heading, indicated airspeed or true airspeed), and also ask if I can visit the cockpit or if he/she can spare a few minutes after landing. This way the pilot has a choice and they may let you in during the flight. I then ask a flight attendant if they can give this to the pilot as soon as practical. They usually respond pretty quickly. Once I have the pilot in front of me, I've asked questions like; At what percentage do the engines rotate? Altitude? How do they foresee turbulence? And whatever else you can think of. Most pilots share the same enthusiasm about flight and they understand that many people are curious and just as enthusiastic as you are. Most pilots are quick to share information. And thanks for the tip on the flight plans. I never knew a person could simply request it. I'll definitely try it next time I fly. Quick question for you...Is there a sure way approach to getting flight plans? Anyway, hope this helps.
Cramos From United States of America, joined Nov 2000, 554 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (10 years 7 months 2 days 3 hours ago) and read 2387 times:
Well, I've tried twice, and two out of two times, I was able to get the flight plan. It all started on the United 777 flight. Inflight I went to the back to the flight attendants and asked them if the pilot had an extra copy of the flight plan. They were kind of puzzled at first as to what I meant by "having a copy of the flight plan", but she was kind to call the captain and ask about it. She let me know then, that after the flight, if I go up to the front they'll give it to me on the way out. After we landed I went up front for a little visit and to get the plan. Sure enough, he had the plan for me.
I tried the same approach on the United 757 flight, and I asked again, but this time, it was after we landed. I asked the pilots if I could have the plan, and they were both looking around for a good copy. This is the catch here. I think it is best to ask prior to landing because as one of the pilots said, "we usually throw those away". So I received a clean copy from the FO, but the CPT already crumbled his up.
To sum it up, simply request it, and that should be it. I think next time I request it, I'll include it in the small note
Thanks for the tip, I never thought of writing a little note, I think that will be better, and it gives me the opportunity to think about what I want to talk about. It's good to know that I can get that detailed too, I'll certainly do that next time, thanks again.
DakGlock From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 3, posted (10 years 7 months 6 hours ago) and read 2351 times:
Hello Cramos,
I've just registered here on Airliners.net, and am looking forward to participating in many discussions!
As to what to ask the pilot, and not sound conceated or simple, that's a little difficult. It is generally useful to know some technical specs. for that specific type of aircraft. For example, when I flew to London on an SAA 743 "Capetown " in March, I asked to be allowed a cockpit tour once we had reached cruising altitude. The air hostess asked permission on my behalf, and up I went. I greeted the entire cockpit crew (it was really quite, we were over Nortern Zimbabwe) I then asked what our Mach speed was, and then beacon indicated ground speed (they were tracking a Zambian VOR beacon)
I then asked the engineer (a 747 300 still has a Flight Engineer) what the fuel consumption was in pounds/hour. That sort of thing- I try for a cockpit tour every time I fly If possible. Some times yes, other times No visitors, sorry.
But if you are unable to elicit a cockpit visit, I'd suggest thanking the pilot for a smooth trouble free flight first off, then ask something like "what was our highest altitude on this flight"? Hopefully, he'll realize you're serious and are "worthy" speaking to.
Cramos From United States of America, joined Nov 2000, 554 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (10 years 6 months 4 weeks 1 day 10 hours ago) and read 2324 times:
Thanks for the replies. Yes, I was a bit concerned about writing a note. It's a great idea, but I don't want a flight attendant to think anything negative. But perhaps an explanation would help before handing it to the flight attendant.
So it is good to know the technical terms? For example when I was on a UA 777 flight to Chicago, I really wanted to know why we climbed higher to FL390 after crossing the Atlantic over Canada. This would be an ideal question right?
In summary, it's a good idea to know ahead of time about the aircraft, and then asked further, detailed questions about it.
By the way, is there any way to get a cockpit tour while in flight on a US carrier. Each and every time I've asked, they have turned me down saying that the FAA has banned it. With this mentality I asked AFTER the flight of a Lufthansa 747-200 flight if I could visit the cockpit, and they said that if I asked while in flight, they would have allowed me. Does it depend on airline, or country? Thanks again for the replies.
Jason Seiple From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 6, posted (10 years 6 months 4 weeks 1 day 7 hours ago) and read 2320 times:
The cockpit is closed except to authorized airline or government personnel on all US airlines while the aircraft is away from the gate. This is due to a string of hijackings and reinforced recently by many air rage incidents where passengers tried to gain access to the flight deck. In some other countries it is banned as well, but not in all. Lufthansa allows flight deck visits sometimes at the discretion of the flight crew. Just because a country or an airline allows it doesn't mean the flight crew will let you in. It all goes down to their final say.
Cxcx330 From Hong Kong, joined Jan 2001, 118 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (10 years 6 months 4 weeks 1 day 7 hours ago) and read 2326 times:
Hi, I will be going to Frankfurt from Hong Kong on 25/7 by Cathay Pacific. I am surely, same as Cramos, ask for a cockpit visit.. But I am afraid if I say something that the pilots don't like to hear? Any examples? Thanks
Sabenapilot From Belgium, joined Feb 2000, 2622 posts, RR: 51 Reply 8, posted (10 years 6 months 4 weeks 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 2335 times:
As a pilot for Sabena I can tell you:
In Europe we are much more relaxed when it comes to flight deck visits. Unlike in the USA, we have no JAA regulation banning cockpit visits so it's up to the pilots to decide.
When should you ask?
Well, after the flight most pilots are only interested in one thing, i.e. to go home asap. A visit to the flightdeck is very unlikely and will be very brief anyway.
In cruise however, there is nowhere to go to for us and a visitor might be a nice thing to kill some time with.
That's why as a general rule you should ask about halfway through the flight to have a look at the flightdeck.
How should you do it?
Don't invite yourself while going to the toilet.
Ask a cabin crew member if you may visit the flight deck.
Be friendly to the cabin crew. If not they may "forget" to ask us, or even worse: they come to us to ask if we want another drink and then go back to you to tell you we refused... After all, how can you know?
What should you ask?
Things like speed, altitude, temperature etc. are quite trivial and although maybe interesting to you, only prove to the pilots that you are one of the 'many'.
"How high/fast are we flying?" is the definitely the most asked question and not really a good one.
The answer is always given by pointing at a huge display or dial prominently placed in the cockpit so as even a 6 years old boy can figure this out.
A better one is:
"Where are we?" since it gives us the change to show you a map, our a routing on the Navigation Dispay.
Also, it opens up changes for intelligent questions like:
"Can we still make it back home if anything happens?"
"Where do we go to then in case of problems?"
"When do we descent?" and "How did you figure this out?"
"Does our plane produce contrails right now?"
etc. etc.
As a general rule:
Try to be creative in asking questions.
If you have interesting questions, pilots will be glad to answer them and most of the time start talking about other things too. At the end of the flight you might even be invited to take the jumpseat for the landing!
Cramos From United States of America, joined Nov 2000, 554 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (10 years 6 months 4 weeks 11 hours ago) and read 2312 times:
Thanks Sabenapilot for the helpful hints. I guess I should not even try and ask a US based airline if I can have a cockpit visit, because they probably will turn me down. But I think I will try with other airlines if I get the chance.
Thanks also for letting me know what questions would be good. I really enjoy seeing transatlantic planning charts, and navigation related data. I think I will bring these questions up next time I get a chance. So I guess asking about where the ETP on the chart would be a good question?
By the way, as a Sabena pilot, do you happen to fly with the A330's? I read an article in the Airways magazine about a transatlantic trip with a Sabena A330-300 across the Atlantic, it was a fantastic article!
Thanks again for the help, and I will be sure to remember this when I go for a trip next time.
Ttt From United States of America, joined Sep 2006, 0 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (10 years 6 months 4 weeks 10 hours ago) and read 2310 times:
Hi..
Actually I had a set of questions to ask during each flight I take... some of these are technical stuff like:
V speeds
Takeoff weight
Flaps Setting
SID
Fuel loaded
Cruising EPR, fuel burn
STAR
Vapproach, Vref speeds
Otherwise some more interesting questions like why does an Airbus computer set Flaps 1+F on the ground while it only sets Flaps 1 when the Flaps 1 is selected.. Maybe discuss some out-of-aviation topics with them.. like once I was in a QF 737 ADL-MEL from start to shut, chatted with the guys up front about their own-time flying, about the electricity crisis in Mel at one stage etc... I reckon pilots would love to chat about other stuff once in a while... or maybe seek their opinion on certain matters..
A note is also useful, but make sure that the F/A can read it as well. Maybe asking her for the name of the captain would also be good so you can write a nicely worded note. Also when boarding if you're not in the US, try asking the chief stewardess. Of course, do so when everyone else has boarded and there aint many people left. You have a higher chance of her asking the flight crew for the jumpseat for takeoff. I did that once on a Silkair flight, and she went, asked and came back with the answer "The captain feels that the landing would be more interesting, and you can come up during the descent"... geesh, thats even better
Cramos From United States of America, joined Nov 2000, 554 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (10 years 6 months 3 weeks 6 days 11 hours ago) and read 2290 times:
I'll take those questions with me the next time Ttt. Thanks for all the input everyone. I sure hope I can get a "front" seat next time I go. I've always wanted to experience what it would be like from the front, it must be exciting. So perhaps a note is okay then? Perhaps if I explain it first before I hand it to the F/A it will be okay. Thanks again everyone.
Modesto2 From United States of America, joined Jul 2000, 2533 posts, RR: 7 Reply 12, posted (10 years 6 months 3 weeks 6 days 4 hours ago) and read 2294 times:
Cramos,
I ask for the flight plan before and/or after the flight. Living in the United States, I cannot jumpseat so I'm used to visiting the cockpit before and after flights. If I don't have the opportunity to visit before the flight, I'll ask the pilots to save the flight plan so I can pick it up after the flight. Sometimes, I don't get a chance to talk to the pilots so I request the flight plan after the flight. Sometimes they hand it to me and other times, they dig it out of the garbage. Last Thursday, I spoke with the pilot before the flight and as I deplaned, he was standing at the cockpit door, waiting to hand me the flight plan. I always enjoy preflight visits because the pilots are entering info, getting ATIS and doing checklists. Many times, they're not rushed. As Sabenapilot said, most pilots are focused on getting off the plane after arrival. However, if you're lucky, they'll still take the time to answer your questions or they may have another flight. Last night, I was lucky because the pilots had another flight so even though I stopped by, they took the time because they had no where to go! I collected my first flight plan back in 1991 on a Delta 757 flight. I was only 9 years old at the time so I didn't even know about flight plans! The pilots just gave it to me. It wasn't until this past year that I seriously started collecting them. I have a binder filled with flight plans from American, Delta, United and Southwest. I also try and get ACARS printouts (if the aircraft has this equipment) and runway/weather information. It's the best souvenir from a flight! As for questions, don't think too much about it. If you have a question, ask them! Most pilots are more than happy to answer ANY questions, regardless of how trivial or sophisiticated it may be. When I was younger, I asked silly questions like: "How do you retract the landing gear." Now, I ask questions like: "Please describe the engine start sequence." It doesn't matter. Just expand your knowledge! One more thing. Don't limit yourself to cockpit visits. When I wait in the terminal, I ask random pilots who are in transit. I talk to pilots when I plane-spot in the terminal, too. Thus, your interactions are not only limited to when you fly! The possibilities are endless...
Cramos From United States of America, joined Nov 2000, 554 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (10 years 6 months 3 weeks 4 days 11 hours ago) and read 2260 times:
Thanks Modesto2. Funny because I've always thought what it would be like to ask a pilot in transit in the terminal, but I shy away from it because I don't know where they're headed, and I feel as though I would be interrupting their transit. But from what you tell me, it's just a matter of just asking.
My first was the United 777 transatlantic flight. A very interesting flight plan, with airports of diversion and all kinds of waypoints. Only just a year a go did I really begin to understand all this, it's all very interesting. By the way, would you know anything about obtaining a Transatlantic chart, do they carry these with them? That would certainly be a souvenir of a flight! It's great to add these flightplans to my "logbook".
Tell me about how to get a pre-flight visit. I would like to experience what a pre-flight is like. I was told by a F/A that the pilots would be busy up front in pre-flight, but by what you're telling me, it is possible. How do you approach this kind of request? Thanks for the reply.
Modesto2 From United States of America, joined Jul 2000, 2533 posts, RR: 7 Reply 14, posted (10 years 6 months 3 weeks 4 days 10 hours ago) and read 2259 times:
Cramos,
The best time to talk to pilots in the terminal is when they're sitting down, waiting for a flight. I have spoken with an American MD-80 pilot and Delta 757/767 pilots in this manner. It works out well because the pilot is usually bored and I really want to speak with him/her, we both win! However, I am an avid Delta L-1011 fan and one day, a DL TriStar pulled up to the gate at LAX. With only a few months remaining in the fleet, I just HAD to speak with the pilots. As they deplaned, I started chatting with them and they were nice enough to print out a flight plan for the next 764 flight to HNL (obviously, they weren't even on that flight!). So yes, I treasure all 10 pages of that flight plan, in mint condition. In my previous post, I describe my trip out of SNA. SNA has strict noise abatement procedures in the climb and since I had never flown out of the airport, I was quite eager to speak with a pilot. I caught a US Airways pilot walking off the plane and he was in a rush but I still asked him. I just walked with him so I wasn't slowing him down (I'm sure he appreciated it). I have never had a bad experience in asking a pilot some questions. In the beginning, it can be intimidating but the only way to expand your knowledge is to ask questions!
Transatlantic charts? I can't help you with that. You're looking for a published Jepp en route chart of the north atlantic? No idea! But when I flew UA954, SFO-LHR, I got a copy of the North Atlantic Tracks (NAT) for that particular day. I'm not sure if they have published charts just because the tracks change on a daily basis depending on weather, etc... They probably have some type of charts but they probably don't contain tracks.
Pre-flight visits are just like post-flight visits. The best time for me is when I vacation with my parents. They're used to the routine; they expect me to go to the cockpit so when I board, they get the seats and I ask the flight attendant for a visit. I've never been denied a request so it really isn't a problem. When I travel by myself, it depends. If it's a full flight, I might not do it just because I want the overhead bin space. If I know it's an empty flight, I'll definitely go up there. Hope this helps. Any more questions? Just ask.
Sponsor Message: 
From United States of America, joined Nov 2000, 554 posts, 
From , joined Dec 1969, posts, 
From Hong Kong, joined Jan 2001, 118 posts, 
From Belgium, joined Feb 2000, 2622 posts, 
Sponsor Message: 
Printer friendly format
