Aircanada From Canada, joined Jul 1999, 148 posts, RR: 0 Posted (11 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 1452 times:
Hi there,
Quick question for all you pilots. What do you guys do up there? Doesn't it get boring on a 4 hour flight. I know you have to keep checking heading, speed, etc. but what do you do when you're cruising at 35 000ft with nothing to do? Read? Listen to music?
FlightSimFreak From United States of America, joined Oct 2000, 720 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (11 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 1271 times:
Well, when I'm cruising at 3000 ft in a beechcraft skipper, I talk to my instructor
IAHERJ From United States of America, joined Jun 2001, 677 posts, RR: 8 Reply 2, posted (11 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 1269 times:
Calculate our monthly pay and trip expenses and pay. Look over and update charts. Talk about company and industry issues. Plan our layover activities. Talk to the flight attendants when they are not busy and can come up for a sit. Constantly change frequencies as we pass through many sectors and get handed off to new controlers. Check weather at destination and alternate airports.
At night I like to play with the pilot controlled lights at general aviation airports. You click the mike on 123.0 or 122.8 and watch below for the airports runway lights to turn on bright. Pretty boring but imagine the highschool couple making out at the local airport and the runway lights and approach lights all of a suddon becoming very bright ane then being turned off. Never knowing that the lights were being controlled by a bored pilot at 37,000 feet.
Iainhol From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 4, posted (11 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 1255 times:
From what I hear examining the back of eyelids is the most popular past time. Also reading Harry Potter is enjoyed by many crews, although AA (and I am sure others) do not allow pilots to read any material unless it is company related, which seems really silly, as what is the difference between Harry Potter, and an AA manual? Does an AA manual distract you less?
Iain
IAHERJ From United States of America, joined Jun 2001, 677 posts, RR: 8 Reply 5, posted (11 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 1243 times:
Harry Potter?
Maybe you 15 year old PC simulator friends enjoy this. Too funny!
Iainhol From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 6, posted (11 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 1241 times:
Seriously it was recently very popular in flight bags over here! You need to fill your big flight bag with something, apart from the very little amount of stuff you take flying (and headache medicine [for hangover]).
Iain
IAHERJ From United States of America, joined Jun 2001, 677 posts, RR: 8 Reply 7, posted (11 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 1232 times:
I actually thought of responding to you stupid statement until I read you profile. Grow up.
IAHERJ From United States of America, joined Jun 2001, 677 posts, RR: 8 Reply 9, posted (11 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 1199 times:
Okay, have it your way. You are probably a nice guy but if you actually want real pilots to respond to your questions get real.
Iainhol From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 10, posted (11 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 1195 times:
IAHERJ, it was a bit of a wind up, with a little amount of truth in there (The Harry Potter bit). I have numerous friends who fly for numerous airlines, a kinda know how it is!
Iain
IAHERJ From United States of America, joined Jun 2001, 677 posts, RR: 8 Reply 11, posted (11 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 1181 times:
Know how what is. You know how much crap they make us carry in our bags? Come over to my house with your infnate wisdom and tell me how Ican lighten up my 50 pound flight bag the should be empty by your assumption.
Iainhol From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 12, posted (11 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 1175 times:
Over here in the UK, a friend of mine will only carry a small folder when he goes on day trips, which include his logbook, medical, passport, license and pen. Everything else like headsets, charts, etc is kept on the plane.
Iain
IAHERJ From United States of America, joined Jun 2001, 677 posts, RR: 8 Reply 13, posted (11 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 1170 times:
Oh, that explains it. In the U.S., we as pilots have our own set of approach plates that take up to 3 books. We also have to carry our volume 1 of the flight manual for whatever aircraft we fly. Then we must carry the company flight operations manual, a flashlight, and the enroute charts. After all of that is put in, we can fill up our bags with the passports and other things we need like calculators, company propaganda, and yes, yes! Reading material for long legs.
So here we are, back at the top of the thread. I admit, we read from time to time on flights longer than around 1.5 hours as the other is monitering the aircraft and ATC. We have such an easy life. Just kidding! I actually think about how great the job is up there cruising along and can't believe that some would think it is boring to be crossing hundreds of miles of land at 37,000 feet traveling at 78% the speed of sound. Then ejoying yourself in a new city or a familiar one while staying at a nice hotel for periods of time sometimes exceeding 33 hours in a city.
PPGMD From United States of America, joined Sep 2001, 2453 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (11 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 1 hour ago) and read 1166 times:
Well for my flights, I play around as much as I can with out getting caught by ATC (private though), wing overs, what not. One of these days secure everything (and I mean everything stop at an airport that they don't know you and crawl all over making sure the entire cabin is secure), once up climb normally to 2000ft (thats the dead line for me) climb somemore to 4000ft then enter a mild dive to 3000ft to pickup airspeed pull up to about 15 deg pitch, now roll with the alerions cooridnating using top rudder (the foot that faces the sky) until in knife edge, use less top rudder until there is none while turning inverted, also during the turn inverted start slowly placing forward pressure on the stick, now your inverted. Give it some back pressure as you are applying the new top rudder, do this unitl you are in knife edge at this point your yoke should be centered, with as much as need top rudder to maitain pitch relative to the horizen, as you transtion to straight and level decrease the top rudder while place back pressure on the stick. Once your bank is back to normal just level her off and return to your flight. If this is done correctly you shouldn't have lost much alt and you should still be on about the same heading.
Thats one of the ways I pass time. But most of the time its thank god for the CD player.
PPGMD From United States of America, joined Sep 2001, 2453 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (11 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 1 hour ago) and read 1136 times:
Note for the above post that is banned at most flight schools, I also do not fly with Riddle so don't try narking on me there. Also do not try any substaional G figures (or any negative) in a non-aerobatic aircraft. I also suggest that you go though a full aerobatic school (I have) before trying that or any other aerobatic figure.
This is just a CMA post, I don't want to be hearing of some kid being kicked out of flight school because of it, I only do that in aircraft that I have the owners premission in and so should you.
Ryu2 From Taiwan, joined Aug 2002, 460 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (11 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 1 hour ago) and read 1125 times:
IAHERJ, pay no attention to Iainhol; he was a former aspiring BA pilot hopeful who decided that he couldn't hack the flying part and quit flight traning after he got his PPL here in the states. He's just bitter I think.
IAHERJ From United States of America, joined Jun 2001, 677 posts, RR: 8 Reply 17, posted (11 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 1 hour ago) and read 1117 times:
Thanks. I figured as such. If I wasn't bored and on reserve this week I probably wouldn't pay so much attention. But I am bored and have way too much time on my hands and here I am. Arguing with a 16-20 year old who has a distaste for my profession. I'm actually dissapointed with myself for some of my posts.
MD88Captain From United States of America, joined Nov 2001, 1287 posts, RR: 22 Reply 18, posted (11 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 1 hour ago) and read 1144 times:
When I'm really bored, I cycle through the ADF freqs listening for a strong AM radio station. I prefer talk radio or news stations.
MD88Captain From United States of America, joined Nov 2001, 1287 posts, RR: 22 Reply 19, posted (11 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day ago) and read 1120 times:
I've also done some things on reserve of which I am not proud. Reserve can make you insane.
De727ups From United States of America, joined Nov 2000, 814 posts, RR: 15 Reply 20, posted (11 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day ago) and read 1105 times:
Officially... we're not supposed to sleep...even the night freight guys....but I've seen it happen a few times...not all at once, mind you.
Officially... we're not supposed to read except for flight manual sort of stuff...haha, yeah right....
I've done Jepp manual revisions a few times but would rather do it where I have more room to spread out.
I've talked to guys crossing the Pacific who watched movies on a DVD player....
I fly short hops, mostly, so less than two hours. I can tell you it can get mindlessly boring sometimes. We're talking 4am and the frequency is quiet and the groundspeed is only 350 knots cause you got 100 knots on the nose and it seems like you're never gonna get there...
PPGMD From United States of America, joined Sep 2001, 2453 posts, RR: 0 Reply 24, posted (11 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day ago) and read 1076 times:
On a more intresting note I found out that my cell phone works in the airplane(I left it on in my fly bag), though it was in the analog roaming and I was flying IFR (I Follow Roads). I called them back when I got to my destination.
At worst, you screw up and die.
25 IAHERJ: I had the same thing happen. I was deadheading on the ERJ in the first or second row. My cellphone was in my flight case which was in the overhead bin
26 61Heavy: Hmmm...at 350 I usually: -Do revisions. They're never-ending, and who knows when you'll need that Deadhorse, Alaska chart. -Talk to ATC. -Check the wi
27 61Heavy: Hmmm...at 350 I usually: -Do revisions. They're never-ending, and who knows when you'll need that Deadhorse, Alaska chart. -Talk to ATC. -Check the wi
28 Iainhol: >>IAHERJ, pay no attention to Iainhol; he was a former aspiring BA pilot hopeful who decided that he couldn't hack the flying part and quit flight tra
29 Airbus Lover: Heya nice to meet you 61-Heavy, can you explain to me the following quote? "Keep an eye on the autopilot. Contrary to popular belief, the autopilot is
30 Iainhol: >>and I know Iain and he doesn't have a distaste for our profession
31 Shawn Patrick: Anyways. IAHERJ, I was looking at your profile and it says that you play the piano. That's cool! How long have you been playing? What level are you at
32 Iainhol: No answer from ryu2, no surpirse! Iain
33 Ryu2: That was the impression I got reading some of your posts here and on Jetcareers. If I'm wrong than sorry. Why don't you give us an update once you sta
34 61Heavy: "Keep an eye on the autopilot. Contrary to popular belief, the autopilot is not a set-it-and-forget it type device; it's more like an inexperienced c
35 TurbineBeaver: Iainhol, "incredible expensive." Last time I checked, that is improper grammar, no? So I guess you shouldn't be so quick to jump at Ryu2's spelling wh
36 IAHERJ: Shawn PAtrick, Yep, began playing at age 10 and kept it up through highschool. The football coach thought I was going to math tutor on thursdays. Anyw
37 Zobatc: I think every pilot fools with lights enroute, and dicks with the ADF for radio stations!!!!! I'm glad this didn't tun into a controller bashing sessi
38 De727ups: No one in their right mind would bash controllers....if there is anyone who everyone loves, it has to be the ATC guys. ATC problems are caused by mana
39 Hb-iqj: I already saw a pilot during crossing the atlantic, taking out his laptop and playing around or watching movies? Is it calm enough to sleep there, wil
40 Cx flyboy: Many guys have laptops and sort out their schedules. Some work on various projects, or books they are writing. Some listen to the BBC World Service, s
41 Gocaps16: On long intl. flights, pilots do sleep for several hours while the relief crew takes over. I've seen a special report on NBC few months ago and they i
42 XFSUgimpLB41X: For my little charters that i do (Saratoga II TC... theres a pic of one of my companys planes on Airliners.net...Tail number is N32TE).. We have two G
43 Airbus Lover: Thanks 61Heavy, Now i get it... What a/c do u fly? What airline? Based in? Just curious. Thought u explained pretty well.
44 CHRISBA777ER: Well, i know it isnt really the same thing, but I have taken watches on the bridge of ferries before, on the English Channel. I'm training to be deck
45 CHRISBA777ER: Looking back through some of the other posts again, it does sound quite similar actually! Bet your stewardesses are better looking though, and the pas
46 CHRISBA777ER: Do any of you guys know any good websites about pilot training? Im not kidding CHIRS MORGAN
47 FlightSimFreak: No one would notice if you ran over a fishing vessle, but if an airliner ingested a Cessna... I'm sure someone would notice. I remember an accedent a
48 A330: CHRISBA777, Let me assure you that being a pilot is a lot better than being on deck... I have earned my sealegs as a maritime officer but changed to a
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