VapourTrails From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Posted (10 years 5 months 4 hours ago) and read 929 times:
Do pilots, flights attendants, dispatchers etc ever visit the hangars to see aircraft maintenance, or for any reason? Is it necessary at all to their job, or do they wander in just because they are interested?
Avt007 From Canada, joined Jul 2000, 2131 posts, RR: 6 Reply 1, posted (10 years 5 months 3 hours ago) and read 842 times:
Occasionally we would get pilots bringing in girlfiends to impress them ,sometimes friends or family (done that myself), but usually pilots would show up more studying purposes when ground school was on. Similarly, the only time we saw flight attendants was during their training courses (BEND OVER, STAY DOWN!) .
Twotterwrench From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 2, posted (10 years 5 months 1 hour ago) and read 828 times:
When we have the planes in the hangar, we put wipers on the inside of the windows, cuz the guys like to get in there, play pilot and make airplane noises and that gets spit spray all over the windshield. Their other favorite thing to do is "practice the checklists." This they must do with the batteries on, and they never bother hooking up a Christie. Of course, when you go to launch the next morning and the batteries are dead, it's never the pilot's fault.
GDB From United Kingdom, joined May 2001, 12359 posts, RR: 83 Reply 4, posted (10 years 5 months ago) and read 816 times:
We were getting 1600 people a month coming to see Concorde's undergoing maint. During the mod. programme outside visits were stopped and staff visits curtailed.
We do get staff now when we OK it, to be honest it's the staff who often caused problems, external visitors were in an unfamilar eviroment and knew it, so listened to safety briefs and generally did as they were told.
But you'd get staff, who were not frontline, who thought they owned the place, doing stuff like trying to step on to the wings, not being aware of all the switches in the cramped flightdeck etc.
Now all visitors to the BA hangars have to be escorted. In Concorde, we did that anyway, I did, and still do, a lot of that.
It's good when you get people genuinely thrilled to be there, asking questions and generally enjoying themselves. For new staff, a visit to Concorde seems to be essential, as it was for me all those years ago!
But here's some questions I've been asked by new staff, always from the non-operational areas;
Sitting it the flight deck, all systems powered up- 'Is this a real aircraft?'
After explaining the 6-9 inch expansion of the fuselage in supercruise- 'What? The people expand?'
Hopefully, external visits will be reinstated soon, I've a list of friends who want to come in! In the past we've limited these to 20 per day to avoid disruption.
Metwrench From United States of America, joined Aug 2001, 750 posts, RR: 3 Reply 5, posted (10 years 4 months 4 weeks 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 808 times:
My personal feelings are that "off" time visits from Flight Crews in the hangar is the best "networking" that can happen.
HAWK21M From India, joined Jan 2001, 30166 posts, RR: 61 Reply 6, posted (10 years 4 months 4 weeks 1 day 17 hours ago) and read 792 times:
Well we do get visits by pilots attending ground school wanting to brush up their practicalknowledge,sometimes the cabin crew on training.
Or some Important official having a look around.
regds
HAWK.
242 From United States of America, joined Oct 2000, 498 posts, RR: 1 Reply 7, posted (10 years 4 months 4 weeks 1 day 3 hours ago) and read 758 times:
It seems like sunday afternoons are the prime time for employees to bring their friends and families to the hangar.
Occasionally you'll see a new hire pilot or two trying to get some insight on some aircraft systems.
The only problem I ever experienced was with a new hire class of flight attendants. Their instructor wanted to use our out-of-service aircraft for training. We told them that they were welcome to use the cabin, but there was no power on the aircraft nor could any be used. They seemed to accept that and hearded her class in to the cabin. Not ten minutes later, the instructor emerged from the plane to ask us to please turn on the air-conditioning, since it was unbearably hot in the cabin. "Well geez... didn't we just tell you that there was was no power?" Not to mention that the bleed air system was partially disconnected.
The rather thick-headed instructor seemed to accept this and went back up in to the aircraft. Not five minutes later, here she comes again, asking for AC but more firmly. "I just can't teach in this heat!". My co-worker and I, having been out in the broiling hot sun all day, had little sympathy. I wanted to say something but bit my tongue instead. My co-worker, however, pretty much blew up at her and said some things he probably shouldn't have said. With a huff, the instructor gathered her class and left. We never heard anything else about it.
VapourTrails From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 8, posted (10 years 4 months 4 weeks 4 hours ago) and read 721 times:
GDB, can I have your job!
It's interesting what you say about the staff and their visits to the Concorde hangars. It's seems like they sort of take the whole thing for granted because they see it every day, and it is no big deal to them. If I could see Concorde in the hangars I would be - because I love the aircraft, and I have never seen it up close. It would also be a fascinating place & I'd want to stay as long as possible -- then again I am a Concorde fanatic! - so no suprise there!
Mikeymike From United States of America, joined May 2000, 406 posts, RR: 2 Reply 9, posted (10 years 4 months 3 weeks 6 days 16 hours ago) and read 697 times:
PRetty much what happens at BA, as GDB has stated, happens at DL. Mainly initial training for F/A's and a lot of families stop by, but pilots have there own building on the other side of the field here in Atlanta with 10-15 SIMs and about 20 cockpit classrooms for their ground training.
Now every visitor at Delta needs to be escorted as well.
EWR757 From United States of America, joined Apr 2000, 360 posts, RR: 9 Reply 11, posted (10 years 4 months 3 weeks 4 days 16 hours ago) and read 657 times:
Very true statement. I visited our hangers twice when heavy MX was being performed (C and D checks). I throughly enjoyed talking to the MX folks and seeing my aircraft's systems in real time (as opposed to the manual) and asking questions. The MX people also were curious about our operating procedures and pilot perspective on aircraft operations.
It was an eye opening experience. All too often our exposure is with line MX during through flights when no one has any time.
Patroni From Luxembourg, joined Aug 1999, 1403 posts, RR: 18 Reply 12, posted (10 years 4 months 2 weeks 3 days 10 hours ago) and read 609 times:
Well, from our office corridor and staircase we have a direct view into the hangar, so I am looking on the nose of 747's every day.
Closer visits to the hangar and to the aircraft as such are possible if the foreman gives his OK. This is definitely a great opportunity for people from commercial departments (like myself) to get a closer relationship to the technical side of aviation.
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- because I love the aircraft, and I have never seen it up close. It would also be a fascinating place & I'd want to stay as long as possible -- then again I am a Concorde fanatic! - so no suprise there! 
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