What do pilots do on long flights?

[cpetzny]

Just wondering what pilots do to pass the time on long haul flights? I realise that there is obviously some routine monitoring going on, but personally I tend to get bored with the in-flight entertainment very quickly and just nod off. Clearly nodding off is not an option up front, so how do pilots keep themselves occupied?

Cheers,
Chris (long time SLF)

[apaddyinuk]

Well actually, sometimes pilots do nod off!!! LOL!
Some of the really long flights can have one or even two relief pilots allowing break times to be established. The crew can then make use of crew rest facilities located onboard.
On other flights where there may only be two pilots but the flight is particularly long the pilots can have "controlled" rest in their seat. Here the pilots will decide amongst themselves who will have a short shut eye in their seat. Generally guidelines are put in place by the cabin crew so that regular checks are made to the flight deck to make sure both have not nodded off at the same time!
But other then that there is very little to do up there when its quiet, read all the newspapers, do all the crosswords, EAT, drink numerous cups of tea, get up for a stretch and a pee break, annoy the cabin crew in the galley by getting in the way for a few minutes, put the worlds wrongs to right etc etc!

[VS-LHRCSA]

scoff my FIRST leftovers...

[SNS3Guppy]

A typical leg for us is between six and eight hours of flying, with a duty day at eighteen hours...makes for some long days, sometimes. Especially if there's more than one leg. (I've done the 18 takeoffs and landings in a day thing too...and am really spoiled right at the moment).

Conversation fills a lot of time. Cockpit duties fill some of the time. When I'm completely out of other things to do, I carry 3X5 cards with airplane systems and company procedure questions on them and study material, for review (information drains out of my feeble brain about as fast as I can pour it in, so constant study is a must).

Reviewing aeronautical charts and procedures takes up some of the time. I like to spend some time playing what-if and reviewing checklists and emergency procedures, too.

During a long flight, automation is in use; the autopilot is flying a course and holding altitude, but it's closely monitored (or should be), with changes or corrections being made as required.

Sometimes we'll quiz one another about systems or procedures. We spent the last three hours of a leg from Liege to San Juan a few weeks ago doing that, and I learned some good information. We usually have a meal, there are snacks, sometimes I chew gum or sunflower seeds. Some drink coffee to stay alert. We get up and stretch from tim to time.

Various regulatory and safety organizations have come to realize the value of catnaps on long flights, and crews are encouraged to take turns getting a few minutes of sleep; it makes one that much more alert. It's a good thing. I try to get as much rest as I can before and after flights and generally don't consider sleeping in flight, but many do, and it's a recognized way of keeping alert. Keeping a good intake of fluids going is important, as is exercising one's mind during the flight. There's enough going on that one can stay occupied with fuel and position reports, paperwork, and other things.

I have a habit of carrying an atlas with me and following along, too. I'll pick up little tidbits of information here and there...coordinates of the sinking of the Titanic, for example, and mentally note little things of interest or history as we go along. I'll play with the nav system or different items in the cockpit, exploring menus and pages and options to hopefully maintain or increase proficiency with them...we've got four basic nav computers and they're all different, as well as radios and other nav equipment...remembering which does what, and when, is enhanced by hands-on manipulation through different screens or features (and like I said, if I'm not constantly loading things into my head, it all falls out, and then where would I be)?

Flying from A to B is a lot like driving from A to B, except there's much more to do in the cockpit to keep from falling asleep...like flying the airplane.

[TopBunk]

I spy with my little eye ......:}

[apaddyinuk]

........something beginning with "C"!!!! :ugh:

[Dan D'air]

....Cloud?

[NZScion]

PA:

Erm, Hello? This is your captain speaking. There is absolutely no cause for alarm.
:eek:

Would never want to try it on a real flight with pax!

YouTube - Airline Pilot Practical Jokes (http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=YEIB4baOSd8)

[radeng]

In my innocence, I always thought that the major reason for the guys up front is if things don't go according to plan! Otherwise you could automate the whole lot. But the training in procedures and the ability to handle it when things go pear shaped makes flying crew worth every penny they get paid.

[SNS3Guppy]

Actually, the crew is there for more reason than simply waiting around until things "go pear shaped."

[PAXboy]

non-pilot speaking
I think it's possible that SNS3Guppy has not read postings by radeng before and does not realise that (i) radeng does know a thing or two about flying and that (ii) radeng is being a little bit naughty in making reference to Pears and they topology. :=

For those that traverse Africa ... the flight is always busy as the radio must be constantly monitored and a clear understanding of the other a/c on the route (at the various separations) be established. Overflying Africa at night (as most European flights do) means that you are reliant upon a diverse collection of ATCs and radio procedures and this keeps them fairly well occupied.

My nephew was on the JNB~LHR run for a few years and I understand that flight crews (of all nationalities) are usually relieved to make their first contact with South African ATC.

[radeng]

Talking to the FO on my trip to OZ the other week, he said that flying over Africa usually met nothing from ATC unless they were awake enough to want to know who you were for charging purposes! As PAXboy says, contact with SA ATC is apparently a major relief.

But you COULD automate the whole process these days and get rid of flight crew all together. Realistically, doing the cost/benefit analysis, the occasional crash would probably still be cheaper than having flight crew. Don't let O'Leary figure out how to implement this.....

I still feel safer with properly trained pilots! Having made a living out of technology for the last 40+ years, I am very distrustful of it.

'Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from black magic'

[ford cortina]

Glad I don't fly with that airline, I fly over Africa often, overnight it is hard to stay awake. However every 20 mins or so you make a Iata report, and listen out for others who might be in your airspace. Also trying to get in contact with Dakar can be interesting especially when on HF. And as for the weather, well lets just say you have not lived until you have seen the CB's in Africa. The sunrise is quite nice as well.

[starbuck123]

Speaking of PA announcements do pilots like doing them or do you have too? I fly quite alot of long haul and noticed its different everytime. One flight we didnt here a peep, then one pilot kept us informed how many miles we had done and how many to go. Even pointed out places of interest which was cool.

[ford cortina]

Personally I love it, but I fly for an African airline and my Arabic/French is poor, so I don't do too many.

[amber 1]

Speaking of PA announcements do pilots like doing them or do you have too?
This has probably been flogged to death before on pprune, but basically it is up to the Captain what PAs to make and to get the right mix for the particular audience, be they bucket & spade, business or some other entity.
It is sometimes amusing to listen to them. They tend to vary from the "verbal diarrhoea and very boring", through to the infamously short "Half way!" Some can even be quite interesting and entertaining.
Pitching it just right for 200 or more different personalities is the challenge, especially if you are not a professional entertainer.
It's not easy, this job!
And it's not easy either to try to stay awake over the GAFA at some god awful time in the morning.

[dazdaz]

Not a pilot. If I was on long haul I'd be on the look-out to make some extra 'wonga'.......

1) Selling bingo tickets. Take for instance..A320 250 pax £5 per book=£1,250 A deduction for 'administration charges:}' say 40%=£500 for they guys at the pointy end. I'm sure there must be some LCD gizmo on the f/d that can generate random numbers 1-99 Not forgetting the odd £30 for a member of c/c to check the winners tickets.

2) Chat to the Captain, ask any question you want (via inflight coms) £2 per question.

Theres money to be made in the air.

Daz

[flynerd]

2) Chat to the Captain, ask any question you want (via inflight coms) £2 per question.
Theres money to be made in the air.

Years ago (pre 911) I was on a BA 747 flt LGW to Miami and asked if I could visit the cockpit. Yep, no worries, just make a GBP25 donation to a UK charity. So I did! Had about 1 hour in the cockpit and asked many questions and got some great experience.
The crew were often on the radio and often checking the various screens avail on their consoles. As we approached St John Canada things got a tad busy and I had to return to my seat! Would love to be able to do it all again. May just need to charter my own AC once I win lotto! :}

FlyNerd

[PAXboy]

radenghe [an FO] said that flying over Africa usually met nothing from ATC unless they were awake enough to want to know who you were for charging purposesYes, I have heard that. My nephew told me of one 'amusing' night when they discovered that a small airline was experimenting with saving on light bulbs and was in almost total darkness - and not in the mood for telling anyone where he was on that silly old radio thing... It is generally held to be true that, replacing the strobe bulbs is slightly cheaper than replacing the complete airframe. :rolleyes:

[radeng]

HF radio has never been that reliable. Yet I'm told by a CAA radio guy that it's still mandatory to report your position over the north Atlantic on HF, even when satellite is more reliable......HF is a good backup, but satellite is potentially far more reliable. Although at the end of the day, I don't like relying on radio anyway - although it has given me a living for over 40 years.

[chestnut charlie]

If using data link(CPDLC) only need HF to confirm SELCAL at boundaries,eg New York,Shanwick,Gander and Santa Maria.

[Wyle E Coyote]

Picking peanuts out of the seat rails. lint out of belly buttons.

[B747-800]

Pulling nose hair to fight sleep!

YouTube - Sleepy Pilot (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2Sh1BW3_q4)

YouTube - Sleepy Pilot (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LbF7CTL0ak)

[SNS3Guppy]

On atlantic crossings, we monitor 123.45, and 121.5. We also monitor SelCal. Position reports are given at each required reporting point, or on the Nat Tracks, at each ten degrees of longitude. Aside from that, our company also keeps plotting charts, which require plotting positions, crossing times, altimeters for RVSM, and position plots ten minutes after each fix...which takes some time, too. There's more to do than simply waiting for the SelCal to chime. Additionally, there's weather reports and mid position reports to take and make (when off a track), plus fuel logs, engine trend monitoring, etc...and not uncommonly updating of manuals and other administrative duties.

[PAXboy]

Gosh, SNS3Guppy, with all that work to do - it sure is lucky that you have the Autopilot to actually fly it for you ... :}

(Ducks down into his seat and pretends that he was asleep all the time :E)

[Rainboe]

Now do you guys see it is better to leave threads like this well alone?

[SNS3Guppy]

Gosh, SNS3Guppy, with all that work to do - it sure is lucky that you have the Autopilot to actually fly it for you ...


There are two of us to fly the airplane, and a flight engineer. We're required to have the autopilot engaged whenever in Reduced Vertical Separation Minima airspace. Which we are when crossing the North Atlantic tracks.

No, that's not a lot of work to do, there's considerably more, and we still have to struggle sometimes to find thins to do...but then that's the idea behind this thread, isn't it? Or did you not bother to read the title?

Someone asked, we answered...perhaps you don't like the answer...but then that would be your problem, wouldn't it? If in this lifetime you are assigned to a cockpit and have a clue what you're talking about, then you'll get to answer the same question in a thread just like this one.

So far as automation, yes, we're very fortunate for it. Automation is an important part of what we do. It's required by the certification of the airplane, the operating rules, and the airspace. You might be happier if one of us crawled out onto the wingtip and moved the ailerons with our bare hands...but that's not possible. Instead we control it remotely by working through a control column, which moves cables, which move valves which move hydraulics, which eventually move the control surface. Sometimes we put our hands on the control column, sometimes we put our hands on the flight control system controls...what you refer to as the autopilot. Either way, we're controlling the airplane, and flying the airplane, and in neither case do we have any direct connection with the control surfaces out on the wings or on the tail.

If it's an airbus...even less connnection, and even when the pilot is handflying, he or she never directly controls the airplane. The pilot's input is limited to telling the airplane what he wants done, and then the computer determines if it will let the pilot do it, at what rate it will let it be done, and how far it will let it go. Stuff that into your pipe and smoke it, next time you're playing paxboy around the world.

[PAXboy]

My apologies SNS3Guppy.

I thought carefully before trying to make a joke about this age old discussion and decided that I would put in three clues - smiley faces etc. - so I'm sorry if I appeared to be taking the proverbial. Thank you for your serious and detailed reply which I know will be of interest for many readers here who are trying to understand more about modern jet travel.

I am fortunate to have been around aviation for a long while and visited many flight decks in the good old days. Also, with a nephew who is a commercial pilot, I have learnt a fair amount. In these forums, I just give the Pax perspective as I know how irritating it is to have uninformed comment. So, thanks again for stepping back into the cabin, all of your posts are appreciated, sorry the old line didn't get off the ground.

[GANNET FAN]

A very courteous reply PAXboy

[SNS3Guppy]

Paxboy, being from the wrong side of the pond I'm somewhat slow on the uptake and not well versed in subtlety (ask my wife); my apologies for what would appear an overreaction to an innocent comment.

[AmarokGTI]

on the 330/340 .. the feet go up on the rests and the natter starts.

cant speak for other types.

[Wyle E Coyote]

Boeings have foot rests too..... don't know why it's labeled 'speed brake' though

[nahsuD]

On flights with INTERNET access it is obvious:

Upon reaching the cruise altitude, grab the laptop and log onto PPRuNe...