Ryanair Cockpit Access

[TangoWhisky4T]

Righty, I was on a Ryanair flight recently and I was lucky enough to be allowed to view the flightdeck whilst the remaining passengers disembarked. The captain allowed me to take pictures, so long as I let him move himself out of shot first.

On my photo page, it would be fairly easy to work out where/when the picture was taken, and identify the captain as a result.

Does anyone know the policy at Ryanair regarding this? Normally, I'd just not bother, but it's not a bad picture. The last thing I want to do is drop someone in it.

Cheers.

[Bealzebub]

It is thoughtful of you to ask. I cannot give you a definitive answer, but generally I cannot imagine there would be a problem. You took the photographs on the ground and with the captains permission. Nothing in them should be of proprietary significance to the company or likely to cause them damage.

Some countries don't allow photographs to be taken on their airports in certain circumstances, but if these are general photographs of the flight deck of a Boeing 787-800 I cannot really see any particular problem.

For someone to care, there would usually be a compelling reason. From what you have said that wouldn't appear to be the case.

[Laarbruch72]

It's perfectly fine under EU legislation for an aircraft commander to authorise a visit to the flight deck while the aircraft is on the ground with engines shut down. Individual company policies differ in minor ways but they largely mirror the law applicable in the country of registration so even in my own company (which being a UK airline tends to be at the most stringent end of the scale on flight deck access), this would be fine. I'm not Ireland based so I don't know the real nitty gritty detail of Irish aviation legislation on flight deck access but it tends to be slightly less prescriptive than the UK.

I think the commander likely wanted to be out of shot out of concern for his personal security / privacy, rather than any concern over company policy. If there was a company policy against access to the FD on the ground, a commander would likely not have let you on the flight deck, and certainly wouldn't have been comfortable with you taking a pic. Just an educated guess but I'm sure you're fine posting it. Unless he told you he didn't want you posting it publicly?

[Jn14:6]

Some companies, mine included, BAN photography on the flight deck at any time. Any breech of this policy could , and has in the past, result in disciplinary action even termination!
Don't know RYR's policy, but this could be the Captain's reason.

[AndoniP]

Just remove all the exif information from the photo, and blur out any registration plaques if visible. Then nobody will know which aircraft it was that landed there as I'm sure RYR fly there frequently.

[Hotel Tango]

Some companies, mine included, BAN photography on the flight deck at any time. Any breech of this policy could , and has in the past, result in disciplinary action even termination!
Don't know RYR's policy, but this could be the Captain's reason.

I don't believe RYR have such a draconian policy. I tend to think that the Captain simply didn't want to be part of the photo, or was in fact assisting the OP in making what was essentially a FD photo even better (without pilots obstructing any of the instrumentation. Btw Jn14:6, your company must be fun to work for!

[Mike Tee]

Reminds me of the halcyon days of old when flight deck visits where positively encouraged, (well by some they where) !!. Fond memories of half an hour up front in the jump seat of our Odyssey International B757 over Greenland on our way from Newcastle to Toronto. Then another flightdeck visit on the way from Newcastle to Bulgaria in a Balkan Tu 154, whose Captain was pleased to turn and smile for my camera. Dan Air BAC 1-11 from Teesside to Gerona, again all, smiles for the camera. Sadly, a thing of the past now.

[TangoWhisky4T]

Thanks all for the advice, I should probably add some context.

On my outward flight I was allowed a look "as long as you don't take any pictures." - this was in Eire. On the return flight, I said "I won't post this online, I imagine I'd drop you in it something massive if anyone saw it" but the captain seemed fairly nonplussed - this was in the UK. Hence, I won't publish it anyway, but it's useful advice for next time.

[JEM60]

Ah, flight deck visits!. 747s, 757s,707s even a Viscountetc. plus Concorde [sorry:)] All pre 911. Post 911 United 319 on the ground at O'hare for 30 mins on a weather delay. No problem Captain invited me.

[Jn14:6]

HT.............

If you want to see just how much fun, go over to Fragrant Harbour!!!!!

[Midland 331]

Yes, I'd "hide the evidence" as much as possible! In the current paranoiac security climate, you were granted quite a privilege by the captain, so I'd return the favour by protecting him!

Meanwhile compare and contrast with the 1980's and before. Surely the DC9 had the best jump seat; high up between the crew. I had some truly memorable rides, including a radically non-standard go-around at Teesside.

[llondel]

I wonder why officialdom doesn't like cockpit photos? Given what you can see if you ask Google Images for 737-800 cockpit, it's not exactly a secret.

As for being on the FD, we had an announced delay of an hour flying SLC-SFO back in 2008. I took my son (7 at the time) up front and asked if he could have a look. He got to sit in the captain's seat and had it all explained to him.

[Hotel Tango]

In the current paranoiac security climate, you were granted quite a privilege by the captain

The only people getting paranoid are some of the posters here. FD visits on the ground are permitted by many companies and not against government regulations either. (with the exception of those countries which were always the exception anyway)!

[Fidel Castro]

I'm surprised there's not a €9 access fee

[Mike Tee]

I'd be surprised too, it's 9 euro if pre-booked rising to 40 euro if requested on the day !!.

[Gulf Julliet Papa]

There is no policy on the ground although it can be refused to take pictures of the cockpit. In terms of if the pilot wants to feature in the picture or not is purely the pilots choice, as it would be in any other situation in this world.

At the end of the day the majority of the spotters ask to take a picture of the cockpit, they don't ask to take a picture of the pilots...