What do you do during a flight?

[richie-rich]

hey guys
i am currently working on my p.pl.l and want to fly for a major carrier oneday. i am interested to know what pilots do during a long-haul flight , lets say while its on cruise? do you guys talk about families? or glue your mouth and fly only?

i am sure your feedback would give wannabees like me the chance to get prepared for this exciting carrier beforehand.

thanks!
richie rich

[redsnail]

Don't fly long haul...

Usually it is a "sterile cockpit" below 5000' or 10,000'. That means no non operation talk. After that general chit chat is the go. You soon learn when to be quiet ie radio calls etc.
It's a good reason to have "a life" outside work so you can chat about a variety of things. Helps the time pass and keeps every one just that bit more awake. Some fill out their log books, catch up on the newspaper cross word, it depends on the crew. (and company SOPs)
:E

[RadarContact]

One captain I flew with has infected me with the history bug. I now usually think (and sometimes talk) about historic events and the development of the area we're passing. Makes time fly, really.

Of course, me flying short haul: Europe has a lot more history to offer tha the north atlantic... :D

[Maxrev]

Of course it depends who you're flying with, and whether they're feeling chatty or not.

I was always worried if I ended up with a skipper that was a man of few words that it'd be a bit like sitting with your girlfriend's dad for the first time or something, all stilted conversation et al but to be honest it's not like that really.

There's a sense of purpose with every flight and you're working as a team, so there's always some common ground for chat. And like was pointed out above, there's always the Times crossword, which I might add, is aided no end by flying a 'bus.....

*runs for cover as a new 'Times Crossword Airbus Vs Boeing fight breaks out*

[Towering Q]

On the subject of Bus v Boeing... is it easier to relax and put your feet up with that side mounted joy stick? This is a genuine question as I'm still a Cessna 310 driver, a rather cramped work environment by comparison.:sad:

[Hwel]

Listen to my mp3 player. read a good book. play chess with the FO. try to work out which star is which. play I spy (tough at 30,000 feet at night) learn to juggle. eat , eat, eat again. Do yoga in the little space between the crew seats and the door. Bitch about other people in the company (even those who dont deserve it). do an Open Uni degree in cybernetics.
Anything to pass the time.

ps not all of the above are true, Ill let you use your own jugment.;)

[JJflyer]

Watch DVD´s and yap with others about how bad we have it and how much better others have it.
Take pics of pretty sunsets and sunrises... Eat too much.


Cheers

JJ

[Maxrev]

Is it easier to relax in a 'Bus with the sidestick? I'd say so, but I only fly the 20/21 so the sectors aren't that long.

Perhaps a 330/340 driver can tell you more.

I just like having somewhere to put dindins without all that balancing on your knees malarkey... I've heard you can spot a long-haul Boeing driver as he's always got food on his trousers! :ok:

[Northern Highflyer]

So theres no chatting up the cabin crew or flirting with them then ? :(

Might have to rethink my career path now then if chess is the best I can expect.

Maybe we should start a pprune chat n flirt or dating room to meet those lovely ladies who post in the cabin crew forum. :} :}

[richie-rich]

NOTHERN PARTNER, I HAVE CONTROL!

hehehe.it sounds like a good idea to me.moderators.hehe, can we have smth like that? what northern suggested?

:p :E :cool:

rr

[Onan the Clumsy]

i am interested to know what pilots do during a long-haul flight

You ask that question to Onan The Clumsy?

[richie-rich]

hey clumsy!!
sure.......go for it if u wanna reply to it. ;)

richie

[ratsarrse]

Is there a way of rerouting the in-flight movies to the PFD. That'd be quite nice...:D

[Onan the Clumsy]

Hwel, do you run the mp3s through your headset?

Actually what I really try and do is maintain heading, altitude and cross track distance within set limits using the GPS. I find it helps build my concentration and also helps the time pass quite quickly.

[diamondtart]

Hey high flyer go and read the post on vain pilots. That will tell you what pilots get up to on long haul flights.

Apart from sleezing over us girlies whilst away, they spend the time flying there eating, talking about women, football and golf.

But then once in autopilot what more could a glorified bus driver do???????????

[Slim20]

If the girlie in question had the nous to operate the armoured flight deck door and actually come in every once in a while, instead of just dinging through on the interphone every hour or so when she remembers, then the chance would be a fine thing....!

[leemo]

Slim20, maybe the girlie (and the boys) are too busy looking after the people who pay our wages, than worrying about your requirements up the front.

[BarryMonday]

Fortunately leemo you and your mindset are in the minority.

The vast majority, either side of the flight deck door, are team players and don't allow themselves to become obsessed with parochial attitudes

Have you read Diamondtart's offering in the Agony Aunt forum yet?

[SixStarAnsett]

I'm just a PC pilot, and I'm extremely glad that no real pilots have the same inclinations that I have......

Whenever I'm inflight (and I always have a relatively cloud free flight, hahaha) and the flight becomes a bit tedious, I play "I spy with my little eye"...

However I look for other airports to land at. It doesn't matter if I'm 45 minutes out of Townsville bound for Brisbane I will always find it more entertaining to land at Mackay or Proserpine.

Whenever I see an airport, I land there!!!

That's what I do when the PC flight becomes tedious.

SixStar :)

[Northern Highflyer]

And there's me thinking the crew were a happy bunch who worked together as a team.

So winding each other up is a passtime too I take it ?

Diamondtart

Are they sleezing or "admiring and appreciating" ?? You have to have fun when at work, you spend a lot of time there.

:} :ok:

edited cos I found the vain pilot post :D

[Johnman]

If you enjoy flying ,there is time for talking about each others experiences , and other pilots and aeroplanes recent technical problems , which leads to refering to the books or other refrences,analysing weather, revising emergency procedures. Not everyone does this , but we can always make use of the time to do something useful and reduce the element of surprise by planning the flight perfectly.

[Faire d'income]

Then I haven't read a genuine answer. At least one of the crew at all times maintains full spatial awareness. Any half-wit will also keep a regular check of the systems whether Boeing or Airbus, its easier to handle a problem if you catch it early.

[topman999]

On a flight this day last week out of LAX I had the good pleasure of reading a rather decent novel up front. It depends on the flight though - crew etc. My pocket gameboy comes in helpful also on the rare occassion I must admit.

[Faire d'income]

If you are censoring posts that are not foul-mouthed, lewd or libellous you could at least provide a reason!

In response to Diamondtarts ridiculous and highly provative:
Apart from sleezing over us girlies whilst away, they spend the time flying there eating, talking about women, football and golf.
I merely suggested that obviously the closest this person has been to the cockpit is watching a fictitious Sky tv program!

This has already been suggested on another forum and escaped the censors scissors.

Something not quite right about watching DVD's since DVD players are prohibited! Either that was a wind-up or you will probably be fired soon!

It seems that either the comedians or the most unproffessional amongst us are drawn to answer this sort of thread.

Pilots don't (or shouldn't ) watch movies or listen to music while operating long or short haul. A good book is probably over the line also but there are those who can read a paragraph at a time while maintaining a good level of concentration on the primary task, but they are in the minority. Any activity that might seriously distract a pilot for lenghty periods is a big no-no.

As for game-boy, in my company it would be game over boy!

[Captain Airclues]

I gave up trying to talk to the cabin crew some time ago.

Airclues

[topman999]

Lets be honest here,
Who the heck is going to notice whats being got up to on a 13+ hr flight ?!! What I am saying is that if one is careful, noe can do almost anything. I dont advise this, just stating a point of fact. I have seen some increduluos stuff in my time BTW, that would a game boy sound like nothing believe me. U see it all over the yrs

[I. M. Esperto]

When nobody was looking, I picked my nose.

I allowed discussions of all kinds which helped everyone to stay alert on long hauls.

[Jetdriver]

Faire dink.

Diamondtart is already running this on the agony aunt forum. questions is neither agony aunt nor is it jetblast. If you want to take up the thread go to the Agony aunt forum. It seems a pity to move the rest of this one.

Your reply to diamondtart was edited as it made no sense once the post was moved.