What gets you to sleep on a long haul flight?

[Evanelpus]

Having made many long distance flights the thing I found hard to come to terms with was the difficult process of getting to sleep.

I tried tablets, watching the movie, listening to music, filling my ears with plugs and using the eye shades. None worked until one day on a trip with BA to Moscow a friendly F/A suggested a black coffee with a miniture Baileys as milk. 3 of these and I didn't care. This is indeed good stuff, it has never failed since and I swear by it.

Try it if you find it difficult to kip.

[tunneler]

Always found that southern comfort and coke (fat coke mind) is rather relaxing - about 3 or 4 and its nap time for tunny :)

[WTHIDN]

Try sitting in a warm Flight Deck for a couple of hours, at night, with relaxing RT chatter in the background.

I can nod off in minutes.

[FE Hoppy]

I just have to put my uniform on and I'm nodding off on the crew bus.....

[411A]

In the pointy end, just listening to the junior F/O will generally do the trick.

[ExSimGuy]

(I'm a bit worried about the comments from the Pointy End :rolleyes: !)

As one of those who doesn't have to do the driving (or even autopilot setting :) ) what works for me is a nice Scotch with a beer chaser after boarding, a couple of those nice small bottles of wine with the meal, then a brandy or similar after the meal.

Last time I flew AA (LHR-BOS) I awoke as the aircraft was on finals for Boston airport - Perfect :) ;)

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What Goes Around . . . . .
. . often makes a better landing

[Bird Strike]

Listening to a passenger (a total stranger) talking about something boring to me would almost invariably put me to sleep. Better than any sleeping pill.

On a serious note, I tend to spend about 80% of my time as a passenger asleep. I just wake up ever hour (or a couple of hours), walk around, come back and sleep some more, unless some edible food is arriving shortly (which is not very often the case anyway).

To help me sleep, I don't drink tea or coffee whilst in air, just mineral water and fruit juice, and listen to light classical music. If I've GOT TO sleep (e.g. a night flight with full activities ahead of me in the morning), and can't for some reason, then I would pop a short acting sleeping pill, but I still make sure I walk about at least every couple of hours.

[willbav8r]

Take off shoes.

Light music on headset.

Blanket over legs/feet.

Quaff a JD, or glass of wine etc (don't over do it now!).

If food is being served, eat it. I always feel sleepy after eating.

Oh, and if at all possible, do not sleep for the 8 hours prior to flying (as a pax).

Of course, I am sure a seat in Business or First Class helps.....but we can dream!

[SLF]

Couple of stiff G&Ts does it for me!

Also found the rain forest/dolphin/sea track on SQ very good.

A colleague takes that one of those cold remedies that may cause drowsiness...

Cheers!

[Lurk R]

I usually listen to some of my work colleagues...

[hailstone]

looking at the trolley-dollie's usually helps...depends on the carrier of course.

joke aside

i am in the lucky situation that i can sleep anywhere anytime - no liquor (sp?), valiums, books, etc required

[DEFPOTEC]

If you can’t sleep try reading the pilots SOP, Standard Operating Procedures, or Flight Manual.

It works for me.

[What_does_this_button_do?]

Sitting in nice seat in Upper does it for me.

Didn't notice a thing flying back from JFK....

[ExSimGuy]

On further reflection - I have noticed that I usually fall asleep within 15 minutes of the start of an in-flight movie that I really wanted to watch.

Is there some emission from those seat-back LCD screens that we haven't been warned about? http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/eek.gif

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What Goes Around . . . . .
. . often makes a better landing

[daft fader]

As an ATCO, I`d like to know how to wake people up on a longhaul flight. I have been on the receiving end of the Far East gaggle (Maastricht being unable to organise them properly) at 4.30 or so in the morning and have sometimes wondered whether any of us ,including me ,were really with it.

[Self Loading Freight]

It's easy. Be on an empty flight, move to a row of four empty seats, put the arm-rests up, lie down, sleep.

Only managed it twice in gawdnose how many crossings, but my. Two periods of blissful unconsciousness I'll never forget. Why they don't arrange economy like bunk beds in a submarine...

R

[Warlock2000]

More words of wizdom from 411A(rseh*le). You never cease to amaze me! Bet you must be high on your company's "GET TO A CRM COURSE ASAP" list hey?

[MileHi]

Blowjob in the bunk will do the trick! :)

[ExSimGuy]

Daft Fader,

Exactly who does an ATCO need to wake up at the end of these Mid-East flights - NO please don't answer that http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/eek.gif

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What Goes Around . . . . .
. . often makes a better landing

[411A]

Warlock2000
Ah, I see you junior guys never know how to be polite and learn from others, nothing new at all. You are quite wrong however about CRM, in actual fact in our company it is NOT required nor desired because, we only hire EXPERIENCED guys on type, pay them well with plenty of days off. As the Chief Operating Officer/Chief Pilot, what I say goes. You would NOT survive five minutes with your attitude http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/tongue.gif

[Avman]

daft fader, that's just us getting our own backs on the crap you send us eastbound :)

[Tropical Storm 7B]

Why is it that F/o's and usually the more Junior ones think that
CRM means let me be Captain?

cos you're too Old or whatever is going on in their heads !!

[Warlock2000]

411A(rsehole),

"...about CRM, in actual fact in our company it is NOT required nor desired..." "As the Chief Operating Officer/Chief Pilot, what I say goes."

Great words of wisdom. It must be a real pleasure working with you.
I rest my case.....!

[411A]

Warlock2000
Pleased to see that you "rest your case", considering that you really have had nothing intelligent to say.

[ECAM actions]

Buying a first class seat usually aids a good nights sleep

[daft fader]

To Avman

Sorry, but by the time I`ve sorted out the sectorisation in my head it`s usually too late to sort the stuff out. In any case you should see what it looks like when we get from our friends in TC.

[Warlock2000]

411A,

Nothing intellegent....? Are you SO stupid that ALL this goes straight over your head?
By the way, I see you're getting a real "fan club" going on a number of forums. Must be that magnetic personality!

DOOS! http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/tongue.gif

[411A]

Just like a "junior guy" puts experienced crew to sleep with their endless rantings....ZZZZZZZ.

[PiperChauffeur]

Well, if any of you shold come up with the perfect soloution for sleeping on longhaul flights, I'm sure the serving wenches in teh back would like to know. They would love to have a button for 'passenger sleep'.
PC

[MileHi]

Warlock,

Give it up, you are wasting valuable keystrokes on this 411 guy. Having read some of his previous postings it seems like he just likes to stir... Nothing valuable or constructive to add anywhere.

(PS: 411A, I know weak personalities always need to have the last word. I dare you not to reply to this post!)

[411A]

Hello there MileHi--
Really good advice to WarLock. He clearly has NO idea about aircarrier operations or the management of crews. In my more than 30 years in airline flying and aircrew training (still active by the way) I have found that the "younger guys" are very eager to learn and generally adapt well to standard company procedures. However, some see "their company" way as the only way to operate, often enforced by their management. Nothing wrong with this except that "other companies" operate differently. For example, BEA (now BA) used to use QFE for landing, whereas other carriers use QNH and, considering that they were the leaders for many years in CAT III operations, with good reason. I met one young BA F/O some years ago who had the opinion that using anything other than QFE was a waste of time. As he was "on loan" to the carrier that I worked for at the time, he was NOT very popular with the Chief Pilot until he changed his tune. Much the same can be said about CRM. Many (indeed most) carriers have found this to be very necessary considering the very many diverse personalities involved. However,
small carriers (with only a few aircraft) where the crews all know each other well, look at CRM as a waste of time. For example, we asked our guys if they thought they would benefit from a CRM course. As nearly all had this training before, they all said NO. So, we increased the salary accordingly. As we will be operating worldwide, we will provide a business jet to rotate them home for R&R every two months. This will only work with small companies however. Those that work (or hope to work) for large aircarriers probably will not understand or appreciate this flexibility.

[MileHi]

411A,

I think you misunderstood my post. I don't have any preconceived ideas about anyone, let alone Warlock2000.

Remember, youth is the way of the future! I know some pretty capable young guys('n gals). By the way what types do you guys operate?

(Just to keep with the topic, I still say a bl*wjob in the bunk helps induce sleep!) :)

[411A]

MileHi--
Lockheed L1011 aircraft, operation under formation now. Financing approved, business plan complete, aircraft on the way, with ops in June or thereabouts. Excellent pay (likely tax-free), good benefits and travel to assignment in the (now decided) Gulfstream.

[OneWorld22]

To answer the original question, travelling with my wife normally does the trick for me!!


Ouuuccchhh!! Sorry dear, yes dear I'm coming now..................