Reading in the Cruise?

[Bealzebub]

To answer this question seriously, there are a couple of points I have issues with.

I can see no problem with reading a paper in the cruise so long as adequate and proper attention is being given to the monitoring of the flight. However one thing that does concern me is the increasing trend ( I see ) of pilots who seem to feel it is ok to continue reading whilst the aircraft is climbing or descending or approaching a waypoint turn. I may be old fashioned but this is poor airmanship and as far as I am concerned a totally unacceptable practice. Those who offend can expect a swift reminder.

As far as sudoko or reading books is concerned, I have no real problem with this as long as the practice is likely to allow for sufficient monitoring. Provided one pilot has the flightdeck in their scan then a slightly longer period of non monitoring by the other pilot is probably no different than if they were off the flightdeck for physiological breaks. Crosswords and the like tend to be short distractions in any event. I might get slightly irritated with someone who felt it was ok to engrose themselves in a novel, writing a letter or other long distraction without discussing it first and getting an agreed arrangement. If you think I am going to do your job for the next hour or two while you bury your head in the next 5 chapters of your novel, you are in for a rude surprise.

At the end of the day crew rest ( which is the category this largely falls into ) is another resource to be carefully managed, and a bit of thought and properly applied discretion should make this an easy task. Unfortunetaly in all cases this isn't so, and it might explain why some Captains are reluctant to permit a relaxation in the flight monitoring requirements when a few others excercise a less than acceptable responsibility to the task.

Finally I would state that you are paid to do a job and do it professionally and to the best of your ability. Before picking up a paper etc, ask yourself : Have I done everything I need to do; Am I satisfied there is nothing else I sensibly could be doing; Have I set up the nav aids for the next requirement as they become redundant; Have I extracted charts or plates now rather than later; Am I at least one step ahead of the game ?
Only if you can answer yes to these questions should you really be contemplating doing anything else less relevant to the job in hand.