Originally Posted by
SPF50
Have you ever seen small pilots working at any major passenger airlines?
I've wanted to become a pilot ever since I was a little girl but I think I'm too short
I'm just 5'0
I'm know I'm still 14 but my parents are short
and I doubt I'll still grow
I've heard you could get hired at regional airlines but I'm not sure, is that true? If I ever get a job at any regional airline, I don't wanna be working for them forever. Is there any chance I could get into any major airline? I know some of them have height requirements but not all of them right? And do they allow booster cushions cuz I haven't seen any pilot sitting on one
The lady who posts occasionally on here as Whirlybird, worked for quite a few years (she may still do, we don't talk as much as we did but I *think* she just does aviation journalism now) as a helicopter instructor. Whirly is 4ft 11in. She is something of an expert on the subject of booster cushions, but it has never stopped her flying.
Eric Brown, arguably the most accomplished test pilot Britain - and possibly the world - has ever produced was 5ft 7" at the height of his, err, height.
I've been flying all sorts of stuff for 22 years now, and am 5ft 6"; I occasionally use a booster - particularly in older aeroplanes that have no adjustment in the seat (some 1940s and 1950s military training aeroplanes I particularly need this since they seem to have been designed for training 6ft+ Scots Guards, whilst still wearing their buzbys).
Cushions are fine; the only thing you want is to ideally use cushions made from specialist foams designed for the purpose (something called
dynafoam with a cover made in something that's flame retardant. Easily run up on a sewing machine from denim if you don't mind doing a bit of sewing (NOT intended as a sexist comment, I'm a 41 year old male and don't mind doing my own sewing.)
Quick physics lesson - conformal foams such as dynafoam only change very slowly in response to changes in load so ar effectively rigid to sudden loads. This means that if you "enjoy" a hard landing you are locked to the aeroplane and see the same loads as the rest of the aeroplane. With a soft springy foam (the sort of thing you'd use in sofa cushions) you'll still be descending downwards as the aeroplane structure is heading upwards in response to the hard landing. The effect of this can be up to an 80% increase in the loads to your spine, and substantially increased potential for a career ending spinal injury.
G