Keeping busy?

[TurbofanDude]

A question I've been dieing to know: What do pilots do to keep busy while flying? (Especially when the cockpit door can't opened). What is a pilot allowed to have in the cockpit?

Also, what happens if you're flying and you have to use the lavatory, but you can't get out of the cockpit? What do you do?

[TimeOnTarget]

We tell a lot of lies and stories......

But seriously, I have wondered why new generation jets are not designed with a dedicated lav for the crew. It would be so much better.

[Dan Winterland]

The 747s i used to fly had a row of three toilets behind the flight deck. After 9/11, the company moved the flight deck door back three feet and hey presto, the crew had their own loo!

[Neptunus Rex]

It's easy. First up, when the FO is settled in his seat, the Captain gives him a kiss. The Captain can then have a sleep in the cruise, knowing full well that his FO will be wide awake for the next 12 hours.

[Brian Abraham]

It's easy. First up, when the FO is settled in his seat, the Captain gives him a kiss. The Captain can then have a sleep in the cruise, knowing full well that his FO will be wide awake for the next 12 hours. May well have worked in the old days Neptunus. These days you may very well get a very willing response, in which case it may well be you who is awake for the next 12 hours.

[sevenstrokeroll]

what do we do?

we look out the window to make sure we don't run into other planes.

we read our engine instruments and other instruments to make sure everything is working properly

we navigate to always know where we are and where we could go in an emergency.

we tell a few jokes to keep awake, I've even sung the theme song to the FLINTSTONES when needed.

we talk about cute female flight attendants.

if we have to go and we can't go out of the cockpit...WE HOLD IT IN.

are you dumb or what?

[Microburst2002]

Perfoming the routine while chatting with the other guy.

If the other guy doesn't chat, read the Jeppesen intro, the FCOMs, the WRGIL (Wide Range General Information Leaflets, otherwise known as newspapers).

You can do that, too, if the other guy chats too much and you are not in the mood.

Every time I'm left alone in the cockpit I rehearse (in my mind) the engine fail procedure or the emergency descent.

Regarding the loo... It would be nice to have a way of getting some intimacy without leaving the seat. A curtain or something, and then to have the loo incorporated in the seat, so that with just a "excuse me", a curtain movement and a simple body manoeuvre you can be very happy. But then we have the same question What do you do in the mean time? WRGIL will come in very handy, Im sure

[CargoMatatu]

The good ole CL-44 had a loo on the flight deck.

In some ways convenient, but not necessarily as nice as you might think!

[Bob Lenahan]

We use to play chess. Or take a nap.