Flight deck visit
 

Can anyone clarify whether I am able to visit the flight deck on a commercial flight.

I have an interest in what the drivers procedures etc are during the sector. I suspect that security post 9/11 is very tight with regard to the flight decks nowadays. However I was wondering if a captain would be open to my being nosey.

I am currently serving aircrew in the military world and am curious about the civilian commercial flying world.

I have been on the flight deck of an A340 post 9/11.

It appears to be down to pilot discretion. He was good enough to allow me to stay for an ILS approach in low visability and it was incredible.

So, it is possible.

The rules may vary around Europe but I doubt very much if you will find any UK-registered aircraft whose crew will let you on the flight deck while the engines are running, as this is strictly against DoT security procedures.

Ditto in USA. Illegal in flight.:{

Pity. As a retired (enforced) airline man I still get a kick out of being on the flight deck for landing and take off (or vv).

YOU CAN HAVE A LOOK ON GRND ONLY,BUT IN THE UK F/D DOOR IS LOCKED JUST BEFORE CLOSING DOORS AND NO ONE PERMITTED,NOT EVEN STAFF IF THEY ARE OFF DUTY OR ON AS A MATTER OF FACT:rolleyes:

Reading Britannia's ground service manual it states that only staff with a Britannia issued ID will be permitted to travel on the flight deck. They can only travel on the flight deck whilst on duty and are not permitted on the flightdeck for flights to the US ad Canada.

It is a shame because I managed to get on the jumpseat of a Britannia 752 for a flight form CWL to AGP in 2002. I had a wonderfull time and the crew were brilliant.

Oh well - looks like I will have to sit in the back and wonder what it is all about.

Seems the civvy world is more restrictive than mine nowadays.
Safe landings all. :)

It looks like I'm lying about that but I'm not - I was there

It was November 2002 - but I don't want to mention the airline involved.

Most, if not all, European countries now legislate against flight deck access during the flight except by specific people.

The USA also dictates the same to foreign airlines flying to/from the USA as it does to its own airlines.

Other parts of the world of course may or may not have such strict rules.

And there will be occasional Captains who buck the rules (at considerable risk to their careers and possibly incurring the wrath of their CAA and Government on their airline).

At best I would put the chances of any passenger being allowed on the flight deck during flight as 'unlikely'.

Of course .. in my Piper Archer it's different. Not much choice with the cabin layout ;)

I mentioned Britannia because at the time it was all above board.

No, I know you're not lying Farrell. The rule is only strictly enforced by US, British and only a small handful of other airlines (unless inbound or initially outbound US airspace). In most other cases COMMON SENSE still prevails. Most cockpit crew posters here on PPRuNe are US or British and they have little choice but to adhere to the draconian regulations imposed on them by their respective aviation imbe.......sorry, authorities. However, this is NOT the norm in many other parts of Europe or indeed, the world.