In the days when it was not an issue, once flew with a Captain who refused a request to visit the flight deck, No, he said, this is my office, if I walked into the bank and flipped the flap in the counter and said I'm just going to watch the Manager at work in his office, they'd fling me out on my ear, or worse. We only let people up here when we're not busy, so they see us sat here apparently doing nothing and wonder why we're paid what we are, keep 'em guessing, the mystery helps the Bull**** Baffles Brains philsophy.

On the other side.... I've met some interesting guests, including minor Royalty, Film and TV stars and the like, and received a few nice "presents" in return ! Sad that it all had to end.

I remember one young lad being asked if he would like to sit in the pilot's seat ? Ooh! yes please, he replied as he grabbed a fistfull of throttles to lever himself up. Three pairs of hands immediately disabused him of that idea !

SU593 MOW-HKG

No, a cockpit in flight is not the place for non-qualified persons. 75 good reasons that day.

There is a huge difference between allowing someone in the cockpit to have a look (and even seat on the jump seat) and having him seat in the pilots seat and manipulate the controls.

I had always thought it was allowed at the flight crew's discretion. I wonder if this FO was disciplined for her action?

AF pilot helps in airline emergency > U.S. Air Force > Article Display

#18 RAT, yes that was Pablo Mason, the RAF's public face during the Gulf war. It was a disgraceful decision to sack him on the spot.

Emergency situation. Entirely her call.
Permitting pax to enter the FD in blatant disregard of company rules and/or criminal law is an entirely different matter.

One ridiculous situation I heard about from a friend who flies for Emirates is that sometimes they carry an engineer with them and when a situation arises that the crew need his advise he is not allowed on the FD and has to speak with the flight crew via the phone/cctv system through the door.

Maybe he should put on a skirt, a bit of rouge & lipstick and deliver the coffees.

In my younger and more vulnerable years I was the chirpy kid who got to visit the flight deck of many an airplane. With a PPL in hand (pre-9/11) I was even allowed to sit up front for take-off, the majority of cruise, to the landing.

But after having a Captains' kid who was on the flight deck many moons ago, look up and reach for the T-Handles while asking his Dad what it did, I vowed to never allow any Jonny Public up front. That idea was only solidified later on when I was "voluntold" to work a ground display during an airshow. That's when I saw what an otherwise normally sane and rational person will do around an airplane, especially the cockpit.

I get it; it's cool for you. I was for me too. But far too many people want to play "grabby hands" and there is just too much in the cockpit not meant to be grabbed that way.

+TSRA
I think it maybe a generation thing. As you I visited many an A/C cockpit pre 9/11 from mid 60,s up to just before 9/11, and (whisper this quietly) even after 9/11 in some areas of the world. However I have always treated the pilots and their office with total respect, and would not ever dream of grabbing or touching any switch leaver etc. As a young child aircrew were authority figures and as such you treated with them with the respect they deserved. Perhaps now with the demise of this respect people wrongly feel that there kids can do anything without any come back. On my first cockpit trip in a Channel Airways Viscount I was told to sit on my hands by my Dad, and be polite, and that is what I did when a young boy and also metaphorically speaking as a young man as well ! Still miss being able to do it, as it is one of the best office views in the world.

Reminds me of my boys who always wanted to visit the FD of the LTU L-1011s we often flew on. The Captains were obviously sufficiently impressed with their interest and behaviour and were never in a hurry to kick them out. Generally, with two spare seats on the FD, myself and one of the boys were invited to stay for the landing. However, on at least a couple of occasions dad was sent back to the cabin and my two young sons (13 and 15 by then) were invited to stay for the landing! We never crashed! But even in those "good old days" it was always the captain's decision. So those who were not keen in admitting passengers to the FD were not obliged to. Even LTU had the odd captain who refused having anyone, even company staff. It was their prerogative and nobody thought otherwise.

An airline that I worked for after the 9/11 madness banned any flying spanners from the flight deck. Only trouble was in their communication telling of this ban they didn't specify when in the air. It was a bit difficult sorting out U/S aircraft with no access to the F/D!

What you are saying is that an employee is not allowed access to the FD, even though they are an 'authorised person'. I was with some airlines that did not allow FD visits, but if an employee was ticketed they could occupy an FD jump seat with capt's discretion. That same employee would not be allowed to visit during the flight????? The ops manual even seemed to say that a pax friend of an employee, travelling on a staff ticket on a full a/c, could occupy an FD jump-seat even though they were not flight safety trained. How daft is all this?

Hibjab, and the moustache wouldn't be a problem anyway.

Certainly, wearing a short skirt improved your chances of sitting next to the pilot on Aurigny flights back in the 70s! I never tried it - my legs weren't good enough - but it worked for my then girlfriend!

I think that tante Bette actually doesn't have any authority and you only swear alligence to her on the same basis that she is the person on coins -ie as a figure head.

i think you are alos by virtue of your commission /warrant etc obliged to do as your senior officers so order and senior officers tend to support the polis who put them there

One of my colleagues made a unilateral decision to let someone on the flightdeck during a flight about five years ago. He was dismissed and lost an appeal for unfair dismissal.

Probably breached strict company rules. But outside the UK and USA not all companies completely forbid FD visits, depending on the circumstances. Policies and rules differ.

The philosophy about no cockpit visits includes that of isolating pilots from pax; not just the cockpit. Interesting to read in one major EU (non-UK) airline's magazine: a B747 captain says that a very interesting aspect of his job is walking in the cabin and conversing with pax.
I knew old friends in an Italian charter airline that allowed visits and cabin walk-abouts mid Atlantic in early 2000's. Other countries have different attitudes.
Question: Does EASA (which is law) have a published rule on this issue?

Even today I have seen cabin walkabouts by captains of one major I fly with. However, these are flights with 3 pilots, so I can't see that any rules are being breached. Same airline allows FD visits by industry related pax with I/D. They do however, comply with US regulations when inside US air space.