The Jump Seat
PPRuNe Handmaiden
life in a small regional airline in Queensland
Ok, after a few years of battling around the Kimberley in Western Australia I made the "big time". My first turbine job flying Bandeirantes out of Cairns. Interview was a doddle. I rang them up and said I had a few hours on Islanders... I was told to send a resume. After a week on the Bandit ground school (read- go to Aero club and drink) I went to a party. Chief pilot was there. Noted how I handled the grog and told rude jokes and I was offered a job. Sensaish, brilliant interview!
So.... after the endorsement and line training it's now flying the line.
Ride bike to work. Check flight board to make sure I got the roster right and where I am going hasn't changed. Note the a/c rego and tell ops a joke. Believe me, they appreciate it (so long as they aren't too busy).
Stroll back to the briefing nook and wrestle with the Avfax to get the weather. While the captain is trying to find a car park, read through the wx and notams. Pray that the monsoon hasn't decided to play silly ******s... Check with Ops as to how much payload they want. As usual, max load/min fuel. Strewth... I hope the wx isn't as bad as the forecast. Bases are ok so we should get in... alternates are few around there!
Captain wanders in and grumbles about his mrs and his crap car.
I show him the wx and the various loads.
Submit flight note and call Air Services to make sure they got it. Swap another joke and it's sorted.
Grab all the paperwork and wander out to the aircraft. As usual, the monsoon proceeds to dump down. Grrr first drenching of the day. Supervise the refuelling and check the loadies have got the freight in the right order.
Out come the pax, since I am the FO I have to meet and greet them. (Stop them from getting on the 146 going to Weipa) I distribute the food and give the pax brief. Close the door and then the fun begins. With the weight now known, I extract our performance speeds and note these on the TOLD card. Captain makes appropriate rude gestures to the groundy and starts the #2 engine. Repeat for #1. Groundy runs away while I call for clearance. We go through the take off brief and discuss which hill is going to give us the most grief if we lose one.... Race the 767 to the holding point. If we don't beat him, it's a minimum 2 minute delay.
Off we go and launch out west. See nothing but evil cloud. Love this time of year...not. Hand fly it cos there is no autopilot.
Debate whether or not a cyclone is brewing in the Gulf.
Pick at our lunch. Wonder why we bothered... Pax are asleep. Phew. Oh, except for the cop with the person he's taking back to the community.
By the miracle of modern technology, the GPS not the NDB we find our destination. Try and call the handling agent. We realise it is futile but we play the game. With relief there is no thunderstorm over the destination and sneak in visually. Start the landing competition with the captain.
After landing, taxi in missing the wallabies and so forth on the strip and shut down.
Open the door and let the pax out.
Go to the cargo area and guide the agent in with the ute. Proceed to wrestle with the cargo nets and luggage. Off load about 200kg worth of freight and luggage. Checking each item is actually supposed to get off here. Load it up again and wrestle with the tie downs. Meanwhile, the captain is sitting in the air con car furiously scratching out a drop down weight and balance sheet. I do a quick walkaround. Get back in and sort out the cabin. Picking up rubbish and tidying seat belts.
Captain is ready and we on load the pax. Brief them again. If I am in a cheery mood, I ask them questions about the brief. I like to know they have listened.
Repeat the whole thing again.. Short sector. 9 minutes
Repeat the whole thing again.. Long sector 90 minutes..
Argue who won the landing competition.
Return home, sort out the paperwork, check the flight board and go home.
So.... after the endorsement and line training it's now flying the line.
Ride bike to work. Check flight board to make sure I got the roster right and where I am going hasn't changed. Note the a/c rego and tell ops a joke. Believe me, they appreciate it (so long as they aren't too busy).
Stroll back to the briefing nook and wrestle with the Avfax to get the weather. While the captain is trying to find a car park, read through the wx and notams. Pray that the monsoon hasn't decided to play silly ******s... Check with Ops as to how much payload they want. As usual, max load/min fuel. Strewth... I hope the wx isn't as bad as the forecast. Bases are ok so we should get in... alternates are few around there!
Captain wanders in and grumbles about his mrs and his crap car.
I show him the wx and the various loads.
Submit flight note and call Air Services to make sure they got it. Swap another joke and it's sorted.
Grab all the paperwork and wander out to the aircraft. As usual, the monsoon proceeds to dump down. Grrr first drenching of the day. Supervise the refuelling and check the loadies have got the freight in the right order.
Out come the pax, since I am the FO I have to meet and greet them. (Stop them from getting on the 146 going to Weipa) I distribute the food and give the pax brief. Close the door and then the fun begins. With the weight now known, I extract our performance speeds and note these on the TOLD card. Captain makes appropriate rude gestures to the groundy and starts the #2 engine. Repeat for #1. Groundy runs away while I call for clearance. We go through the take off brief and discuss which hill is going to give us the most grief if we lose one.... Race the 767 to the holding point. If we don't beat him, it's a minimum 2 minute delay.
Off we go and launch out west. See nothing but evil cloud. Love this time of year...not. Hand fly it cos there is no autopilot.
Debate whether or not a cyclone is brewing in the Gulf.
Pick at our lunch. Wonder why we bothered... Pax are asleep. Phew. Oh, except for the cop with the person he's taking back to the community.
By the miracle of modern technology, the GPS not the NDB we find our destination. Try and call the handling agent. We realise it is futile but we play the game. With relief there is no thunderstorm over the destination and sneak in visually. Start the landing competition with the captain.
After landing, taxi in missing the wallabies and so forth on the strip and shut down.
Open the door and let the pax out.
Go to the cargo area and guide the agent in with the ute. Proceed to wrestle with the cargo nets and luggage. Off load about 200kg worth of freight and luggage. Checking each item is actually supposed to get off here. Load it up again and wrestle with the tie downs. Meanwhile, the captain is sitting in the air con car furiously scratching out a drop down weight and balance sheet. I do a quick walkaround. Get back in and sort out the cabin. Picking up rubbish and tidying seat belts.
Captain is ready and we on load the pax. Brief them again. If I am in a cheery mood, I ask them questions about the brief. I like to know they have listened.
Repeat the whole thing again.. Short sector. 9 minutes
Repeat the whole thing again.. Long sector 90 minutes..
Argue who won the landing competition.
Return home, sort out the paperwork, check the flight board and go home.
Supercharged PPRuNer
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Doon the watter, a million miles from the sandpit.
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Inspiring stuff Dee Tee, Scroggs, Reddo - thank you very much.
It's little stories like these I try and remember when I have the umpteenth lesson cancelled because of wx, or when I fall over trying to wrestle a Cessna out of the mud, or when my eyes glaze over 5 minutes into a theory book, or - well you get the picture!
It's little stories like these I try and remember when I have the umpteenth lesson cancelled because of wx, or when I fall over trying to wrestle a Cessna out of the mud, or when my eyes glaze over 5 minutes into a theory book, or - well you get the picture!
Join Date: Dec 1998
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Thanks for the kind words peeps, but that really is about the size of it...apart from the huge grin plastered all over my face.
Like all bad experiences the pain diminishes over time. Having been through the hoops and torture of the ATPL exams, partialling my I/R and searching for my first job fora year and a half it all seems to have paled into a sort of haze of the past.
I can assure all you guys that if you want this, then medical issues aside there is no reason at all why it is not achievable. Out company has just taken on 12 more guys, I know others are recruiting as well. So the future is blue and worth looking to.
Don't despair, one day you'll be sitting there with a rather bemused expression on your face, looking at your newly issued full ATPL licence and wondering whether the new trousers you ordered from the lady in ops who deals with that sort of thing, have arrived.
You will get flown to places like Amsterdam, and you will get put up in a swanky hotel, and forced to fly a full motion, full visual modern simulator, with professional coaching and advice. You will get your LPC/OPC etc. renewed at no cost, you won't have to pay for your own medicals and you will sit in a bar drinking beers with other professionals, on allowances, on an hourly rate, on full pay and you won't even think how bloody special and lucky and priviledged you are to be there at all.
It will all happen, and one day you'll find yourselves browsing Wannabes and someone will ask about what your day is like and you'll really think about how special it is to be doing your job, and maybe you might even type a few words.
Stick with it guys and gals...room up front for a few more yet.
DeeTee
Like all bad experiences the pain diminishes over time. Having been through the hoops and torture of the ATPL exams, partialling my I/R and searching for my first job fora year and a half it all seems to have paled into a sort of haze of the past.
I can assure all you guys that if you want this, then medical issues aside there is no reason at all why it is not achievable. Out company has just taken on 12 more guys, I know others are recruiting as well. So the future is blue and worth looking to.
Don't despair, one day you'll be sitting there with a rather bemused expression on your face, looking at your newly issued full ATPL licence and wondering whether the new trousers you ordered from the lady in ops who deals with that sort of thing, have arrived.
You will get flown to places like Amsterdam, and you will get put up in a swanky hotel, and forced to fly a full motion, full visual modern simulator, with professional coaching and advice. You will get your LPC/OPC etc. renewed at no cost, you won't have to pay for your own medicals and you will sit in a bar drinking beers with other professionals, on allowances, on an hourly rate, on full pay and you won't even think how bloody special and lucky and priviledged you are to be there at all.
It will all happen, and one day you'll find yourselves browsing Wannabes and someone will ask about what your day is like and you'll really think about how special it is to be doing your job, and maybe you might even type a few words.
Stick with it guys and gals...room up front for a few more yet.
DeeTee
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Manchester
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Further to my post in questions....
Since Sept 11 I have flown loads with work (airline) and found that the majority of crews are willing to have staff on the jumpseat providing you have a staff ID and show a keen interest. Although what does differ is the cabin crew reaction to you asking. One said there was no way at all that I could ever fly on the jumpseat, but then came back 5 minutes later saying she was sorry because she didn't realise I was staff and said I was more than welcome.... And I haven't personally known any of the crew but they have all been more than welcoming, however you must be a staff member.
My first flight deck trip was when I was 14 MAN TFS with UKL on a 737-400, and still nearly eight years later, I was one of the best days of my life.
Since then I have flown on loads on jumpseat flights.... 757 767 737-400 md83 A320 BAC1-11 ATP J41. And all I did was write to the airlines..... but in my letter I explained what some of the instruments did eg "The HSI......" This got the attention of the base captain that the letter was addressed to.
Overall, what you have to remember is that pilots tend to a (slightly!) older version of wannabes. They know how hard it is to get in and they have also been young and keen too. Keep writing, even if it's just to ask for a day visit to the ops dept, it's a foot in the door. Best of luck!
Since Sept 11 I have flown loads with work (airline) and found that the majority of crews are willing to have staff on the jumpseat providing you have a staff ID and show a keen interest. Although what does differ is the cabin crew reaction to you asking. One said there was no way at all that I could ever fly on the jumpseat, but then came back 5 minutes later saying she was sorry because she didn't realise I was staff and said I was more than welcome.... And I haven't personally known any of the crew but they have all been more than welcoming, however you must be a staff member.
My first flight deck trip was when I was 14 MAN TFS with UKL on a 737-400, and still nearly eight years later, I was one of the best days of my life.
Since then I have flown on loads on jumpseat flights.... 757 767 737-400 md83 A320 BAC1-11 ATP J41. And all I did was write to the airlines..... but in my letter I explained what some of the instruments did eg "The HSI......" This got the attention of the base captain that the letter was addressed to.
Overall, what you have to remember is that pilots tend to a (slightly!) older version of wannabes. They know how hard it is to get in and they have also been young and keen too. Keep writing, even if it's just to ask for a day visit to the ops dept, it's a foot in the door. Best of luck!
Join Date: May 2002
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Id agree with TeeDee except:-
T-1.15 Go to Boots Chemists in the terminal and buy the special ( Bottle of coke Triple Sandwich and KKat £2.75)
Omit the FMC add the PDCS or Bird cage if no PDCS
Argue over who is going to hold posession of the one bottle of water thats left for the flight deck.
Omit all references to Biscuits, Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch etc.
Eat all your food in the first sector and starve for the rest of the day, mental note not to do it next time till sector 3.
Do all that TeeDee says for 4 sectors, sometimes 6
Who do I work for?? Not the guys that Tee Dee does!!! But its still great. Save your biccies for me TeeDee........
T-1.15 Go to Boots Chemists in the terminal and buy the special ( Bottle of coke Triple Sandwich and KKat £2.75)
Omit the FMC add the PDCS or Bird cage if no PDCS
Argue over who is going to hold posession of the one bottle of water thats left for the flight deck.
Omit all references to Biscuits, Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch etc.
Eat all your food in the first sector and starve for the rest of the day, mental note not to do it next time till sector 3.
Do all that TeeDee says for 4 sectors, sometimes 6
Who do I work for?? Not the guys that Tee Dee does!!! But its still great. Save your biccies for me TeeDee........
