Flight Deck Jumpseat
It is "grey" because old-school Captains will regard the entire aircraft as "their" aircraft and enjoy thinking outside of the box in modifying rules, specially when away from Base.
Flight deck "access" and "use of jumpseat" are different. Broadbrush rules swept in after 9-11. Interpretation rule-bending became the norm.
Long time ago, Pushy Exec demanded use of a FD jumpseat. Reluctant Capt had heart attack just before V1. FO controlled, stopped, got the Skip to Hospital and gave the Exec a full debrief !
The Company DFO ruled that the Flight deck jump seats were no longer to be used as "an extention of the cabin". Good decision, no messing and we all supported.
"Access" is another matter and we all now what happened after 9-11.
Glory days are well over. I was granted many FD visits as a kid during summer holls. After a long visit, super MEA Viscount Skipper let me stay for landing & gave me a pair of MEA wings. I was 6.
As a Crew rostering clerk, I pursuaded many Captains to allow me a FD trip (most days off). One empty leg return to Gatters, Chief Pilot of the airline put me in his seat, RHS was a Senior Capt, Flight Engineer. I flew the big beast (Trainee PPL, 3 hours on Bolkow Junior) until girls down the back complained of being sick..
Decades on. Lots of lessons on. Most could see sense in complying with black & white Company procedures. Few would "nudge, nudge-wink,wink" and bend the rules eh ? Depends how pretty they are, I guess.
Long time ago, Pushy Exec demanded use of a FD jumpseat. Reluctant Capt had heart attack just before V1. FO controlled, stopped, got the Skip to Hospital and gave the Exec a full debrief !
The Company DFO ruled that the Flight deck jump seats were no longer to be used as "an extention of the cabin". Good decision, no messing and we all supported.
"Access" is another matter and we all now what happened after 9-11.
Glory days are well over. I was granted many FD visits as a kid during summer holls. After a long visit, super MEA Viscount Skipper let me stay for landing & gave me a pair of MEA wings. I was 6.
As a Crew rostering clerk, I pursuaded many Captains to allow me a FD trip (most days off). One empty leg return to Gatters, Chief Pilot of the airline put me in his seat, RHS was a Senior Capt, Flight Engineer. I flew the big beast (Trainee PPL, 3 hours on Bolkow Junior) until girls down the back complained of being sick..
Decades on. Lots of lessons on. Most could see sense in complying with black & white Company procedures. Few would "nudge, nudge-wink,wink" and bend the rules eh ? Depends how pretty they are, I guess.
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I fly for a legacy airline in the US, which used to advertise that they train the best pilots in the world. I'd give the AF pilots actually higher marks than my own airline.
This comment above is this typical "I am better than you" condescending rubbish. I flew for a UK airline for a year and all I can say is that the UK is better in not making certain things public. Had two events that triggered MoRs, yet nothing was ever public/searchable. The common excuse or pretext is "that's procedure", it seems no more thinking is allowed. Don't start with the (non-existing) hand-flying skills.
We all know that our own poo doesn't stink.
Yes, all UK airlines are SUPERIOR to all the other airlines in the WORLD. Happy?
Tabs please !
That's interesting. I have jumpseated in UK airspace on several occasions with different airlines since 9/11. Common sense prevailed.
A squadron-mate of mine who flies for a large U.S. carrier got himself in a bit of a pickle after his Son was bumped off the standby list, and he decided to let him sit in the cockpit JS. The gate agent snitched on him and he got a short vacation out of that incident.
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The thread starter asks about which airline allow people to seat in the cockpit, how is your reply relevant?
As an Air France captain, I am deeply offended by your comment. Have you ever been in an AF cockpit? Have you ever attended one of our CRM training session? Are you even involved in the AF training department? I guess the answer is no so please, talk about what you know and refrain from criticising others when you have no clue or any knowledge whatsoever.
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What a stupid thing to say… what kind of nonsense is that?
The thread starter asks about which airline allow people to seat in the cockpit, how is your reply relevant?
As an Air France captain, I am deeply offended by your comment. Have you ever been in an AF cockpit? Have you ever attended one of our CRM training session? Are you even involved in the AF training department? I guess the answer is no so please, talk about what you know and refrain from criticising others when you have no clue or any knowledge whatsoever.
The thread starter asks about which airline allow people to seat in the cockpit, how is your reply relevant?
As an Air France captain, I am deeply offended by your comment. Have you ever been in an AF cockpit? Have you ever attended one of our CRM training session? Are you even involved in the AF training department? I guess the answer is no so please, talk about what you know and refrain from criticising others when you have no clue or any knowledge whatsoever.
not relevant ….. agreed
deeply offended …… understandable
been in an AF cockpit etc ….. no idea
No clue or knowledge…..
well to be fair with CVRs FDRs QARs and official reports there are some clues when comparing AF 447 in 2009 AF15 in 2011 and AF11 in 2022
in my honest opinion.
But back to the thread I’d happily take any AF JS to get to or from work.

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Also interested in this as a US Pilot. I'm mainly interested in speaking with someone from AirBaltic about it. I've got some friends in Latvia that I haven't see in a while. I'm totally on board with respecting the sensitivity of this issue but without any euro pilot friends I don't know where to start. Willing to provide a picture of my ID or any other info confirming my credentials.
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Also interested in this as a US Pilot. I'm mainly interested in speaking with someone from AirBaltic about it. I've got some friends in Latvia that I haven't see in a while. I'm totally on board with respecting the sensitivity of this issue but without any euro pilot friends I don't know where to start. Willing to provide a picture of my ID or any other info confirming my credentials.