Typical Pilots Day
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Thanks for your reply ed. I understand your enthusiasm. With regard to you being no stranger to unsocial hours, I'm afraid that working long and late in your father's company at your age does not really have the same impact as doing it when you have many social and financial responsibilities, a wife and children you rarely see, etc.
That aside, I wish you all the best.
One more question for you - if you love flying, have you considered trying to fly with one of HM forces - this will give you the opportunity to have some of the best training and flying that money can't buy!
Good luck.
That aside, I wish you all the best.
One more question for you - if you love flying, have you considered trying to fly with one of HM forces - this will give you the opportunity to have some of the best training and flying that money can't buy!
Good luck.
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I have considered the military in the past (I'm too old now to enter as a pilot) but I'm not sure that I'd be able to 'pull the trigger' if it came down to it. Not that I'm against it, I have the utmost respect for them but I don't think it's for me.
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"Typical" day for me (A320 F/O) is Gatwick-Malaga, one hour turn round and back to Gatwick, then home for tea and medals ! (well, tea anyway). Piece of cake when it's all on rails, but throw in a few late pax, problem pax, bad wx and life ain't so much fun. Still can't think of anything else I'd rather do for a living !
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A typical day,
wake up in the morning, waterski to about 11 am then play tennis to about 2pm sleep for 3 hour. Wake up again, report to flight ops, fly for 10 hours and arrive in HK for a 5 days layover.
Could have been worse,
wake up in the morning, waterski to about 11 am then play tennis to about 2pm sleep for 3 hour. Wake up again, report to flight ops, fly for 10 hours and arrive in HK for a 5 days layover.
Could have been worse,
Join Date: May 2002
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ed--You'll never meet a larger collection of "characters" than in this business. There is always something funny going on--even on the lousy days, someone will do something that gets you laughing.
It can suck. But it can be great. If flying is all you ever have wanted to do, you gotta do it. For some, it beats being a car painter or it's just a paycheck. If it's in your blood, you're screwed--come on in, the water's fine!
But it's like the chap said on the first page--with a good crew at a good pub, life is really good. It's a great job in a shi**y business.
Enjoy.TC
It can suck. But it can be great. If flying is all you ever have wanted to do, you gotta do it. For some, it beats being a car painter or it's just a paycheck. If it's in your blood, you're screwed--come on in, the water's fine!
But it's like the chap said on the first page--with a good crew at a good pub, life is really good. It's a great job in a shi**y business.
Enjoy.TC
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8hr sector down to Barbados, sundowners on the beach, next day topping up the tan, more sundowners on the beach, then middle of the afternoon next day, a gentle meander back to blighty
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I think the point here is that work patterns vary enormously, depending on the company you work for and type of aircraft you fly.
I work for BA short haul, and love it. Sure, there is the odd 4 sector day in winter when the weather is c##p and you have to get up at 4am, which is not that enjoyable, but to balance that I do many one sector days reporting at 1800-1900. All you have to do is turn up, look keen, and then get to Madrid/Venice/Pisa/Naples and enjoy a pizza and a night on the ale.
I used to work 9-5 in my previous job and hated it. I still remember that horrible Sunday night feeling every week.
My advice is stick with it - the pro's far outweigh the cons!
I work for BA short haul, and love it. Sure, there is the odd 4 sector day in winter when the weather is c##p and you have to get up at 4am, which is not that enjoyable, but to balance that I do many one sector days reporting at 1800-1900. All you have to do is turn up, look keen, and then get to Madrid/Venice/Pisa/Naples and enjoy a pizza and a night on the ale.
I used to work 9-5 in my previous job and hated it. I still remember that horrible Sunday night feeling every week.
My advice is stick with it - the pro's far outweigh the cons!
Gatvol
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OK.Typical day for a Helicopter Pilot in the Virgin Islands. Wake up as the cruise ships are entering the harbor, find some shorts, shirt and sandals......
Go down to the Deli, have a nice Breakfast with Coffee and the Paper
Off to work around 0830.... Check the schedule.....Hmmmm Saturday only five tours today. Out to preflight ( B206L3), load on the first tour and see what the weather looks like....Sunny, Humid and some Rain.........
A few more tours in the afternoon, while two of the other aircraft take a charter out to Necker island (www.neckerisland.com). I had one to Peter island yesterday (www.peterisland.com) Then down to the Yacht Harbor and the favorite hangout.."Tickles" Cocktails, maybe some Dinner and then you have to do this all over again tomorrow.............shucks......
Dont forget the Sunscreen............
Go down to the Deli, have a nice Breakfast with Coffee and the Paper
Off to work around 0830.... Check the schedule.....Hmmmm Saturday only five tours today. Out to preflight ( B206L3), load on the first tour and see what the weather looks like....Sunny, Humid and some Rain.........
A few more tours in the afternoon, while two of the other aircraft take a charter out to Necker island (www.neckerisland.com). I had one to Peter island yesterday (www.peterisland.com) Then down to the Yacht Harbor and the favorite hangout.."Tickles" Cocktails, maybe some Dinner and then you have to do this all over again tomorrow.............shucks......
Dont forget the Sunscreen............
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Edd,
The smaller the company, the more likely you are to fly with the same guys. This can become a real drag! But no matter how sh!te the roster/schedule is, the job is still far more pleasurable than being sat behind a desk watching the clock!
F-S
The smaller the company, the more likely you are to fly with the same guys. This can become a real drag! But no matter how sh!te the roster/schedule is, the job is still far more pleasurable than being sat behind a desk watching the clock!
F-S
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Night Cargo
Right now I fly a Caravan for a cargo operator.
2330 Report
0030 Wheels up
3 sectors with anywhere from 15 min to 4 hr wait between
1030 Return to base
1130 Go home
1400 Fall asleep
Wake up hopefully 7+ hrs later but who knows
Repeat
Usually 4 days/week with most weekends off. Most days it's great but night flying makes it hard to have the dream life you thought you wanted...
2330 Report
0030 Wheels up
3 sectors with anywhere from 15 min to 4 hr wait between
1030 Return to base
1130 Go home
1400 Fall asleep
Wake up hopefully 7+ hrs later but who knows
Repeat
Usually 4 days/week with most weekends off. Most days it's great but night flying makes it hard to have the dream life you thought you wanted...
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I flew for a regional on turboprops for over 3 years and have fond memories. As regionals tend to be smaller outfits you fly with the same crew more often, so you build up more of a friendship with them. The only downside is that the routes are limited and you get a bit long in the tooth.
I now fly scheduled jets into europe where there is much more variety and it's bit easier on the old ears(turboprops don,t 'alf rattle) I must say the lifestyle is great, maybe one nightstop a week,a standby,then a couple of 2-4 sector days. You can request duties/days off, so you can largely determine your own lifestyle.
I now fly scheduled jets into europe where there is much more variety and it's bit easier on the old ears(turboprops don,t 'alf rattle) I must say the lifestyle is great, maybe one nightstop a week,a standby,then a couple of 2-4 sector days. You can request duties/days off, so you can largely determine your own lifestyle.
short flights long nights
Would LOVE to go flying, but have to train new pilots. 4 days a week, 6 hours a day in the sim. They tell me if I am a really good boy I will be allowed to take a real one for a fly next summer
Champagne anyone...?
Lazy sunday afternoon..........
Not entirely relevant, but someone asked a similar question in the Mil Forum a while back.
Not sure how much of this carries across to the civvy world.........
This may ring a few bells for the ex-mil truckies out there
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Not sure about the fast jet heroes but a truckie might experience something like this......
0700L - Woken by telephone call. It's another crew member reminding you that wheels are at 0700L.
0700.5L - Leave hotel room fully clothed, refreshed, with bags packed, ready to face the day's challenges.
0705L - Get to bus. Apologise to rest of your crew for your tardiness. Claim that you spent too long in the gym that morning. Note looks of disbelief. Remember not to use that excuse again.
0706L - Take seat on bus. Note t-shirt is on inside out. Hope nobody else notices.
0720L - Recline in air conditioned luxury as the bus propels you to the airport. Suspect that you didn't pack your shoes and that your washbag is still in the hotel bathroom.
0745L - Arrive at airport and debus. Note that suitcase is suspiciously light. Now fairly confident that shoes are still under hotel bed.
0800L - Negotiate airport security. Spend several minutes being told that you cannot take the knife on your flying suit onto the aircraft without the captain's permission. Explain that you are the captain.
0810L - Still negotiating airport security. Guard now on telephone to superiors. Suspect he does not believe that you are the captain. Remember t-shirt is on inside out. Now suspect that you have also not brushed your hair this morning. Try to see reflection in window to confirm. Get funny looks from guard.
0815L - Eventually allowed to pass on the understanding that you hand the knife to loadmaster for safe keeping until you reach the aircraft. Leave knife and now worryingly light suitcase with loadmaster and proceed to Met.
0820L - In depth met brief for 15 minutes as very keen met officer explains that there is in fact no weather within a 500nm radius of the airport or your destination.
0835L - extract a selection of performance figures from a variety of graphs.
0845L - compare selection of figures with those of co-pilot. Decide that they're close enough although suspect that the co-pilot isn't entirely sure what's going on.
0850L - The cause of the co-pilot's distraction becomes apparent when he announces that he has left the imprest* in the hotel safe.
0853L - stop laughing to take a breath.
0854L - Co-pilot disappears to find taxi back to hotel. Decide that you've briefed enough and head out to the aircraft.
0858L - Arrive at aircraft. Loadmaster now extremely hot and sweaty manhandling pallets single handedly into aircraft, cursing the local handling staff. Praise him for his hard work. Pretend to miss his request for help and proceed outside hastily. Spot Flt Eng and GE looking concernedly at a large trail of orange fluid emanating from an engine. Saunter over casually to join them but they spot you and pretend they were talking about football. Mention the large leak. Note they both feign surprise and pretend they hadn't seen it. They dismiss it as a "seep". Retire to flight deck safe in the knowledge that they will die with you if it explodes in flight so assume that it'll probably be alright. Note tray of sandwiches on flt deck bunk.
0910L - Finish last smoked salmon and cream cheese baguette just as the now exhausted loadmaster joins you on the flight deck. Apparently he could really do with a smoked salmon baguette. State that sadly there were none. Surreptitiously wipe cream cheese and salmon from your chin and hope he didn't notice. Offer him processed ham and gherkin sandwich. He declines.
0925L - Co-pilot returns looking somewhat frustrated. Establish that imprest had in fact been in his suitcase all along.
0935L - Call for crew check in on intercom then realise you are in fact the only one on headset. Again, hope no-one noticed. Eventually gather enough people on intercom.
0937L - Commence starting checks. During start a light on the top panel comes on. Remember seeing this light during a simulator once but cannot recall what exactly it is. Flt Eng begins explaining an electrical fault with the aid of a large wiring diagram. Nod every now and then and agree with him at salient points. Wonder if you shaved this morning.
0940L - Fault rectified, taxy off blocks. Only 10 minutes late. Not bad going.
0941L - ATC pass lengthy clearance. Note the co-pilot copies down "ATC Clears Ascot 5432 to destination..." and then nothing else. ATC requests readback. Co-pilot asks - "did anybody get that". Navigator proceeds to pass the details to him. Flt Eng assists by commenting that he thought the clearance was slightly different. Flt Eng and Navigator argue. Co-pilot drops pencil. You note that your cup of tea has gone cold.
0945L - Cleared line up.
0946L - Airborne. Gear up. Now positive that your shoes are still in hotel.
1100L – Top of climb. Autopilot appears to be u/s. Express relief that it’s the co-pilot’s leg.
1115L – Commence first meal.
1130L – Replete from meal, retire to freight bay to use the “facilities”. On return, note large pallet of full mail bags. A quick test reveals the pile to extremely comfortable. Relax eyelids briefly.
1400L - Return to flight deck to find co-pilot now desperate to use “facilities”. Explain that you were delayed discussing your routing with some of the pax down the back. Take control.
1405L – Co-pilot returns. Comments that the passengers must all be asleep in the freight now as he couldn’t see them. Remember vaguely that you actually have no pax.
1415L – Pass overhead large international airport. Nil cloud or weather, calm, unlimited visibility. Co-pilot asks you get the weather for the airfield below. Look out window. Navigator asks for the QNH there. Make up figure.
1500L – Get cramp. Go to “inspect the freight bay”. Discover that loadmaster has been hoarding chocolate in his drawer in the galley. Steal the good ones.
1520L – Steal Flt Eng’s FHM. Read out the jokes at the back. Flt Eng comments that they have already been read out earlier in the flight. Look busy with Jetplan.
1600L – Top of descent.
1615L – Commence second meal. Spill curry on flying suit leg when putting the gear down.
1630L – Aircraft lands at destination.
1640L – On chocks. Aircraft met by officious customs man who demands that the can of coke you are now drinking from be destroyed before you can leave the aircraft.
1830L – Eventually find bus to take crew to hotel. Despite having been on the ground for 1.5hrs it still takes 30 minutes for every man and his dog to get on the bus.
1915L – Arrive at Hotel Splendide. Receptionist requires passports, ID cards and birth certificates from each crew member.
1957L – Eventually receive room key. Arrange to meet in co-pilots room in 10 minutes for more money.
2006L – Finally get to room. Happens to be most distant room from reception. Again. Open suitcase. As expected no shoes. Or washbag. Find trousers that go best with flying boots.
2008L – Arrive one minute late at co-pilot’s room to discover he has gone. Adjourn to hotel bar. Crew member visited this location 7 years ago. Remembers a fantastic bar. Set out to find bar.
2230L – Arrive back at hotel bar having walked around city centre twice in search of bar. Crew member then remembers that in fact the bar wasn’t in this town but one like it. Blow entire kitty on one round of beers at hotel prices.
2345L – GE gets address of low quality strip bar from hotel barman. You decide it’s bedtime. Crew members engage in harsh banter. You hold your ground.
2346L – Leave hotel for low quality strip bar. Evening becomes a blur..............
0700L – Woken by telephone call.......................
The events portrayed above are fictional. Any similiarity to any events experienced by persons living or dead are purely conincidental
* Imprest = large sum of cash mil crews are given to pay hotac, handling and catering etc etc
Not sure how much of this carries across to the civvy world.........
This may ring a few bells for the ex-mil truckies out there
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Not sure about the fast jet heroes but a truckie might experience something like this......
0700L - Woken by telephone call. It's another crew member reminding you that wheels are at 0700L.
0700.5L - Leave hotel room fully clothed, refreshed, with bags packed, ready to face the day's challenges.
0705L - Get to bus. Apologise to rest of your crew for your tardiness. Claim that you spent too long in the gym that morning. Note looks of disbelief. Remember not to use that excuse again.
0706L - Take seat on bus. Note t-shirt is on inside out. Hope nobody else notices.
0720L - Recline in air conditioned luxury as the bus propels you to the airport. Suspect that you didn't pack your shoes and that your washbag is still in the hotel bathroom.
0745L - Arrive at airport and debus. Note that suitcase is suspiciously light. Now fairly confident that shoes are still under hotel bed.
0800L - Negotiate airport security. Spend several minutes being told that you cannot take the knife on your flying suit onto the aircraft without the captain's permission. Explain that you are the captain.
0810L - Still negotiating airport security. Guard now on telephone to superiors. Suspect he does not believe that you are the captain. Remember t-shirt is on inside out. Now suspect that you have also not brushed your hair this morning. Try to see reflection in window to confirm. Get funny looks from guard.
0815L - Eventually allowed to pass on the understanding that you hand the knife to loadmaster for safe keeping until you reach the aircraft. Leave knife and now worryingly light suitcase with loadmaster and proceed to Met.
0820L - In depth met brief for 15 minutes as very keen met officer explains that there is in fact no weather within a 500nm radius of the airport or your destination.
0835L - extract a selection of performance figures from a variety of graphs.
0845L - compare selection of figures with those of co-pilot. Decide that they're close enough although suspect that the co-pilot isn't entirely sure what's going on.
0850L - The cause of the co-pilot's distraction becomes apparent when he announces that he has left the imprest* in the hotel safe.
0853L - stop laughing to take a breath.
0854L - Co-pilot disappears to find taxi back to hotel. Decide that you've briefed enough and head out to the aircraft.
0858L - Arrive at aircraft. Loadmaster now extremely hot and sweaty manhandling pallets single handedly into aircraft, cursing the local handling staff. Praise him for his hard work. Pretend to miss his request for help and proceed outside hastily. Spot Flt Eng and GE looking concernedly at a large trail of orange fluid emanating from an engine. Saunter over casually to join them but they spot you and pretend they were talking about football. Mention the large leak. Note they both feign surprise and pretend they hadn't seen it. They dismiss it as a "seep". Retire to flight deck safe in the knowledge that they will die with you if it explodes in flight so assume that it'll probably be alright. Note tray of sandwiches on flt deck bunk.
0910L - Finish last smoked salmon and cream cheese baguette just as the now exhausted loadmaster joins you on the flight deck. Apparently he could really do with a smoked salmon baguette. State that sadly there were none. Surreptitiously wipe cream cheese and salmon from your chin and hope he didn't notice. Offer him processed ham and gherkin sandwich. He declines.
0925L - Co-pilot returns looking somewhat frustrated. Establish that imprest had in fact been in his suitcase all along.
0935L - Call for crew check in on intercom then realise you are in fact the only one on headset. Again, hope no-one noticed. Eventually gather enough people on intercom.
0937L - Commence starting checks. During start a light on the top panel comes on. Remember seeing this light during a simulator once but cannot recall what exactly it is. Flt Eng begins explaining an electrical fault with the aid of a large wiring diagram. Nod every now and then and agree with him at salient points. Wonder if you shaved this morning.
0940L - Fault rectified, taxy off blocks. Only 10 minutes late. Not bad going.
0941L - ATC pass lengthy clearance. Note the co-pilot copies down "ATC Clears Ascot 5432 to destination..." and then nothing else. ATC requests readback. Co-pilot asks - "did anybody get that". Navigator proceeds to pass the details to him. Flt Eng assists by commenting that he thought the clearance was slightly different. Flt Eng and Navigator argue. Co-pilot drops pencil. You note that your cup of tea has gone cold.
0945L - Cleared line up.
0946L - Airborne. Gear up. Now positive that your shoes are still in hotel.
1100L – Top of climb. Autopilot appears to be u/s. Express relief that it’s the co-pilot’s leg.
1115L – Commence first meal.
1130L – Replete from meal, retire to freight bay to use the “facilities”. On return, note large pallet of full mail bags. A quick test reveals the pile to extremely comfortable. Relax eyelids briefly.
1400L - Return to flight deck to find co-pilot now desperate to use “facilities”. Explain that you were delayed discussing your routing with some of the pax down the back. Take control.
1405L – Co-pilot returns. Comments that the passengers must all be asleep in the freight now as he couldn’t see them. Remember vaguely that you actually have no pax.
1415L – Pass overhead large international airport. Nil cloud or weather, calm, unlimited visibility. Co-pilot asks you get the weather for the airfield below. Look out window. Navigator asks for the QNH there. Make up figure.
1500L – Get cramp. Go to “inspect the freight bay”. Discover that loadmaster has been hoarding chocolate in his drawer in the galley. Steal the good ones.
1520L – Steal Flt Eng’s FHM. Read out the jokes at the back. Flt Eng comments that they have already been read out earlier in the flight. Look busy with Jetplan.
1600L – Top of descent.
1615L – Commence second meal. Spill curry on flying suit leg when putting the gear down.
1630L – Aircraft lands at destination.
1640L – On chocks. Aircraft met by officious customs man who demands that the can of coke you are now drinking from be destroyed before you can leave the aircraft.
1830L – Eventually find bus to take crew to hotel. Despite having been on the ground for 1.5hrs it still takes 30 minutes for every man and his dog to get on the bus.
1915L – Arrive at Hotel Splendide. Receptionist requires passports, ID cards and birth certificates from each crew member.
1957L – Eventually receive room key. Arrange to meet in co-pilots room in 10 minutes for more money.
2006L – Finally get to room. Happens to be most distant room from reception. Again. Open suitcase. As expected no shoes. Or washbag. Find trousers that go best with flying boots.
2008L – Arrive one minute late at co-pilot’s room to discover he has gone. Adjourn to hotel bar. Crew member visited this location 7 years ago. Remembers a fantastic bar. Set out to find bar.
2230L – Arrive back at hotel bar having walked around city centre twice in search of bar. Crew member then remembers that in fact the bar wasn’t in this town but one like it. Blow entire kitty on one round of beers at hotel prices.
2345L – GE gets address of low quality strip bar from hotel barman. You decide it’s bedtime. Crew members engage in harsh banter. You hold your ground.
2346L – Leave hotel for low quality strip bar. Evening becomes a blur..............
0700L – Woken by telephone call.......................
The events portrayed above are fictional. Any similiarity to any events experienced by persons living or dead are purely conincidental
* Imprest = large sum of cash mil crews are given to pay hotac, handling and catering etc etc
Dancing with the devil, going with the flow... it's all a game to me.
Join Date: May 2000
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Stop Start,
Wonderful. Gotta be one of the best posts I've seen in ages. Well done.
VFE.
Wonderful. Gotta be one of the best posts I've seen in ages. Well done.
VFE.
Last edited by VFE; 9th Dec 2002 at 15:46.
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Stoppers, me old, that was wonderful! Brought back a lot of happy memories. As you know, I've still got the T-shirt (and now wear it inside out at non-Ascoteer BBQs. On being asked why, reply 'It's an old military tradition') and I'm pretty sure the lost shoes were burnt on a celebratory pyre outside Block 101. You'll be happy to know that lost washbags have reached three figures, and I still haven't found that bloody fantastic bar. I think I might have the co's imprest though.
Ah, it's just not the same with just one other pilot and 18 girls (blonde, under 25 and - now - single).
Ah, it's just not the same with just one other pilot and 18 girls (blonde, under 25 and - now - single).