What do you do during long haul flights?
Joined: Feb 2005
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 1,427
Likes: 5
From: Correr es mi destino por no llevar papel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
From: CV
It would be helpful to get proper propeller balancing from your maintenance.
Avoid imitations
Joined: Nov 2000
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 15,110
Likes: 1,083
From: Wandering the FIR and cyberspace often at highly unsociable times
Not long haul, but many too sectors in one day. I woke up once and mistakenly thought I was flying a cadet on an air experience flight. As I often did on those flights, I switched on the intercom and said "If you just tighten up your seat harness now, I'll begin my aerobatics sequence with a slow roll, followed by a loop".
The loud screaming from the passengers, who were halfway through their picnic lunch, reminded me I was flying the helicopter today.
The loud screaming from the passengers, who were halfway through their picnic lunch, reminded me I was flying the helicopter today.
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
From: NH (No Taxes)
Long haul flying is hard stressful work. In order to reduce lost time pay and other health cost items. Our companys health plan provider insisted that a full gym be installed in the unused upper deck area, right after the king sized crew rest beds and behind the showers. Its ok, but the other day, the Fe had to hit the fo with the axe, ( I told the fo not the touch anything while I was gone 
) (God bless PFEs they keep those young hotshots in line)
the FOs head hit the yoke. I was on the treadmill and the little business of a few negative gees followed by a hard pull up, caused me to fall against the edge of the plasma TV stand, got a nice bruise on my leg. I had to spend extra time in the hot tub before going back up to work. Over all long haul is fun work. The hard part is knowing the date and time.
) (God bless PFEs they keep those young hotshots in line) the FOs head hit the yoke. I was on the treadmill and the little business of a few negative gees followed by a hard pull up, caused me to fall against the edge of the plasma TV stand, got a nice bruise on my leg. I had to spend extra time in the hot tub before going back up to work. Over all long haul is fun work. The hard part is knowing the date and time.
Last edited by Whaledog; 30th January 2007 at 17:08.
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 394
Likes: 3
From: Singapore
I'm only SLF and get to fly a couple of times a year long haul, mostly short haul around SE Asia (Jakarta this afternoon in fact) and I have often wondered what the crew does in the wee dark hours...
My office colleagues are equally wondering now what on earth I am doing weeping with laughter in company time(!)
Excellent stuff guys.
My office colleagues are equally wondering now what on earth I am doing weeping with laughter in company time(!)
Excellent stuff guys.
Joined: Jun 2001
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 1,153
Likes: 696
From: Brit living in Malaysia
Space invaders on the EFIS was always good for a few minutes fun.
Rules:
Capt & F/O each select 320 mile scale on map and each select a beacon/wpt/A/F etc on the Fix page which appears on their maps - preferably at opposite ends of the map. Capt gets Fix page 1, F/O gets Fix page 2.
Object of the exercise: Produce a radial from your fix which "wipes out" the other guys fix.
"Hyperspacing" (selecting a fix off the map) is allowed for 30 seconds but must be followed by selection of another "on map" fix. I once got lucky here and manged to zap the other guy from "off map."
Gets a bit boring after 5 minutes but thats another 40 miles closer to the little green doughnut at TOD.
Rules:
Capt & F/O each select 320 mile scale on map and each select a beacon/wpt/A/F etc on the Fix page which appears on their maps - preferably at opposite ends of the map. Capt gets Fix page 1, F/O gets Fix page 2.
Object of the exercise: Produce a radial from your fix which "wipes out" the other guys fix.
"Hyperspacing" (selecting a fix off the map) is allowed for 30 seconds but must be followed by selection of another "on map" fix. I once got lucky here and manged to zap the other guy from "off map."
Gets a bit boring after 5 minutes but thats another 40 miles closer to the little green doughnut at TOD.
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 513
Likes: 0
From: Sydney NSW
fun and games
Guys!
How refreshing it all sounds! In my father's day long haul really was long haul and all the hosties had to be trained nurses in case of emergency. Not only might a child be conceived en-route but birthed as well. Much the same on an A340-500 today.
On my old outfit the Taiwanese were hairdressers in their spare time. I asked once for a full wash, cut and blow dry but she said I had to be Joe King for that sort of service. Even though I offered to pay.
Funny thing about software writers, they always embed games that are accessible by pressing and holding down unusual combinations of buttons. I don't know about space invaders or pacman but I once got Rat Man out pretty quickly but I never found the knack of resetting it. Had to get a ground engineer to do it. He said if I was going to play Silly Beggars that I should hold down ATHR for 15 seconds before pressing anything else and I wouldn't get bored for the rest of the flight.
Try it sometime. Never too old to learn.
How refreshing it all sounds! In my father's day long haul really was long haul and all the hosties had to be trained nurses in case of emergency. Not only might a child be conceived en-route but birthed as well. Much the same on an A340-500 today.
On my old outfit the Taiwanese were hairdressers in their spare time. I asked once for a full wash, cut and blow dry but she said I had to be Joe King for that sort of service. Even though I offered to pay.
Funny thing about software writers, they always embed games that are accessible by pressing and holding down unusual combinations of buttons. I don't know about space invaders or pacman but I once got Rat Man out pretty quickly but I never found the knack of resetting it. Had to get a ground engineer to do it. He said if I was going to play Silly Beggars that I should hold down ATHR for 15 seconds before pressing anything else and I wouldn't get bored for the rest of the flight.
Try it sometime. Never too old to learn.
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: South of south
As I fly an old airplane I can't see movies on my inercial display (the only digital stuff on it), so I spend the time talking about with the other members of the cockpit, as we are at least three up there. Otherwise you can read or just loof for clouds that are not actually islands on the middle of the ocean!!
Have fun.
Have fun.
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,339
Likes: 821
From: Tring, UK
I remember flying across the North Sea late one evening at the end of a long week in the good 'ol Scud (737-200). I was particularly tired/bored so after gazing into space for a bit I transferred my attention to the instrument panel.
Those who are familiar with this type will recall that the ADI had a little push button next to it that fed a fixed displacement signal into the horizon so you could check it before you took off - it was something like 10degs down 15degs right (can't remember exactly). We had been flying S&L for about half an hour and something possessed me in my dream-state to 'test' the ADI with the button.
Unfortunately, the autopilot was in and slaved to my side, so on activating the test, the aircraft immediately tried to take up the attitude displayed, which woke me up pretty quickly (and everyone else onboard
). No injuries, so I got away with it... 
Those who are familiar with this type will recall that the ADI had a little push button next to it that fed a fixed displacement signal into the horizon so you could check it before you took off - it was something like 10degs down 15degs right (can't remember exactly). We had been flying S&L for about half an hour and something possessed me in my dream-state to 'test' the ADI with the button.
Unfortunately, the autopilot was in and slaved to my side, so on activating the test, the aircraft immediately tried to take up the attitude displayed, which woke me up pretty quickly (and everyone else onboard
). No injuries, so I got away with it...
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 120
Likes: 0
From: BRUSSELS
Hi Bananasbananas,
Space Invader was very hard to play while flying in the PACOTS, but over Siberia, there are some variants that will keep you occupied for a while, one of them here after:
CM1 And CM2 each choose a wpt/sta/arpt/fix on his side of the magenta track, then they shoot each in turn at a letter of the TO waypoint. The entire name has to be out before the waypoint symbol can be aimed at, and the winner is the one who wipes it before it vanishes at the bottom of the NAV display.
For the ones in solitary confinement in the Far Eastern Morning Calm, there is the one that consist of discretely typing ONE space in Effonida's MCDU, and then time him until he finds out while trying to insert his thingies in it. Watching his face in the process will keep you entertained for the rest of the cruise.
Space Invader was very hard to play while flying in the PACOTS, but over Siberia, there are some variants that will keep you occupied for a while, one of them here after:
CM1 And CM2 each choose a wpt/sta/arpt/fix on his side of the magenta track, then they shoot each in turn at a letter of the TO waypoint. The entire name has to be out before the waypoint symbol can be aimed at, and the winner is the one who wipes it before it vanishes at the bottom of the NAV display.
For the ones in solitary confinement in the Far Eastern Morning Calm, there is the one that consist of discretely typing ONE space in Effonida's MCDU, and then time him until he finds out while trying to insert his thingies in it. Watching his face in the process will keep you entertained for the rest of the cruise.
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
From: Doha (Qatar)
...Now that you remind me Henry, had an effo who used to trim his toenails using what looked like a pair of wirecutters. He usually managed to ricochet the cut nail off three panels/windows. Learnt to keep my hand over my cup of coffee after the trajectory of one came dangerously close to splashdown.
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 58
Likes: 0
From: desert
weight restriction
But please remember their is a weight limitation on the Airbus table when folded out completely.You can add 25 % when it is folded one step back.Any idea on the limitation as I cant find it on my FCOM ?
come visit
greetings
vaninnam
come visit
greetings
vaninnam
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 120
Likes: 0
From: BRUSSELS