Do jumpseat ridealongs happen anymore?

pepe the prawn

Just a thought.. Do any of the airline lads on here allow anyone in the jump seats anymore during flights? My dad and uncle both hold PPL's and whenever they used to be flying commercially as passengers they used to ask cabin crew if they could ride jump seat if the pilots didn't mind, and as a result their requests were frequently granted.. This was mainly during the 90's, but does it happen anymore? Or do carriers/pilots not allow it since the evolution of terrorist activity?

Foggy43

Not anymore I'm afraid. Terrorism brought it to an end.

Topper Harley

I believe it's much more strict nowadays and for the most part doesn't happen. Although an exception can be made for a close personal friend or family member of the captain. I can't remember exactly where I read that and whether it was only applicable to a particular airline or if it was an ICAO guidline. But I imagine most airlines would have similar restrictions anyway, but open to correction on that.

Delta Kilo

Wasn't a Ryanair Captain demoted to F/O for allowing his best friend to sit in the jump seat a few years ago?

I'm lucky enough in my role to occasionally jump seat during demo flights for aircraft out of maintenance, its about the only chance to do it nowadays. Sadly no chance of getting within the flight deck during a commercial flight any more.

man98

There was a man a few years back in Italy (It's always Italy) who dressed up a pilot, got through security and got onto a plane, said he was allowed by the airline into the jump seat and got a free flight out of it. He was arrested a couple of months later.

murphaph

man98 wrote: »

There was a man a few years back in Italy (It's always Italy) who dressed up a pilot, got through security and got onto a plane, said he was allowed by the airline into the jump seat and got a free flight out of it. He was arrested a couple of months later.

I think he just had an Italian name ;-)

Tenger

Delta Kilo wrote: »

.... Sadly no chance of getting within the flight deck during a commercial flight any more.

^^
This unfortunately

L1011

I've seen a kid + parent being brought up front on a commercial flight in the past few years; a Cimber ATR to Billund. Kid appeared to be undergoing chemo and the cabin crew doted on him and must have decided to bend the rules.

squonk

Quite right IMHO. I was enthralled any time I got onto a flight deck as a kid, and even as a not so small kid (last time was when I was 22). Poor kid sounds like he had a tough enough lot in life so I'm all for bending/suspending rules to make someone's day in a case like that.

CardinalJ

When I was 11 I got to 'fly' a 747 going from Cairns to Hong Kong. Will never forget the terror in my mind that I was going to crash it.

smurfjed

All you have to do is go to mexico and be beautiful.....



The pilot was fired.

ProfessorPlum

Emm... Didn't anyone learn from the Russians?
Aeroflot lost a plane when one of the pilots thought it would be a good idea to let his kids fly.
National Geographic did an Air Crash Investigation on it - google kid in the cockpit.

Shamrocks320

The only jump seat you will get today in Ireland is on an Aer Arann Islands flight out to one of the Aran Islands!!!!

Other than that, cargo flying is about the only place you still see jump seaters quite often!

man98

They would have survived if the pilot didn't do anything, he caused the crash himself...

3102derek

My little one was allowed about two years ago. Flight from dub to madera. Pilot spotted her walking across the tarmac to board, she waved and when we got to the top of the steps he said she could have a look once they took off. I had to wait outside though :-( it made her holiday though. She was 7

ProfessorPlum

man98 wrote: »

They would have survived if the pilot didn't do anything, he caused the crash himself...

Yes. By allowing a child to 'fly' the plane.

Granted, the pilots didn't exactly shine in their efforts to recover the situation!
I think it's a good example of what could be described as 'extreme' Swiss cheese!

Skuxx

Delta Kilo wrote: »

Wasn't a Ryanair Captain demoted to F/O for allowing his best friend to sit in the jump seat a few years ago?

I'm lucky enough in my role to occasionally jump seat during demo flights for aircraft out of maintenance, its about the only chance to do it nowadays. Sadly no chance of getting within the flight deck during a commercial flight any more.

Same as, went up on a post maintenance test flight about 6 months ago! It was brilliant, Ill never forget some of the views out over the west coast!

Strumms

Google Pablo Mason Mytravel to see what might happen if it is allowed.

I've done it a couple of times but nowadays I need a valid business reason, a sign off from the flight duty officer and as per usual captains permission which is the easy bit. Pre 9/11 you could have jump seated around the world again for free with our crowd. Alas no more.

donkey balls

Have done it in a previous life but after 9/11 it finished the company still takes pilots from other airlines that is about it.

tricky D

Back in the early nineties I got very lucky after a 3rd party booking snafu which should have left me in Stanstead (with little money) for 24 hours. Very fortunately, Ryanair helped me out by getting me on a late empty positioning flight back to Dublin just I was sizing up the least uncomfortable sleeping arrangements. Being in the jumpseat was a wet dream for a colourblind former wannabe pilot (at the time) especially the DUB approach which goes past the folk's house.

After exiting DUB terminal, being way too late for any transport and having only enough for half a taxi fare, by chance and more luck, I got talking to some one while having a ciggie outside as I weighed up options. He asked about the huge grin on my dial and ended up giving me a lift to the door of my flat. Wins on many levels.

keith16

I was flying on my own last week on a nice Canadair jet, I had zero luggage, not even hand luggage and I was very tempted to ask but knew it was pointless. Would love to have the experience just once.

Aphex

smurfjed wrote: »

All you have to do is go to mexico and be beautiful.....



The pilot was fired.

That was harsh! I hope you got your money's worth at least?!

Bussywussy

I got a jumpseat last summer,it was the company I work for and I knew the F/O so there was no problem once the captain said OK

Aphex

Was chatting to a F/O in work a while back and he told me it should be no problem as I have an airside pass. I will definitely take that offer up the next time I fly with his airline!

Cessna_Pilot

Aphex wrote: »

Was chatting to a F/O in work a while back and he told me it should be no problem as I have an airside pass. I will definitely take that offer up the next time I fly with his airline!

FOs don't know everything :pac:

smurfjed

One of my best jumpseat flights was from LTN to DUB on the Aer Turas Britannia. Aircraft that i had flown over to Luton onboard broke down, so i just walked across to the AT and asked for a ride home :) They were bringing home Irish racehorses after the grand national.

Also got to jumpseat into Kathmandu on Thai and back out on Qatar.

Those were the days :)

Chuck Aaron

smurfjed wrote: »

All you have to do is go to mexico and be beautiful

The pilot was fired.

Forget the seat...I'll take the jump though.

*Kol*

Cessna_Pilot wrote: »

FOs don't know anything :pac:

Had to correct that for you.