Now Ye're Talking - to a Commercial Pilot

I'm A Commercial Pilot, AMA

funkey_monkey wrote: »

There is increasing concern about the over reliance of pilots on technical aids in the modern aircraft. What are your thoughts on this and do you see the role of a pilot being 'dumbed down' in the next couple of decades to essentially being up in the cockpit to monitor systems and for passenger reassurance.

I think it really comes down to training. There is a school of thought out there that you do the minimum to comply with the regs and that compliance by definition is therefore ok. Then there is a school of thought that by charging for line training on a particular type of aircraft that is also a good thing; but the motivating factor for the aircraft operator is a for-profit motive so it that necessarily right? Then there is another school of thought that the end product (i.e the pilot) is the most important focus and you have an idea of the skillset and level of proficiency you want and you focus on that.

There is a move in the industry back towards focussing on handling skills and just letting pilots actually handle the aircraft (albeit in a simulator) rather than just doing the minimum. This I believe is universally welcomed by pilots who want to improve their skills.

I think that there is a realisation that there is no substitute for properly trained and skilled pilots at the controls despite all the technological advances. Long may it continue!

deaddonkey15

Where did you train? How did you fund it? Any advice on where and how to train for a modular student? What do you think of the "big 3" schools like CTC?

CruelCoin

Ever hit a air pocket?

We were in a boeing somewhere over africa on the way home from Kenya.
Cold air into hot, plane dropped 5000feet in a few seconds. The cabin looked like a goddamn snowglobe!

Ever hit mega air turbulence that elicited some screams from the back?

I'm A Commercial Pilot, AMA

funkey_monkey wrote: »

How difficult is a crosswind landing?

Have you ever had to reign in a colleague who was operating outside of procedures? If so, how was it received? Or vice versa?

Have the eastern airlines fully got rid of the obedience at all costs to Capt. mindset that resulted in a number of crashes?

Would you fly with Malaysia Airlines?

Crosswinds: Not too difficult, anyone who flies in Ireland will understand that most of your landings are crosswinds so you get a lot of practice...

Procedures: No thankfully.

Eastern airlines: I'm not sure to be honest, cultural things like that are especially difficult to overcome. As generations come and go that does tend to change things naturally, but I can only look at the accident rate as evidence it has changed?

Malaysia: No reason not to (never have by the way)

I'm A Commercial Pilot, AMA

NATLOR wrote: »

What do you think happened to missing plane MH 370

Honestly I haven't a clue. Not having found the wreckage is a mystery but I don't believe its a cover up.

I'm A Commercial Pilot, AMA

40now wrote: »

I am not a conspiracy theorist am I won't mention the word "chemtrails" but what are those white streaks that come out of planes? you know the things that look like clouds and hang about in the sky for a long time and have you ever done it?

Hmmmm.....

I'm A Commercial Pilot, AMA

GBX wrote: »

Was becoming a commercial pilot a long term dream as kit or something you decided later in life?

Has it lived up to the expectation of job fulfillment or do you find it a highly stressful job knowing you are effectively in control of the lives of a few hundred people for a few hours?

It was something I always thought about doing but never really believed I would end up in. Always thought I was going to end up working in computing or something like that.

The time I've spent flying has gone by in the blink of an eye, it's not the same as it was when I started but then really what job ever stays the same over such a long period of time?

You have to be prepared for what the job entails. Holidays, weekends, shift work, being away (planned and unplanned) - this is not for everyone. I coudn't do 9 to 5 every day. I don't find it stressful. If you are having a long day, even the stretch of the legs and some fresh air on the turnaround between flights helps. A sense of humour is a must. We tend to be goal-orientated people so our focus is getting the aircraft to destination on time rather than the myriad of things that could happen. The training and procedures enable you to do that as safely as possible so you crack on..

I'm A Commercial Pilot, AMA

Sabre0001 wrote: »

Ever tempted to do a barrel roll?

What made you interested in becoming a pilot?

Do you have much downtime between journeys? Do you actually get to see a city that you fly to?

How long do pilots spend practicing the pilot voice for the intercom and do you practice what you're going to say?

Done a few barrel rolls, not in airliner though.....

As ridiculous as it sounds, I used to look at the contrails crossing the sky as a kid and be jealous of all the people who were going somewhere...then I got a ride in a DC3 and that really lit the interest in it.

Sometimes you have really very little time if you do have a layover; get a good kip and relax for a while before srtting off again; I've had multiple days off down route and you can do quite a bit; I do not like being stuck in the hotel room.

Some guys write down what they're going to say, some guys learn off a script. When training in new pilots you'll ask them to tell you what they are going to say and you will listen in. It's amazing how nervous some guys are when nobody is watching!

I'm A Commercial Pilot, AMA

Gloomtastic! wrote: »

Are you allowed to use your mobile phone during a flight?

Have you watched the movie Pilot with Denzel Washington? Have you ever witnessed other pilots who are clearly the worse for wear and about to go to work? Are there confidential channels through which you can report incidents?

Phones: no, and some aivation authorities are exceptionally strict on the use of non-company issued electronic devices on the flight deck...

Movie: Yep I watched that, not a bad film I thought. I've never had to cause to say to someone that they should not go to work. We do have channels through which we can report these things. Everyone is keenly aware of the issue.

I'm A Commercial Pilot, AMA

tmabr wrote: »

i was talking to a few pilots at a party a few years back and they were telling me how boring long haul flights can be,

They said sometimes that they would radio each other to say that a certain area had great turbulence and that they would head towards the turbulent air for the craic to break up the boredom - give them something to do.

or where they just winding me up

It's much simpler than that. The seatbelt sign controls the turbulence. Sign off=turbulence, sign on=smooth flight.

I'm A Commercial Pilot, AMA

DrPhilG wrote: »

Do you ever fly Etihad? I've got a seriously tight connection in Abu Dhabi in April so if you wouldn't mind getting on that flight and nipping in for a long dump just before takeoff that would be great...

On a serious note, are there major differences in airlines in terms of staff treatment? Not asking to name the crappy ones but who are the best to work with?

:D

Yep there's a lot of differences. The best indicators are usually turnover of staff and wages. There's a reason why some airlines offer what appear to be very high wages to entice people to go and work for them...not because they have a long waiting list...

I think in my own opinion if you are high enough up in a US major passenger or freight carrier you can have a pretty comfortable existence. It takes a long time to get there though. On the other hand, I know people who are just as happy flying short hop routes on turboprops. Different strokes and all that.

I'm A Commercial Pilot, AMA

Stephen Hawkins football boots wrote: »

How many air hostesses have u been with?

Like I was told many moons ago:

"When you are a co-pilot you are convinced the captain is getting all the action, when you become a captain you realise nobody is getting any!"

Not my words....

I'm A Commercial Pilot, AMA

CruelCoin wrote: »

"Sectors"?

Sector i.e. one flight such as Dublin-Manchester.

Dublin-Manchester return would be 2 sectors. Hope that clarifies!

I'm A Commercial Pilot, AMA

deaddonkey15 wrote: »

Where did you train? How did you fund it? Any advice on where and how to train for a modular student? What do you think of the "big 3" schools like CTC?

I trained in the States; I was lucky enough to get help to fund it from my prospective employer. There was no other way I could have afforded to raise the cash.

I'm not well versed enough in the schoold to make recommendations for training but I would always advise anyone to scrutinise a school as closely as possible; is the school more focussed on profit and looking good or is it focussed on the student and the result for that student?

How many resources do they have available? Instructors/planes/maintenance etc. Do students tend to take much longer than advertised in the brochure to complete courses?

I think there are some users in the Aviation forum here who could give you much better answers than I could. But before you part with any kind of large sums of money do your homework is the over-arching advice I would say.

diomed

What is the strangest thing you reported in the captain's log?
Do pilots and crew discuss MH370 and things like that?

Tokyo

Admin: Just a friendly reminder that the OP of the AMA is here at their own leisure, and is in no way obligated to answer each and every question put forward. Equally, rude responses to the OP will be deleted, and the poster asked to refrain from posting again.

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This post has been deleted.

I'm A Commercial Pilot, AMA

CruelCoin wrote: »

Ever hit a air pocket?

We were in a boeing somewhere over africa on the way home from Kenya.
Cold air into hot, plane dropped 5000feet in a few seconds. The cabin looked like a goddamn snowglobe!

Ever hit mega air turbulence that elicited some screams from the back?

The worst turbulence in the cruise I ever experienced was over mid-Atlantic; much worse than forecast but it didn't go on for too long, no issues in the cabin thankfully.

I do remember that we had diverted once upon from one place where the weather was terrible to somewhere where the weather was just less terrible but at least we could land. A mixture of very pale faces and thankful people that day getting off. Then we refuelled, waitied for our outbound passengers and back off into it...!

bennyineire

CruelCoin wrote: »

Ever hit a air pocket?

We were in a boeing somewhere over africa on the way home from Kenya.
Cold air into hot, plane dropped 5000feet in a few seconds. The cabin looked like a goddamn snowglobe!

Ever hit mega air turbulence that elicited some screams from the back?

Please ask REAL questions, dropping 5000 feet in a few seconds is pretty much impossible.

First off that acceleration would rip the plane apart and that would require a directional speed of 2,700Km per hour. So what you are saying did not happen

Knex*

Do you ever think about doing a barrel roll?

I'm A Commercial Pilot, AMA

diomed wrote: »

What is the strangest thing you reported in the captain's log?
Do pilots and crew discuss MH370 and things like that?

The best I think was a non-fatal birdstrike; still had to be reported. By the time the van had gotten out to retrieve what was thought to be the carcass, the bird woke up, shook itself down and flew off...!

MH370: Yeah we discuss things like that but not to any great degree. If there is an incident involving your particular aircraft type it might get a bit more discussion but over the course of a day (or several) you'll talk about lots and lots of stuff...

BorneTobyWilde

Do you walk around the plane before flying it, have you ever refused to fly due to seeing a problem.

Hungrycol

I'm A Commercial Pilot, AMA wrote: »

I actually haven't seen the film!

But Sully had a lot of things going for him never mind his ability to take decisive action in the situation. He had full flight controls and electrics which made the handling of the aircraft easier, he had relatively benign weather and he was able to put down close to where help would be rapidly available, the fact he handled it so well is icing on the cake.

You need to see the film because it was based around the airline trying to prove that he actually handled the situation badly. Much of which wasn't reported in the press at the time.

sKeith

bennyineire wrote: »

Please ask REAL questions, dropping 5000 feet in a few seconds is pretty much impossible.

First off that acceleration would rip the plane apart and that would require a directional speed of 2,700Km per hour. So what you are saying did not happen

If for some strange reason, air resistance was to completely disappear for 5 seconds, the plane would only drop approx 400 feet and the plane would nearly reach a downward velocity of 110 mph.

I'm A Commercial Pilot, AMA

....... wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Same as for a passenger; except for one thing - make sure someone is actually flying the airplane. Otherwise get assistance straight away from the crew; try and get medical personnel to help either onboard or via sat phone and make a decision whether we can continue to destination or divert to get medical attention as necessary.

A guy I knew flying in New Zealand ate a dodgy sandwich somewhere along the way and had to remove himself to the lav halfway along the flight. Poor guy had to stay there for the remainder as he was really not well at all....

I'm A Commercial Pilot, AMA

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

Do you walk around the plane before flying it, have you ever refused to fly due to seeing a problem.

A walkaround is completed either by me or another pilot when we get to the aircraft before every flight. There have been occasions where you do see something that you want sorted before you go, never had an issue about getting it done or even getting another aircraft (despite maybe having to wait a while). It is very much the exception though.

CruelCoin

bennyineire wrote: »

Please ask REAL questions, dropping 5000 feet in a few seconds is pretty much impossible.

First off that acceleration would rip the plane apart and that would require a directional speed of 2,700Km per hour. So what you are saying did not happen

Backseat mod much?

My question to the OP was whether he had experienced an air pocket.

The exact specifics don't change the question I asked him.

Chill, Jesus. Aggressive and unnecessary.

CruelCoin

I'm A Commercial Pilot, AMA wrote: »

A walkaround is completed either by me or another pilot when we get to the aircraft before every flight. There have been occasions where you do see something that you want sorted before you go, never had an issue about getting it done or even getting another aircraft (despite maybe having to wait a while). It is very much the exception though.

Any examples?

CruelCoin

The gaps left between planes landing and arriving at airports seem to be huge.

Do you think there is excessive safety in regards to that?

Could the gaps be shortened and for there to still be an acceptable safety margin?

CruelCoin

How do you combat boredom?

If you're not allowed certain devices on board, is there a way to entertain yourself when the autopilot is on?

Is there anything to do when AP is on, or do you brush up on manuals, sleep etc?