Now Ye're Talking - to a Commercial Pilot

Boards.ie: Niamh · 25-01-2018 10:47am #1

One of the people some of you wanted to hear from was a pilot so we have a commercial pilot here to answer your questions! Our guest poster has been flying for almost 20 years now. He has flown turboprops, flown jets on short haul and long haul flights and has also been an instructor on jets. He also flies light aircraft from time to time.

Please bear in mind that he may be in a different time zone so answers may be delayed.

Let's get this one off to a flying start (sorry...not sorry

)

artanevilla · 25-01-2018 11:04am

Hello.

What's the nicest plane to fly (that you've flown)?

Do you prefer real flying (light aircraft) or the big ones (commercial airliners)?

Thanks.

GLaDOS · 25-01-2018 11:21am

How have security protocols changed over the last 20 years?

lovelyhurler · 25-01-2018 11:27am

Can I be bold and ask 2 questions.

With the proliferation of LCC's, have the terms/conditions of the job changed much in the 20+ years?

Also,

Any seriuosly scary incidents in those 20 odd years?

Cheers.

SEPT 23 1989 · 25-01-2018 11:28am

Have you ever seen anything in the sky that you couldn't explain?

Bummer1234 · 25-01-2018 11:45am

Whats your most favorite and most unfavorable Airport to fly into and why?

5rtytry56 · 25-01-2018 11:52am

What is your favourite Prop and favourite Jet aircraft.

When last, if ever, have you flown a 'tail dragger' ?

irishejit · 25-01-2018 11:54am

It seems that the industry is facing a pilot shortage in the very near future, however it is getting harder and harder to get your commercial rating due to the costs involved and the lack of funded training.

How do you see this being addressed, or will it be left to those people how can afford to take out huge loans to self fund their training?

fixXxer · 25-01-2018 11:56am

Where exactly is "The Danger Zone"?

black & white · 25-01-2018 12:14pm

Why do landings on a Ryanair plane seem harder than AL or other airlines ?

9or10 · 25-01-2018 1:25pm

Hi thanks for doing the AMA.

Just enjoyed watching the film "Sully" (Miracle on the Hudson).

I'd be interested to know how you viewed the film and the event.

I'm guessing that the enquiry afterwards was dramatised somewhat for the film.

Mint Sauce · 25-01-2018 1:44pm

Is it true what they say about the little triangles above the windows? A visual or a marker for crew to look out at wings/engine to see if any issues. Window blinds up for rescuers to look in, or passengers to look out for danger, in case of incident. Lights dimmed for eyes to adjust to darkness, again in case of incident. Etc. Etc.

PTH2009 · 25-01-2018 2:03pm

what was your most scariest experience flying a plane ???

the_galway_fry · 25-01-2018 2:44pm

any tips for Aerosinusitis?

AirBiscuit · 25-01-2018 4:12pm

Most severe systems failure to happen while you were flying?

Also what do you currently fly?

the beer revolu · 25-01-2018 4:18pm

I'm led to believe that modern aircraft are basically able to fly themselves,including take off and landing and that pilots only occasionally actually land the place to keep in practice.
How true is this?

Sexual Chocolate · 25-01-2018 4:45pm

Whats your opinion on the gradual phasing out of airliners such as the 747 and a340 in favour of a350, 777s & 787s etc ? Does flying a plane with more then two engines put your mind at ease if one was to stop working ?

Is there aircraft out there that you've never flown but would love to ?

cloudatlas · 26-01-2018 12:23am

Why do pilots not have to have decent mathematical abilities? If communication is not possible and instruments fail surely making quick calculations is a key skill.

What is your favourite hollywood airplane film? :P

CruelCoin · 26-01-2018 10:17am

Why do all pilots speak like this:

"eeeeeeeeeh, this is your pilot eeeeeeeeeh speaking. we're eeeeeeeeeeeh"

You guys up front huffing the O2?

Side question: Why are the pilot announcements so short/infrequent? I love hearing about the plane, the speeds, the tech, etc. Why just the same canned "this height, this time arriving, enjoy" message. Is it just that you get sick of repeating the same stuff?

CruelCoin · 26-01-2018 10:19am

Ever since the German wings disaster, what is pilot sentiment on this?

Has security protocol changed/increased for you prior to a flight?

CruelCoin · 26-01-2018 10:21am

Do you reckon there will be an open skies agreement in place for the UK prior to their departure from the EU?

If not, any insights you might have on how this might be handled?

Pelvis · 26-01-2018 10:22am

You ever seen a grown man naked?

Boards.ie: Niamh · 26-01-2018 10:22am

Morning all, just to let you know our guest was all set to answer questions yesterday evening but had an issue logging on (a password issue - my fault - now rectified). Hopefully he'll be along some time later to get started

CruelCoin · 26-01-2018 10:22am

I've always found Boeings to be more pleasant places to be than Airbuses, but what is it like up front?

Whats nicer to fly? (both in handling and actual creature comforts)
Which have the better tech/toys?
Which takes less time to become proficient at?
If there are different planes up for grabs, is there a rush to grab particular planes? (Dibs on the A-380, Dibs on the xxx)

CruelCoin · 26-01-2018 10:23am

Whats your opinion on French air traffic controllers, or air traffic controllers in general.

Should they be allowed to shut down the skies during a strike, or should technology be allowed to enable passage through French/other airspace during these strikes?

CruelCoin · 26-01-2018 10:25am

How long does it take to get comfortable speaking the lingo?

I listen to the ATC streams on my phone from time to time, and i'm fascinated at the rapidness of data transfer you guys can manage with your broadcasts.

JustAThought · 26-01-2018 10:47am

I always assumed it was a glamorous 'busy' job but as with long distance driving is it mostly just standards and basic operative procedures followed by long periods of dullness and dry chat with your co-pilot ?

My friends psrtner is a pilot and his home office is filled with charts and daily printouts of weather systems and technical forecasts. I assumed there would be a department in charge of tracking weather systems and making meterological decisions & refining strategic flying choices regarding flying for you - does this happen or is it all up to the pilot at home in his office? Many thanks!

Tzardine · 26-01-2018 11:36am

Boards.ie: Niamh wrote: »

Morning all, just to let you know our guest was all set to answer questions yesterday evening but had an issue logging on (a password issue - my fault - now rectified). Hopefully he'll be along some time later to get started

Are you sure the issue was not related to snakes on his plane ?

I'm A Commercial Pilot, AMA · 26-01-2018 12:06pm

artanevilla wrote: »

Hello.

What's the nicest plane to fly (that you've flown)?

Do you prefer real flying (light aircraft) or the big ones (commercial airliners)?

Thanks.

Morning, and apologies for the delay...(never said that before...!)

Nicest airplane I've flown is probably the 737 (specifically the 400, really nice to hand fly)

It's difficult to answer the second question, when I'm in light aircraft it's purely for fun, when in work it's rewarding for different reasons. Flying light aircraft does get you to remember why you like flying in the first place..!

I'm A Commercial Pilot, AMA · 26-01-2018 12:08pm

GLaDOS wrote: »

How have security protocols changed over the last 20 years?

Well as you can probably imagine it's a lot tighter now than it was when I started. More interestingly, the level of vigilance that people have throughout the industry is huge, that goes for the travelling public too. People are a lot more likely to speak up if they see something odd, and they are also a lot less likely to put up with bad behaviour.

I'm A Commercial Pilot, AMA · 26-01-2018 12:13pm

lovelyhurler wrote: »

Can I be bold and ask 2 questions.

With the proliferation of LCC's, have the terms/conditions of the job changed much in the 20+ years?

Also,

Any seriuosly scary incidents in those 20 odd years?

Cheers.

Yesm it has changed a lot! Some airlines set a new benchmark in terms of how they operate and this becomes a target for others to aspire to (rightly or wrongly) - a whole industry in itself has now sprung up that caters to people just trying to get their foot on the first rung of the ladder - that didn't exist 20 years ago.

We are all definitely working a lot harder now than in the past.

And, honestly, nothing seriously scary!

Now Ye're Talking - to a Commercial Pilot

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