{"id":16851,"date":"2022-11-01T08:15:31","date_gmt":"2022-11-01T08:15:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.battleface.com\/blog\/?p=16851"},"modified":"2024-03-07T10:27:05","modified_gmt":"2024-03-07T10:27:05","slug":"the-pilots-view-secrets-and-insight-from-the-cockpit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.battleface.com\/blog\/the-pilots-view-secrets-and-insight-from-the-cockpit\/","title":{"rendered":"The Pilot\u2019s View \u2013 Secrets and insight from the cockpit"},"content":{"rendered":"Approx read: <\/span> 5<\/span> mins<\/span><\/span>

What’s it like to be the boss in the wild blue yonder?<\/h2>\n

battleface speaks to a 20-year veteran of the skies on napping in the cockpit, action hero fight scenes in the hold and whether you really need to switch off your devices.<\/h3>\n

I think the first thing I\u2019d want to know is who gave you your license to fly? What makes you competent to be up there on the flight controls?<\/h4>\n

When I went through flight school it was a two-year course, followed by engagement with an airline and more study and training to be rated for Boeing craft. That hasn\u2019t really changed so much, however all pilots are under continual assessment bi-annually in simulators to train for malfunction and emergency procedures and then there are the continual learning processes in all airlines whereby pilots are examined on competence every quarter. Knowing how to fly an aircraft isn\u2019t static knowledge \u2013 there is always revision and testing that challenge pilots to be competent.<\/p>\n

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If you\u2019re so good then why use Autopilot?<\/h4>\n

Have you ever heard the saying, \u201cGear up, feet up\u201d? Meaning, once the landing gear is all tucked away a pilot can engage Autopilot, recline a little and have a nap. Autopilot is awesome and can fly an aircraft better and more effectively than a pilot in many instances.<\/p>\n

What\u2026? You said that you sleep in the cockpit?<\/h4>\n

Yes. We can sleep. It\u2019s known as controlled rest<\/em> and for obvious reasons only one of the two pilots can sleep at any one time, under strict conditions, for limited time. But there are plenty of reports of both pilots dozing on the job and only being woken by alarms for not responding to flight towers, or missing their waypoints, or fuel level sounds\u2026. The reason short naps are permitted is to keep pilots mentally fresh and ready to react when Autopilot can\u2019t or won\u2019t work.<\/p>\n

Have you ever taken-off knowing that your aircraft needs repairs?<\/h4>\n

Yes. This is a frequent issue. As you\u2019d expect its controlled by regulations. For the airline I fly with there are two manuals to guide pilots on assessing the implications of components that aren\u2019t operating. I won\u2019t bore you with all the details on what the manuals are called, but by knowing how to reference them and adjust accordingly could mean that a flight need not be delayed or at worst cancelled to fly safely, and legally.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll give you an example. Let\u2019s say an aircraft has two generators, and one fails – what does the pilot do? Knowing the plane, how it performs, what the flight time and route is, and details on passenger count and cargo, a flight can go ahead with restrictions. More fuel may be taken on board, altitude could be adjusted, and other equipment dependent on two functioning generators – like Auto-landing \u2013 might not be used.<\/p>\n

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OK, so now I need to know about Auto-landing. I thought this was something pilots did.<\/h4>\n

Well of course we land the plane. That\u2019s the fun part of flying and I get a real buzz when I execute a perfect, no-bumps touchdown. But when the fog is so thick that you can\u2019t see anything then who are you going to trust? Your pilot\u2019s eyes, or radio altimeters?<\/p>\n

Everything that you need to know about flying safely is summarised by one word: altitude!<\/p>\n

An aircraft is designed to get up off the ground to the right height, stay at that height and then get back down again smoothly – and your pilot will know the plane\u2019s altitude from readings of barometric pressure, and from 2500 feet above ground, reflected radio signals.<\/p>\n

So, when there is damage to generator that affects equipment needed for Auto-landing, a pilot must assess what risk there is getting to the destination and not being able to use a function of the plane\u2019s automated systems because of damage to interconnected components.<\/p>\n

In short, we do fly aircraft that need repairs; however, this is always under strict mandates.<\/p>\n

Is there enough room in the cargo hold to shoot scenes from an action movie where heroes fight villains before finding secret passageways into the passenger cabin?<\/h4>\n

On a short-to medium haul jet there isn\u2019t enough room to stand in the cargo areas. But then, in the A380\u2019s or Boeing\u2019s 747-8 Freighter cargo areas you could film a whole battle scene between armies. Hollywood imagination aside, aircraft aren\u2019t designed around movie plots. Sorry about that.<\/p>\n

When you\u2019re giving your pre-flight announcement to passengers, do you exaggerate the flight time?<\/h4>\n

Absolutely! Our flight time is calculated, checked, and double-checked by a ground team and then re-assessed by both pilot and co-pilot. I\u2019m like all others when I push the flight time longer to passengers throwing in a few phrases like \u2018headwinds,\u2019 \u2018air traffic at destination,\u2019 \u2018flight route\u2019 etc. and then turn the groans into happy sighs when I let passengers know closer to the destination that we\u2019re on-time or early.<\/p>\n

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Is it absolutely necessary to put electronic devices into flight mode before take-off and landing?<\/h4>\n

If you had asked me this a few months ago then I would have said that it\u2019s safe to be texting or browsing on your phone whenever you get a signal, but recent studies have shown that 5G can interfere with some of an aircraft\u2019s radio equipment, so for now I\u2019d stick to the directions asked of you by the pilot.<\/p>\n

From what I\u2019ve read it\u2019s all soon to be resolved by putting filters on the plane\u2019s equipment so the 5G noise doesn\u2019t interfere with the radio signals and readings a pilot depends on. Like a lot of things during flight, we rely on passengers to cooperate, comply and be considerate.<\/p>\n

And when passengers aren\u2019t so nice, what can you do?<\/h4>\n

From the time the airport operator hands a passenger from the terminal to the flight cabin and until they disembark, I\u2019m the boss. Or at least, I\u2019m supposed to be the boss\u2026. and I\u2019m authorised and duty-bound to take decisions to re-route, make unscheduled landings and alert authorities to arrest unruly or dangerous passengers. Unfortunately, it happens all too frequently, and I\u2019d say 95% of all instances involve alcohol.<\/p>\n

Being on-time is your top priority, right?<\/h4>\n

No. Safety is my top priority. There are a lot of management teams that put pressure on pilots regarding time and the cost of the flight, but the most senior management are more concerned with safety above profit. As a passenger I think that is important to know.<\/p>\n

Last question then\u2026. What is a common misconception that passengers have about pilots?<\/h4>\n

My guess is that we’re overpaid and underworked. They see a fraction of what we do when entering the plane if they glance into the cockpit. Our pre-flight work and plane inspections are important and time consuming. Even with Autopilot on there are crew issues to deal with, communication requirements, navigational updates, we monitor fuel burn and other tasks that are important to safety and performance. A plane doesn\u2019t fly itself, and I\u2019m not sure that I would ever want to be on a plane that was solely controlled by automation.<\/p>\n

Green Travel \u2013 Can I fly sustainably?<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n