With my new job being 100% travel, I have some unusual questions about the nuances of flight and commercial air travel.
Any commercial airline pilots here?
- Thread starter dparm
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Originally Posted By: rjacket
Your job is just to travel?
Where do I apply?
Your job is just to travel?
JHZR2
Staff member
I was on the road about 70% of the time last year. Most of it was day trips and train to dc, but I do fly a lot.
Do share your findings.
Do share your findings.
100% travel is defined as "you are gone from your office Monday through Friday of every week".
I work in consulting and we are at the client's site every day.
I work in consulting and we are at the client's site every day.
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- Jul 2, 2007
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Doesn't that make traveling for vacation kind of feel like being at work?
Yes, in a way, though I try to go on vacation with friends to a place of my choosing. 
Yes.
Coming up on 15 years as a pilot for United (currently in a Navy uniform...).
Further, I have over 500,000 miles on UAL as a paying (not employee - that's another 500K + miles) passenger...that puts me at their "1K" status...platinum on other airlines...and I have the United club membership, etc...Gold/Platinum with several hotel and rental car companies as well...
I was the CO of a Navy Reserve unit in Great Lakes for 2 years and flew in/out of ORD as a paying passenger there.
PM me...I've got quite a few travel insights & some perspective built on the above experience...happy to share...
Further, I have over 500,000 miles on UAL as a paying (not employee - that's another 500K + miles) passenger...that puts me at their "1K" status...platinum on other airlines...and I have the United club membership, etc...Gold/Platinum with several hotel and rental car companies as well...
I was the CO of a Navy Reserve unit in Great Lakes for 2 years and flew in/out of ORD as a paying passenger there.
PM me...I've got quite a few travel insights & some perspective built on the above experience...happy to share...
Coming on 5 years with Southwest, I'll try my best to answer.
Alrighty, here goes:
1. For some reason I always get nervous we'll pull back from the gate but get stuck on the runway. I hear all the horror stories of people sitting there for 2-3 hours. So far it's only happened to me once...about a 20 minute wait because of some ATC radar issue. We also couldn't deplane for a bit one time because the forward door wouldn't open. Still, my claustrophobia starts getting to me when we sit there for too long. Realistically how often does this sort of thing occur? Are there certain days/times/airports that seem to be bad?
2. I've heard Reagan (DCA) is one of the trickier airports to fly in and out of for a pilot. The numerous no-fly zones around the capitol area make for some interesting maneuvers. Is this true?
3. Is it true that they're not really called "flaps"?
4. What do you guys do in the cabin to pass the time on longer flights? Chicago to LA is about 4 hours, for example...are you really that busy once the plane is at cruising altitude?
5. What's something about your job or about flying planes in general the average person doesn't know? Anything weird, unique, fun, or unusual you want to tell us about?
FWIW I fly Southwest exclusively out of MDW.
1. For some reason I always get nervous we'll pull back from the gate but get stuck on the runway. I hear all the horror stories of people sitting there for 2-3 hours. So far it's only happened to me once...about a 20 minute wait because of some ATC radar issue. We also couldn't deplane for a bit one time because the forward door wouldn't open. Still, my claustrophobia starts getting to me when we sit there for too long. Realistically how often does this sort of thing occur? Are there certain days/times/airports that seem to be bad?
2. I've heard Reagan (DCA) is one of the trickier airports to fly in and out of for a pilot. The numerous no-fly zones around the capitol area make for some interesting maneuvers. Is this true?
3. Is it true that they're not really called "flaps"?
4. What do you guys do in the cabin to pass the time on longer flights? Chicago to LA is about 4 hours, for example...are you really that busy once the plane is at cruising altitude?
5. What's something about your job or about flying planes in general the average person doesn't know? Anything weird, unique, fun, or unusual you want to tell us about?
FWIW I fly Southwest exclusively out of MDW.
Originally Posted By: dparm
Alrighty, here goes:
1. For some reason I always get nervous we'll pull back from the gate but get stuck on the runway. I hear all the horror stories of people sitting there for 2-3 hours. So far it's only happened to me once...about a 20 minute wait because of some ATC radar issue. We also couldn't deplane for a bit one time because the forward door wouldn't open. Still, my claustrophobia starts getting to me when we sit there for too long. Realistically how often does this sort of thing occur? Are there certain days/times/airports that seem to be bad?
2. I've heard Reagan (DCA) is one of the trickier airports to fly in and out of for a pilot. The numerous no-fly zones around the capitol area make for some interesting maneuvers. Is this true?
3. Is it true that they're not really called "flaps"?
4. What do you guys do in the cabin to pass the time on longer flights? Chicago to LA is about 4 hours, for example...are you really that busy once the plane is at cruising altitude?
5. What's something about your job or about flying planes in general the average person doesn't know? Anything weird, unique, fun, or unusual you want to tell us about?
FWIW I fly Southwest exclusively out of MDW.
Southwest is a good airline...they don't go where I need to and they're not always the cheapest, so I use UAL but the point is this: consolidate your business on one carrier - you'll get the frequent flyer rewards faster and those perks add up. You might do a price comparison with AA or UAL out of O'Hare unless your company requires you to book on SWA.
1. Getting stuck (it's not on the runway, that's where they take off and land...it's on the taxiway or ramp). This happens and it's rarely the airline's fault. Weather conditions affect an airport's capacity to handle arrivals/departures. If the winds are adverse, then not all runways can be put in use, then you start getting back ups during peak traffic periods...kind of like a lane closure on a busy freeway. If the weather is really bad (microburst, etc.) where airplanes can't take off or land safely, you get really bad backups - like closing all lanes on a freeway.
If you fly long enough, everything that can go wrong (cancelled flights, delays, diversions) will happen. In 550,000 miles as a paying passenger on UAL, I've seen it all. last time I flew SWA - we were delayed 4 hours from BWI to ORF...and I could have driven there in that time! Point is: worry about things you can control - and you can't control this, it happens. Always have your toothbrush, essential meds, one change of clothes and a good book on board. Invest in a set of Bose QC-15s and an I-Pod, join the club lounge and enjoy your book, music or movie while you're delayed. If you end up somewhere you didn't plan - you're prepared. Anyone who has flown a lot knows that this stuff happens.
There is an inverse relationship between experience and cool. Those who never fly are the first to get upset and lose their cool, I've seen them bark, complain, yell and swear at the flight attendants (who can't control this) and the Customer Service Agents (who also can't control this). The folks who have flown a lot keep their cool, remain polite and generally get the best service that can be offered under the circumstances. No amount of yelling is going to convince me to take off in a thunderstorm...but it might convince me to go back to the gate, where the PITA passenger will get to meet local law enforcement (this has happened....).
2. Most airports are really straightforward...DCA is not, SAN is not, and there are others (the old Hong Kong Airport at Kai-Tek was one of those...). for DCA, though, you have to avoid all the stuff on the East side of the Potomac, which curves around a bit. The instrument and visual approaches account for this, and as a result, they're offset, not straight in like most airports.
3. The wing has lots of stuff on it that moves. On the leading edge are slats. On top are spoilers. On the trailing edge are both flaps and ailerons. Ailerons are easy - movable surfaces that roll the airplane. Slats and flaps are used together to change the shape of the wing to allow the airplane to fly at slower speeds (like takeoff and landing). Spoilers are used to "spoil" lift on the wing - useful when landing so that more of the weight of the airplane is transferred from the wing to the wheels and allow for braking using the wheel brakes. In flight, spoilers are used as speedbrakes - devices to increase drag - to slow the airplane and allow for a more rapid descent. Spoilers can also be used to augment ailerons for roll control....depends on the airplane type/model.
4. During the cruise phase of flight, we're usually checking/updating the weather at destination, checking on the airplane's performance (fuel burn, time, winds...this was a really big deal on the 747 crossing the Pacific...no where to land for 3 more hours, a total fuel burn of 350,000 lbs+ from say LAX - HKG, so a small error in wind forecast or fuel burn has big consequences...) as well as its status (hydraulics, engines, pressurization)...sure, there's a bit of time to discuss sports scores, politics, ex-wifes, cars and airplanes, but we're not super-busy like we are on the ground or in the terminal area. Part of why you turn your stuff off at 10,000 feet is that's when we enter the critical phase of flight - where we're changing the airplane's configuration (remember those flaps/slats/speedbrakes?), maneuvering to the airport, tuning radios, changing flgiht management programming...mess any of that stuff up while you're close to the ground...it can cause problems...
5. It's obvious that the view from our office is really good. But most people have never seen St. Elmo's fire (seen it on a 757 and had it dancing over the canopy of an F-14 one night...like being inside a sci-fi special effect) or had a really good view of the Aurora Borealis (one night, SFO - LHR, over northern Canada, it was actually to the south of us...it was on all sides...so cool...and then I realized how much ionizing radiation we were getting...far more than Fukushima...which was nothing). Most of the really cool stuff happened while flying the F-14 and F/A-18 in the Navy, but there is still lots of cool stuff in an airliner.
One cool bit, since we're anonymous here, lots of us, including me, carry guns in the cockpit. The program is known as FFDO - Federal Flight Deck Officer. We've been trained by the Federal Air Marshal Service, are deputized and provide another layer of defense against terrorism and piracy.
You would think that this fact gets us better coffee from the flight attendants...but it doesn't...sigh...
Flying planes requires you to thing ahead and to manage. It's not like the family car - you're deliberate, careful and have to be well ahead of what's happening now and be managing what's going to happen next. Relax, we've got it...we'll get you there safely and do our very best to get you there on time.
Alrighty, here goes:
1. For some reason I always get nervous we'll pull back from the gate but get stuck on the runway. I hear all the horror stories of people sitting there for 2-3 hours. So far it's only happened to me once...about a 20 minute wait because of some ATC radar issue. We also couldn't deplane for a bit one time because the forward door wouldn't open. Still, my claustrophobia starts getting to me when we sit there for too long. Realistically how often does this sort of thing occur? Are there certain days/times/airports that seem to be bad?
2. I've heard Reagan (DCA) is one of the trickier airports to fly in and out of for a pilot. The numerous no-fly zones around the capitol area make for some interesting maneuvers. Is this true?
3. Is it true that they're not really called "flaps"?
4. What do you guys do in the cabin to pass the time on longer flights? Chicago to LA is about 4 hours, for example...are you really that busy once the plane is at cruising altitude?
5. What's something about your job or about flying planes in general the average person doesn't know? Anything weird, unique, fun, or unusual you want to tell us about?
FWIW I fly Southwest exclusively out of MDW.
Southwest is a good airline...they don't go where I need to and they're not always the cheapest, so I use UAL but the point is this: consolidate your business on one carrier - you'll get the frequent flyer rewards faster and those perks add up. You might do a price comparison with AA or UAL out of O'Hare unless your company requires you to book on SWA.
1. Getting stuck (it's not on the runway, that's where they take off and land...it's on the taxiway or ramp). This happens and it's rarely the airline's fault. Weather conditions affect an airport's capacity to handle arrivals/departures. If the winds are adverse, then not all runways can be put in use, then you start getting back ups during peak traffic periods...kind of like a lane closure on a busy freeway. If the weather is really bad (microburst, etc.) where airplanes can't take off or land safely, you get really bad backups - like closing all lanes on a freeway.
If you fly long enough, everything that can go wrong (cancelled flights, delays, diversions) will happen. In 550,000 miles as a paying passenger on UAL, I've seen it all. last time I flew SWA - we were delayed 4 hours from BWI to ORF...and I could have driven there in that time! Point is: worry about things you can control - and you can't control this, it happens. Always have your toothbrush, essential meds, one change of clothes and a good book on board. Invest in a set of Bose QC-15s and an I-Pod, join the club lounge and enjoy your book, music or movie while you're delayed. If you end up somewhere you didn't plan - you're prepared. Anyone who has flown a lot knows that this stuff happens.
There is an inverse relationship between experience and cool. Those who never fly are the first to get upset and lose their cool, I've seen them bark, complain, yell and swear at the flight attendants (who can't control this) and the Customer Service Agents (who also can't control this). The folks who have flown a lot keep their cool, remain polite and generally get the best service that can be offered under the circumstances. No amount of yelling is going to convince me to take off in a thunderstorm...but it might convince me to go back to the gate, where the PITA passenger will get to meet local law enforcement (this has happened....).
2. Most airports are really straightforward...DCA is not, SAN is not, and there are others (the old Hong Kong Airport at Kai-Tek was one of those...). for DCA, though, you have to avoid all the stuff on the East side of the Potomac, which curves around a bit. The instrument and visual approaches account for this, and as a result, they're offset, not straight in like most airports.
3. The wing has lots of stuff on it that moves. On the leading edge are slats. On top are spoilers. On the trailing edge are both flaps and ailerons. Ailerons are easy - movable surfaces that roll the airplane. Slats and flaps are used together to change the shape of the wing to allow the airplane to fly at slower speeds (like takeoff and landing). Spoilers are used to "spoil" lift on the wing - useful when landing so that more of the weight of the airplane is transferred from the wing to the wheels and allow for braking using the wheel brakes. In flight, spoilers are used as speedbrakes - devices to increase drag - to slow the airplane and allow for a more rapid descent. Spoilers can also be used to augment ailerons for roll control....depends on the airplane type/model.
4. During the cruise phase of flight, we're usually checking/updating the weather at destination, checking on the airplane's performance (fuel burn, time, winds...this was a really big deal on the 747 crossing the Pacific...no where to land for 3 more hours, a total fuel burn of 350,000 lbs+ from say LAX - HKG, so a small error in wind forecast or fuel burn has big consequences...) as well as its status (hydraulics, engines, pressurization)...sure, there's a bit of time to discuss sports scores, politics, ex-wifes, cars and airplanes, but we're not super-busy like we are on the ground or in the terminal area. Part of why you turn your stuff off at 10,000 feet is that's when we enter the critical phase of flight - where we're changing the airplane's configuration (remember those flaps/slats/speedbrakes?), maneuvering to the airport, tuning radios, changing flgiht management programming...mess any of that stuff up while you're close to the ground...it can cause problems...
5. It's obvious that the view from our office is really good. But most people have never seen St. Elmo's fire (seen it on a 757 and had it dancing over the canopy of an F-14 one night...like being inside a sci-fi special effect) or had a really good view of the Aurora Borealis (one night, SFO - LHR, over northern Canada, it was actually to the south of us...it was on all sides...so cool...and then I realized how much ionizing radiation we were getting...far more than Fukushima...which was nothing). Most of the really cool stuff happened while flying the F-14 and F/A-18 in the Navy, but there is still lots of cool stuff in an airliner.
One cool bit, since we're anonymous here, lots of us, including me, carry guns in the cockpit. The program is known as FFDO - Federal Flight Deck Officer. We've been trained by the Federal Air Marshal Service, are deputized and provide another layer of defense against terrorism and piracy.
You would think that this fact gets us better coffee from the flight attendants...but it doesn't...sigh...
Flying planes requires you to thing ahead and to manage. It's not like the family car - you're deliberate, careful and have to be well ahead of what's happening now and be managing what's going to happen next. Relax, we've got it...we'll get you there safely and do our very best to get you there on time.
I will sum up the first few flying angst with just don't think about it that you are flying and all the things that go wrong. just focus on your task, hit the potty early when it is somewhat clean and then settle in watch a movie or do some work. take a nap if that is your cup of tea. I would suggest some good IN EAR ear phones that by itself knocks out some noise, no batt, no extra large bose etc. pack light, if you have a monster 19ich laptop, leave it at home and buy a hp 4.5 lb light laptop.
Drink a lot of water, I mean just keep pounding it.
Fun facts, they will seldom tell you the truth about fight delay, they want to pack you in and close the gate and that makes them on time, even if they sit in the dog pen for hours after that.
avoid high failure/delay connections like ORD in winter or summer(wind). Going out of MDW ORD is not an issue for you but apply the same when selecting a route.
get a credit card that will get you to status quickly then you will upgraded to first
Originally Posted By: dparm
Alrighty, here goes:
1. For some reason I always get nervous we'll pull back from the gate but get stuck on the runway. I hear all the horror stories of people sitting there for 2-3 hours. So far it's only happened to me once...about a 20 minute wait because of some ATC radar issue. We also couldn't deplane for a bit one time because the forward door wouldn't open. Still, my claustrophobia starts getting to me when we sit there for too long. Realistically how often does this sort of thing occur? Are there certain days/times/airports that seem to be bad?
2. I've heard Reagan (DCA) is one of the trickier airports to fly in and out of for a pilot. The numerous no-fly zones around the capitol area make for some interesting maneuvers. Is this true?
3. Is it true that they're not really called "flaps"?
4. What do you guys do in the cabin to pass the time on longer flights? Chicago to LA is about 4 hours, for example...are you really that busy once the plane is at cruising altitude?
5. What's something about your job or about flying planes in general the average person doesn't know? Anything weird, unique, fun, or unusual you want to tell us about?
FWIW I fly Southwest exclusively out of MDW.
Drink a lot of water, I mean just keep pounding it.
Fun facts, they will seldom tell you the truth about fight delay, they want to pack you in and close the gate and that makes them on time, even if they sit in the dog pen for hours after that.
avoid high failure/delay connections like ORD in winter or summer(wind). Going out of MDW ORD is not an issue for you but apply the same when selecting a route.
get a credit card that will get you to status quickly then you will upgraded to first
Originally Posted By: dparm
Alrighty, here goes:
1. For some reason I always get nervous we'll pull back from the gate but get stuck on the runway. I hear all the horror stories of people sitting there for 2-3 hours. So far it's only happened to me once...about a 20 minute wait because of some ATC radar issue. We also couldn't deplane for a bit one time because the forward door wouldn't open. Still, my claustrophobia starts getting to me when we sit there for too long. Realistically how often does this sort of thing occur? Are there certain days/times/airports that seem to be bad?
2. I've heard Reagan (DCA) is one of the trickier airports to fly in and out of for a pilot. The numerous no-fly zones around the capitol area make for some interesting maneuvers. Is this true?
3. Is it true that they're not really called "flaps"?
4. What do you guys do in the cabin to pass the time on longer flights? Chicago to LA is about 4 hours, for example...are you really that busy once the plane is at cruising altitude?
5. What's something about your job or about flying planes in general the average person doesn't know? Anything weird, unique, fun, or unusual you want to tell us about?
FWIW I fly Southwest exclusively out of MDW.
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Thanks for the insight. I have flown numerous of times before but when you have to do it twice a week (and for work versus pleasure) it's different. I have the utmost confidence in you pilots and your crews.
Good advice on the water, laptop and credit card. I drink lots of water, have a smaller laptop and the paired card.
I am not a fan of the in-ear phones, though...they bug me on a long flight. I've slept my way from Bahrain back to Dulles with the QC-15s on...they're not cheap...but when every 1st class passenger and million-mile flyer has them...you know they're on to something. Try them before plunking down $300...and Bose is like Apple, no discounts...
I can't speak for all airlines. I've flown SWA, DAL, CAL, UAL, AA, JB and USA...and a lot of them will push back knowing that they're going nowhere. But for the most part, at UAL, we (the pilots) won't push back knowing that we're going to sit on the ramp...we will push back to get a place in line if the line is moving. We're very sensitive to the 3 hour rule.
One other point - it might say "United" on the side, or "Delta"...but a lot of the commuter flights are flown by sub-contractors...who are, frankly, not as consistent in performance or service as the parent company...at least by flying SWA, you miss that goat-rope...but if your company wants to send you to the Carribean, Europe or the Pacific, and all your miles are on SWA, then you're SOL on the carriers that get you there...
Finally, compare costs/fares. For every time that I've wanted to fly into MHT to visit family, UAL was far cheaper than SWA. After all the bankruptcies, the people at the majors are being paid less than SWA or JB and the fares are often lower at the majors...
I am not a fan of the in-ear phones, though...they bug me on a long flight. I've slept my way from Bahrain back to Dulles with the QC-15s on...they're not cheap...but when every 1st class passenger and million-mile flyer has them...you know they're on to something. Try them before plunking down $300...and Bose is like Apple, no discounts...
I can't speak for all airlines. I've flown SWA, DAL, CAL, UAL, AA, JB and USA...and a lot of them will push back knowing that they're going nowhere. But for the most part, at UAL, we (the pilots) won't push back knowing that we're going to sit on the ramp...we will push back to get a place in line if the line is moving. We're very sensitive to the 3 hour rule.
One other point - it might say "United" on the side, or "Delta"...but a lot of the commuter flights are flown by sub-contractors...who are, frankly, not as consistent in performance or service as the parent company...at least by flying SWA, you miss that goat-rope...but if your company wants to send you to the Carribean, Europe or the Pacific, and all your miles are on SWA, then you're SOL on the carriers that get you there...
Finally, compare costs/fares. For every time that I've wanted to fly into MHT to visit family, UAL was far cheaper than SWA. After all the bankruptcies, the people at the majors are being paid less than SWA or JB and the fares are often lower at the majors...
Yep, I'm well aware of the regional carrier thing where the small jets are not even run by UAL or whatever. Frontline did a big documentary on that. Scared me into never flying those.
Originally Posted By: dparm
Alrighty, here goes:
1. For some reason I always get nervous we'll pull back from the gate but get stuck on the runway. I hear all the horror stories of people sitting there for 2-3 hours. So far it's only happened to me once...about a 20 minute wait because of some ATC radar issue. We also couldn't deplane for a bit one time because the forward door wouldn't open. Still, my claustrophobia starts getting to me when we sit there for too long. Realistically how often does this sort of thing occur? Are there certain days/times/airports that seem to be bad?
2. I've heard Reagan (DCA) is one of the trickier airports to fly in and out of for a pilot. The numerous no-fly zones around the capitol area make for some interesting maneuvers. Is this true?
3. Is it true that they're not really called "flaps"?
4. What do you guys do in the cabin to pass the time on longer flights? Chicago to LA is about 4 hours, for example...are you really that busy once the plane is at cruising altitude?
5. What's something about your job or about flying planes in general the average person doesn't know? Anything weird, unique, fun, or unusual you want to tell us about?
FWIW I fly Southwest exclusively out of MDW.
Ground stop or metering delays will happen often into the major east coast airports, i.e, LGA, JFK, EWR, BOS. On the West Coast, it is common to have delays into SFO, SEA, YVR, and LAX (again depending on the weather). With weather, things will really slow down. When the weather is clear, LGA can handle much higher levels of traffic because of the ability to do a "visual approach". A visual approach allows us to call the airport and traffic in front of us in sight to that particular runway, which then relieves Air Traffic Control from longer separation requirements.
When the visibility is down and instrument approaches are required, all traffic is separated by radar requiring longer final approaches, and slower arrival rates.
There are so many airplanes flying into the Northeast corrider at any given time, that Air Route Traffic Control Centers around the country start "metering" and lining up aircraft 20-40 miles in trail from each other. For example, MSP Air Route Traffic Control Center covers high altitude airspace over MN, IA, ND, SD, WI, and MI. For NYC area airports, they will have all aircraft already following at 20 miles in trail over Minneapolis. These aircraft from around the country will follow each other (20 miles in trail) all the way to NYC airports and then sequenced into the airport arrival with other traffic flows coming from the east coast, southern US, and North Atlantic. This happens whether there is good weather or not.
So you're sitting on the ground in DEN, all loaded and ready to go to New York. There is an inbound flight that will be arriving at the gate you are at very soon. All the bags for the next outbound flight are arriving in baggage carts, the passengers are waiting in the gate area, The fueling truck has the fuel requirements for that next flight, and catering is waiting for that flight to arrive. In other words, they need to move you out to utilize the gate.
So you push back, knowing that there might be a delay to New York. I've had ATC tell me the delay is 3 hours, only to start the engines after 30 minutes. As pilots, we don't have the "big picture" as to what is happening around the country. ATC doesn't always know either. Our dispatch team can always help by giving us information, but the situation is always changing so what was said 15 minutes ago may no longer apply.
Reagan National or DCA, for me, is one of the more enjoyable airports to fly into. The River visual 19 approach is challenging and fun, because we get to fly a little more aggressively than a normal straight in approach. LGA is also fun in that we can turn and bank a little more aggressively because of the airport layout. You have to be on your game here because of the short runways and high ground traffic. No soft landings here either, put in down, and get on the brakes.
I fly mostly international now, and I really miss flying into LGA, DCA, BOS and some of the other airports that made flying really fun.
Finally, you ask about anything I would like to tell about being a pilot, and I do have one comment:
It is not as fun as it used to be. I have flown for my airline for almost 28 years now, and between the 42% pay cut after 9-11, loss of the pension plan, to the new security directives, and less time at home with my family, I'm not sure I would encourage anyone to go into this career field.
Don't get me wrong, I have a very blessed life and am grateful for all that I have. But for someone to invest $50,000 into a 4 year college education, invest another $70,000 into getting the flying licenses needed, and then start out at a regional making only $18,000 a year, I'm not sure that is an investment I would make again, given all the other "quality of life" issues that have been eroded away over time.
Maybe I'm getting too old...I think I'll go take a nap!
757guy
Alrighty, here goes:
1. For some reason I always get nervous we'll pull back from the gate but get stuck on the runway. I hear all the horror stories of people sitting there for 2-3 hours. So far it's only happened to me once...about a 20 minute wait because of some ATC radar issue. We also couldn't deplane for a bit one time because the forward door wouldn't open. Still, my claustrophobia starts getting to me when we sit there for too long. Realistically how often does this sort of thing occur? Are there certain days/times/airports that seem to be bad?
2. I've heard Reagan (DCA) is one of the trickier airports to fly in and out of for a pilot. The numerous no-fly zones around the capitol area make for some interesting maneuvers. Is this true?
3. Is it true that they're not really called "flaps"?
4. What do you guys do in the cabin to pass the time on longer flights? Chicago to LA is about 4 hours, for example...are you really that busy once the plane is at cruising altitude?
5. What's something about your job or about flying planes in general the average person doesn't know? Anything weird, unique, fun, or unusual you want to tell us about?
FWIW I fly Southwest exclusively out of MDW.
Ground stop or metering delays will happen often into the major east coast airports, i.e, LGA, JFK, EWR, BOS. On the West Coast, it is common to have delays into SFO, SEA, YVR, and LAX (again depending on the weather). With weather, things will really slow down. When the weather is clear, LGA can handle much higher levels of traffic because of the ability to do a "visual approach". A visual approach allows us to call the airport and traffic in front of us in sight to that particular runway, which then relieves Air Traffic Control from longer separation requirements.
When the visibility is down and instrument approaches are required, all traffic is separated by radar requiring longer final approaches, and slower arrival rates.
There are so many airplanes flying into the Northeast corrider at any given time, that Air Route Traffic Control Centers around the country start "metering" and lining up aircraft 20-40 miles in trail from each other. For example, MSP Air Route Traffic Control Center covers high altitude airspace over MN, IA, ND, SD, WI, and MI. For NYC area airports, they will have all aircraft already following at 20 miles in trail over Minneapolis. These aircraft from around the country will follow each other (20 miles in trail) all the way to NYC airports and then sequenced into the airport arrival with other traffic flows coming from the east coast, southern US, and North Atlantic. This happens whether there is good weather or not.
So you're sitting on the ground in DEN, all loaded and ready to go to New York. There is an inbound flight that will be arriving at the gate you are at very soon. All the bags for the next outbound flight are arriving in baggage carts, the passengers are waiting in the gate area, The fueling truck has the fuel requirements for that next flight, and catering is waiting for that flight to arrive. In other words, they need to move you out to utilize the gate.
So you push back, knowing that there might be a delay to New York. I've had ATC tell me the delay is 3 hours, only to start the engines after 30 minutes. As pilots, we don't have the "big picture" as to what is happening around the country. ATC doesn't always know either. Our dispatch team can always help by giving us information, but the situation is always changing so what was said 15 minutes ago may no longer apply.
Reagan National or DCA, for me, is one of the more enjoyable airports to fly into. The River visual 19 approach is challenging and fun, because we get to fly a little more aggressively than a normal straight in approach. LGA is also fun in that we can turn and bank a little more aggressively because of the airport layout. You have to be on your game here because of the short runways and high ground traffic. No soft landings here either, put in down, and get on the brakes.
I fly mostly international now, and I really miss flying into LGA, DCA, BOS and some of the other airports that made flying really fun.
Finally, you ask about anything I would like to tell about being a pilot, and I do have one comment:
It is not as fun as it used to be. I have flown for my airline for almost 28 years now, and between the 42% pay cut after 9-11, loss of the pension plan, to the new security directives, and less time at home with my family, I'm not sure I would encourage anyone to go into this career field.
Don't get me wrong, I have a very blessed life and am grateful for all that I have. But for someone to invest $50,000 into a 4 year college education, invest another $70,000 into getting the flying licenses needed, and then start out at a regional making only $18,000 a year, I'm not sure that is an investment I would make again, given all the other "quality of life" issues that have been eroded away over time.
Maybe I'm getting too old...I think I'll go take a nap!
757guy
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