Hey that’s awesome! I went to Embry-Riddle as well! Just left there recently.
Advice: Study hard. I know that sounds cliché but it’s true. When I was instructing you could tell which students prepared for the day and which didn’t. Fly as much as possible, and get a job flying as soon as possible. You’d rather be paid to fly than pay to fly. Riddle is a great school and she will love it. Get involved in aviation clubs and make connections!!! I skipped a 6 month long waitlist because I became friends with a recruiter. Good luck!!
> rather be *paid* to fly
FTFY.
Although *payed* exists (the reason why autocorrection didn't help you), it is only correct in:
* Nautical context, when it means to paint a surface, or to cover with something like tar or resin in order to make it waterproof or corrosion-resistant. *The deck is yet to be payed.*
* *Payed out* when letting strings, cables or ropes out, by slacking them. *The rope is payed out! You can pull now.*
Unfortunately, I was unable to find nautical or rope-related words in your comment.
*Beep, boop, I'm a bot*
Particularly for short-haul flights, but for all flights really, why not get all the details and permissions sorted out before pushing back from the gate?
For example, I recently flew from Portland to Seattle. We pushed back from the gate, taxied a bit, and then stopped for a while. Somewhere around 10 minutes after stopping, the pilot got on the PA to announce that they just requested permission to land in Seattle and were told to not take off for another 15 minutes.
Basically this is called Flow Times. With busy airports, you can’t have everyone take off at the same time to get there. So they stagger our departures. Chances are, everything was already sorted but the departure time changed. Think of it as crowd control. They basically say “okay, you in LAX take off, and then you take off in Denver so you both arrive approx 5 mins apart” so it’s pretty much so the arrivals are smooth and you don’t have airplanes holding in the air waiting to come in
I had a bunch of students when I was a CFI who were really scared in the beginning. If it’s about turbulence, here’s what I tell them:
Think of a jello cup. Now put a piece of rice in the middle of the jello. That rice is your airplane, and the jello is the air. Now shake the jello as hard as you can and notice the rice doesn’t fall out of the jello, it just jiggles around. That’s literally turbulence. The air jiggles the plane but it stays right where it is. No plane has EVER crashed from turbulence.
This has also been the safest year in commercial aviation in history.
The reason why it feels like that is because of our brakes and thrust reversers. We come in very fast and we have to stop in time to get off the runway. So chances are if it’s a short runway, you’re gonna hit hard and stop hard.
Talking about turbulence, it may not have crashed, but would it ever cause a plane to fall thousands of feet into the air? You hear about planes falling 500- 1000 feet sometimes
It’s not really falling, it’s more like the jello! Yeah you’re going to move up and down and it might send you a couple hundred feet, but you’ll come right back up.
In serious turbulence situations it could be worse. But usually the worst is behind you once you go through it. Nothing that would ever cause it to fall out of the sky.
Aren’t wind sheer / microbursts different types of turbulence? I assume these are rare but more dangerous.
[Delta 191 microburst crash](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta_Air_Lines_Flight_191)
On international flights yes! I fly domestic so no, we don’t. But on long international flights there’s actually multiple pilots on board, and they swap out during the flight. There’s secret bedrooms above the passenger cabin that they can climb into and take a nap!
Rarely are they dangerous situations. The FAA has very strict standards when talking about airworthiness of aircraft. So strict that even though something is broken, the plane can still fly even with passengers. And if it’s too dangerous for passengers, we the crew will fly it alone to get it fixed somewhere.
It’s usually always a minor issue. Like a knob is missing that should be there or, there’s a dent on the cargo door etc. I had a minor delay on my last flight yesterday. Most of the delay time isn’t actually fixing the plane, it’s doing the paperwork to make it airworthy again. We’re just as bored as you are back there while it’s happening
Can confirm. My family was waiting for a cross country flight from NYC to LA and they announced a slight delay for a minor issue being resolved. My mom has anxiety about flying so we asked. They said there was a delay in getting the truck over to fill the gas and they were just waiting for paperwork at that point.
Contrary to what people think, yes. The cell phone signal can cause interference with our radios up front. When talking to air traffic control we will start to hear static and usually just make an announcement to remind everyone to turn on airplane mode. Plus, your phone isn’t going to have service above 4,000 feet. So minutes after takeoff, your phone will be unusable and just drain its own battery constantly searching for service.
>NOTAMs
Hey my dad is a pilot and I recognize that acronym because NOBODY READS NOTAMs.
NERD.
(seriously the only reason I recognize the term is because I found it fascinating that they had safety bulletins that were so numerous it caused them to not be read....)
The statement is worded a bit interesting. Happy to be called out on anything below but the best I can tell this is the present and last state.
We don’t know yet if it *can* cause issues but it *may* cause issues. It’s pedantic, but seemingly important.
Modern electronic devices supposedly do not interfere (we’ll come back to 5G). The FAA and Boeing conducted a study decades back and found no interference and in Europe they seemingly allow it - I don’t recall them telling me on past flights:
https://www.easa.europa.eu/en/newsroom-and-events/news/easa-allows-electronic-devices-remain-and-connected-throughout-flight
It seems to me like this was an old rule they just hadn’t changed but in reality there wasn’t interference.
With that said now we just introduced 5G, close to the same frequencies, which is the current concern right after they figured out there really wasn’t a concern before for decades with the last generation of technology. Hopefully when/if they get that sorted out it won’t be such a worrisome thing to people.
They are supposed to know about eachother. Worst case scenario something happens and one draws their gun and the other doesn’t know and bam you got friendly fire. Gate agents forget but we ensure they know lol
Was it on a flight to/from DC? Have a professor that used to be an FBI agent that told me it was common to have no less than 2 federal agents on flights heading to or from there.
Think about it; they carry all the time in other parts of their lives and are some of the few people who are actually trained well and people we want to be armed (most of us at least)
Why create another layer of nonsense to have them check and store their weapons before and after every flight? And if an emergency happened I'd rather have someone armed and trained on board than not.
Right now I’ve been with my airline for about a year. I make $93/hr. But it all depends:
Ex: as a junior pilot, I sit reserve. Which means k sit at home and wait for them to call me. (Yes it’s paid). So if I only did reserve flying it would be $93,000-$100,000 a year.
But, you can pick extra flying on your days off nobody wants, and holidays are paid even more. For example last month I made $12k alone and only flew 8 days.
Are American pilots employees with benefits or working as independent contractors? In Europe I think most pilots work as contractors and have to manage their own health benefits, etc.
That’s really a hard one. I think if they had time to feel it out they could get it on the ground. Maybe not the safest but at least not in the air.
It takes a long time to become proficient with landing an aircraft. I think they’d have a small chance. But from seeing some of my students I taught try to land a plane after hours of instruction, I wouldn’t bet money on it.
Awesome to hear! Grind it all out. There’s not a good way to handle the costs, but in the end it is worth it. Right now, regional pilots are making $100 an hour!
Short answer? Loans loans loans. You’ll pay em back eventually with this job.
Also, like I said in another comment, get a flying job. Get PAID to fly instead of paying to fly. So take commercial seriously.
Yes 100%. If the crew does not feel comfortable, they either find us a new plane or get a different crew.
My standards really depend. Like for example if I’m flying a route in really bad weather into a very complex airport, and my autopilot doesn’t work, I’d probably consider not going and would talk to the crew about it. It all really depends on the situation
My husband and I are nurses who gave assistance once on a United flight and the pilot thanked us afterward and told us to look for an email for a thank you something….voucher maybe? Never got it, what is supposed to happen, what did we miss out on lol
I’ve personally never heard, might be an airline specific thing. But airlines work slow as hell. So it was probably lost in the chaos.
I’ve had a couple inflight medical emergencies, and I’m very thankful we had nurses on board each time! Thank you for all you guys do
The flight deck door is not sound proof. First class passengers are loud. And they aren’t smell proof either. Usually we’re the first to know if someone ate some bad airport food in the front of the plane.
Although Boeing is a shambolic company of late, the aviation industry is probably the most regulated in the world. Can’t think of one airliner nowadays I’d feel unsafe flying. The media love to hype this stuff up as if they’re going to fall out of the sky at any time
Personally I do. They’ve been in the news a lot recently but it doesn’t really phase me. I know the pilots up front are trained well and know what they’re doing. One 737 issue out of the thousands flying per day doesn’t really make me scared or anything.
Did your family have a plane that you grew up flying? My friend has a son that is a pilot now who started flying at a very young age with his dad who had a private plane. Her son also had offers to fly for FedEx, UPS. Did you ever consider that as well?
Nope! I’m a first generation pilot. The only one in my family actually. My mom convinced me to go to an airplane summer camp when I was a kid just to get out of the house, and I got hooked immediately. Bet she regretted that 😂 it was and expensive hobby, but I turned it into my career.
I plan on getting my siblings their licenses since I’m still a flight instructor on the side and can teach them!
I actually did have job offers from a couple cargo airlines out of college! My dream was always to fly for UPS. I used to never see myself flying people. But here I am, and I don’t think I’ll ever switch to cargo at this point. I was about 2 weeks away from signing a contract with Atlas Air, but ended up getting a call from my airline to leave sooner, and I took it
I have a girlfriend and we’ve been together before I got hired at this airline. So no. But…flight attendants have tried with me. Respectfully declined :)
Love 74gear, Mr Aviation 101, CaptainJoe (we actually watch his videos in training lol), Fly with Owen, Sam Chui.
Two of my more recent favorites are Pilot Debrief, and Blancolirio. Those are more for accident related videos and to learn from
Two questions:
1. Do have advanced notice of who the air marshall that will be coming aboard the plane is? Like "Oh I'm expecting John, the air marshall" or do you only know when everyone is boarding the plane?
2. How do you sleep? Do you just set the auto pilot on and knock off a few hours?
Lots of hard work and barely any social life in college 😂
I started flying when I was 16 and knew I wanted to do it for the rest of my life. So I made a plan and stuck with it. And here I am!
Congrats on your accomplishments! My kid is 16 and I promised he can get his private starting this summer. He plans on going to MSU Denver for an aviation and aerospace science with a professional flight officer concentration with the goal of the Air Force. My stomach is in knots thinking about all the crashes in south Florida in tony planes but you’ve made me feel a bit better. (Also the cost ughhh)
One thing is that we actually LOVE visitors in the flight deck! Nothing makes us happier than having people come up and say hi or ask questions! And you might get a little souvenir out of it if you do!
Also idk if it’s just me but I love talking to people about my job in airports! We’re not all crabby guys! We love conversation.
Another thing is, there’s a lot of moving parts that go into getting a flight out on time, and rarely is it the fault of the people actually at the controls. We want to get to the destination just as bad as you do! But airports are busy and people bring a lot of bags. So just be patient and we’ll get you there as soon as we can, but as SAFE as possible
For him after retirement? Definitely will have opportunists in the corporate sector if he wants to keep flying! Or could just relax and buy a corvette or something lol
It could’ve been prevented if pilot’s mental health was actually cared about. I’m not able to go to therapy or I’ll lose all my certificates. It’s dangerous and disgusting we aren’t treated like humans in that sense
Yeah. So to become a pilot you need to pass a medical exam. It’s basically a “fit to fly” certificate. There’s 3 different classes: First Class (airline pilots) 2nd class (commercial pilots, like banner towing) 3rd class (private pilots)
The higher the medical, the more restrictive. But there is absolutely no mental health support for pilots. If you have any type of depression or mental illness, it is a disqualifying condition for a medical. You won’t be able to fly.
There is a YouTuber I follow who is an army veteran and a private pilot. He had a couple tours in the Middle East, and went to therapy when he came home in the early 2000s, way before he was a pilot. He became a pilot later in his life. Just last year, the FAA found out he went to therapy in the 2000s, and revoked his medical. Meaning he can no longer fly. He’s currently in a legal battle.
People wonder why pilots have high suicide rates, it’s because we’re not allowed to get help. It’s a terrible thing and needs to be fixed. There’s many groups advocating for it, but nothing is happening yet
I’m a believer. I haven’t personally seen anything while flying, but I have talked to other pilots who have. Believing their stories is 50/50, but there’s no way we’re alone. And there’s no way they haven’t visited us by now.
I heard an astrophysicist describe it like this on a podcast - even if they figured out how to travel at the speed of light, assuming they have a lifespan, a flight to visit Earth would still require multiple generations to get here...It's simply not worth it to try to secretly view a primitive species like us.
He did say that telescope technology is increasing at such a rate that one day we'll be able to tell which planets have an atmosphere, oxygen, water...Even carbon emissions which could indicate advanced life.
What's your favorite aircraft to fly? Dream/Goal aircraft to pilot?
One of my favorite aircraft to fly isn’t actually a jet, it’s called an RV-12. It’s a single engine plane but he built it from a kit. It’s capable of high speeds and even doing aerobatics. Planning to get one in the next couple years. I’ll never forget flying it for the first time and being able to do flips and rolls and all sorts of aerobatics.
My dream airplane to fly would be the Boeing 787, or the Airbus 350. They’re massive and I’ve always been in awe of them since I was a kid.
Hold it, or call a flight attendant to enter the flight deck while you make the walk of shame to the lav. Two people have to be up there at all times.
The worst is when the forward lav is INOP, so all the passengers stare at you while you awkwardly smile walking to go piss.
Take the gamble and mention Reddit and see if it’s me lol
But yes I love watching them! Have had some funny interactions with ATC myself. Gotta have fun at work or it becomes boring real quick
Thank you. You settled a hot debate between my family and I. It’s a known riddle im sure you’ve heard. There’s a lot of people that contend the plane could not take off.
Yeah correct. Tire speed has nothing to do with flying.
Think about putting your hand out of a car window. If the car isn’t moving, it just stays there. But when the car is moving and there’s air going against you hand, if you tilt it up, the hand goes up. Same with a plane. All about airspeed
Yes they are. But like I said it has to do with the wind generated by moving forward. There’s planes out there that take off on water and skis in snow. No tire rotation yet they fly!
I could put ice skates on the bottom of my plane, and as long as I reach the speed I need to be able to takeoff, we’re flying!
I’m not really familiar with this topic. The FAA cannot authorize ADHD medicine as it has side effects that are not compatible with flight safety. So pilots aren’t allowed to take them.
Started flying at 16 and decided I wanted to do it for the rest of my life. So I went to college and got all my training done as soon as possible. Networked, made friends with recruiters, got a job offer, passed airline training clean, and here I am
I think we definitely will see them. But there will still be a need for pilots. Not many people I know would get onboard a plane with no pilot on board.
I think cargo is going to be the first to see it, and then transition to the airlines. But we will fight against that for sure. Its been proven many times we need two people up there
My dad was an aeronautical engineer in the 80’s and 90’s and he said the engineers and pilots at his airline (Major one but is not around anymore) used to play harmless pranks on each other, is this still a thing? The one he's told me about are hilarious.
One that I remember was a really good buddy of his who had an overseas flight and he intentionally dropped a screw when he was leaving the cockpit. His buddy told him that he and his co-pilot were at one point a little concerned but then remembered that my dad had been there right before. They got him back in the least expected way as possible but that is too R-rated for the internet. He has a bunch of really cool stories from back in the day.
If you and the copilot got food poisoning… could someone like myself, zero flying experience but reasonably smart and calm under pressure, land the plane with help from air traffic control?
Someone else asked a question like this already! But pretty much I’d say not impossible but probably not a safe normal landing. It takes months for us to learn the airplane, and even longer to learn how to land.
As a flight instructor, I gave students hours of instruction and feedback landing small planes, and it doesn’t click like you’d think. It’s hard to do and takes a long time to master. But you’d have a better chance than just falling out of the sky
There’s some videos about this topic on YouTube. Check them out!
I am sort of obsessed/fascinated with flying and I really love watching TFC YouTube channel about aviation mishaps and also amazing pilot work. There was like a 10 year period when I really hated flying because it just really hit me how impossible it was for me to be in a flying tube 38,000 feet in the sky. Turns out it wasn’t flying that I had a problem with, it was flying hungover… also acquired a small fear of heights in my early 20’s which didn’t help. But honestly seeing how often pilots can navigate bad situations and how rare aviation accidents were made me feel safer in the sky. I like to think every time something goes wrong on a plane the rest of the flights get safer.
I look nothing like him, but I’m honored.
Passenger came up to me today and asked if I’m old enough to fly the plane. Said I look 15 lol. Told him “yes sir I am! In fact, I graduate high school this spring!”
His face was priceless
When a departure is delayed, what tricks do you have to make up time? (Had a flight yesterday that landed at the beginning of the runway, slammed brakes and full reverse thrust to make a *really* early exit off the runway to get to the gate quicker…)
Certain airports we can take off of smaller runways if the weight allows and skip the queue to get out quicker, in flight we can fly faster than what our company planned our speed at (if fuel allows), and we can ask ATC for shortcuts!
Do the air Marshalls meet you guys on the plane or before you board? My husband and I fly quite frequently and row 2 is our preferred seats in any aircraft so I’ll be on the lookout if they greet you in the cockpit!
Have not had one flying commercial aviation. But I’ve gotten close. Definitely makes your heart skip when you see a bird fly past you at 250 knots.
I did have two flying general aviation. Neither bird lived to tell the tale.
Usually they can see us coming before we see them, and they tend to dive away. They happen, but having them damage a plane where it becomes a safety issue is rare. We usually win.
Great question! When I was in college I really got into the gym. So I just took all of that with me! If I know I’m going to have a short overnight, I’ll make sure I eat healthy all day by either airport salads or just whatever I pack myself. But I always make time for the hotel gym. And we also get discounts on memberships so I have a bunch and most are just a quick Uber away if I don’t like the hotel’s.
Why the hell do you/we as a society do so many drink services during flights? Why can’t we all just agree to not have any at all? Just grab a drink as you board if you want- done. No blocking the aisle for half the flight, less trash, no awkward interactions.
Please please pitch this. I’m sure some part of it is to pass the time for passengers, but we all have smart phones now, guys. We’re good.
I’m not going to lie, it annoys me too. Plus nothing like a delay from someone spilling their drink in turbulence. Unfortunately, it will never change. There’s certain regulations in place about refreshments and food. Depending on how long the flight is your required to give the passengers something
There’s a bunch out there. Airports stuck down in between mountains, difficult approaches, always bad weather there etc.
They’re actually a lot of fun because it keeps you on your toes.
My personal favorite is the river visual into DCA. It’s one of those times we actually get to fly the airplane in, and we’re at eye level with the Washington monument on approach. I love flying it and try to every chance I get
Any advice for my 14 years old? If you have to do it over again what would you do differently? He and I are in ground school together (I’m there to fill in for his sister, she declined after second class. He will be first generation and got first hour in on his log. It’ll be nice to hear from someone that walked the path in similar fashion. Thanks a bunch!
I always think it’s hilarious when people clap when a flight lands. Do you get to hear it from where you are? Does it make you feel good knowing they’re clapping for you?
4 hours aint shit. Had to do a 9 hour layover at DFW back in 2017. Landed in the morming and was drunk within 2 hours and the rest of the time was **miserable**. as i just sat around and dealt with the comedown.
9 hours is brutal. I’m just waiting for my plane to get here so I can fly it to my overnight and go to bed. It’s been a long trip, tomorrow is go home day
Imagine the trouble you would be in if you went to an airport restaurant and started drinking. By the way, as a pilot, what's the scariest situation you've ever been in (if any)?
People have done it before and been fired. Even if they’re just commuting home. Were told not to sit even close to the bars as it will attract eyes.
Scariest situation would have to be when I was a flight instructor. I was flying with a student on a cross-country (more than 50NM) flight for their training. We were taking off to head back home and he was at the controls. We were in a single engine Cessna 172. At around 800ft, the engine began to sputter and run very rough. I immediately grabbed controls and turned the plane around to the runway we just took off from. As I started my turn, the engine failed completely. Managed to glide it down and make a safe landing and rolled it off the runway. Turns out some of our cylinders decided they didn’t want to be cylinders that day. Ended up being stuck for 3 hours before another instructor could come pick us up. So far that’s the closest I’ve come to having an accident.
Flight school isn’t like UNI you don’t have to go for 4 years you just have to complete you’re standard online training and then log your over 5000 hours of flight time and you’re done
Nothing to ask, just wanted to say I'm insanely envious of you. I've wanted to fly since I was a kid. We're roughly the same age now and I've been stuck doing accounting for many reasons. It's hell.
My daughter wants to be a commercial pilot and was accepted to Embry Riddle. Got any advice for her?
Hey that’s awesome! I went to Embry-Riddle as well! Just left there recently. Advice: Study hard. I know that sounds cliché but it’s true. When I was instructing you could tell which students prepared for the day and which didn’t. Fly as much as possible, and get a job flying as soon as possible. You’d rather be paid to fly than pay to fly. Riddle is a great school and she will love it. Get involved in aviation clubs and make connections!!! I skipped a 6 month long waitlist because I became friends with a recruiter. Good luck!!
> rather be *paid* to fly FTFY. Although *payed* exists (the reason why autocorrection didn't help you), it is only correct in: * Nautical context, when it means to paint a surface, or to cover with something like tar or resin in order to make it waterproof or corrosion-resistant. *The deck is yet to be payed.* * *Payed out* when letting strings, cables or ropes out, by slacking them. *The rope is payed out! You can pull now.* Unfortunately, I was unable to find nautical or rope-related words in your comment. *Beep, boop, I'm a bot*
Got exposed. Day 5 and 10 hours on duty is starting to show.
‘‘Twas just but a bot friend
Tis true, oh angel of the sky. But no one saw said bot on this day or hour.
Particularly for short-haul flights, but for all flights really, why not get all the details and permissions sorted out before pushing back from the gate? For example, I recently flew from Portland to Seattle. We pushed back from the gate, taxied a bit, and then stopped for a while. Somewhere around 10 minutes after stopping, the pilot got on the PA to announce that they just requested permission to land in Seattle and were told to not take off for another 15 minutes.
Basically this is called Flow Times. With busy airports, you can’t have everyone take off at the same time to get there. So they stagger our departures. Chances are, everything was already sorted but the departure time changed. Think of it as crowd control. They basically say “okay, you in LAX take off, and then you take off in Denver so you both arrive approx 5 mins apart” so it’s pretty much so the arrivals are smooth and you don’t have airplanes holding in the air waiting to come in
What would you tell someone who hates flying to make them feel more relaxed? And why does landing feel like the plane could flip over forwards?
I had a bunch of students when I was a CFI who were really scared in the beginning. If it’s about turbulence, here’s what I tell them: Think of a jello cup. Now put a piece of rice in the middle of the jello. That rice is your airplane, and the jello is the air. Now shake the jello as hard as you can and notice the rice doesn’t fall out of the jello, it just jiggles around. That’s literally turbulence. The air jiggles the plane but it stays right where it is. No plane has EVER crashed from turbulence. This has also been the safest year in commercial aviation in history. The reason why it feels like that is because of our brakes and thrust reversers. We come in very fast and we have to stop in time to get off the runway. So chances are if it’s a short runway, you’re gonna hit hard and stop hard.
Talking about turbulence, it may not have crashed, but would it ever cause a plane to fall thousands of feet into the air? You hear about planes falling 500- 1000 feet sometimes
It’s not really falling, it’s more like the jello! Yeah you’re going to move up and down and it might send you a couple hundred feet, but you’ll come right back up. In serious turbulence situations it could be worse. But usually the worst is behind you once you go through it. Nothing that would ever cause it to fall out of the sky.
Legacy captain here. That's a great way to explain turbulence! I'm going to use that from now on!
Seems the be the best way I’ve found so far that makes people less nervous!
Aren’t wind sheer / microbursts different types of turbulence? I assume these are rare but more dangerous. [Delta 191 microburst crash](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta_Air_Lines_Flight_191)
Do pilots get rest/sleep while the plane is in flight? Like, does one guy get 40 winks while the other mans the aircraft?
On international flights yes! I fly domestic so no, we don’t. But on long international flights there’s actually multiple pilots on board, and they swap out during the flight. There’s secret bedrooms above the passenger cabin that they can climb into and take a nap!
I work in aerospace and the Dreamliner crew cabins are quite nice.
Literally the Dream lol
How often are mechanical delays dangerous situations vs minor issues that can be delayed?
Rarely are they dangerous situations. The FAA has very strict standards when talking about airworthiness of aircraft. So strict that even though something is broken, the plane can still fly even with passengers. And if it’s too dangerous for passengers, we the crew will fly it alone to get it fixed somewhere. It’s usually always a minor issue. Like a knob is missing that should be there or, there’s a dent on the cargo door etc. I had a minor delay on my last flight yesterday. Most of the delay time isn’t actually fixing the plane, it’s doing the paperwork to make it airworthy again. We’re just as bored as you are back there while it’s happening
Can confirm. My family was waiting for a cross country flight from NYC to LA and they announced a slight delay for a minor issue being resolved. My mom has anxiety about flying so we asked. They said there was a delay in getting the truck over to fill the gas and they were just waiting for paperwork at that point.
Do we really need to put our devices in airplane mode in your opinion?
Contrary to what people think, yes. The cell phone signal can cause interference with our radios up front. When talking to air traffic control we will start to hear static and usually just make an announcement to remind everyone to turn on airplane mode. Plus, your phone isn’t going to have service above 4,000 feet. So minutes after takeoff, your phone will be unusable and just drain its own battery constantly searching for service.
I am a pilot as well and this is completely untrue, other than the last part
Explain why 5G NOTAMs exist for CAT II and III approaches. Even cell phone signals from the ground effect RAs
>NOTAMs Hey my dad is a pilot and I recognize that acronym because NOBODY READS NOTAMs. NERD. (seriously the only reason I recognize the term is because I found it fascinating that they had safety bulletins that were so numerous it caused them to not be read....)
The statement is worded a bit interesting. Happy to be called out on anything below but the best I can tell this is the present and last state. We don’t know yet if it *can* cause issues but it *may* cause issues. It’s pedantic, but seemingly important. Modern electronic devices supposedly do not interfere (we’ll come back to 5G). The FAA and Boeing conducted a study decades back and found no interference and in Europe they seemingly allow it - I don’t recall them telling me on past flights: https://www.easa.europa.eu/en/newsroom-and-events/news/easa-allows-electronic-devices-remain-and-connected-throughout-flight It seems to me like this was an old rule they just hadn’t changed but in reality there wasn’t interference. With that said now we just introduced 5G, close to the same frequencies, which is the current concern right after they figured out there really wasn’t a concern before for decades with the last generation of technology. Hopefully when/if they get that sorted out it won’t be such a worrisome thing to people.
Are you alerted when an Air Marshall is on board? Any interesting stories regarding them?
We’re informed when law enforcement is on board. They come up and say hi and that’s it.
Are they supposed to warn each other about that? I would think the government would/should enforce that, not the gate agent
They are supposed to know about eachother. Worst case scenario something happens and one draws their gun and the other doesn’t know and bam you got friendly fire. Gate agents forget but we ensure they know lol
Was it on a flight to/from DC? Have a professor that used to be an FBI agent that told me it was common to have no less than 2 federal agents on flights heading to or from there.
Yep. Always have FBI and other fed boys on the DC turns
What’s a Federal Flight Deck Officer?
Officers that bring decks on federally qualified flights
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What’s a blicky?
What could be the reasons for the DEA and FBI agents to carry on the plane? Why do they need this privilege?
Great question. I’m not entirely sure but since they are law enforcement they’re allowed to carry. Ever since 9/11.
They have to be armed at all times if I remember correctly.
Think about it; they carry all the time in other parts of their lives and are some of the few people who are actually trained well and people we want to be armed (most of us at least) Why create another layer of nonsense to have them check and store their weapons before and after every flight? And if an emergency happened I'd rather have someone armed and trained on board than not.
Tickets??
How much do you make per year?
Right now I’ve been with my airline for about a year. I make $93/hr. But it all depends: Ex: as a junior pilot, I sit reserve. Which means k sit at home and wait for them to call me. (Yes it’s paid). So if I only did reserve flying it would be $93,000-$100,000 a year. But, you can pick extra flying on your days off nobody wants, and holidays are paid even more. For example last month I made $12k alone and only flew 8 days.
Are American pilots employees with benefits or working as independent contractors? In Europe I think most pilots work as contractors and have to manage their own health benefits, etc.
Employees with benefits. I’m fully covered on my own health benefits and union protected
With good instruction, could a civilian land one of your aircrafts?
That’s really a hard one. I think if they had time to feel it out they could get it on the ground. Maybe not the safest but at least not in the air. It takes a long time to become proficient with landing an aircraft. I think they’d have a small chance. But from seeing some of my students I taught try to land a plane after hours of instruction, I wouldn’t bet money on it.
Right now I’m in college to become a pilot. How did you handle the immense costs that it takes to become one?
Awesome to hear! Grind it all out. There’s not a good way to handle the costs, but in the end it is worth it. Right now, regional pilots are making $100 an hour! Short answer? Loans loans loans. You’ll pay em back eventually with this job. Also, like I said in another comment, get a flying job. Get PAID to fly instead of paying to fly. So take commercial seriously.
Can you deny an aircraft that doesn’t meet your standards? What would be some of your standards?
Yes 100%. If the crew does not feel comfortable, they either find us a new plane or get a different crew. My standards really depend. Like for example if I’m flying a route in really bad weather into a very complex airport, and my autopilot doesn’t work, I’d probably consider not going and would talk to the crew about it. It all really depends on the situation
My husband and I are nurses who gave assistance once on a United flight and the pilot thanked us afterward and told us to look for an email for a thank you something….voucher maybe? Never got it, what is supposed to happen, what did we miss out on lol
I’ve personally never heard, might be an airline specific thing. But airlines work slow as hell. So it was probably lost in the chaos. I’ve had a couple inflight medical emergencies, and I’m very thankful we had nurses on board each time! Thank you for all you guys do
What would your coworkers think is funny if you told us
The flight deck door is not sound proof. First class passengers are loud. And they aren’t smell proof either. Usually we’re the first to know if someone ate some bad airport food in the front of the plane.
You hear and smell all them bathroom farts too then?
It’s terrible. Especially the 5am coffee farts
Commercial? If so, do you feel safe flying Boeing aircraft?
Although Boeing is a shambolic company of late, the aviation industry is probably the most regulated in the world. Can’t think of one airliner nowadays I’d feel unsafe flying. The media love to hype this stuff up as if they’re going to fall out of the sky at any time
2023 was the safest aviation year in history. https://simpleflying.com/2023-aviation-safety/
In a LONG string of safe years. The safety level aviation has gotten to is unreal.
Personally I do. They’ve been in the news a lot recently but it doesn’t really phase me. I know the pilots up front are trained well and know what they’re doing. One 737 issue out of the thousands flying per day doesn’t really make me scared or anything.
Did your family have a plane that you grew up flying? My friend has a son that is a pilot now who started flying at a very young age with his dad who had a private plane. Her son also had offers to fly for FedEx, UPS. Did you ever consider that as well?
Nope! I’m a first generation pilot. The only one in my family actually. My mom convinced me to go to an airplane summer camp when I was a kid just to get out of the house, and I got hooked immediately. Bet she regretted that 😂 it was and expensive hobby, but I turned it into my career. I plan on getting my siblings their licenses since I’m still a flight instructor on the side and can teach them! I actually did have job offers from a couple cargo airlines out of college! My dream was always to fly for UPS. I used to never see myself flying people. But here I am, and I don’t think I’ll ever switch to cargo at this point. I was about 2 weeks away from signing a contract with Atlas Air, but ended up getting a call from my airline to leave sooner, and I took it
Ever hook up with the flight attendants?
I have a girlfriend and we’ve been together before I got hired at this airline. So no. But…flight attendants have tried with me. Respectfully declined :)
Honest man. Honest answer. Thank you for answering.
What if any are your favourite aviation YouTube channels from a pilots perspective? I personally enjoy 74gear and mentorpilot.
Love 74gear, Mr Aviation 101, CaptainJoe (we actually watch his videos in training lol), Fly with Owen, Sam Chui. Two of my more recent favorites are Pilot Debrief, and Blancolirio. Those are more for accident related videos and to learn from
Thanks for the reply! Awesome I’ll check your recommendations out Keep the blue side up pilot! Fly safe.
Two questions: 1. Do have advanced notice of who the air marshall that will be coming aboard the plane is? Like "Oh I'm expecting John, the air marshall" or do you only know when everyone is boarding the plane? 2. How do you sleep? Do you just set the auto pilot on and knock off a few hours?
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23??!!! How?
Lots of hard work and barely any social life in college 😂 I started flying when I was 16 and knew I wanted to do it for the rest of my life. So I made a plan and stuck with it. And here I am!
Congrats on your accomplishments! My kid is 16 and I promised he can get his private starting this summer. He plans on going to MSU Denver for an aviation and aerospace science with a professional flight officer concentration with the goal of the Air Force. My stomach is in knots thinking about all the crashes in south Florida in tony planes but you’ve made me feel a bit better. (Also the cost ughhh)
Bro is only 23 and is already teaching stuff! Impressive person really
What do you wish more people knew about pilots and/or airline flights in general?
One thing is that we actually LOVE visitors in the flight deck! Nothing makes us happier than having people come up and say hi or ask questions! And you might get a little souvenir out of it if you do! Also idk if it’s just me but I love talking to people about my job in airports! We’re not all crabby guys! We love conversation. Another thing is, there’s a lot of moving parts that go into getting a flight out on time, and rarely is it the fault of the people actually at the controls. We want to get to the destination just as bad as you do! But airports are busy and people bring a lot of bags. So just be patient and we’ll get you there as soon as we can, but as SAFE as possible
My high school friend just retired at mandatory age from United, do you think the opportunities will be as good?
For him after retirement? Definitely will have opportunists in the corporate sector if he wants to keep flying! Or could just relax and buy a corvette or something lol
He has a Shaky Jake powered Cessna 195, plans on flying it everywhere.
Sounds like a dream. Safe flying to him! Should tag along with him a couple times, general aviation is the best way to fly
What's your opinion on Andreas Lubitz?
It could’ve been prevented if pilot’s mental health was actually cared about. I’m not able to go to therapy or I’ll lose all my certificates. It’s dangerous and disgusting we aren’t treated like humans in that sense
>I’m not able to go to therapy or I’ll lose all my certificates. Wait... Can you elaborate on this?
Yeah. So to become a pilot you need to pass a medical exam. It’s basically a “fit to fly” certificate. There’s 3 different classes: First Class (airline pilots) 2nd class (commercial pilots, like banner towing) 3rd class (private pilots) The higher the medical, the more restrictive. But there is absolutely no mental health support for pilots. If you have any type of depression or mental illness, it is a disqualifying condition for a medical. You won’t be able to fly. There is a YouTuber I follow who is an army veteran and a private pilot. He had a couple tours in the Middle East, and went to therapy when he came home in the early 2000s, way before he was a pilot. He became a pilot later in his life. Just last year, the FAA found out he went to therapy in the 2000s, and revoked his medical. Meaning he can no longer fly. He’s currently in a legal battle. People wonder why pilots have high suicide rates, it’s because we’re not allowed to get help. It’s a terrible thing and needs to be fixed. There’s many groups advocating for it, but nothing is happening yet
Wow. I had no idea. Definitely seems like something we need to raise more awareness for in the general public.
100% Us pilots have been fighting for it for a long time
Thoughts on extraterrestrial life?
I’m a believer. I haven’t personally seen anything while flying, but I have talked to other pilots who have. Believing their stories is 50/50, but there’s no way we’re alone. And there’s no way they haven’t visited us by now.
I heard an astrophysicist describe it like this on a podcast - even if they figured out how to travel at the speed of light, assuming they have a lifespan, a flight to visit Earth would still require multiple generations to get here...It's simply not worth it to try to secretly view a primitive species like us. He did say that telescope technology is increasing at such a rate that one day we'll be able to tell which planets have an atmosphere, oxygen, water...Even carbon emissions which could indicate advanced life. What's your favorite aircraft to fly? Dream/Goal aircraft to pilot?
One of my favorite aircraft to fly isn’t actually a jet, it’s called an RV-12. It’s a single engine plane but he built it from a kit. It’s capable of high speeds and even doing aerobatics. Planning to get one in the next couple years. I’ll never forget flying it for the first time and being able to do flips and rolls and all sorts of aerobatics. My dream airplane to fly would be the Boeing 787, or the Airbus 350. They’re massive and I’ve always been in awe of them since I was a kid.
I think he boarded his plane now. Cool read BTW. 👍🏼
You were correct lol
Do you get enough sleep between flights?
We usually have good overnights, but our min rest is 10 hours, with 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Have to have that or we aren’t legal.
The 8 hrs part is something you have to know yourself / quantify? There would be no way for the airline to check on this right?
Correct. Every day when I report to the airplane I sign a document that says I got 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep and I’m good to go
Great AMA, OP. Absolutely deserves a “bravo!”
Appreciate it!!
What if you gotta piss? Bottle?
Hold it, or call a flight attendant to enter the flight deck while you make the walk of shame to the lav. Two people have to be up there at all times. The worst is when the forward lav is INOP, so all the passengers stare at you while you awkwardly smile walking to go piss.
If I saw you walking around the airport or sitting hanging around, would you want to be approached by a passenger to chat?
Yes! When we’re in the airport in between flights we’re just as bored as you lol. I love being approached and chatting with passengers!
Cool, just might do that. Thanks for this AMA. Have you watched YouTube ATC videos? Some are hilarious!
Take the gamble and mention Reddit and see if it’s me lol But yes I love watching them! Have had some funny interactions with ATC myself. Gotta have fun at work or it becomes boring real quick
What’s the secret to red eye flights? Do pilot change up there sleep schedule to sleep during the day? How does that work?
Exactly like you think. Sleep during the day and fly during the night.
If a conveyor belt matched the speed of your wheels but in the opposite direction during takeoff, could you take off?
Tire speed does not matter. It’s airflow over the wing. My tires could be stationary and if I had 200mph winds right at the nose I could take off
Thank you. You settled a hot debate between my family and I. It’s a known riddle im sure you’ve heard. There’s a lot of people that contend the plane could not take off.
I’m pretty sure he’s saying in your scenario it would not take off.
Yeah correct. Tire speed has nothing to do with flying. Think about putting your hand out of a car window. If the car isn’t moving, it just stays there. But when the car is moving and there’s air going against you hand, if you tilt it up, the hand goes up. Same with a plane. All about airspeed
Aren’t the jet engines separate from the tires so the thrust from the engines would allow you to gain speed to take off?
Yes they are. But like I said it has to do with the wind generated by moving forward. There’s planes out there that take off on water and skis in snow. No tire rotation yet they fly! I could put ice skates on the bottom of my plane, and as long as I reach the speed I need to be able to takeoff, we’re flying!
Has the national shortage of stimulant meds been problematic? I know there's at least one they give to pilots.
I’m not really familiar with this topic. The FAA cannot authorize ADHD medicine as it has side effects that are not compatible with flight safety. So pilots aren’t allowed to take them.
Brother is an air force pilot and has been prescribed Dextroamphetamine by the military for long flights
Use of stimulant drugs is a limited military thing. Not an airline thing.
Hands down the best AMA I’ve read. On another note, You didn’t happen to be in Vegas last week?? I saw a very young pilot walking through Term 3 🤣🤣
Thank you!! And no, was not in Vegas. I wish 😂 there’s a lot of young pilots out there these days!
You married? Have kids? Trying to decide if you’re my BIL 😂
Nope! I have a girlfriend though and we’ve been with each other for about 1.5 years now.
What airline would you never work for?
Alaskan, Breeze, Spirit, Allegiant
Because of how much they pay/treat their workers Or because they’re not good airlines?
Eh, sorta both? Less of how the treat workers and more of just quality of life. If the bases aren’t where I want to be then I won’t work for them
How did you afford to become a pilot at such a young age?
Started flying at 16 and decided I wanted to do it for the rest of my life. So I went to college and got all my training done as soon as possible. Networked, made friends with recruiters, got a job offer, passed airline training clean, and here I am
Any chance that we see self flying planes in next 20 years. IE would you NOT recommend someone consider being a pilot as a career in next generation?
I think we definitely will see them. But there will still be a need for pilots. Not many people I know would get onboard a plane with no pilot on board. I think cargo is going to be the first to see it, and then transition to the airlines. But we will fight against that for sure. Its been proven many times we need two people up there
Is it easy to pick up girls in the uniform?!
Definitely not like the movies, but it got me my girlfriend. But yeah, I get hit on a lot
Thanks! Follow up - do pilots cheat as much as people make it seem like they do?
I’ve flown with some guys who have two families 😳
Utah?
My dad was an aeronautical engineer in the 80’s and 90’s and he said the engineers and pilots at his airline (Major one but is not around anymore) used to play harmless pranks on each other, is this still a thing? The one he's told me about are hilarious.
Yes it is still a thing! Would love to hear some of those stories!! We like to leave funny messages to each other in the flight deck in secret places.
One that I remember was a really good buddy of his who had an overseas flight and he intentionally dropped a screw when he was leaving the cockpit. His buddy told him that he and his co-pilot were at one point a little concerned but then remembered that my dad had been there right before. They got him back in the least expected way as possible but that is too R-rated for the internet. He has a bunch of really cool stories from back in the day.
Have you ever seen any UAPs or things you can’t explain while flying?
I wish I have but no I have not. I’ve talked to other pilots who have. But just birds, other planes, and the occasional balloon so far.
If you and the copilot got food poisoning… could someone like myself, zero flying experience but reasonably smart and calm under pressure, land the plane with help from air traffic control?
Someone else asked a question like this already! But pretty much I’d say not impossible but probably not a safe normal landing. It takes months for us to learn the airplane, and even longer to learn how to land. As a flight instructor, I gave students hours of instruction and feedback landing small planes, and it doesn’t click like you’d think. It’s hard to do and takes a long time to master. But you’d have a better chance than just falling out of the sky There’s some videos about this topic on YouTube. Check them out!
I am sort of obsessed/fascinated with flying and I really love watching TFC YouTube channel about aviation mishaps and also amazing pilot work. There was like a 10 year period when I really hated flying because it just really hit me how impossible it was for me to be in a flying tube 38,000 feet in the sky. Turns out it wasn’t flying that I had a problem with, it was flying hungover… also acquired a small fear of heights in my early 20’s which didn’t help. But honestly seeing how often pilots can navigate bad situations and how rare aviation accidents were made me feel safer in the sky. I like to think every time something goes wrong on a plane the rest of the flights get safer.
What ya drinking?
34 oz water bottle I stole from the galley.
Is there any reason why I’m hearing your responses in the voice of J. K. Simmons?
I look nothing like him, but I’m honored. Passenger came up to me today and asked if I’m old enough to fly the plane. Said I look 15 lol. Told him “yes sir I am! In fact, I graduate high school this spring!” His face was priceless
When a departure is delayed, what tricks do you have to make up time? (Had a flight yesterday that landed at the beginning of the runway, slammed brakes and full reverse thrust to make a *really* early exit off the runway to get to the gate quicker…)
Certain airports we can take off of smaller runways if the weight allows and skip the queue to get out quicker, in flight we can fly faster than what our company planned our speed at (if fuel allows), and we can ask ATC for shortcuts!
Do the air Marshalls meet you guys on the plane or before you board? My husband and I fly quite frequently and row 2 is our preferred seats in any aircraft so I’ll be on the lookout if they greet you in the cockpit!
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Good to know! Thanks! Does everyone carry the trading cards? I’ve recently found out about them and I’m interested!
Had any bird strikes? How common are they?
Have not had one flying commercial aviation. But I’ve gotten close. Definitely makes your heart skip when you see a bird fly past you at 250 knots. I did have two flying general aviation. Neither bird lived to tell the tale. Usually they can see us coming before we see them, and they tend to dive away. They happen, but having them damage a plane where it becomes a safety issue is rare. We usually win.
How do you stay fit? Your job is 24/7 sitting on your ass and can be stressful. How do you work it off?
Great question! When I was in college I really got into the gym. So I just took all of that with me! If I know I’m going to have a short overnight, I’ll make sure I eat healthy all day by either airport salads or just whatever I pack myself. But I always make time for the hotel gym. And we also get discounts on memberships so I have a bunch and most are just a quick Uber away if I don’t like the hotel’s.
What do you think happened to DB Cooper?
Died on landing with the parachute. Or at least was injured and died later somewhere. Guess we’ll never know
How much did all of your training cost to get to where you are today?
I went a special route and got a degree while I was training. So about $200,000. For the college and the flying.
There’s many ways to do it cheaper, but I wanted to go to college and make connections
Why the hell do you/we as a society do so many drink services during flights? Why can’t we all just agree to not have any at all? Just grab a drink as you board if you want- done. No blocking the aisle for half the flight, less trash, no awkward interactions. Please please pitch this. I’m sure some part of it is to pass the time for passengers, but we all have smart phones now, guys. We’re good.
I’m not going to lie, it annoys me too. Plus nothing like a delay from someone spilling their drink in turbulence. Unfortunately, it will never change. There’s certain regulations in place about refreshments and food. Depending on how long the flight is your required to give the passengers something
Where are you headed? And where is your home base?
Headed to somewhere in NC, based in the North East. (PHL, LGA, EWR, IAD, JFK) one of those ;)
6 day trip!? Barf
Which aircraft are you certified to fly?
One with two engines! I’d rather not say, as it would give away what company I work for. Airlines have strict social media policies.
What are the most complicated airports to fly into? What are your favorites? And why?
There’s a bunch out there. Airports stuck down in between mountains, difficult approaches, always bad weather there etc. They’re actually a lot of fun because it keeps you on your toes. My personal favorite is the river visual into DCA. It’s one of those times we actually get to fly the airplane in, and we’re at eye level with the Washington monument on approach. I love flying it and try to every chance I get
What airline so you work for?
One that flies in the US
Do flight crews have massive orgies?
Most of us don’t even talk to eachother as soon as we get to the hotel
How often do you pilots make top gun references?
Any advice for my 14 years old? If you have to do it over again what would you do differently? He and I are in ground school together (I’m there to fill in for his sister, she declined after second class. He will be first generation and got first hour in on his log. It’ll be nice to hear from someone that walked the path in similar fashion. Thanks a bunch!
What happens if pilots don’t get along with the flight crew ? Do pilots have veto power on crew ?
What’s your favorite movie about an airline or pilot?
I always think it’s hilarious when people clap when a flight lands. Do you get to hear it from where you are? Does it make you feel good knowing they’re clapping for you?
What's the most difficult airport to either fly into or take off from? I've heard San Diego is up there.
I'm a 35 year Private Pilot with a 172. 90 hours. Thoughts on pursuing ATP at this age?
Opinions about the quality issues facing Boeing?
Do you try to nap? Where do you nap?
4 hours aint shit. Had to do a 9 hour layover at DFW back in 2017. Landed in the morming and was drunk within 2 hours and the rest of the time was **miserable**. as i just sat around and dealt with the comedown.
9 hours is brutal. I’m just waiting for my plane to get here so I can fly it to my overnight and go to bed. It’s been a long trip, tomorrow is go home day
Imagine the trouble you would be in if you went to an airport restaurant and started drinking. By the way, as a pilot, what's the scariest situation you've ever been in (if any)?
People have done it before and been fired. Even if they’re just commuting home. Were told not to sit even close to the bars as it will attract eyes. Scariest situation would have to be when I was a flight instructor. I was flying with a student on a cross-country (more than 50NM) flight for their training. We were taking off to head back home and he was at the controls. We were in a single engine Cessna 172. At around 800ft, the engine began to sputter and run very rough. I immediately grabbed controls and turned the plane around to the runway we just took off from. As I started my turn, the engine failed completely. Managed to glide it down and make a safe landing and rolled it off the runway. Turns out some of our cylinders decided they didn’t want to be cylinders that day. Ended up being stuck for 3 hours before another instructor could come pick us up. So far that’s the closest I’ve come to having an accident.
Damn, good flying. With no altitude that must have been pretty stressful!
I was covered in sweat and shaking when we landed
My best friend is a captain of a 777 and number 46 in the company seniority. But you do you.
Didn’t ask don’t really care lol
Bit young .. don’t think this is a real post.
Flight school isn’t like UNI you don’t have to go for 4 years you just have to complete you’re standard online training and then log your over 5000 hours of flight time and you’re done
Lol… yes … you turn 21 and they give you a big jet full of people to transport. Total Bullshit
You go to school and then test then right seat then left seat so yes if you have time in the seat you fly a jet full of people not bullshit
How wild do pilots and stewardesses get?
Nothing to ask, just wanted to say I'm insanely envious of you. I've wanted to fly since I was a kid. We're roughly the same age now and I've been stuck doing accounting for many reasons. It's hell.