BA cockpit visit policy?
Discussion
I'm a little surprised by some of the definite and uncompromising "No chance" comments - though my experience of BA is minimal. If the aircraft is on the ground with the doors open, why would this be a big deal?
I ask because I fly out of Orlando International (on US carrier domestic flights mainly) pretty much every week and am usually seated close to the front.
Almost every little Mickey Mouse-hatted snot-nose that wants to go onto the flight deck during the boarding process is granted that request. This may not the case when getting off - I'm usually long gone by the time the tourons are shuffling off.
I ask because I fly out of Orlando International (on US carrier domestic flights mainly) pretty much every week and am usually seated close to the front.
Almost every little Mickey Mouse-hatted snot-nose that wants to go onto the flight deck during the boarding process is granted that request. This may not the case when getting off - I'm usually long gone by the time the tourons are shuffling off.
I've been in the cockpit twice (both with BA) and it was a great experience (long before 9/11)
The first time was coming back from Iran just before it all kicked off in 1979 (my father worked there as an aircraft engineer) - we landed in London and then got the shuttle back to Edinburgh. It was a Trident 3 and was empty apart from one other person. The pilot had me sitting on his lap moving the yoke which was great fun! I was young at the time but I can still vividly remember it.
The second occasion was coming back from an assessment for the BA pilot sponsorship scheme (unsuccessful
) - I was in the jump seat (757); the pilots were great and talked me through the landing.
Changed times now though!
The first time was coming back from Iran just before it all kicked off in 1979 (my father worked there as an aircraft engineer) - we landed in London and then got the shuttle back to Edinburgh. It was a Trident 3 and was empty apart from one other person. The pilot had me sitting on his lap moving the yoke which was great fun! I was young at the time but I can still vividly remember it.
The second occasion was coming back from an assessment for the BA pilot sponsorship scheme (unsuccessful
) - I was in the jump seat (757); the pilots were great and talked me through the landing.Changed times now though!
Matt Harper said:
I'm a little surprised by some of the definite and uncompromising "No chance" comments - though my experience of BA is minimal. If the aircraft is on the ground with the doors open, why would this be a big deal?
I ask because I fly out of Orlando International (on US carrier domestic flights mainly) pretty much every week and am usually seated close to the front.
Almost every little Mickey Mouse-hatted snot-nose that wants to go onto the flight deck during the boarding process is granted that request. This may not the case when getting off - I'm usually long gone by the time the tourons are shuffling off.
As a few have said above, as long as the engines aren't running it is very likely to be possible. Well worth asking if you're keen. You may even get a cool sticker to say you've visited the flight deck I ask because I fly out of Orlando International (on US carrier domestic flights mainly) pretty much every week and am usually seated close to the front.
Almost every little Mickey Mouse-hatted snot-nose that wants to go onto the flight deck during the boarding process is granted that request. This may not the case when getting off - I'm usually long gone by the time the tourons are shuffling off.
Yup, always welcome after the flight where I work, unless there's some particular hurry, which is seldom the case.
Before flight is often possible, too, depending on workload. We're usually all done and ready to go, though being a large aircraft, boarding is likely to continue for another 15 minutes. Come on up!
Before flight is often possible, too, depending on workload. We're usually all done and ready to go, though being a large aircraft, boarding is likely to continue for another 15 minutes. Come on up!
KrazyIvan said:
I would have thought pretty much zero. Take him here
http://www.brooklandsmuseum.com
Lots of plane and car stuff
This is a good shout. I went in the flight deck on the VC-10 and Concord, and sat in a Harrier while I was there. Really friendly museum staff that let you look at most stuff closer up if you ask. My mate sat in a F1 car while we there as well.http://www.brooklandsmuseum.com
Lots of plane and car stuff
lufbramatt said:
KrazyIvan said:
I would have thought pretty much zero. Take him here
http://www.brooklandsmuseum.com
Lots of plane and car stuff
This is a good shout. I went in the flight deck on the VC-10 and Concord, and sat in a Harrier while I was there. Really friendly museum staff that let you look at most stuff closer up if you ask. My mate sat in a F1 car while we there as well.http://www.brooklandsmuseum.com
Lots of plane and car stuff
I was also strapped in the jump seat during landing as a kid, those were the days
Mr Trophy said:
A real shame that you can't do it anymore.
I've done it a few times when I was younger, shame how things have turned out.
A great shame. Sometimes it's these little things that make my blood boil at what this world has become thanks to terrorism.I've done it a few times when I was younger, shame how things have turned out.
I used to fly BOAC as an unaccompanied minor, first time when I was 4, on trips to my grandparents in Holland, always had cockpit visits.
My last visit was in the mid 90s on a Air New Zealand flight from Sydney to LA. The F/O was ex Australian Air Force and kept saying that he keeps forgetting that he has 300+ people behind him
In the early 80s I took my first long haul to Hong Kong on a BA747 and somewhere over the Middle East I asked the stewardess where we where and she promptly suggested a visit to the cockpit to ask the Captain.
Now I was 20 and could not believe that I could keep asking for unlimited alcohol so I was pretty pizzed.
She took me to the front where I tripped and hit my head on the overhead switches and the Captain bellowed 'Remove this man from my cockpit...NOW!'
I got stuck on a BA flight out of the Netherlands during this http://news.sky.com/story/1179070/air-traffic-cont... fiasco.
After sitting on the runway for an hour the captain opened the door and invited anyone with kids to have a look around. I was quite suprised given the post 911 security but it was a nice thing for the kids to see. It relieved the stress of lots of bored children running around the cabin and kicking the seats whilst letting everyone know they were bored
After sitting on the runway for an hour the captain opened the door and invited anyone with kids to have a look around. I was quite suprised given the post 911 security but it was a nice thing for the kids to see. It relieved the stress of lots of bored children running around the cabin and kicking the seats whilst letting everyone know they were bored
My Father was a 747 Captain, i was lucky enough to do many trips in the jump seat sitting behind him. An incredible experience for a young teenager, i'll never forget it. I used to sit in the 1st officers seat also when he was out and about. Of course my dad never ever switched off the autopilot so i could hold the controls during the cruise....hardly at all ;-)
Around 30 years ago I returned from a skiing holiday after my (then to be) wife had torn the ligaments in her knee and was in plaster from toe to bum.
During take off and landing her leg needed to be up off the floor, for safety access reasons. The only way to achieve this was to sit her sideways on the seat with the plastered leg stretched across the two seats next to her - which were occupied by a friend and myself.
So for these periods the friend and myseld were strapped into the two jump seats behind the pilot and co-pilot. I don't recall the type of aircraft now but it was a big'un. Can you imagine it these days...
For take off and landing!!! Incredible.
Needless to say the sights were amazing for us mere mortals!
During take off and landing her leg needed to be up off the floor, for safety access reasons. The only way to achieve this was to sit her sideways on the seat with the plastered leg stretched across the two seats next to her - which were occupied by a friend and myself.
So for these periods the friend and myseld were strapped into the two jump seats behind the pilot and co-pilot. I don't recall the type of aircraft now but it was a big'un. Can you imagine it these days...
For take off and landing!!! Incredible.Needless to say the sights were amazing for us mere mortals!
jimboe39540i said:
My Father was a 747 Captain, i was lucky enough to do many trips in the jump seat sitting behind him. An incredible experience for a young teenager, i'll never forget it. I used to sit in the 1st officers seat also when he was out and about. Of course my dad never ever switched off the autopilot so i could hold the controls during the cruise....hardly at all ;-)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeroflot_Flight_593
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