Ask a Pilot anything....
Discussion
Ari said:
There was a bizarre story on here a couple of years ago (actually in the planes forum) that someone swore was true but sounded like total BS to me.
They reckoned that on a fully crewed but empty flight on a big plane like a 747, the cabin crew would seat two people on a tray each at the back in the two aisles. Then the rest of the crew would run to the front which would tip the plane into a dive and the two on the trays would slide to the front.
I called BS because a, twenty people (or however many crew there are on a long haul big plane) would not tip a 300 tonne aircraft travelling at 500mph into a dive and b, there's no way the flight crew would ignore it.
But he was absolutely adamant that it was true.
Bulls
t?
A Shorts Skyvan would do that They reckoned that on a fully crewed but empty flight on a big plane like a 747, the cabin crew would seat two people on a tray each at the back in the two aisles. Then the rest of the crew would run to the front which would tip the plane into a dive and the two on the trays would slide to the front.
I called BS because a, twenty people (or however many crew there are on a long haul big plane) would not tip a 300 tonne aircraft travelling at 500mph into a dive and b, there's no way the flight crew would ignore it.
But he was absolutely adamant that it was true.
Bulls
t? 
, I don't think a 747 would notice if in balanceWhich is your base airport and approx. how far do you live from it?
Are you short or long haul? If the latter, how long were you short haul?
Do you know anyone who flew for Monarch (flight deck or cabin crew) and if so are most of them are now sorted with another airline?
What is your favourite European city for an overnight stay/when you have a good amount of down time?
What's your favourite curry & beer/ale/lager?
Are you short or long haul? If the latter, how long were you short haul?
Do you know anyone who flew for Monarch (flight deck or cabin crew) and if so are most of them are now sorted with another airline?
What is your favourite European city for an overnight stay/when you have a good amount of down time?
What's your favourite curry & beer/ale/lager?
How much actual flying do you do?
I mean physically in control of the plane in flight not taxiing or ground stuff.
Is most of it is auto pilot? so is it just the approach and lift stages?
Also is it the captains choice who flys or do you have to clock a certain amount of landings and takeoffs
I mean physically in control of the plane in flight not taxiing or ground stuff.
Is most of it is auto pilot? so is it just the approach and lift stages?
Also is it the captains choice who flys or do you have to clock a certain amount of landings and takeoffs
TTOBES said:
Which is your base airport and approx. how far do you live from it?
Are you short or long haul? If the latter, how long were you short haul?
Do you know anyone who flew for Monarch (flight deck or cabin crew) and if so are most of them are now sorted with another airline?
What is your favourite European city for an overnight stay/when you have a good amount of down time?
What's your favourite curry & beer/ale/lager?
I loosely know a Monarch pilot. Most are now sorted. As a whole they were well regarded high time pilots with type ratings and in demand by the Bus Operators...Are you short or long haul? If the latter, how long were you short haul?
Do you know anyone who flew for Monarch (flight deck or cabin crew) and if so are most of them are now sorted with another airline?
What is your favourite European city for an overnight stay/when you have a good amount of down time?
What's your favourite curry & beer/ale/lager?
No idea on cabin crew.
mikef said:
Ari said:
There was a bizarre story on here a couple of years ago (actually in the planes forum) that someone swore was true but sounded like total BS to me.
They reckoned that on a fully crewed but empty flight on a big plane like a 747, the cabin crew would seat two people on a tray each at the back in the two aisles. Then the rest of the crew would run to the front which would tip the plane into a dive and the two on the trays would slide to the front.
I called BS because a, twenty people (or however many crew there are on a long haul big plane) would not tip a 300 tonne aircraft travelling at 500mph into a dive and b, there's no way the flight crew would ignore it.
But he was absolutely adamant that it was true.
Bullst?
A Shorts Skyvan would do that They reckoned that on a fully crewed but empty flight on a big plane like a 747, the cabin crew would seat two people on a tray each at the back in the two aisles. Then the rest of the crew would run to the front which would tip the plane into a dive and the two on the trays would slide to the front.
I called BS because a, twenty people (or however many crew there are on a long haul big plane) would not tip a 300 tonne aircraft travelling at 500mph into a dive and b, there's no way the flight crew would ignore it.
But he was absolutely adamant that it was true.
Bulls
t? , I don't think a 747 would notice if in balanceFirst off, tray racing when on positioning flights is a very real thing. Usually done from the front to the back on takeoff and climb out.
As for the crew running backwards and forwards making a difference. On a 747, you wouldn't notice the trim change, however, on my first commercial type (Shorts 3-30 and 3-60) then if you had a few crew in the back, you really did notice it when the buggers would run backwards and forwards to annoy the crew doing the flying. I got my own back once by simply bunting the thing forwards for a second or two. Oh the days before Flight Data Monitoring!
Ah, that's very interesting. He was so adamant that the tray racing was real, but I guess perhaps didn't realise it was on take off and 'improvised' the bit about crew running about. 
I really couldn't see twenty odd crew pitching 300 tonne of plane into a dive, much less the flight crew sitting there and doing nothing to correct it.
I really couldn't see twenty odd crew pitching 300 tonne of plane into a dive, much less the flight crew sitting there and doing nothing to correct it.
SmoothCriminal said:
How much actual flying do you do?
I mean physically in control of the plane in flight not taxiing or ground stuff.
Is most of it is auto pilot? so is it just the approach and lift stages?
Also is it the captains choice who flys or do you have to clock a certain amount of landings and takeoffs
Variable. I always liked to hand fly as much as possible, but obviously whilst you are doing that the PNF (Pilot Not Flying) has to monitor you more closely and it stops them getting on with certain things. So the normal rule for me was to fly until we off the departure and then put the autopilot in. On approach, if it would be a quiet one then I'd hand fly from just before top of descent. If it was busy then often I'd keep the AP in as it can be an aid.I mean physically in control of the plane in flight not taxiing or ground stuff.
Is most of it is auto pilot? so is it just the approach and lift stages?
Also is it the captains choice who flys or do you have to clock a certain amount of landings and takeoffs
In terms of who flys, the general rule is that you share it 50/50, but it was always polite as the First Officer to ask what the Captain wanted to do on that front. If you showed that little bit of respect, then there would rarely be an issue, but some F/O's could be a bit bolshy and almost demand it, which often put hackles up and they'd often get put in their place by the grumpier skippers.
Some departures or landings are determined as Captain only for various reasons, so you'd always try and structure it to be even between you.
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