Has becoming a Rec pilot made you a more observant passenger??

[Guest Jake.f]

Hey,

 

So last weekend I flew to and from Sydney on a Dash 8 the way down and Embraer 190 on the way back. These were my first commercial flights since I began learning to fly.

 

What I noticed is that as a passenger I am a lot more observant and probably notice things that a lot of others dont...

 

For instance going down to Sydney on the Dash 8 I could feel slight yaw and such as we climbed out of Coffs with the engines at full power. I could also guess that we had been told to slow down soon after takeoff which the pilot then told us later on. Coming into Sydney as we broke through a relatively thick layer of clouds I think I learned why we dont fly into cloud, as I expected us to pop out the bottom in a sharp left bank (Which is what it felt like) but instead we came out wings level still on descent.... Scary.

 

On approach to Sydney I could tell that there was crosswind from the right and I also noticed a strange sound coming from the right engine (Which was a problem of some sorts as a bunch of maintenance guys were waiting for us when we got to the parking area)

 

On the way back I could tell from almost 10 minutes before landing we would be doing a straight in approach to runway 03. I could also tell that we had been told to level off at about 6000' before then climbing to cruise, and could tell the second descent started.

 

Has anyone else found they are now way more observant on commercial flights?

 

 

[youngster]

Tell me Jake, did you run through the scenario in your head where the pilot(s) have become incapacitated and a flight attendant asks if there is a pilot on board who can take over?

I've only done the radio course so far, so I'm just at the stage where the co-pilot gets food poisoning and someone needs to run the radio for the captain

 

 

[Guest Jake.f]

That could be fun... wonder how I would go landing one of those things!

 

It is a real pity we can't ride in the jumpseat anymore... that would be very interesting.

 

 

[Guest davidh10]

I think I've always had a pretty fair idea what the aircraft is doing, but not always why. Of course without a visual reference, you cannot tell the aircraft's attitude. I don't find cloud scary, but just have a healthy respect for it. Since becoming a pilot, I do now have a much increased understanding of meteorology. In fact that has become one of my new, allied, interests. An endless amount to learn!

 

I did get to ride, with my son, in the jump seat on a descent into Brisbane, many years ago. Returned to my seat on late final. Yes. it was very interesting. A great pity that the possibility of that experience has been taken away from the children of today.

 

Life these days seems to be full of a few spoiling things for the many. Somewhat the antithesis of Spock's credo (for Star Trek fans).

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

From early 1990's I use to travel around the world installing laser tag systems designed and developed here between myself and the laser tag company. I got to do a lot of air miles and in those days you could get up the front easily. I have been in the jump seats of 747's DC10's and DC9's F28's and a few smaller aircraft like dash and metro liners. One in particular I remember very well was we were snowed in at Toronto airport for 5 hours and while sitting around I started a conversation with the FO of my flight she was a very nice woman and was canadian maybe around 35 similar age to me at the time. Anyway we took off to go to Thunder bay and once we were established on climb the hostie came down to me and said the pilot and FO would like me to join them. The flight to Thunder bay is about 1.25 hrs so I got to spend the whole time in the jump seat including the landing. I was stunned at how old this DC9 was there was NO flight computer at all and everything was analogue including their version of a ERSA clipped into the middle of the control yoke. Everything was done manually. The FO landed at Thunder bay and it was a greaser too passing by a Hornet on the side of the runway snow everywhere which is usual up that far in winter. It was one of the best rides up the front I have had infact I gave her my business card after the flight and blow me down about 3 months later I got a xmas card from her. She was a fantastic pilot. I have been so lucky in my travels I have been up the front probably about 15 times on overseas flights and about 10 of those for the landing as well in jets.

 

I remember being up the front of a 747 coming into Sydney from LA and it was fantastic the thing that blew me away was when the pilot rounded out for touchdown I had to stop myself from saying aren't you a bit high but as soon as he rounded out we touched down. I asked the FO about how they get used to it and he just said thats why you spend a lot of time in the right hand seat...I was flying the 172 in those days and it was very off putting...but practice practice is the thing I suppose.

 

I really miss those days when you could get up the front it also broke up the flight as I could never sleep well on the night long haul flights and when you spend quite a few hours up the front talking to the pilots it was just fantastic and help pass those 12 and 13 hr flight times

 

Mark

 

I got side tracked ..when Iw as in NZ a few years ago you could pay to have 30 mins in a 737 sim at Tauranga. I flew 3 circuits in the 737 and I can tell you it is NOT like any GA aircraft. The plane weighs 40 tons or so and once it starts to move in roll it doesn't stop. You fly these aircraft with "small wiggles" I have the video somewhere I will see if I can extract some of and post it they have a camera inside taking video of how you fly etc. By the time I flew the third circuit I at least managed to get it reasonably on the runway....it is nothing like what you would expect now I know I think I could fly one if there was a issue...not so sure about all the systems though

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

I have a lot of great memories from flying commercially in the late 80's and 90's but getting back to the theme of this thread I will relate a story about knowing whats happening. In the mid 80's I did a lot of gliding about 80 hrs in total. So I know when my bum is going up or down when flying. On one of the trips out of Australia was Brisbane to Manilla to HK then back along the same route. I won't name the airline but its pretty easy to guess. Every single flight we had was taking off 1 to 2 hrs late until the final leg from Manilla to Brisbane which amazingly took off on time. The aircraft was a DC10 "a DC when?" as I got into the plane I noticed there was no round eye in the cockpit. Sorry for the political incorrectness here but I get very nervous when you don't have one in the cockpit.

 

It was midnight and stinking hot about 35 deg I would think and every seat was full it really was taking off heavy. When we started the run you could tell he was using full power most flights never actually use full power but he did for sure...we were going down the runway for a long time and I mean a long time I am thinking we are not going to take off here then the nose raised up and the main wheels stayed on the ground for about 10 seconds I would think and just as we got off completely the end of runway lights went past....I was crapping myself.

 

Going past the window I could see the people in their huts at the end of the airport we were still very low with the nose up at about 15 degrees and my bum is telling me we are NOT climbing my sphincter was starting to pucker . I looked forward at the hostess which on a DC 10 face back to you at the back of the plane and they are starting to look at each other with a worried look on their faces...now my sphincter is really going in and out cause I could feel we were starting to experience some G forces that weren't right. All of a sudden the nose of the plane came down to about 3 degrees and we climbed out at that angle for about 30 mins or more my heart was pounding and the sphincter was up in my stomach. I didn't get a wink of sleep on that flight as we were dodging thunder storms all the way home and we landed about 6am at Brisbane airport and in those days the international terminal was a big tin shed and you went down the stairs to the tarmac and walked into the big tin shed for customs. I got to the bottom of the stairs and I kissed the ground... a lot of people looked at me but I am sure most didn't know how close we had come to disaster.

 

Every single flight out of Australia after that I made sure it was on Qantas if it wasn't I wouldn't go and do the job. I have to say since that time I have never felt anything like that again ...it was close but probably made worse because I KNEW what was happening to the aircraft where most would not

 

Mark

 

 

[fly_tornado]

on Friday I noticed the wheels on the a320 vibrating after takeoff

 

 

[Guest Jake.f]

I like how when the gear gets dropped in a Dash 8 it pretty much feels like ripping on a brake

 

 

[Tomo]

If I'm in a group that know I'm a pilot, they demand a running commentary and a rating of every landing or take off... even if I explain that I have never flown such an aircraft, it's still an aeroplane to them I you're a pilot so you should know! :ah_oh:

 

 

[Tomo]

But.. But... Your Tomo... Havent you flown..... every... aircraft?

Not at all!!

 

(your, or you're?)

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

Well I can tell you flying a 737 in the fair dinkum simulator was a big shock as to how a passenger jet flys. It was not what I expected the general up down left right stuff is the same but it is when you need the finer control inputs for landing that it becomes difficult, I have edited the 37min video and am currently uploading to youtube it will take a while it was done back in 2007. Once you get the "small wiggles" thing it gets easier. First landing attempt was a shocker couldn't even get it on the centreline the second landing I sort of dumped it on the runway but the third landing was much better once I started to get the hang of the wiggling thing. Its taking ages to upload this video but you will get the idea and I would summize the even larger jets would be harder to fly as well

 

Mark

 

 

[Guest SAJabiruflyer]

I annoy my wife by calling out speeds as we hurtle down the runway... then of course she gets even more annoyed when I say things like "positive rate of climb, gear up". Of course it's gets worse on approach especially when I say to her in a loud voice "WHAT WAS THAT??".

 

 

[Guest SAJabiruflyer]

...not forgetting last time I flew with a very nervous mate. When we were taking off I said.. "Gee we're doing about 270kmh now". He didnt talk to me much for the rest of the flight....

 

 

[Guest Jake.f]

Have to do that one day... next time I fly with someone I know (or someone random for that matter) just randomly exclaim in cruise "What was that?" and look worried...

 

 

[Guest SAJabiruflyer]

Have to do that one day... next time I fly with someone I know (or someone random for that matter) just randomly exclaim in cruise "What was that?" and look worried...

.. walk down the aisle and stop.. say out loud "Did you hear that?" then act really worried!. Then again these days it's probably enough to get arrested and charged.

 

 

[sfGnome]

I've always been pretty attuned to the events of commercial flights and I have a bad habit of laughing out loud when the landing's not a good one (I wonder if that's why my beloved hates landing?), so the only time I remember being scared was on a $50 flight from Paris to Rome when, at least by my reading to the wind socks, we took off with a strong tail wind. I've never willed the wheels off the ground quite as much as that day...

 

 

[Guest SAJabiruflyer]

I've always been pretty attuned to the events of commercial flights and I have a bad habit of laughing out loud when the landing's not a good one (I wonder if that's why my beloved hates landing?), so the only time I remember being scared was on a $50 flight from Paris to Rome when, at least by my reading to the wind socks, we took off with a strong tail wind. I've never willed the wheels off the ground quite as much as that day...

I landed on RWY12 at Adelaide on a really, really windy day with a certain Airline that perhaps has it's operating certificate revoked. The F/A's in front of me both said "sh*t" and a few screams came from other Pax's. It was a really rough landing, thrown quite violently left/right in the seat. But we walked away so it was fine

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

Ok I finally got the video up on youtube. I have edited a fair bit of the boring stuff out it was 37mins long its now about 13 mins

 

 

Mark

 

 

[Bryon]

Ok I finally got the video up on youtube. I have edited a fair bit of the boring stuff out it was 37mins long its now about 13 mins

What are "Wuggles" and "Trum"?

 

 

[icebob]

Hi all,

 

just to sidetrack with a funny story.

 

In the 1970's we (Navy Helos)we had deployed Wessex helo's to Coffs Harbour, an extra Wessex was needed there so I flew up in it as Navigator, We had just a short time there to deliver the aircraft and jump on a commercial flight back to Sydney. Guess who forgot to take my flying gear off, (including bone dome)some very worried pax on that flight, ha ,ha.

 

Bob.

 

 

[ossie]

Has anyone else found they are now way more observant on commercial flights?

No, but have noticed I drink more before getting on, to sleep and prevent this:faint:from happening.....

 

 

[jerrajerra]

Ok I finally got the video up on youtube. I have edited a fair bit of the boring stuff out it was 37mins long its now about 13 mins

Nice video Mark. I liked your rwy christening. Anymore uploads coming our way?

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

Hi jerra

 

When my Sav gets flying later this year I hope to do quite a few more videos. I have lot of model jet flying with turbine engines but haven't posted any of those except the one with the 3 of A10 tank busters which you may have seen as one of my videos.

 

Mark