![]() What’s the biggest misconception people have about your job? Automation can help conserve our mental resources. We sometimes fly up to six flights a day and are on duty for upwards of 15 hours, so fatigue can really become a problem. We generally also hand fly the approach to landing. Some airlines, like mine, are taught and mentored from day one to hand fly the airplane up to 10,000 feet before turning on the autopilot, while others are taught to rely more on the autopilot. Most new, large airliners can autoland with minimal input from the pilots. Whereas some puddle-jumper (19-seat) airliners have no autopilot, so the pilot must hand fly the entire flight, and the first officer (copilot) splits duty as the flight attendant.Īnother factor is the culture of the airline. Generally, the bigger the airplane, the more automation available to the pilot. It really depends on what aircraft you're on, what airline you're flying on, and whether or not your pilot feels like flying that particular flight. How often is the pilot actively flying the plane versus using autopilot? Some signs that your pilot has driven you into a thunderstorm would be: heavy rain, extreme turbulence, hail, thunder and lightning, and the look of pure terror on your flight attendant’s face. Even so, airliners should not be flown into a thunderstorm under any circumstances. Modern airliners are built to withstand an amazing amount of punishment, and the fact that we do not have airplanes falling out of the sky on extremely turbulent days is a testament to that fact. The most important thing a passenger can do is securely attach your seatbelt, and try not to spill your drink on yourself or neighbor. Generally, passengers should not be the slightest bit worried during turbulence. Should passengers be worried during turbulence? If that thought isn't enough to quell an angry outburst, please erupt into your tantrum before we depart the gate so it will be easier to remove you from the flight. The next time you think that directing your tantrum to a flight attendant will get you there faster, please keep in mind that if you were born only 150 years earlier, you would be in a hide-covered wagon on the Oregon Trail, out of food and clean water, and slowly dying of typhoid fever. The likelihood is very low that they’re to blame for a level five thunderstorm ransacking the Houston area, or that they broke the air turbine starter valve preventing the engine from starting. Luckily, I sit behind an armored metal door and do not have to directly deal with this small but “special” group of customers. I understand that traveling is stressful and sometimes downright torturous, but please do not take it out on the poor flight attendant or gate agent. Passengers who think the world revolves around them and who take out their frustrations on the employees. What’s your biggest annoyance when it comes to passengers? We work long days and arrive to the hotel exhausted with sometimes less than eight hours to shower, sleep and get ready to do it all over in the morning. Free breakfast and a comfortable bed have sadly become highlights of the trip. The time away from home. Traveling around North America may sound glamorous, but the inside of a hotel is usually all we may see of a town. One reason most pilots stay in this profession is because we love what we do. We love to fly. If you know what jet I’m referring to then congratulations, you are a real Travelzoo pro! What’s your favorite thing about your job? I fly a 50-seat regional jet all over North America sometimes referred to as the Barbie Jet or Pencil Jet. ![]() As of today, I’ve been a first officer for over six years at a large regional airline. After a year and a half of living off ramen noodles, I upgraded to peanuts as an airline first officer making $25,000 my first year. ![]() I started college and flight training in the summer of 2001 and received my bachelor’s in aviation sciences in 2005. After getting in $80,000 of debt for flight training and a bachelor’s degree, I started my first professional flying job flight instructing for a salary of $18,000 a year. First off, what was the process like to become an airline pilot? Travelzoo sat down with a first officer for a major regional airline and found out the answers to everything we’ve always wanted to ask a pilot - from their biggest annoyances to whether turning off your cell phone is really that important. ![]()
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