Ask The Pilot

[jb747]

Have there been (m)any times on your flights where the Captain or FO have been incapacitated due to food or other reasons and unable to continue duties?

Illness isn't common, but on long flights there's certainly time for somebody to come down with something. I've heard of a few cases where food poisoning has been an issue, though always with food eaten on the ground. One particular food court in Singapore was extremely suspect for a time. On my flights, I once had a FO become ill, and the SO gleefully took his place. And, in the sim, both captains and FOs periodically drop dead, generally at inconvenient times.

 

[dfcatch]

And, in the sim, both captains and FOs periodically drop dead, generally at inconvenient times.

Having a field day in my mind thinking of "convenient" times for the captain/FO to drop dead

 

[jb747]

Having a field day in my mind thinking of "convenient" times for the captain/FO to drop dead

True, but how about just as an engine fails, when he's the flying pilot.

 

[jb747]

And if anyone is travelling over the next week...... 9(ex Mel) on 4/7, 31 (ex Sin) 5/7, 32 (ex Lon) 8/7, and 10 (ex Sin) 11/7.

I might see you there....

 

[Awesom Andy]

True, but how about just as an engine fails, when he's the flying pilot.

Must've been a heart attack.

 

[SenZubEanS]

And if anyone is travelling over the next week...... 9(ex Mel) on 4/7, 31 (ex Sin) 5/7, 32 (ex Lon) 8/7, and 10 (ex Sin) 11/7.

I might see you there....

Just a query about your roster there JB
on 32 and 10 you are on exiting routes from international locations and have not mentioned the flights to get you there in the first place.
Are you flown as a pax on an outbound flight to LHR or SIN to then later captain a flight home? I just just presumed that you would always be used to fly a plan from A to B, rest, then take another flight from B to A. Hope that made sense??!!

Also, was curious on whether pilots have troubles with their ears due to frequent flying? I would assume domestic pilots doing a few flights a day are at greater risk, but wanted to hear from the horses mouth.

 

[Flashback]

Just a query about your roster there JB
on 32 and 10 you are on exiting routes from international locations and have not mentioned the flights to get you there in the first place.
Are you flown as a pax on an outbound flight to LHR or SIN to then later captain a flight home? I just just presumed that you would always be used to fly a plan from A to B, rest, then take another flight from B to A. Hope that made sense??!!

Also, was curious on whether pilots have troubles with their ears due to frequent flying? I would assume domestic pilots doing a few flights a day are at greater risk, but wanted to hear from the horses mouth.

You sure? He goes over on QF 31 to LHR, then back to SIN on QF 32. From there he then takes QF10 to MEL.

 

[jb747]

Just a query about your roster there JB
on 32 and 10 you are on exiting routes from international locations and have not mentioned the flights to get you there in the first place.
Are you flown as a pax on an outbound flight to LHR or SIN to then later captain a flight home? I just just presumed that you would always be used to fly a plan from A to B, rest, then take another flight from B to A. Hope that made sense??!!

That's a single trip. The only paxing would have been to and from Melbourne/Sydney, but as I live in Melbourne, I'll just start and end there.

Also, was curious on whether pilots have troubles with their ears due to frequent flying? I would assume domestic pilots doing a few flights a day are at greater risk, but wanted to hear from the horses mouth.

Well, as long as you don't fly with a cold, your ears don't suffer from pressurisation issues. I think an element of industrial deafness is pretty common. coughpits are not necessarily all that quiet, and you're in them for a long time.

 

[SenZubEanS]

That's a single trip. The only paxing would have been to and from Melbourne/Sydney, but as I live in Melbourne, I'll just start and end there.

That'll teach me to read forums half asleep. Clearly should have been able to piece that together, didn't take proper note of the flight numbers and made an assumption ex SIN was MEL bound. Apologies.

 

[Jobu]

And if anyone is travelling over the next week...... 9(ex Mel) on 4/7, 31 (ex Sin) 5/7, 32 (ex Lon) 8/7, and 10 (ex Sin) 11/7.

I might see you there....

See you Wed on 31

 

[jb747]

See you Wed on 31

Wednesday is the 6th, I'm leaving Singapore on the evening of the 5th. And a slight change...operating the 9 that night too.

 

[samh004]

I mostly try not to eat airline food. But, totally different meals are loaded for us than for any of the passengers.

Following on from this, can you, and do you, bring your own meals? So as to avoid airline food of course.

 

[jb747]

Following on from this, can you, and do you, bring your own meals? So as to avoid airline food of course.

Nothing to stop you, but more than likely you'd just be swapping airline food for terminal food....and that makes the airline stuff look good.

I did arrange for a birthday cake for a captain many years ago. One of the old gents. It fed most of first class as well. A million calories just by looking at it.

 

[Jobu]

Wednesday is the 6th, I'm leaving Singapore on the evening of the 5th. And a slight change...operating the 9 that night too.

Oh well... maybe next time! Might come back on the 8th, although not booked on that at the moment.

 

[LiamR]

I'll have to remember to check back with you jb747, I've got a trip or two on QF31/32 in December/January

 

[milehighclub]

On one point it is interesting to hear this because I remember cabin crew on this board reporting that their meals - albeit supposed to be earmarked aside from regular pax meals - are "equivalent" to a Business meal.
.

I have always classed our crew meals as a "domestic business class" or "premium economy" standard as they come on the same type of dish and are of the same quality. Our meals, like the pilots are also loaded separately. Left overs are a bonus for us too.

From a cabin crew perspective - 90% of the time pilots enjoy, and wait (and often even ask) for any left overs from First or Business.

The quality of the meal varies depending on the port though. Ex Australia flights usually have the best crew meals. Also ex Australia, cabin crew have a salad as a choice (which the pilots don't get)

I find meals ex Singapore pretty average and LA is good every second month (as ex LA the menu swaps every month between two cycles)

 

[harvyk]

Is it possible to work a flight (pilot \ cabin crew) to get to a destination, have a holiday at the destination (ie take annual leave) and then work the return flight back home??? (Thus saving on travel costs)

 

[jb747]

Is it possible to work a flight (pilot \ cabin crew) to get to a destination, have a holiday at the destination (ie take annual leave) and then work the return flight back home??? (Thus saving on travel costs)

To a degree. There is a limited system called 'extended slips', in which you would work to London, then have seven days of leave, and then work back. It isn't flexible. The patterns are built that way, and all of them have to be bid for, otherwise none happen. Mostly it works for a few months, then it gets cold and it isn't fully subscribed, and then it is cancelled.

If a trip existed that had me paxing at one end or the other, I could attach leave to it, as long as there was no cost to the company. Trouble is that leave is allocated a year or so ahead, and patterns like that are generally ad hoc items, so whilst possible, I don't recall hearing of anyone actually getting it to work.

 

[milehighclub]

Only pilots have the ability to have extended slips internationally.

For domestic flights where the first or last flight of the trip is a paxing sector (deadheading) pilots and cabin crew can "alt pax" meaning you can go down earlier or stay longer and still have the company pay for the flight (as it's no extra cost to them but you don't get any extra accommodation or allowance beyond what you were originally entitled too if any). You can even sign off at another base (but you loose the flight). If you choose to keep your allowance and hotel, the company can still turn you around to operate another sector or disrupt your patter. If you give up the allowance and hotel, the company cannot contact you.

 

[Sprucegoose]

JB great job here mate. I have a question that you can certainly help with What percentage of flights would you estimate you need to offload due to no shows? What is the usual reason for pax not turning up for their flights? Have they ever turned up and you have allowed them back on the plane?

It has always interested me in why people will go to all the trouble to get a ticket, get to the airport, checkin and then not turn up to the gate?