Name: How Do Pilots Pass The Time On Long Flights?
Uploaded: 2024-10-25T21:01:20.000Z
Duration: 3 min 44 s
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For most passengers, long-haul flights are a matter of endurance, aided by a few drinks, in-flight entertainment, and trying to get some sleep between meal services.

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It's an entirely different matter for the people flying the plane, as there are still plenty of things to do even after takeoff.

Let's look at what's happening on the flight deck during these longer flights.

Even though flight paths are decided upon before departure, pilots have to monitor weather conditions and decide whether or not to alter the paths during the flight.

On long-haul flights, weather conditions are more likely to change from initial forecasts, with aircraft often encountering multiple weather systems.

These systems can vary in intensity from slight turbulence to dangerous thunderstorms.

Travelling at high speeds, pilots must be prepared at all to the flight path if necessary.

If, for example, they see a thunderstorm on the radar, they must first get the OK from Air Traffic Control, or ATC, to change their route.

Clear air turbulence is another worry, and because it cannot be seen on the radar, pilots rely upon the information provided by pilots flying the same route ahead of them.

When flying across oceans such as the Atlantic, one pilot's job is to communicate with the ATC, the other monitors a common air-to-air frequency that pilots use to communicate with each other.

The entire time a flight is in the air, the pilots monitor all kinds of gauges to ensure that the plane performs how it is supposed to.

Making sure that the temperature of the fuel is not too cold is another thing pilots must monitor.

If the fuel cools down too much, its flow can be restricted due to waxing.

If this happens, pilots can rectify the situation by descending or by increasing the aircraft's speed, and thus its skin temperature.

However, this isn't a particularly frequent occurrence, as engine oil helps fuel to retain heat.

While one of the pilots monitors all the gauges, the other will be busy taking care of the paperwork.

Before the flight, the pilots are given a written flight plan.

Anything that deviates from this must be written down as notes.

Outside of these important activities, long-haul flying can be very boring for pilots.

During cruise phases, pilots will often pass the time by making small talk with one another or doing some reading.

Smartphone games and good old-fashioned crossword puzzles might be additional forms of entertainment found on the flight deck.

Finally, just like passengers, enjoying in-flight meals is another part of the long-haul pilot experience.

The pilots typically wait until the passengers have been served and then eat separately.

They do this so that there is always one person at the controls.

For long flights over 12 hours, there are one or two relief pilots on board, so that the two pilots who perform the takeoff can take a break and get some rest.

There are just two pilots on shorter long-haul flights of eight or nine hours.

The only opportunity they get to leave their seats and stretch their legs is when they go to the bathroom.

Did you know about these long-haul duties and activities?