Ask a pilot

[Aur0ra145]

Howdy,

Well I searched as saw we didn't have any threads about pilots. I'm a pilot, so here I am to answer your questions about pilots, airplanes and flying in general.

Ask away

 

[TheNumber1Zero]

Do you ever get people that want to see you while you're flying the plane? if so, is it annoying?

 

[Nargleblarg]

How do you get sleep on long flights?

or how do you keep awake on long flights?

 

[madcap2112]

What's the deal with airline food?

 

[ElephantGuts]

Were you a pilot for a commercial airline?

If so, did your lack of sufficient payment and possibly sleep create a potentially hazardous situation for your plane and its passengers?

 

[Clashero]

Hello. What's an airplane?

On topic: I'm not a pilot, but I can fly a plane, thanks to my father for teaching me that. It's a useless for me, but it's fun to go with him on airplane rides, listening to the radio and flying low over the fields.

OK, serious question: What do you, as a pilot, think of Microsoft Flight Simulator?

 

[SilentHunter7]

Military or Commercial?

 

[shotgunbob]

Im a student pilot but I question your knowledge!

Question 1: Class A Airspace is What?

Question 2: What do Vx and Vy mean

Question 3: What are the left turning tendancies

 

[AWC Viper]

have you ever tried to mimic anything you have seen in tom clancy's H.A.W.X?

 

[Aur0ra145]

Do you ever get people that want to see you while you're flying the plane? if so, is it annoying?

Yes, every now and then people want to see you flying your plane. Hell NO! it isn't annoying, you get to put on your own personal airshow and captivate the audience. Thus, putting you on the same playing field as Jesus and Rambo.

How do you get sleep on long flights?

or how do you keep awake on long flights?

If it's a really long flight you'll sleep in shifts with your co-pilot. Way you do that is just loosen your straps and kind of daydream/power-nap. Then, take about 15 minutes to allow yourself to wake up fully then take over for the co-pilot to do the same.

What's the deal with airline food?

Overpriced and honestly not that good. You're better off getting food in the terminal or FBO and taking it with you.

Were you a pilot for a commercial airline?

If so, did your lack of sufficient payment and possibly sleep create a potentially hazardous situation for your plane and its passengers?

No I've never flown for an airline, but crashing a plane on purpose just isn't an idea that ever enters you head.

Hello. What's an airplane?

On topic: I'm not a pilot, but I can fly a plane, thanks to my father for teaching me that. It's a useless for me, but it's fun to go with him on airplane rides, listening to the radio and flying low over the fields.

OK, serious question: What do you, as a pilot, think of Microsoft Flight Simulator?

Well rule of thumb for a pilot is that when your with women you talk about nothing except airplanes, and when you're around airplanes you talk about nothing except women.

As a pilot you generally take off (not hard,) dial up George (the auto-pilot) and monitor air traffic control and center. Then fly your approach and land. Though most of the time is spent looking outside the plane for other airplanes (the sky is more crowded than you think) and checking engine gagues every now and then to make sure nothing horrible will happen.

 

[shotgunbob]

^ What rating do you hold?

Im at Student with 18 hours

 

[Avatar Roku]

Not a question, but advice. If you ever crash in the Sahara and hear a "little voice", ignore it and walk away if you value your sanity.

...sorry, we're reading Le Petit Prince in French class and I just wanted to protect you from the boredom and odd inconsistencies.

 

[Ciarang]

Have you ever been in serious danger?

If not, do you know a fellow pilot who has?

 

[Supreme Unleaded]

My question is does anyone who needs glasses able to fly a planeor helicopter. Because I LOVE flying, real or fake (yes ive flown a plane). But i dont know if i can for a job. Sad Face...

 

[Captain Wes]

Do you put on a fake voice to do the announcements or do you use your real one?

 

[cuddly_tomato]

Howdy,

Well I searched as saw we didn't have any threads about pilots. I'm a pilot, so here I am to answer your questions about pilots, airplanes and flying in general.

Ask away

Could you please take a look at this thread and comment.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.151305?page=1

Also, jets easier to fly than turboprop aeroplanes?

 

[SomeLameStuff]

Whats with the weird english at the airport and on the plane?

If you don't know what I'm talking about, watch this

Spoiler

 

[Aur0ra145]

Military or Commercial?

Commercial. Mainly charter stuff but the occasional traffic watch or pipeline patrol.

Ever had a lazer pen aimed at you?

And do you wear an eyepatch?

No I've never had a laser pen shined at me. I've never worn an eyepatch but bomber pilots that carry nuclear ordance are issued them the be put on if they ever have to drop their ordance.

My dad has a medal for solo flight or something. It was odd when he said it to me at age 13.
"Hey Dad, tell me something you never told me before."
"I can fly a plane!"

EDIT: Sorry, question is: have you ever done a barrel roll?

Yes, lots and lots of barrel rolls but I prefer aileron rolls and immhammer heads.

How do you stay in shape, if you do so at all?

How demanding is flying a plane? Can you knock off for breaks or read a book, or do you have to actively drive it, like a car?

EDIT: I'm making the assumption that you fly commercial, where the flights are several hours long, but there's not a whole lot of traffic.

Flying itself will keep you in shape, think about how olympic people train at high altitudes... just being that high in the air works out your lungs. But I do run to stay in shape.

Yes, it can be very demanding especially in IFR conditions (in clouds.) As for 'driving' it, yes, you need to trim the plane out then make sure you maintain heading and altitude; you want to stay within about 50 feet of your assigned altitude. Generally you don't mess with the power settings once you're at cruise speed, so it's more like driving a car with the cruise control on. Though, if you have a 3-axis autopilot it makes the world alot easier, you just talk on the radio and look for traffic.

have you ever tried to mimic anything you have seen in tom clancy's H.A.W.X?

Yes and no; most of the time it resulted in a spin.

Im a student pilot but I question your knowledge!

Question 1: Class A Airspace is What?

Question 2: What do Vx and Vy mean

Question 3: What are the left turning tendancies

I'm assuming you're in America.

Q1: Anything above FL180 when altimiter is set to 29.92, and you must have an insturment ticket to enter Class A airspace under normal circumstances.

Q2: Vx = best angle of climb, Vy = best rate of climb

Q3: For a piston airplane, it has to do with the gyroscopic effect of the propellor. Think about if like a mini-tornado was going around the body of your aircraft and hitting the verticle stabalizer. It makes your plane yaw. This is most pronounced during high power/low airpseed settings. Like during take-off and in tail draggers it's a very important factor to consider. This will also cause adverse aileron yaw when turning.

Furthermore, in IFR conditions in a small plane like a Cessna you'll always feel like your turing to the left and you must fight the urge to correct.

You're learning to fly? Congrats, have you solo'd yet and what airport are you out of?

 

[shotgunbob]

Congrats you passed my miniquiz

No I havnt soloed yet I have to do spins and stalls first, and I fly from Centennial KAPA in Colorado 2nd busiest GA airport in the US

 

[Woburn]

I'm also a student pilot right now. Just started this September. Just wondering, where did you start learning?
Because I am learning at a college, and I wanted to know if you learned through a college or an independent flight school.