A day as a pilot

S

stevenmeyer2005

Pre-Flight
Joined
Oct 7, 2006
Messages
34
Location
Scranton
Display Name
Display name:
stevenmeyer2005
I am freshman studying aerospace engineering at Penn State. I have an assignment for my composition class. I have to write a step by step procedure on what a pilot does from the time he gets up in the morning, then getting the flight information, then landing the plane and until turning of the engines of the plane. Can you guys provide me with any information or links? Maybe another thing to add. I want to write about bigger planes for example the A340 or B747. Ones that have longer flying times and that transport cargo.
 
Last edited:
The TSA would be interested in talking to you about this assignment....
 
Steve said:
The TSA would be interested in talking to you about this assignment....
Click to expand...

No kidding!!

"... and while you're at it, could you give the access codes to ramp access areas, startup procedures, and..."
 
stevenmeyer2005 said:
I do not mean that many details.
Click to expand...

I'm trying to think where you can find a detailed aviation blog. I'm not a big blogger, so I haven't stumbled into that realm. If you find a big 'blog' site and search for some aviation related write-ups, you should be able to piece together a general idea of how the whole system works. Unfortunately, it's not as complicated as most 'civilians' would like to think. ha!

Maybe Tony will step in on this thread. He's a AeroE student as ISU so maybe he has had a simliar assignment.

-Chris
 
I have flown a Piper Warrior III last april for my campus visit at Florida Tech. A Piper Warrior is not the same thing as an A340 or B747. I can get a checklist of the plane off the Flight Simulator 9 game.
 
Last edited:
no ive never had that kind of assignment, hopefully Greg Bocklemann will pipe in with a post or a PM, he flies for a major airline.
 
stevenmeyer2005 said:
I am freshman studying aerospace engineering at Penn State. I have an assignment for my composition class. I have to write a step by step procedure on what a pilot does from the time he gets up in the morning, then getting the flight information, then landing the plane and until turning of the engines of the plane. Can you guys provide me with any information or links? Maybe another thing to add. I want to write about bigger planes for example the A340 or B747. Ones that have longer flying times and that transport cargo.
Click to expand...
It depends on if the day starts while you are off & home or off and away (On a layover)

I fly a smaller cargo plane but I will answer your larger boy question.

Wake up at home in the midwest @ 4 am. you first flight of a 3 day trip is 5 PM out of LGA. You have been off for 4 days. Before you went to bed you checked all the flights of all the airlines for time & how full they were from your home town to LGA. You go to the local airport and find the employee lot full so you park in the regular lot @ 10 a day. As go through security you make a pointy signal to the TSA agent so that they know you are packing a glock. You get all your stuff riffled through & they get all your paperwork checked. After security you start at the first Continental gate making small talk with the gate agent trying to see what your chances of getting on this flight are. The flight is all booked up & there is 2 Continental pilots & you know there is no way you are going to get the jumpseat either because you work for another airline & they will be taken in front of you on the standby list. You go to the next Continental gate and find the same. Now you head to Delta & find out that you can get to Atlanta & probably get to LGA from there. You get some coffee and spill it on you new white shirt. You get on the flight with no problem but it has a gate delay of 2 hrs & you are now thinking you might miss your connection at ATL. You get to ATL & the process of gate agent schmoozing starts yet again. This time all 4 Delta flights are full so you cancel plans of lunch and hop on the tran & head for the Airtran terminal. The first Airtran flight is open.. Whew, and it looks like you will make LGA by 3:30 PM, Yea!! Yet another day you wont get fired!
You arrive at LGA & go to the crew room, get your print out of the WX (like it matters) & all the other paperwork you need for your first flight. You show up at the gate with 20 min to spare & find there has been a gate change, well I guess no dinner either as you run to the new gate and find all the passengers are already standing in line to board and you co-pilot laughing at your tardiness & your tan spotted shirt.
You do 4 flights & then head to the hotel in LA, eat the first real meal of the day and then go right to sleep for 6 hrs & back to the airport popping tums on the shuttle, do 5 flights & to the hotel in Chicago, back to the airport, 4 more flights & to the hotel in ? Where am I?, or right Cleveland, back to the hotel & 4 more flight before gate agent schmoozing starts yet again for you to get home from Orlando.
 
While I was at Embry Riddle another aerospace University in Florida. I got to see what some pilots have to do. Who gives the pilot the route they have to fly? And what plane they can use? Then they have to get the flight path, their altitude? Then they check the weather, chat with the crew and go to the gate to get the plane ready for the passenger. Anything else? I saw a german tv show on pilots flying from Frankfurt to Southamerica. The pilot gets the information on how many passengers there will be onboard and how many tons cargo and luggage. He with this information then decides on how much fuel they want to carry. Is this correct?
 
stevenmeyer2005 said:
While I was at Embry Riddle another aerospace University in Florida. I got to see what some pilots have to do. Who gives the pilot the route they have to fly? And what plane they can use? Then they have to get the flight path, their altitude? Then they check the weather, chat with the crew and go to the gate to get the plane ready for the passenger. Anything else? I saw a german tv show on pilots flying from Frankfurt to Southamerica. The pilot gets the information on how many passengers there will be onboard and how many tons cargo and luggage. He with this information then decides on how much fuel they want to carry. Is this correct?
Click to expand...
The route is planned by the company's flight following department (Dispatch) & is usually from the normal ATC routing. The pilot can change it if he fells the need to for weather avoidance. ATC can also change it at the last min. The Pilot has the final say for fuel, but the flight follower has the first word. Sometime they agree, sometimes not. An example of a choice of route and fuel is ....JetBlue is oked for deep water routes from NY to FL. Sometime they can get out of JFK sooner when DC airspace is tied up by adding more fuel & going out over the water.

A pilot usually only fly one type of plane for the company. Besides a type rating for the plane, they also need recurrent training in type & the airlines wont send one pilot for 3 type recurrent trainings. The tail numbed is at the gate and decided by maintenance & flight following for easy scheduling.
 
This is a bugsmasher board. There are some commercial/airline pilots here, but its mostly private pilots flying single or twin engine piston airplanes. I forget the link but there is a board that has private, commercial and military categories where you can get access to a lot more airline pilots that could give you great info. Anyone know the website?
 
Just like a pilots needs to be certified, so does a Dispatcher. There is a FAA test to pass & a licence to hold. All 121 (bigboys) and some 135 outfits have them.

Dispatchers will plane route, fuel, notams, loading weight and balance. They will tell the gate agents to leave 4-5 empty seats if the plane is too heavy. The pilots have the final say, but dispatch does all the ground work & if they are good the pilot can do the flight with no changes.
 
Another thing. Once the pilot puts the autopilot on. His job is only to watch the instruments and keep radio contact. Is this correct?
 
stevenmeyer2005 said:
Another thing. Once the pilot puts the autopilot on. His job is only to watch the instruments and keep radio contact. Is this correct?
Click to expand...


I would disagree with that. While modern flight control systems are pretty amazing, the pilot is still the pilot in command, not just an "aircraft manager". The pilot is totally responsible for every aspect of the flight no matter if the autopilot is on or off. His/her job doesn't change.
 
Anthony said:
I would disagree with that. While modern flight control systems are pretty amazing, the pilot is still the pilot in command, not just an "aircraft manager". The pilot is totally responsible for every aspect of the flight no matter if the autopilot is on or off. His/her job doesn't change.
Click to expand...

What does a pilot do on a 10 hour flight?
 
stevenmeyer2005 said:
What does a pilot do on a 10 hour flight?
Click to expand...

The general public does not really want to know.

When I have a little more time, I might give you a synopsis of how a three day trip to the Orient goes for me.
 
Before the flight the pilot is to walk around the plane and check for damages and leaks. Is that all he is to do? I think you also have to check the tires and the brakes???
 
Last edited:
stevenmeyer2005 said:
I A Piper Warrior is not the same thing as an A340 or B747.
Click to expand...

You're right, my Piper Warrior usually leaves on time and the crew is much friendlier and more accomdating than the ones I find on the A340's and 747's. :D:D
 
How long before a flight does the pilot have to show up? How long before the passengers get on plane does the pilot get on? I still do not have an answer to my last question: Before the flight the pilot is to walk around the plane and check for damages, leaks, tires and brakes. Is that all he has to check?
 
stevenmeyer2005 said:
I still do not have an answer to my last question: Before the flight the pilot is to walk around the plane and check for damages, leaks, tires and brakes. Is that all he has to check?
Click to expand...

That is a pretty silly question to ask. It would vary with every plane, pilot, and airline. With the exception of one or two people on this forum we all fly small planes.
 
jangell said:
That is a pretty silly question to ask.
Click to expand...
It is not a silly qyestion. C'mon Jesse give him a break, he is trying to learn and does not have the experience.

jangell said:
With the exception of one or two people on this forum we all fly small planes.
Click to expand...
You're invited over anytime to wax my Warrior, then you will see just how un-small it is. ;):D
 
thanks for your help guys!! Any pilots that fly larger planes to answer my last questions?
 
Well, as a pilot, I feel I am qualified to answer your question.

I wake up at the crack of 11:30am usually, go to a fast food joint, and get a burger for breakfast. I drive to the airport, getting there around 1:00pm. I drive through the security gate, after showing my badge, and park. When I get to the plane, I walk around it to check for damages, hydraulic leaks, and anything else that may cause problems.

I review my briefing, which I got myself (I'm not fancy enough to have someone get it for me), and make a final decision on my routing.

After starting the engines, I taxi out to the runway and depart, planning to get to my destination within +/- 2 hours of my intended time. After landing, I get out of the plane, and walk into the pilot lounge to relax for a few minutes, knowing that my next leg is only a few minutes away.

Then I fly away and repeat as necessary.

This was intended to be humorous. I fail.
 
After landing to you have to fill out a report. Like where the plane was, how many nm is has behind itself. Do the pilots have to wait until the cargo and everything is out?
 
what does this actually have to do with aerospace engineering? who is your prof at Penn State?
 
May I advise that you submit such article before turning it in. I have a feeling you are going to come up with a final product that does not reflect the real world whatsoever since you are more or less guiding the answers to suite what you want to hear.
 
jangell said:
May I advise that you submit such article before turning it in. I have a feeling you are going to come up with a final product that does not reflect the real world whatsoever since you are more or less guiding the answers to suite what you want to hear.
Click to expand...

What should I say to this?
 
stevenmeyer2005 said:
What should I say to this?
Click to expand...

"Thank you for helping me out and ensuring that I submit a quality report to ensure that I do well in the class."
 
stevenmeyer2005 said:
should I post my composition here then?
Click to expand...

It would probably be a good idea to do so.
 
stevenmeyer2005 said:
ok, I can do that. Why you want to proof read it for me?
Click to expand...
See the above. Just trying to help out.
 
stevenmeyer2005]
After landing to you have to fill out a report. Like where the plane was, how many nm is has behind itself. Do the pilots have to wait until the cargo and everything is out?
Click to expand...

I think both of those would vary with the airplane, pilot, and the standard operating procedures of the airline/cargo company they work for.
 
stevenmeyer2005 said:
After landing to you have to fill out a report. Like where the plane was, how many nm is has behind itself. Do the pilots have to wait until the cargo and everything is out?
Click to expand...
This depends entirely on the type of air operation that is going on and the specific rules of the company if one is invovled. Speaking for myself, I fly soley general aviation flights. When I finish a flight there is no paperwork for me to do other than any squawks I might have had. Then I just note them and remind myself to call the mechanic to get them taken care of. The only otehr paperwork is document the flight in my logbook and if I had a flight plan open to close if I had not done so already.
 
jangell said:
I think both of those would vary with the airplane, pilot, and the standard operating procedures of the airline/cargo company they work for.
Click to expand...

Ok thanks!!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top