What do folks at AWI do for meals on the road? Is it better to buy or bring, and what are the mechanics of hauling, storing, and eating food during a busy day?

 

I'm a XJT guy but this is a pretty universal question. I've gotten to where i'll pack something to eat that's gotta stay cool for day one, maybe day two also, then day three-four (five/six if reserve) I eat nonperishable stuff. Eating out daily is EXPENSIVE. I always bring some flavored tuna pouches, cliff bars, kind bars, and a few apples.

You'll end up having to eat out once in a while but keeping it to a minimum will save you hundreds a month.

You'll need a small cooler, some of the luggage bags have cooler space, I carry the little ice pouches and refill them at hotels at night. The bricks you can refreeze are nice but if your room doesn't have a freezer it's useless.

 

There are multiple ways to deal with this. I carried a pretty large cooler from StrongBags. The more & longer you want stuff to stay cool, the more ice you need, and the bigger the bag. I would put some thin blue ice blocks in the bottom and fill up a headache bag with ice. This would stay cold all day. Like the previous guy said, if you don't get a freezer then you can't re freeze the ice packs but you can fill up the bag with ice again. I would usually make some pasta or lasagne, or something good reheated. (You would then need access to a microwave at some point.) You can bring pasta salad. I usually pack some sandwiches for the first day or 2. Some fruit if you like but it doesn't always travel well. Usually, grapes for me or something in Tupperware, pineapple, cantaloupe, etc. At the least, bring snacks and non-perishables. I brought the little tuna lunch kits, trail mix, mixed nuts etc. This way you don't have to eat out 2-3 times a day. I've seen guys pack a roll of tortillas and a pound or 2 of lunch meat and some cheese and make wraps for 2 meals a day.

 

Is it acceptable to eat in the cockpit? Or is there enough downtime that it isn't necessary?

 

Yes... I’m fact, you’re typically sitting in and around the food remnants belonging to the fat bastard who occupied the seat before you. I used the Aerocoast Pro cooler bag. It fits in the recessed area to your right and up in the CRJ-200 overhead, while also providing ample space for the rest of your gear.

 

Sunshade doesn't work well as a sunshade, but it works well as a makeshift table in the cockpit. Eat when you can, but clean up your mess and don't leave crumbs in the cockpit. The only time the cockpit gets cleaning is during a heavy check.

On a side note, if you're leaving the aircraft and you leave food/containers that have a strong odor in the trash bag, you're a wanker.

 

Crews that leave ANYTHING behind in the cockpit are wankers/inconsiderant/whateveradjectiveyouwant.

Throw out the garbage when leaving the plane. It would be nice if everyone also slid their seats all the way back when getting out but that's probably asking a bit much.

It's gotten to the point the company even had to make an announcement about it. Can't fix stupid though.

 

THIS
All the way down, recline full forward, all the way back.

I just make it part of my routine as I’m throwing my bags up front to fix the seat, then go count wings and things.

 

It's so much easier than climbing out or into from under the yoke/control wheel/hand wheel or whatever they want to call it on different checklists/manuals.

Just slide the damn seat back.

 

I used to take 4 turkey and cheese sandwiches, 6 apple sauces, a bag of carrots, 2 tuna packets, 6 diet caffeine free Pepsis, and a desert. I usually ate about 2 lunches/dinners out.


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