Is it possible...
 

Is it possible for me to see how being a professional pilot is? What I mean is that before I spend $50,000 on training, I would like to experience what a day consists of. I know that this is a dumb thing to ask for, but idealy, what I want is to sit in the co-pilot seat of a 208 Fedex feeder for an entire day and see how it is. Do you understand what I am saying, or am I just rambling on? Also, is there anything that even comes close to what I am asking?

Thanks,

Caleb

Caleb-
Unfortunately probably not - a company must carry insurance and most likely it will not cover a passenger. It sure doesn't hurt to ask but I wouldn't get your hopes up. Talk to friends, ask folks here, to illustrate in detail the layout of their day for you, you may get a better idea.

Do you think a passanger jet would be any different, or a corporate jet?

Actually, the likelyhood of sitting in the cockpit would be worse. Not only are there insurance problems but regulatory problems. Nobody is allowed in the cockpit of a commercial airplane unless you are a required crewmember or have jumpseat privileges or approved by the FAA. That just won't happen for someone who wants to "observe" as a non-employee. Post 9/11 these regulations were heightened to protect the cockpit, which is why you don't see the door open during flight anymore.

Like Lori said, not going to happen on an airliner, unless you are an aviation student from certain universities doing an internship...I think they are still allowed to jumpseat. But you would have to spend some time and money to get to that point.

What I would suggest you do is go take some flying lessons, if you are interested enough to be asking this question you might as well shoot for a private pilot license. Get that done, do some recreational flying on your own and if you really like it then consider professional flying. Nobody who is not already a pilot should commit to an aviation career training program.

Once you know your way around the airport you might be able to find a small charter operator or even a private owner who will give you a ride in a business jet.

Microsoft Flight Simulator
 

Buy Microsoft flight simulator. Program in a flight from LAX to JFK and then fly the entire thing in real time. If you want in enhance the realism do it in a dark room starting the flight at 11:00PM. Don't get up. Don't watch television. Don't talk to anyone just sit there for 6 hours staring an an unmoving screen.

Then as the sun is coming up turn the autopilot off and land the plane.

I think you will come close.

Skyhigh

I can offer two suggestions:

1: If you or your family travels overseas, book the trip on a foreign carrier. Once you are out of US Airspace on a non-US airline, there is a slight possibility you might be able to visit the flight deck.

2: Try to find a mentor in your local area. Easier said than done, I know. I was lucky, my father worked in the hospital with the wife of a major airline pilot, and the wife of a pilot instructing (and subsequently moving up the career ladder). These gentlemen were enthusiastic about sharing their experiences and advice with me.
If you want to find a mentor, perhaps start with joining your local EAA chapter.

Yes - and play the latest Air Combat video games and you'll get a sense of military tactical aviation too. :rolleyes:

Sky - I hope there is movement on the screen. At least the little symbols ought to move around the screens right? Also - you sat next to the other pilot for this hypothetical flight and didn't say a word to the person you were flying with or have communication with ATC?

USMCFLYR

Get in your car and make five trips. Each trip around 1 to 1.5 hours. Stop inbetween trips and refuel, rest, get something to eat and hit the road again to continue, but only 15mins total for each rest/fuel stop. During your trip, try to take a route with heavy volume of congestions, this will give you an idea of ground stops, delays, and holding for whatever reasons. You must complete this five leg trip before going home, only to rest nine hours before doing the same thing again the next day. And sometime during your trip, park the car get out and sit somewhere outside of your car for 2 to 3 hours before continuing. (This is for airplane swaps and sits) The closest comparison I can give you....

Counter-silliness
 

Sit in a recliner while pretty girls serve you a tasty meal and adoring crowds throw money at you.

I would suggest trying to get to know some pilots around your local airport and ask for a ride along. If there are some corporate pilots around in something like King Airs, a lot of the time they are flying single pilot so you can sit up front. That's what I've done in the past, and still do to get more experience in different aircraft. If you have experience they'll put you to work, and often times enjoy having you there to take some of the work load off. Not to mention they get to share the job they love to somebody enthusiastic about aviation. Don't worry, not all pilots hate their life. ;)

Movement and signs of life
 

Occasionally there is some movement from the other pilot and the occasional sign of life over the radio, but mostly on a redeye you just sit there.

MS flight sim is a good simulation of what a cross country night flight is like. Another thing a person could do is to place a char towards the wall and sit there for six hours.

Skyhigh

Yeah, he's right about redeyes. Depends on who you work for though.

So you're saying that a cross country red-eye is what aviation is most of the time? That is an accurate picture to portray of the piloting profession?
Well...if so...like I said - play the Air Combat video games then because I've had missions similar.

USMCFLYR

Unfortunately not.
 

Caleb, I understand your question but the reality, as Lori says, is that it isn't possible in an actual aircraft.

You might consider talking to corporate or airline pilots to gauge what their schedules are like and there is one other possibility. If you get to know someone who is a flight simulator instructor at an air carrier or even Flight Safety, they might be able to let you observe a flight simulator session.

It varies from company to company but I have had "approved visitors" sit in a B-757 or 767 simulator on a non-checking training session. It 's an outside shot but it would give you an excellent overview of what a flight crew does on a flight.

Just my two cents.

G'Luck Mate:)

I didn't say that.

No - you didn't - Sky was portraying all of aviation in that manner.
I was making a point that I doubt that his view was an accurate picture of aviation. You agreed that RED-EYES were like that - which is accurate I assume - but it played into Sky's overexaggeration IMO.

USMCFLYR

Here is an idea.
 

Perhaps you could find an airline pilot buddy and in a nonchalant manner ask him/her what it is like up front at 3:00AM during a cross continental flight?

Tons of fun.... :)

Skyhigh

I'm sure they are; and I'm also sure that they aren't ALL like that ;)

USMCFLYR

PS - No reason to be nonchalant about it.....straight forward would be much preferred around my airline buddies!

Why they call it "work"
 

All-night legs go with the territory if you want to fly International or enjoy a long west-coast layover. With proper rest, they aren't bad at all, but peaceful and relaxing. Lots of senior pilots bid these rotations, even when they pay no more than domestic/daylight trips, and many "freight dawgs" are quite content doing this all the time. Personally, I preferred to do some of each. It's a mistake to think that every intelligent person must want the same kind of work and schedule that you do. It's also a mistake to think that, in any profession, you can have the lifestyle you want by doing whatever you want whenever you want to do it. ;)

I just sent out a letter to a charter company that flies six beech king airs. Do you think they would let me sit in the co-pilot seat for a day?

[/quote] It's also a mistake to think that, in any profession, you can have the lifestyle you want by doing whatever you want whenever you want to do it. ;)[/quote]

Very well said! If you want to be a professional, you need to understand the sacrifices.

Their insurance most likely won't cover you so I wouldn't get your hopes up. But it's worth a try.

probably not, the closest you may get to doing what you want is to intern with a flight ops department somewhere. You used to be able to jumpseat while as an intern at the airlines but from what i understand, thats not possible anymore. However if you intern with an airline they'll put you through systems class and let you fly the simulator.

Good luck

Your best bet at this pint might be to hang around the airport (hopefully you have a mid-size general aviation field nearby) and try to hook up a private owner/pilot. As long as he is certified and insured for single-pilot ops, he should be able to let anyone sit in the right seat.

I got a responce from one of the compainies and they said that they would be glad to take me up for a maintenance flight to an airport. They also invited me to the hangar for a tour. I will also send letters to more charter companies.

Congratulations, nice to hear someone do something positive for once. Enjoy the experience and ask lots of questions - pilots love to show you how smart they are ;)

For once a "glass is half full" post! Thank you, and I am excited to just sit in a King Air let alone maybe even fly it for a turn or something simple. I am waiting for a reply for a charter company who has a brand new Eclipse 500 which is single pilot certified. That company has only one pilot, so flying a brand new jet with new airplane smell would be out of this world.

Have a nice and happy holiday:)

sounds like you've got a very good opportunity... be sure to enjoy it.

That's fantastic news! Enjoy! Be sure to collect the contact information for whomever you meet - stay in touch with them.