Don't know if you Q4 guys make it down to IAH at all, but if you look around there's some stashes of plastic CAL wings around the express gates.

I have some pictures from when I was 10 or 11 of me sitting in the flight deck of a 737. That was the best part of the trip for me, the second time I had ever flown and I got to sit in the pilot's seat and press buttons for them.

Same here! My mom was a res agent for TWA(RIP) and one of the first trips we took was to Hawaii. When we were boarding the captain asked if I wanted to come up later and see the cockpit. I don't remember much from that trip but I definitely remember seeing everything in the flight deck and talking to the pilots. To this day I still say that is one of the many reasons I became a pilot. To all the pilots who invite kids up to the flight deck I want to say thank you.

The best birthday present I ever got was a trip with my Dad down to DC when I was in 2nd grade to go to an airliner memorabilia convention. On our way out of DCA we were supposed to fly on a Dash 7, my favorite airplane, to PHL. Unfortunately there was a maintenance issue with the Dash 7 and we got rebooked on a US Air Shuttle up to LGA. Needless to say I was bummed out about not getting to fly the Dash 7, I still haven't gotten to fly on one yet, and my Dad knew this. He got me a visit in the cockpit of the 727 and the pilots let me make a PA announcement to the FAs to raise the aft stairway. It may have been just a couple minutes long, but it's been something that's added to my love of aviation that's gotten me to where I am today.

It's really cool how through all the BS associated with the industry, that pilots are in a position to have a positive impact on aspiring pilots.

I know airlines in Europe that still allow Flight Deck visits even during flight. Ask nicely and you just might get it.

I welcome visitors. If they have a camera, I put them in my seat and take their picture. :D

I get kids all the time coming up front in the CRJ. I really enjoy it. I try and show them how the plane "talks" to us. They seem to get a kick out of that.

I wish I had something to give to them also. I had a kid, probably about 5 years old, getting off the plane the other day and he asked if he could have a pair of wings. I apologized to him and told him that I didn't have any to give to him. He said, "What about those?", and pointed at a button on my blazer. I almost tore it off and gave it to him. ;)

jrmyl

I was on my way to Hawaii as well when I got to go up there! Nice!

Flying on Continental over Canada when I was about 12 years old, the flight attendant took me to the cockpit while en route. The pilot twisted the autopilot knob and the wings banked for a second. I got a kick out of it!! I probably had a grin on my face for as long as I did when I first soloed. :D

you can still do this on airliners before the flight?

I thought it would look shady b/c of 9/11 paranoia but I would LOVE to go talk to the pilots/see the cockpit.