What is it like?
 

I am just a student going to flight school, and I only fly a little Cessna 172 right now, but dream of someday flying a 747, or a big Airbus. I assume many students have these same desires, and I just wanted to know what it is like. For you pilots who fly these large planes, when you are taking off, or coming in to land, how do you feel? Even taking off and landing in the Cessna is still exhilerating, and I can't even imagine what it would be like in a 747. I am just a bit curious, and hope to find out for myself someday.

The 747 is a pig. Cool, but a big lumbering pig. They probably won't have any left when you're ready to fly them. Everyone is dumping them for more economical planes. But flying airliners is cool. I love flying them. I just landed a 757-300 this morning in a crosswind. I greased it in (not trying to brag:D ). The takeoff last weekend in a 767-200 that was light was fun too. Lots of power and a great climb. Flying a complex aircraft on a complex arrival or departure is fun. Add wind, weather, mountains, etc and that just makes it more interesting. Just like in a 172, you feel good when you do a job well done.

I fly the DC-10...It's like dancing with a really cool fat chick...Just hang on when you dip her and don't let her get away from what you want to do with her...Because she will get away fast!...Really it's a blast to fly the big iron...I think taxi'n the beast is even a bigger blast!...But it's been so long since I taxied a C172 and I would think that would be fun too!

That is so funny!!!!!!I am laughing so hard!!!!:D

This is actually a good thread. I always thought of it as well. On a windy day when its gusting I get a slow climb out of the 150/172, but when I visit the airport and see the airliners take off its just a blast. I'd love to be in one of those jets just for the rotation!

Nicely written post HeavyDriver!

Well said Otto. :) A job well done feels good no matter what you're flying.

I have to admit that I'm not even close to being a pilot, but I've flown on my share of 747's, and I've always thought the same thing when we take off...."Can this big ole weighty girl get up and get me to where I'm going?" She's never disappointed me....just curious, why do you suppose you pilots always refer to the birds you fly as girls?...I'm a sea-going kind of gal, and it's the same with boats. I've always wondered though where that tradition started.

I don't exactly fly a big airliner, but I can definitely say I know that feeling you get. Everytime I fly a larger airplane, there's an interesting feeling of excitement with a little anxiety mixed in. I know I'm capable of handling the airplane, but it is still exciting. The first time I flew a Tiger (my first airplane), it was exhilarating. I got the same feeling the first time I flew a Cessna 310, King air 90, and now the King Air 350. As I get the power up to takeoff setting, usually about the 80 knot crosscheck, I get this anxious feeling with a lot of excitement because I'm hurtling down the runway at a high rate of speed. I must say, it is the same feeling regardless of the airplane (so far), you are just playing with bigger numbers.

Yesterday, in the 757-300 (260,000lbs) out of Vegas, my rotation speed was 169 kts. I was thinking to myself, "dang, that is fast for Vr."

Rotation in the 757-300 and 767-400 is fun, but you really have to watch the tail. You don't want a tail strike. I think it's about 7.5 degrees when you hit. I try to stay 5 and under. I hold it at about 5 until we climb some and then pull up into the flight director. If I get near the pitch limit a "pitch report" prints out in the cockpit. The plane "tells" on you to the company if you exceed any limits. The 757-200 and 767-200 are much better when it comes to rotating. If you like cool rotations and climbs, try the F-15.

The highest V1 I had was out of Vegas...Going to Manchester England...V1 192...VR was 197...V2 204...Flaps were 2 degrees....It didn't look fast because the cockpit sits 20 feet high on the 10...But the Mass felt fast and so did the end of that 14,000 foot runway!

Must of been a hot day....

I have flown 172's for the majority of my flying career. I am like you in that I feel exhilirated anytime I lift off the ground, or I start my flare over the runway. I was lucky enough to fly a full motion 747-400 simulator. It is a small box suspended on a 6 axis motion system in a gymnasium size room. Costs $14 million dollars, every single switch in the cockpit is an exact replica on the 747, and it feels the exact same as if u were flying a real airplane. To me, it was the same exhilirating feeling I get when flying a 172. The differences were:
1. Things happened a lot faster. The man working the sim for us secretly put an airplane on a collission course with us. I looked at two lights coming up from the water (thinking it was a boat), then suddenly it was an airliner, and I had to dive the 747 to miss it. Much faster rate of closure than in a 172.
2. There is a lot of mass behind you. Make small corrections. Once you turn a 747, the inertia wants to keep it there. Kind of a cool feeling the first time.
3. Lots more switches and displays. Good in the fact that you have A LOT more situational awareness. Bad because you have a lot more going on.

4. Haha. When I touched the 747 down the first time, I commented that I would exit at the next tawiway. Then my buddy told me we were still at 100kts. I could have sworn we were going 20kts. Sitting 44ft above the ground really affects your perception.


Overall, it is very similar in terms of flying qualities. Personally, I thought landing a 747 with autothrottles was easier than landing a 182. Just pitch the airplane to get it over the runway. Cut the power. Touch down.
Flying is flying.

On the 74, by the time we are ready to land I always feel tired.

What's the max tire speed on a DC-10? Were you close?

If I remember right...That particular airplane was 204 knots...The higher gross weight airplanes go as high as 230 knots...Depends on the tires...The DC-10 has a "Dial a Flap" System, and if the runway is not limited you can Takeoff with Slats/0 Flaps...It makes for very high takeoff speeds and brings you to the end of the runway almost every time...Nothing worse then rotating with the mains still on the runway and the runway end goes below the nose out of sight...lol...But the performance book says "You Can Do It"...lol...yeah right....lol

Crazy! I agree this is a great thread. Keep the experiences coming! :D
Can someone hook me up for a ride in the Delta simulator here in ATL?
Would beer help?
:)

Hey, thanks for all the experiences so far guys. This is awesome, and I agree with what animals says, please keep them comin'. Just listening to the stories makes me want to do it more. When I fly the 172 I feel like the little kid who wants to be a star basketball player when he grows up. He plays by himself on an empty court, shoots, scores at the buzzer, wins the game, you know. I sit in the 172 and pretend I'm sitting in the captain seat of the 747, blizzard, and coming into land. Probably cheesy, but you got to start somewhere, eh? I also had one more question concerning this. When people ask you what you do for work, how do you feel when you tell them. I try to think of myself as a humble guy, but if someone who works graveyards at Wal-mart asks me, or whatnot, I don't think I could help but answer with a bit of pride that I fly a Boeing 747. How do people respond when you tell them? People think it's cool enough already that I can fly a 172.

I remember as a small boy visiting the cockpit of a chartered DC-10. I actually got to sit up front during an approach and landing into Boston. I remember looking back into the cavernous cabin of this massive plane and asking the captain how he could fly and manage such an amazingly large airplane and he simply answered. "You fly this baby from the cockpit forward and whatever is behind you will follow". He made it sound so simple he convinced me that even I could do such a thing one day. I too flew the 747 and it was awesome. 785,000 pound takeoff weights are hard to even imagine much less do routinely. It was a time I will always remember and feel fortunte to have had the opportunity to fly such a wonderful airplane.

After reading HeavyDriver's post, it got me thinking of my box throwing days for FedEx in SLC.

In SLC the FedEx ramp is located just right of the departure end of 16L.
When Delta was still flying the L-1011's, and FedEx had the occasional DC-10 in, I loved watching them try and climb out in hot and high conditions. I am sure it was how HeavyDriver describes it, because it looked tight from where I was. Once, I was sure an L-1011 was going to scrape the ALS trees off the end.

Ahhh, good times.

JM

Depending on which L-1011 Delta was operating...Some of the airplanes operated with Rolls Royce RB211-22B's...If I remember from my L-1011 days the -22B only put out 42,000lbs of thrust each on a standard day...And SLC is anything but standard!...I still miss the Tristar...For those of you who never got to fly it...You missed out on a beautiful machine...Cheers

While I don't fly a 747 (respect those who do), I can tell you how I feel.
The acceleration and climb of a corp. jet or a King Air is a tremendous rush. It is also a challenge knowing your airplane can accomplish great things, however all depending on your judgement and ability. I also feel a satisfaction when such high performance means I will see the sunshine when most people are in for a gloomy, rainy day.

As far as what others think:
I live in the mid-atlantic area of the country. One Saturday around 1pm, I ran into a friend in town. He asked what I was into and I told him I had been to Florida and back that morning. I said it casualy because it was really routine, but he was astonished. (I don't go around with a pilot-god complex, at least I hope I dont).

Please don't look down on a 172. I learned a lot in one, and have had the honor to fly almost 500 people on their first flight in one (first job was flying sceinc tours). They are great for what they are meant to be.

Oh, I hope you don't think I am putting the 172 down. Anything with wings that is capable of flying is awesome. It isn't quite as fast as a corporate jet, but I also enjoy the feeling of coming back from a nice x/c trip. I flew to the Grand Canyon one morning, and got back that afternoon. I had explored town a little bit, and caught the IMAX down there. Really cool by the way. When I got back my friends asked me if I wanted to do anything that day, and I said I had just returned from the Grand Canyon and was a bit tired. From where I fly out of it is at least a good 4-5 hour drive down there. Flying is so incredible. I love the view at 12,000 feet, and can't imagine the thrill you guys have at 30,000 feet, chillin' above the rain clouds.

[QUOTE=GauleyPilot]The acceleration and climb of a corp. jet or a King Air is a tremendous rush.

I remember my Learjet days...Flying an empty Lear 24 was a handful, but fun...The highest I ever got was 47,000 feet and change in a Lear 25D...It wouldn't go any higher because of the OAT...This was a time before the new airplanes that can see that altitude with a bit more of ease...I joke with my crews who never have flown the Learjet...I tell them an empty DC-10-30 with only 30,000lbs of gas onboard has the performance of a max gross weight 20 series Learjet.

You guys need to see rotation's in Canada's cold winter conditions. Personally, I find flying in the winter to be more of a thrill. Must I mention aircraft performance?