The whole “bidding” thing is totally ridiculous considering the amount of radio calls that they missed... Do you take your headset off to bid?

I’m guessing that they both dozed off, but didn’t want to admit it. It probably would have been better if they had admitted to sleeping rather than online bidding. OK, back to the regularly scheduled thread programming...

 

That specific regulation was inserted by congress as a knee jerk reaction to the guys who fell asleep on their way to MSP, but *claimed* they were playing with a laptop. The sponsor was a well-known pilot-hater in congress. The actual regulatory language is so complex (references FCC regulations) that I'm not even sure what it really means. So no, it's not really supposed to make sense.

 

This is true, but they don't really mean it, and could never prove it (unless you do it with a fed in the JS). They just say that to CYA in case a pilot ever creates a problem by being distracted.

 

Yeah, I know. My point was the cure is worse than the disease.

 

Passengers have an expectation and a right that their pilot has their utmost interest in safety. If your not engaged with the task of flying the airplane you shouldn’t be there flying the airplane. Period. Relying on automation and having your brain engaged in a movie, book, or napping will drive you beyond six feet under fast. Startle effect.

My longest flight was 17.3 hours. Was it boring? Yes. Thank God.

 

Chuck Norris looks at crossword puzzles before departure, mentally solves them during cruise, and fills in the letters after arrival. No violation.

 

I’m still shaking my head that BOS to SEA is a “long leg.”

What do I do?

Write down time and fuel at each fix.

Note the trends in each.

Update winds.

Set up diverts in the fix page. Ask myself “what would I do if....” regarding the diverts, since they are often airports and/or countries I have never been to. So....

I’ll look at the Jepps to see what they have. Look at company notes for operating hours since I’m usually flying all-nighters.

Review NOTAMS for these airports, which are often difficult at best in foreign countries.

Stop reviewing and just look at stars....I can see stuff where I fly that I can’t at home.

Get a crew meal and/or coffee. Lav break. Ask the F/As if everything is good in the back.

Look at WSI and our radar to see if we need to deviate.

Read the complicated escape-route verbage for the Andes if we have to descend.

It’s easy to sit there and do nothing if nothing goes wrong. But as others have opined, I try to give the folks in back...and my fellow crew....the deserved amount of knowledge, skill, and preparedness they deserve if the excrement impacts the impeller.

 

All of these, and also things like...

Play with the "what if"-function of the FMS to get a stronger mental picture of the airplane performance

Read your FM1/AOM1/AOM2. You can always find new stuff in there.

If you're the captain, ask your FO about scenarios you've experienced to see how they think.

You know. Flying airplanes-stuff.

I don't care about checking your Facebook once every now and then, but I wouldn't watch a movie. 10 minute "mental breaks" are fine, but 2 hours concentrating on something else is not cool.

 

My old job sometimes had me sit at a desk for 24 hours staring at a wall. So at least it’s not that

 

When did you get out of prison?