Minuteman launch officer?

If so, why would you have really WANTED to do anything?
That's not a job where we really want people to use their own initiative.

 

Everything is in a relative spectrum.

But sure, for a domestic/non augmented flight, it can be.

When it's 7 hours a$$ in seat in one stretch.

As opposed to an augmented/int'l, where you can at least be OUT OF SEAT and cockpit for longer than a pee break.

I remember in my RJ days, pre 117 on leg 6 and going into a contractual max of 15.5 hour duty day going to the overnight, and in a hold waiting to get in. AS well as going into a RR.

Had a 767 CA on the JS, me and the FO remarked that we couldn't wait to get there, long day, etc. The 76 CA on the JS says "Long day? I just came in from FRA, that was long"

I turned as asked him "how much time in the rest area and how many times were you fed?"

A blank stare of confusion from him.

I know, some jackwad is gonna say "time in the rest area isn't really rest, unless you've done it you don't understand!!!" That same jackwad needs to put their a$$ back in the seat for 7+ hours all in one stretch westbound in the winter again.

 

Aiieee! Like a BUFF without windows.

 

Ha, 10.3 in an A-10. I flew the C-5 and Globals a long time before I beat that leg.

GF

 

Indeed, but it wasn't a mil vs civ p1ssing contest

Sometimes, that train is ALWAYS ON TIME.

 

Staff duty in Korea. Such a fun place off duty, and so terrible while on.

 

Use the enroute time as time to relax because when you get into the terminal area you need to be at your best. Revisions, fuel burn, terminal weather, alternate weather, enroute weather, terminal charts, alternate charts, chapters in op manual to review. plenty of stuff to keep one busy.

 

I sat my "a$$" in the seat for 8 hours in one stretch eastbound a few days ago...and do it regularly, and whatever cushy design you've conceived for long haul crews may not be entirely accurate.

8 hours at the controls, typically, but the remainder in the IRO seat, no rest area to speak of, and what there is, for many, isn't really a rest area, and for those who do have bunks...do you really want to go lay in the same space that everyone else did for the last 30 days, not belted in, that's been occupied by a ride-on mechanic who hasn't been off the airplane in a month? Not rest.

A few hours up the coast isn't long haul. A few hours up the coast talking to controllers who can be understood isn't long haul, nor is it like any of the other aspects of long haul. Particularly not in the same time zone.

When you can takeoff and go 12 hours through the night but never see night, that's leaning toward long haul. 17 hours of ocean is a long trip. Intercontinental is getting there. When you're running out of five hour energy, it's getting long.

But, point taken. 45 minutes in a regional-anything is a long time, and a full day of it is a really long day of sitting in the toe of a cowboy boot.

You may have missed his point. What's the longest you've ever sat in a single pilot cockpit with nowhere to go?

That trip to the lav? It comes with a screw cap.

Catering? It's called skittles.