tide

Trying to see if anyone here has been able wrangle a visit to the cockpit (not in flight of course) and if so, how were you successfully able to pull this off?

My 3-year old son and I have an upcoming flight coming up and he's already decided he wants to be a pilot (failing that, a carpenter or a fireman ) and it would be a dream for him if he could visit a live cockpit (apart from the DC-3 at the Smithsonian) and chat with the captain.

It's my opinion that this is close to impossible with NH (I asked a purser on a flight I took several weeks ago and was not successful) but I just wanted to throw this out here.

Thanks in advance

flyhawaii

Cockpit visit on Japanese Airlines are no longer allowed. After the ANA captain was killed when someone hyjacked the plane and stabbed him and took control of the plane and 9-11. I remember when I was around 10, when sitting on an 747 upperdeck on JAL, the FA asks us if I wanted to visit the cockpit. I did but I wish I could visit again at this age during flight so I could understand the value and I would have been more interested and I would visit the cockpit more frequently. They used to give cockpit tours when the plane was in flight. Japanese Airlines does not allow any cockpit visits even if the plane is on the ground at least JAL and ANA. I have a friend who is waiting to be called back to United and is working as a Jalways 747 first officer. He could not let me see the cockpit or he and his crew was going to risk themselves from being fired. So you will have a great chance of visiting a cockpit of an US based airline when the plane is in the ground. During flight, the only way to see the cockpit is to be a pilot or a flight attendant or work for the ATC. I miss the old days.

shiv666

i was recently thinking about this... i miss the good old days before 911.... i remember once i got to sit in the cockpit of a BA747 when i was like 15...the view is increadible....i hope one day some airline comes up with some kind of video intercom so that enthusiasts can talk to the pilots and whatnot... instead of taking kids to the cockpit they can sit em down at the video terminal and have a psudo visit with the flight crew...

its still secure and the doors can remain locked...

JALPak

But wouldn't that make the pilots uncomfortable? That's as if they are being monitored during the entire flight...I can imagine how the pilot union will oppose this idea.

Flyingfox

If he's 3, he's got a long time left to have his "dream" realised, but it won't be on ANA or JL with their current rules.

It really beggars belief that anyone would even think that a visit to the cockpit would be possible after 911.

Why not take him to an airplane museum, where he could see it all, including the cockpit? That seems much more practical. Go to Barbados - they have a Concorde on display indoors and a whole tour to go with it.

GreatChecko

Why does it have to be on ANA? Unless you get a skyhag in full fury, I don't think you'll find a pilot in the US who will deny a cockpit visit at the gate to a 3 year old. Just ask!

If it is too busy prior to the flight, there might be a few minutes when you get to your destination for him to make a visit up front.

Again, just ask.

bossCJ

I still remember when I was young, back in the mid-90's and flying on a LH 747, EWR-FRA, and when we were cruising over the atlantic, one of the FA's set it up so I could go into the cockpit. Brought me on up, into the cockpit, and even had me sit in the captain's chair while the first officer explained the controls to me. Very cool experience, looking out the front, even able to see other aircraft flying on the route. Its a shame that young people can't have that kind of an experience these days.

Shinigami

I don't see why they wouldn't let a 3 year old visit a cockpit, hardly terrorist material at that age.

I wa extremely lucky a month ago as I was able to visit the 747 cockpit on my BA flight a month ago after we landed in LAX. I'm 32.