First of all, thanks for taking the time and interest to find out what we like. I'd add a +1 to the above. I really enjoy flying and looking out the window at the world below from 35,000 feet. However, it would be so much better if I could figure out what that really cool looking thing down there is.

Most, if not all, of the cabin lighting is controlled by the FAs, not the pilots. As for temperature, the cockpit is zoned differently than the various cabins, and they may not know how hot/cold you are. Let an FA know about the temp, and they will pass along the info to the pilots, who are in their own little box.

Accurately state delays.

Whenever I'm on a flight and there's a delay while "The tech quickly checks soemthing" or "we wait for a plane to clear our gate so we can taxi or in" or "we make a quick stop for de-icing" the pilots will almost always say something like "A couple of minutes and we'll be on our way" when we in fact I always know it's thirty minutes or 45 minutes or whatever.

I'm not blaming the pilot for the delay, stuff happens, but I do blame him for inaccurate information. The pilot knows de-icing will take 35 minutes, or knows it will take the tech 15 minutes alone to get over to the plane, even before he opens the access panel... The list goes on.

So when there's a delay, tell us the truth - Drop the 'few moments' or 'couple of minutes business' and tell us the truth - "We just need the tech to check something - We should be back on our way in 45 minutes - I'll keep you updated as we learn more."

I really appreciate the posts! Please feel free to add to them.

I think we would all love to be a Captain Denny, but it seems to me like he spends a bunch of time outside the cockpit, which may or may not be possible depending on the time available between flights. I will keep those things in the back of my mind, though.

As for turbulence, I'm sure you didn't mean to use the acronym, CAT, however, it is short for Clear Air Turbulence. If we knew where that was, we would most certainly tell you. It occurs in clear, usually turbulence free air and is quite surprising. Those encounters will usually occur exactly how you described it and there really is no other way to approach them.

I do understand the importance of giving an explanation after the fact and when I get a chance, I'll do my best to give one or convince my cohort to give one.

Thanks!

Checko

I think Captain Denny (his last name is Flannagan) is an example of "above and beyond" and not something I'd expect from every pilot. I remember,back when TWA was still flying, there was a retired pilot who lived near LAX. He loved everything about the airline so much that, even after retirement, he'd come down in full uniform and circulate around the gates, chatting with the passengers while they lined up to board. Though it was nice, and I always looked forward to seeing him, this is customer dedication well beyond what I'd expect. I know that now, when you're out of the cockpit, the FAs have to form a phalanx to protect you from us but I have, from time to time, encountered the captain or FO (usually pre-flight) and it's always nice when they say, "hello." Last night, I flew LAX to SFO and was first to board. As I came on, the captain said hi and then joked, "We're going to San Francisco, right?" The little joke and, particularly, the interaction with the pilot made the flying experience a little more pleasant.

I did mean to use CAT. CAT is unexpected, turbulence you'll usually know about from ATC or other aircraft. If a pilot is uncommunicative, I don't know whether it's CAT, which, generally, will be short-lived, or the beginning of a long bout of moderate turbulence.

My contributions are minor compared to such things as irrops communication and landmark orientation. But among those not yet mentioned:

1) When I was a kid (1970s) and used to fly internationally, transatlantic flights to the US always featured a concluding announcement from the pilot: "...and if you're a U.S. citizen, welcome home." Now I almost never hear this. And I miss it.

2) Why is the entire airline industry seemingly fixated on announcing preparations for landing with the phrase, "we'll be on the ground soon?" Of course it's not the case, but it implies that you're choosing your words carefull so you can't be criticized for excessive optimism if you don't get us on the ground by means of a safe landing. Why can't you just say, "we'll be landing soon?" It wouldn't matter if the "on the ground" phrase weren't so consistent, as if it's some kind of industry law or something.

This is something I've noticed, too. "We'll be on the ground soon," implies "one way or another."

This thread is not about just doing my job, it is about going "above and beyond." When I have time, I do my best to say hello to everyone getting on the plane. I also love to chat with my passengers during ground delays and in the boarding area.

Sometimes there's just enough time to get the plane set up so we can get you to your destination on time. In those situations, I'd think passengers are much more appreciative of the effort to get the plane out on time than taking time to say hello.

Sadly, in the air this is true.

I do wish I could come out of the cockpit and chat when airborne, but I'd think many people would not like that image.

On the ground, however, this is not the case. The doorway is most often the most convenient place to stand. Furthermore, in the plane I fly, the forward lav is right next to the cockpit door and it is often used on the ground. So any false sense of "protection" the FA might provide is lost whenever someone uses the restroom and this doesn't bother me.

It just gives me someone new to talk to when I'm tired of talking to the captain.

I guess I don't understand the situation you are referring to. Is it a minor bump or two, continuous chop, or a couple good bumps (towards the moderate side), without an explanation? In other words, when would you appreciate an explanation?

I try to strike a balance between too many PA's and too little. It's an art, especially on early morning or late night flights when I assume most people would rather be sleeping than listening to be going on and on about the route of flight. Am I incorrect in this assumption?

You know, I've never really thought of that. ^

I'd surmise its just a bad habit that's spread around to many pilots (myself included).

"We shall be landing in about 20 minutes" is better, I'll remember that!

Thanks for all the replies!

Checko

This is from an Advisory Circular from the FAA in 1993:
Use of Portable Electronic Devices Aboard Aircraft - FAA AC 91.21-1

"(6) Prohibiting the operation of any portable
electronic devices during the takeoff and landing phases of
flight. It must be recognized that the potential for personal
injury to passengers is a paramount consideration as well as the
possibility of missing important safety announcements during
these important phases of flight. This is in addition to
lessening the possible interference that may arise during sterile
cockpit operations (below 10,000 feet)."

As it is there's not way for FA's (who are charged with enforcing cabin safety FAR's) to determine the type, function, operation of any and all possible PED's at any given time. As a blanket rule it's required that all Portable Electronic Devices be turned off for door closure in order for the pax to not be distracted from any and all safety demos. Before cell phones people were much more compliant, they seemed t hear more of the announcements we make regarding time until door closure, stowing baggage, putting seatbacks and trays up etc. Not everyone is distracted so it's not uncommon after 3 or 4 announcements to then have to walk through and make the same requests to 5-10 people once again. I always ask nicely but sometimes am not met with the same respect.

Even if you don't pay attention to briefings, they are required and not everyone is ignoring the information which could be useful were there an event. This is why they aren't allowed on taxi-out. BUT, as stated, during longer delays and ALWAYS ALWAYS after the demo and cabin checks I've had the CA authorize PED usage.... getting people to turn them BACK off is a whole other uphill battle : )

I'm talking about displacement severe enough to merit a terse, "Flight attendants take your seats!" from the captain or FO. The problem with CAT, as I understand it, is that it is completely unpredictable and can result from mountain rollers, a thunderstorm many, many miles away, or for no discernible reason at all. Minor bumps or continuous light chop is one thing. As a frequent flier, the first thing I'd think of if there was a sudden, violent displacement would be CAT. However, as a long-time flying phobic and, particularly, when I was an inexperienced flier, I'd be thinking, "Oh my god, the plane is broken, the pilot is unconscious and we're all going to die!" That terse and oh-so-serious, "Flight attendants take your seats," made it sound like an emergency. I refer back to the weird mountain-roller "explosion" incident I mentioned earlier -- a number of people actually screamed when it happened. Yes, the pilot told the FAs to sit, but moments later came back on in a nice calm voice and said something to the effect of, "Well, I'm sure you found that interesting -- I know we in the cockpit sure did, but it's actually a normal part of flying and nothing to worry about." Everybody laughed and the atmosphere in the cabin immediately returned to normal.

Two short (I hope) anecdotes: (1) On a flight into Houston, our descent put us right at the cloud tops, clouds, of course, not being the fluffy gentle things we see from the ground. I was in an L1011 which had FA jump seats that faced the first row of coach. This was back in my fearful days (I'm happy to say I'm no longer a flying phobic and haven't been for some years). As we bumped and bounced along, I grew more and more uncomfortable and finally asked the FA if there was some reason for flying at the altitude we were. She said, "You know, I was wondering that myself -- I don't know what that pilot is doing." She picked up the cockpit phone and, more or less, yelled at the pilot. Next thing I knew, we had gained enough altitude to clear the clouds and everything smoothed out.

(2) Having learned that pilots have discretion to ask for more comfortable altitudes, my wife and I were returning from Beijing on a particularly bumpy China Eastern flight. At one point, I rang the call button and asked the FA if he could ask the pilot to find a more comfortable altitude. He looked at me as if he didn't understand, and my wife (who is Chinese) repeated my request in Mandarin. The FA shrugged his shoulders and said, "I'll ask," and went up front. He returned a while later and said, "We don't do that."

There are people who like roller coasters. And there are people who really, really don't.

Once, on a trans-Atlantic overnight flight that took us pretty far north, the pilot made an announcement directing our attention to the aurora borealis, which was particularly vivid that night. I don't think anyone complained -- everyone near a window stared out at the sight transfixed, and those on the aisle were practically in the laps of the middle seat pax trying to catch a view. Folks on the other side of the plane, though, looked distinctly unhappy, not at being woken up, but at missing a rare sight.

I agree -- tempering PA announcements is an art. On the whole, though, unless it's an absolutely routine flight -- perhaps at night over the desert when there is, literally, nothing to see -- and so smooth that you could cut diamonds, I'd rather the pilot err on the side of too many announcements than too few.

There is no right answer. I've seen passenger comments from the same flight where one passenger praised the pilot for making plenty of PA announcements and another one swore never to fly with us again because the pilot made too many PA announcements.

Our recommended policy is for pilots to make one welcome announcement prior to departure, another one just after takeoff and then shut up until just prior to top of descent unless it is safety related. It seems to be the balance that upsets the least amount of people.

You beat me to it! As others have mentioned, there is a dramatic difference between the use of the Fasten Seat Belt sign on US vs foreign carriers. For most foreign carriers, they turn it off even before cruising altitude is reached and leave it off until just before landing, unless there's a really good reason to turn it on. I realize that the legal environment in the US is such that perhaps more caution is needed for liability reasons, but even so, the situation can be improved upon.

By giving the passengers a 20-minute warning before the Fasten Seat Belt light will be turned on before landing, it gives passengers who need to use the lav a chance to so. As it stands now with most domestic US flight, the light comes on and descent starts without notice, at which point people that need to use the lav ignore it and actually use it as their cue to do so. If pilots made the use of the light more reasonable with the pre-descent announcement, it would be more likely that passengers would be able to comply.

As far as the nicest things I've seen pilots do, one thing that stands out on Southwest is that deadheading crew, including First Officers and Captains, will more often than not help out with the passenger service duties, passing out peanuts/snacks and/or picking up trash (leaving the actual drink service to the on-duty FAs). It really gives you a good feeling about the airline when you see someone with four stripes on his shoulders and who's off the clock take the time to help out his fellow workers and the passengers by helping out with the snack service.

I appreciate when the pilot makes an announcement, he speaks clearly and does not "rattle off his need-to-say lines".

I also like it when his voice is actually understandable and not broken up with a clear bad connection in his microphone or a faulty PA system.

Over the years, I flew a lot of 'bush' airlines in Africa and Asia. I appreciate it when the cockpit door is open (or when there is no cockpit door), there is an awareness the passengers can see and hear all what is going on.
On one flight, i did not particularly appreciate the shouting and the "Oh ...."-sighs. (More in the short story Italians, the Art of Flying and the Laws of Probability)

At one time I worked for Southwest and this was one of my favorite things to do when I was nonreving. There is just something fun about giving out those peanuts!

I hope to one day return.

We don't do snacks on our flights anymore, so other than helping pick up trash, there is little I can do.

When I remember, giving passengers a quick heads up about our decent is something I try to do.

One thing that tends to frustrate me, but there is nothing I can do about it, is that the PA duties change between the pilots depending on who is "flying". The "Pilot Not Flying" is who makes the PA's. As much as I'd like that all these things were done on every flight, I can't force the other pilot to do these things, so it only happens on half the flights.

My apologies.

I do miss flying a plane that small. My first "airliner" was a Beech 1900 and, call me what you want, but I loved to turn around and make eye contact with my passengers while making a PA.

I don't think things would go well for either party if the FA's and Pilots decided to yell at each other.

I think that finding smooth air is part of the job, but there are those that don't and just like some people at the DMV are friendlier than others, its the same way with pilots. (Why they fly people, don't ask me!) So your results will vary asking for smoother air, simply because its not a common request.

There are a few things that may limit that, however. In my aircraft, in particular, we can only climb so high and often this puts us in the clouds. At night this is exacerbated because we can't see what we are trying to avoid, so we make our best guess and usually stick with it. In these cases, I try to apologize for the turbulence and give the passengers an idea of how long it will last.

As for: "Well, I'm sure you found that interesting -- I know we in the cockpit sure did, but it's actually a normal part of flying and nothing to worry about.".

I love the line and I'll add it to my mental bank. ^

Thanks for the replies. I really appreciate it!

Checko