BondGuy

As a PAX agent in YXY in the mid 70s, quite often the jump seat was the only way to travel SA, so I had the pleasure of sitting in jump seats in 737 and 727 many times.

One time does stick out, though. After visiting my family in YVR, I had to return to work, so caught the morning flight YVR YXS YXY. While in the boarding area I saw the flight deck crew and the captain recognized me, inviting me to sit 'up front'.

Half way to Prince George he shared that he was a little worried about the weather, as it was below limits when we departed YVR. He said we would 'fly by and take a look'.

About 25 mins out of YXS we hit the weather - LOTS of snow. YXS reported ceiling and visibility just at the minimums so the captain decided to try an approach. I knew enough to watch the altimeter and began to sweat a bit when the runway did not appear as we passed through 400 and then 300 AGL.

At 250 AGL there was still nothing. At 200 there was nothing. He ventured down to 175 and still nothing, so decided to go 'round again.

Just as he shoved the throttles forward the runway lights appeared - at least we were in the right place! We continued the overshoot and completed the circuit.

Second try was pretty much the same. Even though we knew we could see the runway lights from 175 AGL, three pairs of eyeballs (I was almost willing the lights to appear) couldn't find the ground.

Again, just as the throttles were pushed forward we saw the lights briefly, but too late.

Climbiing out, the captain set the course for Whitehorse and then informed the PAX they weren't go to try for YXS again.

When we got to YXY I was pressed into service by my colleagues to help deal with the arrangements for the YXS destined passengers.

Another memorable jump seat flight occured while on vacation in England. I took a short hop to Dublin and enjoyed the local sights and tastes for a couple of days, then tried to return to London.

I was on the aircraft and seated, feeling pleased because the flight had been showing as full when I checked in. However, I had been the last standby given a boarding card and my pulse was still a little fast.

Then, the dreaded announcement on the PA systems - "Would passenger G... please identify himself."

I raised my hand and was told that I was being bumped by a late arriving revenue PAX. I commented that I was somewhat used to that, being an airline employee and all. The purser asked where I worked and what I did; he even asked hopefully if I was flight deck crew.

This conversation was taking place at the front exit, just outside the door to the flight deck. The captain called the purser inside and he emerged in a moment and asked if I had ever flown in a jump seat. I replied that "I did that ALL the time ..." and was told that I could on this flight as well.

It was a short flight, made more enjoyable by a brief discussion of the merits of British vs Irish vs Canadian beer.

TheGonch

About a decade ago, I got to ride in the jumpseat all the way from FRA to LHR on a BA flight. It was a Friday night, and the flight was seriously overbooked. I and two colleagues arrived at the counter 29 minutes before takeoff, and so were at the front of the waiting list. I let the others get the first two seats, and was then told that the pilots were going to allow one passenger to enjoy the flight in the jumpseat. I jumped (no oun intended) at the chance, and even when I was later told I could have a normal seat, I refused it.

I will never forget sundown travelling West in the nose of plane.

I was surprised at the amount of coordination between the pilot and co-pilot. I asked how long they had flown together, and was told this was their first flight.

This was perhaps proved later, when, during the landing, the pilot called off the co-pilot, who mhad IMO doing a fine job, and took the controls himself.

Regards
DanG

UALOneKPlus

Tears runneth down my face

Chalkie

Ahh, for the good old days.

I had two cockpit visits Before The World As We Know It Changed.

My first was on a CX747, when an utterly charming CX Purser with whom I was chatting suggested that I might enjoy meeting the Captain.

The second was on an Air New Zealand 747 between LHR and LAX. It was a daytime flight and, rather annoyingly, as soon as the luncheon service was concluded, everyone in the upper cabin slammed their window shades down and (allegedly) went to sleep. Keen to avoid going to sleep in order to switch to time at the destination, I thought I would ask the FA if she might arrange a cockpit visit. She was very pleased to, and I enjoyed a couple of hours with the guys up front and saw some amazing scenery as we passed over Newfoundland and other gorgeous parts of Canada. The weather was perfect, and the Captain and co-pilot didn't have much work to do in the perfect flying conditions. I sat in the jump seat and we chatted for a couple of hours. It was a fabulous visit.

I was struck by how much things had changed when on a flight out of LHR a few years later, and after 11 September. A small child made his way up to the cockpit before departure - while the cockpit door was open. No doubt he had visited before and wanted to repeat the experience. The FAs in the upper cabin went into hysterics, intercepted the child just before he reached the door and then gave the child - and his father - who had by now caught up with him - a stern lecture about on-board security. I thought that there was just a tincy bit of overreaction on their part, but I guess it showed how seriously they take their security obligations.

JDiver

Ah, the good old days! (Sometimes, they really were... not long ago in SLC, security was shaking down a pilot! complete with uniform and brain bag- when she asked what exactly they were looking for so perhaps she could make their job a bit easier, they told her they were looking for any object that could be used as a weapon that could be used to access the cockpit. She helpfully reminded them she already HAD access, as that is where she was planning to fly the plane from. I guess they thought four stripes meant she was a senior F/A?)

But, to get to the point: I had a memorable (and final) jump seat flight on an MX A320 MEX - SFO, invited forward soon after takeoff, and returned to my seat when we were on approach over Santa Cruz, CA. Highly automated, and the game-like sidestick controller and center tray (where the control wheel is located on most other non-Airbus aircraft) added new dimensions to the perception.

Flying around big t-storms over Sonora was awesome.

The Tsar

As a journalist in Canadian election campaigns I have a few times been allowed to take the jump seat in the PM's (not the current or immediate past one) campaign plane ...a DC9 in those days, later a 727.
In early 1980 I flew in jump seat in military 707 landing at Tel Aviv. Same plane for a landing in Kinshasa -- that one was not perfect. When we came out of the clag the pilot calmly said (I had headset on) ' the runway will be dead ahead.' Out of the clouds no runway....then second officer noticed it was way off to the right and behind us. So we turned around and landed.
Also I 'enjoyed' a Military Hercules landing on snow-covered gravel strip in Nanasivik on Baffin Island. No one told me sit down and I was standing talking when suddenly I saw the ground coming up rapidly. Dont know what would happen if you were standing up for a landing in a 757 or something, but in a Herc we landed roughly but to me standing up it was just like being a straphanger in the subway.

Bigpops

In 1983, I was the commander of an Army reserve transportation company in Michigan and we were participating in an exercise in Germany. We were flying an cattle car configured C141 from Selfridge AFB in Michigan to Schipol in Amsterdam, when the Captain of the plane invited all the commanders to the cockpit. Of course we accepted.

We took off from Selfridge about 9PM on a 90degree August evening and by the time we were over Canada at 40K plus feet the pilot told us to look out the left window. As we looked we saw the northern lights like I have never seen them before or since. The colors were about as pure and clean as anything I had ever experienced.

The second thrill was the tactical landing in Goose Bay Labrador with no radio contacts with the tower and no lights on the plane.

The third was the sunrise as we completed our trip into Schipol where a nice 40 degree rain waited for us... I guess I had to pay for the best ride I had ever had...

------------------

KatanaPilot

I have done quite a large number of jump seat rides before 9/11. It used to be perfectly legal and normal on Canadian carriers, and I end up riding up front for landing more than half the time. Most pilots enjoy having me up there as well.

The one I really wanted to do was fly jumpseat into Kai-Tak on its last day of operations. I had everything arranged, and had planned to be on a 777-300. However that day they had an aircraft change, and I ended up on an A330. It turned out to be a training flight, and the Captain was really apologetic that he had to turn down my jump seat request due to company policy. He told me I am more than welcome on his flightdeck any other time, and be sure to request anytime I step onto a CX aircraft.

Like most everyone else, I have not had a chance to ride jump seat since 9/11. Now I just fly United and listen to channel 9.

Gandalf

[QUOTE]
(I'm an aeronautical engineer after takeoff the purser comes back and says, "the captain's compliments, sir, would you please come up to the cockpit?" (

I think Boeing/Airbus has an opportunity here on the 7E series or others. Is there a way to put two or four seats upfront, truly upfront? I think you could sell old fashioned first class tickets that promised an unheard of viewing perspective. I know I would pay for the privilege "once in a lifetime"...

G

essxjay

Any more tales?

This is one of the all time great FT threads, IMO.

BearX220

I have loved reading through this thread -- it's such a poignant reminder of what we've lost lately. Thanks for resurrecting it, essxjay.

Two quick stories:

Years ago I worked in network TV news and traveled occasionally with the president -- which generally means flying on the White House Press Charter. Most of the time in the late '80s the Charter was a grubby, clapped-out Pan Am 747-100. Flying the Charter was, and I assume still is, exciting, lawless and chaotic -- no seat belt requirement for takeoff, or even a sitting-down requirement, a constant flow of food and drink, and best of all an open cockpit.

The upper deck with 12 Clipper Class seats was the province of the on-air network correspondents and they liked to keep the cockpit to themselves, but on one occasion, for a short FRA-LHR hop, I sneaked up the spiral staircase and with permission from the crew snagged the jumpseat. I put on the five-point belt and the headphones and as the sun set I watched the grizzled, unflappable PA crew shoot a flawless westbound descent, up the Thames, and approach to 27L at LHR. Into an orange-and-purple sky, cruising low over London, watching this great old machine at work -- unforgettable.

It is true that in the 747 cockpit you feel that you are quite stationary while the horizon and scenery are being moved around outside the glass on big gimbals. And on landing, the main trucks are so far behind you that the horizon continues to climb up the windscreen for some time after touchdown. With a deft crew, the only way to tell the nosewheel has kissed the concrete is that the horizon stops moving.

The other story, from five years ago: my five-year-old son and I were flying LHR-SEA on a BA 747-400 and he, having recently been introduced to MS Flight Simulator, wanted to visit the cockpit. I asked the purser without really expecting anything, but after lunch as we crossed Hudson Bay we were invited up. We spent about 30 minutes chatting about everything from autopilots to Ayling and admiring the sunny, endless Canadian tundra. And my son impressed the crew by correctly pointing out the altimeter, the throttles, the landing-gear lever, etc...

It made a wonderful, permanent memory for him and for me too.

Thanks for this thread -- it shows the enthusiasm for air travel that is the real soul of FT.