Worst airline seat I've ever had - and loved it!
Dec 7, 2003, 2:49 am
#1
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Worst airline seat I've ever had - and loved it!
Was taking a medium-haul flight domestically (within a non-US country) the other day. Got checked in and discovered the flight was about 45 minutes delayed so I headed to the lounge.
As those of you who have read my posts before have gathered, I am a smoker. So naturally upon arriving at the lounge I sought out the smoking area and much to my displeasure there was none. Worse still, airport security people wouldn't allow me to leave the lounge area. OK, so that explained all of the people out in the hallway smoking. So I joined a group of airline crew and lit up. Had a nice chat and smoke with a couple of pilots of the airline I was flying (I'm an aeronautical engineer and there's nothing most pilots would prefer to talk about than airplanes). Headed back to the lounge, afterwards and got on board, thinking nothing more of it.
The flight takes off, 45 minutes delayed as advertised. I get settled into my comfy first class aisle bulkhead seat and start reading the newspaper. About 30 minutes after takeoff the purser comes back and says, "the captain's compliments, sir, would you please come up to the cockpit?" (US-based readers and TSA officials, exhale now - this was not in the US, but rather in a country with far more effective airport security). Turns out the flight crew were two of the folks I had shared a smoke with earlier!
Long-story short, I rode the rest of the way in the cockpit jump seat. It's been years since I've done this (and in the intervening time I'd forgotten just how uncomfortable jump seats are), but it was a fantastic experience. Previous times I'd been on the flight deck were on over-water flights when there wasn't much to see and nothing going on execpt the autopilt flying the plane. This was overland, in perfect weather conditions, on an early evening flight with the city lights coming on as we flew across the country. Truly an unforgettable experience.
As a tribute to how much cockpit design has advanced lately, the pilots really didn't have that much to do unless they were transiting from one ATC zone to another, when there was traffic in the area, or of course while landing. We had a great chat about aviation, aerospace, the airline business, etc. And yes, there might have been a cigarette or two smoked.
An uncomfortable seat - perhaps - but I would not have traded it for the most luxurious First suite on a widebody.
Postscript - just after boarding the purser had asked any doctors on board to identify themselves (evidently one of our fellow pax was of questionable health). I'm glad that the day hasn't (yet) come when the purser asks any aeronautical engineers onboard to identify themselves.
As those of you who have read my posts before have gathered, I am a smoker. So naturally upon arriving at the lounge I sought out the smoking area and much to my displeasure there was none. Worse still, airport security people wouldn't allow me to leave the lounge area. OK, so that explained all of the people out in the hallway smoking. So I joined a group of airline crew and lit up. Had a nice chat and smoke with a couple of pilots of the airline I was flying (I'm an aeronautical engineer and there's nothing most pilots would prefer to talk about than airplanes). Headed back to the lounge, afterwards and got on board, thinking nothing more of it.
The flight takes off, 45 minutes delayed as advertised. I get settled into my comfy first class aisle bulkhead seat and start reading the newspaper. About 30 minutes after takeoff the purser comes back and says, "the captain's compliments, sir, would you please come up to the cockpit?" (US-based readers and TSA officials, exhale now - this was not in the US, but rather in a country with far more effective airport security). Turns out the flight crew were two of the folks I had shared a smoke with earlier!
Long-story short, I rode the rest of the way in the cockpit jump seat. It's been years since I've done this (and in the intervening time I'd forgotten just how uncomfortable jump seats are), but it was a fantastic experience. Previous times I'd been on the flight deck were on over-water flights when there wasn't much to see and nothing going on execpt the autopilt flying the plane. This was overland, in perfect weather conditions, on an early evening flight with the city lights coming on as we flew across the country. Truly an unforgettable experience.
As a tribute to how much cockpit design has advanced lately, the pilots really didn't have that much to do unless they were transiting from one ATC zone to another, when there was traffic in the area, or of course while landing. We had a great chat about aviation, aerospace, the airline business, etc. And yes, there might have been a cigarette or two smoked.
An uncomfortable seat - perhaps - but I would not have traded it for the most luxurious First suite on a widebody.
Postscript - just after boarding the purser had asked any doctors on board to identify themselves (evidently one of our fellow pax was of questionable health). I'm glad that the day hasn't (yet) come when the purser asks any aeronautical engineers onboard to identify themselves.
Dec 7, 2003, 6:21 am
#3
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GREAT story! I have a similar one ...
My father was both a military ATC and then a civilian ATC. So, as a kid and my parents being split up I got to fly a lot solo. Fun!
On my tenth birthday I left PDX and met my dad at SEA-TAC to continue the journey to ANC were he was assigned at the time. Not only did we ride up front (in the nose of a 747 no less) but about 45 minutes into the journey, the navigator (remeber this is when they had 3-man crews) came out and brought us back to the cockpit to take our "new" seats in the jumps. The indelible image of seeing the sun as a gigantic ball of fire at about eye level was stunning, even to a 10-year-old girl.
My father is a difficult, complicated person, but he always knew how to make things fun for me.
BTW, I spent the whole next month in ANC (this is July we're talking about) and on nearly every day my dad had off we'd going flying all around Alaska, doing touch-and-goes and stuff like that.
I'm taking a trip on LH in F next week and am tempted to ask if I can ride jump on the A340.
[This message has been edited by essxjay (edited Dec 07, 2003).]
My father was both a military ATC and then a civilian ATC. So, as a kid and my parents being split up I got to fly a lot solo. Fun!
On my tenth birthday I left PDX and met my dad at SEA-TAC to continue the journey to ANC were he was assigned at the time. Not only did we ride up front (in the nose of a 747 no less) but about 45 minutes into the journey, the navigator (remeber this is when they had 3-man crews) came out and brought us back to the cockpit to take our "new" seats in the jumps. The indelible image of seeing the sun as a gigantic ball of fire at about eye level was stunning, even to a 10-year-old girl.
My father is a difficult, complicated person, but he always knew how to make things fun for me.
BTW, I spent the whole next month in ANC (this is July we're talking about) and on nearly every day my dad had off we'd going flying all around Alaska, doing touch-and-goes and stuff like that.
I'm taking a trip on LH in F next week and am tempted to ask if I can ride jump on the A340.
[This message has been edited by essxjay (edited Dec 07, 2003).]
Dec 7, 2003, 11:24 am
#4
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"> I'm taking a trip on LH in F next week and am tempted to ask if I can ride jump on the A340.
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N674UW
Dec 7, 2003, 11:47 am
#5
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I miss the days of jump seat rides too (my dad was a pilot)... but on UA last year, the captain let BingoSF and I have an extended cockpit tour of the 747 during a mechanical delay.
Someone had told me that some of the Asian carriers still allow in-flight cockpit visits... but I'm not sure if that is accurate anymore.
Someone had told me that some of the Asian carriers still allow in-flight cockpit visits... but I'm not sure if that is accurate anymore.
Dec 7, 2003, 12:38 pm
#6
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Several years ago, I flew KL from AMS-NBO (the southbound flight is daytime, the return at night). I was in business class and when the purser welcomed me, I asked if it might be possible to visit the cockpit during the flight. Right after lunch, about 2 hours into the flight, she came back and invited me to come forward to the cockpit of the 767. I spent about 30 minutes in one of the jump seats -- the third pilot was in the other. While I was there we crossed over the north coast of Africa, probably over Libya. The captain explained that flying over Africa was a bit more interesting that Europe because there was less ATC.
It was fascinating, but I doubt it will happen again.
tom
It was fascinating, but I doubt it will happen again.
tom
Dec 7, 2003, 8:17 pm
#10
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by N674UW:
Unfortunately recently added German regulations now prohibit in-flight cockpit visits on German aircraft...
N674UW</font>
Unfortunately recently added German regulations now prohibit in-flight cockpit visits on German aircraft...
N674UW</font>
Dec 7, 2003, 11:07 pm
#11
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Great story. I have fortunately over the past few years been invited into the cockpit of an LH 744 over the north Atlantic, an LA 763 over Torres del Paine, and an LA 340 for takeoff. Unfortunately, LA no longer permits this
Dec 7, 2003, 11:25 pm
#12
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 511
Nice flight! Thank you for sharing.
I have never flown in the cockpit. The closest experience I have is a flight from OUL to ARN on a SK Saab 340 turboprop about four years ago. I was seated in one of the first rows on this small plane. To my surprise and excitement the cockpit door remained wide open for the whole duration of the flight, including takeoff and landing! I had almost unobstructed view of the cockpit and through the cockpit windows. And the plane being a small, but powerfull turboprop, the flight was quite an exciting experience: the steep climb and especially the landing into ARN just a little after sunrise.
Finnair used to have a practice of allowing children to visit the cockpit in flight, which I thought was such a nice touch. FAs used to come to ask kids if they'd like to take a tour, often they even got to try to "fly" the plane. Not anymore... the world is so dull these days...
I have never flown in the cockpit. The closest experience I have is a flight from OUL to ARN on a SK Saab 340 turboprop about four years ago. I was seated in one of the first rows on this small plane. To my surprise and excitement the cockpit door remained wide open for the whole duration of the flight, including takeoff and landing! I had almost unobstructed view of the cockpit and through the cockpit windows. And the plane being a small, but powerfull turboprop, the flight was quite an exciting experience: the steep climb and especially the landing into ARN just a little after sunrise.
Finnair used to have a practice of allowing children to visit the cockpit in flight, which I thought was such a nice touch. FAs used to come to ask kids if they'd like to take a tour, often they even got to try to "fly" the plane. Not anymore... the world is so dull these days...
Dec 8, 2003, 1:29 am
#14
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Buster CT1K:
It's a nice story, but why the need for cloak and dagger? Just tell us which country this was, please.</font>
It's a nice story, but why the need for cloak and dagger? Just tell us which country this was, please.</font>
Dec 8, 2003, 2:54 am
#15
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by DFW DL:
Because I do not want to be the source of any potential trouble for the pilots involved. I have no idea whether or not my visit was against local Government or airline policies, so I was being deliberately circumspect out of consideration for the pilots' privacy.</font>
Because I do not want to be the source of any potential trouble for the pilots involved. I have no idea whether or not my visit was against local Government or airline policies, so I was being deliberately circumspect out of consideration for the pilots' privacy.</font>
Good call.
Still, as someone else pointed out, it's such a dull world these days ... <sigh>