I'm an Airline Captain - Ask me anything!

[alexd112]

Hi all,

As the title says, I am a senior airline captain with 20 odd years of experience. Ask me anything!

1. What's your favourite route?

1. How often do emergencies or dangerous situations actually happen?

Do you walk in slow motion in airports?

I'm jealous!

Why should I not start to panic every time there's turbulence?

Which airline do you fly for?

Do you face a lot of sexism from passengers. DH once said he prefers male pilots, sleeping on the couch cured him!

@Handsoffmyusername

1. Faro, Portugal - because it's my favorite holiday destination.

1. On 3 or 4 occasions in the last 20 years, I've experienced emergency/urgent situations.

@wizzywig

No, because I'm always late!

Op could you enlarge on the 3 or 4 emergency situations you've experienced?

Have you ever had to do an emergency landing?

@whoopsiedaisies

Turbulence occurs anywhere that there's movement of air or change in temperature/ direction/speed. Although it feels uncomfortable, it does very little in terms of affecting the energy of the airplane. Pilots will always do their best to negotiate a more comfortable altitude or route. You would be amazed with the stresses that the airplanes are designed to withstand. But most of all, I never worry about it and you shouldn't either - I want to get home just as safely as you do!

@Nanasueathome

Couldn't possibly say, but it's a major European airline!

@Fluffyears

I'm using my wife's account right now, and am actually a male pilot. However, our airline employs a lot of female pilots, and I couldn't ever imagine any sexism coming into play from my own perspective. Passengers can sometimes be a different kettle of fish.

@Dapplegrey

It would take me too long to go into detail about all of them, but my most memorable one was when an in-flight engine shut down after severe vibration after we hit two birds just after takeoff. It was pretty much the scenario every pilot trains for every six months, and our training worked a treat because it all panned out perfectly.

@Moonshine86

I've done a few landings under an urgency condition, but never an emergency landing (e.g brace position etc). That's a bad day at the office!

IS THE LEMON IN PLAY?

Thank you for answering Alex - that sounds scary.

Posting for my DH! He is an aviation fan!

1. Do you fly Airbus or Boeing?

1. If Airbus what is the difference between bump and de-rate? Or if Boeing do they have the equivalent?

Thank you

You have to retrain / refresh every 6 months? That’s reassuring to know!

How much does the auto-pilot fly the plane versus you?

How do you stay focused on a decent long haul (10 plus hours)?

Roughly what is your salary?
What is your working schedule like?

Do you watch Air Crash Investigation?

IS THE LEMON IN PLAY?

Is it safer to fly with a better quality airline rather than a budget airline? Are the pilots more experienced and better? Are the aeroplanes safer?

Have you ever had sex onboard?

What is the view amongst pilots about what happened to the missing Malaysia Airlines flight?