The reason is to prevent one of the two pilots from throttling back on takeoff, should the plane bump on something, the pilot have a health problem etc...
If your hand is not on the throttle, you are not ready to apply full power for a time-critical pilot action. A second or two lost can create a very dangerous situation. Then there are the traffic pattern base and final legs of flight when pilots need to ask themselves if they are high or low, fast or slow.
Turns out, the answer is neither. Pilots are utterly indifferent to plane clappers, for one very good reason. “We can't hear any applause that may occur after landing,” New Zealand Air Line Pilots' Association president Captain Andrew Ridling revealed.
You've spent the last hour gripping your seat white-knuckled and the sense of relief you feel as the plane makes contact with the ground is palpable. You bring your hands together, ready to clap - but before you do, know this: pilots hate it when you applaud when the plane lands.
When landing a pilot will have one hand on the yoke (or stick) and one hand on the throttle, as throttle adjustments are needed to maintain the correct glide angle and initiate a go-around if required.
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When sitting in your seat on the aircraft, the left side is called port and the right side is called starboard (another set of nautical terms).
Pilots are trained to handle all sorts of nerve-racking situations, but that doesn't mean that they don't get scared—especially in these real instances, told by the pilots who experienced them, of serious in-flight fear.
1) Aircraft Systems
One of the toughest topics for private pilot students is aircraft systems. Want to know more about the systems and equipment in your aircraft? Dig into your POH and read section 7. Better yet, find a local A&P at your airport and have them walk you through a few systems with the cowling off.
While most high-stress jobs seem to involve a lot of cursing—think of financial traders or commercial fisherman, for example—but swearing is “absolutely” not permitted from ATCs (or pilots), aviator Doug Hanchard explains on quora.com.
Not trying to dissuade you, but dating a pilot can be hard since they are often away and can't be contacted easily. You have to be ready to deal with being alone much of the time. If you want to have a weekend getaway, it may not always be possible.
Answer: It is normally part of the welcome aboard announcement as a matter of interest. We provide the time of the flight, the cruise altitude, landmarks of interest along way and the weather. Passengers generally like to know this level of detail according to what they have told me.
Smoother flight
On clear nights, there is less friction against the wings which makes for obstruction-free sailing across the sky. Less air traffic also means smoother cruising, since most pilots can sit back and not worry about the aircraft in their path.
Pilots have a unique viewpoint while flying private or commercial aircraft. They get an unobstructed view of stunning natural sights, such as pink lakes and rectangular-shaped icebergs. Some have reported seeing UFOs, while others have flown over swirling hurricanes.
Answer: Yes, the buttons and knobs are used to control the airplane in normal flight or when there is a problem with a system. While they look confusing to the layperson the pilots know exactly what each one does and how it is to be used.
Typically, short distance sectors are manned by two pilots, while long-haul flights can have three or four pilots. One of the two pilots manning the cockpit is allowed to take rest or sleep inside the cockpit by sliding the seat back and locking the harness. This practice is known as “controlled rest”.
Changes were made to cockpit security in order to make hijackings more difficult. The US Federal Aviation Administration recommends that doors be strong enough to withstand a grenade blast. Also, they are usually left locked for the duration of the flight.
While cigarette smoking is not prohibited by the FAA, it has several hazardous side effects and many health conditions caused by smoking are medically disqualifying. A smoker typically carries a carbon monoxide blood level of about five percent.
Airline pilots take it in turns to use the bathroom nearest the cockpit during a flight. There are no bathrooms installed in the cockpit. For airplanes with a single pilot, diapers, catheters, or collection devices are used if they are unable to land to use the airport bathroom.
“For the most part, pilots fear those things they cannot control,” Smith wrote. “We are less afraid of committing a fatal error than of finding ourselves victimised by somebody else's error or else at the mercy of forces impervious to our skills or expertise.”
These surveys revealed that well over 50% of the surveyed pilots experience fatigue as impairing their ability to perform well while on flight duty. The polls show that e.g. 92% of the pilots in Germany report they have felt too tired or unfit for duty while on flight deck at least once in the past three years.
As a result, many pilots fly with incomplete understanding and control, sometimes contributing to our LOC-I statistics. These early flight lessons are where an educator has the greatest opportunity to make a difference and move the needle on safety, but it is also the hardest job in aviation.
Planes are designed to land below certain weights. A heavier plane is more likely to hit the ground hard and get damaged. It's got 5,000 gallons of fuel, which is about three elephants weighing it down. So, landing with a full tank is pretty risky.
The simple answer is yes, pilots do, and are allowed to sleep during flight but there are strict rules controlling this practice. Pilots would only normally sleep on long haul flights, although sleep on short haul flights is permitted to avoid the effects of fatigue.
Pilots with a fear of heights aren't uncommon and in fact, the majority of people who are afraid of heights aren't affected by flying in an aircraft. There is a strong feeling of security when you close the door, and you should feel very comfortable in the hands of an experienced instructor.