How Do You Keep From Falling Asleep?

[thunderworm]

you can always gamble away your per diem or some mean games of cribage, we are trying to set up a dvd player.

 

[wmudriver]

When the sun starts to come up after flying all night is when the drowsiness started to kick in....usually a nice big chew will keep me awake or the turd it gets knockin on the backdoor was enough to keep me going.

 

[User546]

A friend of mine who flies single-pilot freight always totes around his portable DVD player and subscribes to NetFlix. Keeps him going all thru the night he says. Whats the content of the DVD's, thats all up for assumption.

 

[Xfr8dog]

I used to bring bags of trail mix and eat a very small handful every 10 minutes or so all through the night. Keeping your digestive system working seems to keep me up... that and i guess the steady source of energy.

But when that fails I have a back up bottle of Caf-Fiend pills. Each one equal to two cups of coffee. A handful of those will get your through your 32nd hour.

 

[Dr Pokenhiemer]

Pray for thunderstorms!? Request 10 degrees left so you can go through the weather.

 

[KeroseneSnorter]

One humongous cup of coffee!!! I'm not talking about your wussy little driving mugs....the thing I used to tote in the freight days was only a few steps smaller than a pony keg!!

mmmmmmmmm Java..........

Even now, long past the freight puppy days, I still enjoy a cup of coffee strong enough to strip paint. Prior to freight, I really didn't care for a cup of joe too much.

The best containers are those high end stainless steel thermosessesse...s..es..(however those things are spelled). A good one can keep some joe hot for 24 hours or better.

The high end containers serve two purposes....One to hold your coffee....the second is an instant pick you up if the coffee isn't working from the inside, it stays hot enough to dump in your crotch....which results in a instant eye opening experience that will allow a nice awake and precise ILS at four in the morning.

NOTE: Some sexual side effects of the scalding may result for the next few days!!!

 

[wings421]

Chewing sunflower seeds is the best thing that I have found. Can't fall asleep doing that.

I've heard rumors of people that fill their aux tanks with just enough fuel so that when they run out of gas, they are about 50 miles from their destination, just in case they fall asleep. I guess that they think that dead engines are good alarm clocks. Again, just a story I've heard.

I'd opt for the sunflower seeds myself.

 

[JediNein]

Just flew with a freight pilot . . .

How did I know he was freight? He gave me the leg, was falling asleep. He dozed off. Thirty minutes later we're descending into clouds and start picking up some light turbulence. Then, two sharp bumps, he's wide awake, 'Let me have it!" And he's in his element, flying beautifully, airplane and contents tossed every which way, through the clouds, on the approach, and we break out. No more clouds. It's my airplane again and he sleeps through the landing.

I tend to borrow someone's GPS gadget and write a book on it in cruise. If one is not available, I'll fix a laptop computer problem. In desperate times, I have a large cache of flightinfo on my HDD, so I'll type out a response to post on return. Then there's always trashy romance novels. . .

Fly SAFE!
Jedi Nein

 

[BubbRubb]

Maxim, Stuff, or FHM very stimulating. Take turns napping.

 

[User546]

Did everyone fall to sleep??

 

[Wankel7]

When you are reallly tired ask for a big 'ol block altitude Makes it a little easier.

Yeah, I listen to the good 'ol XM to keep me up. That comedy chan. rocks!

Sometimes I go in the back and run around. That helps sometimes.

Wankel

 

[coonass one]

How do I keep from falling asleep?

I don't, my co-pilot that sleeps all the time does!

BTW, the brokezillia can be flown single pilot just fine!!

 

[Clyde]

After several years of flying freight, your body becomes immune to sleep under the right conditions.

 

[BornAgainPagan]

fart wars with your crew and the would you rather game

Why would you have to try and stay awake if there is another pilot? Come to think of it, I do remember alternating zzz's with another pilot only to wake up and find him dozing too!

In my single pilot days, I chewed big red gum mixed with whole coffee beans. You get the caffiene with out having to drink so much thus you don't have to pee every hour. The gum keeps the coffee bean fragments in your mouth longer. If the steady dose of caffiene doesn't keep you awake, the taste will!

 

[Creamer]

First of all I program a holding pattern in the FMS over my destination so when I run out of gas at least there is an emergency field right under me.

I also drink lots of water so I have to pee so bad I couldn't possibly fall asleep.