So I was onboard a UAL flight yesterday from Washington/Dulles to Tampa in an A320. I was flipping through some literature stuffed in the seatback, and I found out that you can actually hear ATC communications via the headphones on channel 9. I tried it out, and indeed you could. Everything the captain said I could hear. It was very interesting. When ATC said turn left, the aircraft banked left. When the captain checked in with center, I knew our exact altitude (or pressure altitude). Above all, the most surprising thing was that the airline pilot really doesn't have any rapid fire, advanced, high-level radio transmissions to execute. Everything he said was all too familiar. Nothing either I or my instructor hadn't said before.
I was pissed though. Just as we descending to land, some guy next to me started yapping away about living in Florida, sharks, heat, etc......completely missed all the communications during the decent/landing...
I was pissed though. Just as we descending to land, some guy next to me started yapping away about living in Florida, sharks, heat, etc......completely missed all the communications during the decent/landing...