With no pax, do commercial pilots goof off???

[UnAnswerd]

Yesterday I was being driven to TPA to catch a flight back home. From the highway, I noticed a large turbine aircraft climbing out at what seemed like a ridiculously nose-high attitude. It didn't even seem like he could stay airborne at this attitude, but I guess he had the thrust/airspeed to do so. Then, he entered a turn, which also seemed quite steep. I thought, no way are there passengers on that flight. Maybe my perception from the highway was obscured by some optical effect, I don't know. But it really did seem like this pilot was pushing the aircraft far more than necessary. It looked like fun..

So, does the "professional pilot" tend to goof around and have fun when there are no pax???

 

[viper548]

"professional pilots" have been known to "goof around" when there are no pax onboard. Some things these "professional pilots" do include agressive rudder inputs at mid level altitudes, agressive nose ups and push overs. Climbing at airspeeds signifcantly lower than those published by the manufacturer or FOM. Switching seats mid flight, overtemping engines, activating stick pusher and/or shaker, using non-standard phrasiology such as "dude"

 

[viper548]

"Professional Pilots" have integrity. Integrity means doing the right thing even if no one else is around. So, no, PROFESSIONAL pilots do not goof around when there are no passengers on board.

 

[Lrjtcaptain]

Um....do pilots goof off with no pax??


mmmmm..........Pinnical? CRJ at 410???

 

[Occam's Razor]

Goof off? Nah...but my F/O and I ate 16 First Class meals left in the galley on a 2-hour ferry flight.

He had the chicken.
I had the beef.

We both felt reeeeeally stupid later.

 

[Flying Illini]

I don't consider practicing V2 t/o's (with two turning, of course)unprofessional OR goofing off. I like to think of it as "recurrent training."

 

[FracCapt]

Goof off? Nah...but my F/O and I ate 16 First Class meals left in the galley on a 2-hour ferry flight.

He had the chicken.
I had the beef.

We both felt reeeeeally stupid later.

This begs the question......if you two were the only ones on the flight.....which one of you was the FA??

 

[NYCPilot]

I've heard back in the 70's things used to be pretty wild up in the skies. Anyone care to elaborate?

 

[ToiletDuck]

Dunno if this actually helps any but my uncle flies a 747 for UPS and he said he gets frustrated when he hops on a regular flight with the family. So that might tell you they handle it just a little differently.

 

[Sgt. Hartman]

I've heard back in the 70's things used to be pretty wild up in the skies. Anyone care to elaborate?

I'd also love to hear some of those stories. However, any pilot whose hayday was back in the 70's probablly doesn't own a computer.

 

[Resume Writer]

I know of a ferry flight where a take-off was quite steep and the turn was also. It was out of LAS about 3 a.m. We won't talk about the pajamas that "some" of the crew donned! Of course, I was NOT on the flight or anything - just something I heard about!


Kathy

 

[FlyChicaga]

It was out of LAS about 3 a.m. We won't talk about the pajamas that "some" of the crew donned! Of course, I was NOT on the flight or anything - just something I hear about!


Kathy

Mmmm, teddies? Yessssssss!

 

[English]

Hey Chicaga, you're talking about somebody's mother here!

 

[knelson]

viper548"professional pilots" have been known to "goof around" when there are no pax onboard. Some things these "professional pilots" do include agressive rudder inputs at mid level altitudes, agressive nose ups and push overs. Climbing at airspeeds signifcantly lower than those published by the manufacturer or FOM. Switching seats mid flight, overtemping engines, activating stick pusher and/or shaker, using non-standard phrasiology such as "dude"

viper548"Professional Pilots" have integrity. Integrity means doing the right thing even if no one else is around. So, no, PROFESSIONAL pilots do not goof around when there are no passengers on board.



I knew there would be some tight a$$ here that would be better and more professional than everyone else. Lighten up Francis. To answer the original poster's question. . . ferry flights are fun. Anyone who tells you different is probably someone you wouldn't want to be crammed in a cockpit with anyway. Before you get too carried away, I am not talking about over-temps and stressing the plane. Chill out and answer a post every once in a while without being a total tool.

Kevin

 

[Resume Writer]

Mmmm, teddies? Yessssssss!

I just want to know how you got "teddies" from "pajamas!" Of course, since I was not there, I can only tell it third-hand!

 

[FlyChicaga]

I'm not married, so for all the women I know, the two are interchangible.

 

[viper548]

I knew there would be some tight a$$ douchebag he
re that would be better and more professional than everyone else. Lighten up Francis. To answer the original poster's question. . . ferry flights are fun. Anyone who tells you different is probably someone you wouldn't want to be crammed in a cockpit with anyway. Before you get too carried away, I am not talking about over-temps and stressing the plane. Chill out and answer a post every once in a while without being a total tool.

Kevin

The company gives you limitations to stay within when flying the plane. Why should it be any different if there are pax on or off the plane? If you can somehow have more fun staying within those limitaions have at it. My examples were of a couple people that took things too far and paid the ultimate price, everyone else should learn from that.

 

[macfly]

And to think someones has to fly with that guy...

 

[NYCPilot]

Here's some proof that pilots like to have a little fun (maybe too much of it!) heh.

A few years ago a couple of Southwest pilots were fired for stripping down to their boxers up front during a revenue flight. After stripping, they summoned the flight attendant up front. Their defense - they spilled coffee on their uniforms! = O)
I've included a link to some other hilarities up on the flightdeck.

Enjoy.



http://www.usatoday.com/money/biztravel/2003-04-24-sw-pilots_x.htm


http://www.mmegi.bw/2005/July/Wednesday13/633770832263.html

 

[macfly]

My old man told me this one; During a rev flight for DAL, his co-pilot, a young X f-16 pilot really pancaked one in on landing. So much noise that they thought they might have even rubbed the tail. After the landing all the FAs took thier bras off and threw it at him.

Never thought a bad landing could get ya laid? Think again.

 

[Whiskey Tango]

When we are empty I really let loose. I once flew a whole empty leg with the yaw damp off.

 

[NYCPilot]

I recall reading in a book written by some retired airline captain that they had a landing contest on one flight. The deal was that if the pilot could land the plane and taxi back to the gate without causing the toilet seats to drop (they were placed in the up position by the flight attendants prior to landing), they would receive BJ's.

The crew managed to land the plane nice and smoothly, and all went well up until they taxied up to the gate. Just as they were pulling up the ground crew suddenly made a gesture with the batons to stop abruptly for some reason (I forget what). You guessed it, the seats all at once came crashing down, making a loud thump throughout the cabin. Needless to say, they lost the bet!

 

[bizijet]

One time at band camp............ Oh wrong story......sorry

 

[crash-proof]

I recall reading in a book written by some retired airline captain that they had a landing contest on one flight. The deal was that if the pilot could land the plane and taxi back to the gate without causing the toilet seats to drop (they were placed in the up position by the flight attendants prior to landing), they would receive BJ's.

The crew managed to land the plane nice and smoothly, and all went well up until they taxied up to the gate. Just as they were pulling up the ground crew suddenly made a gesture with the batons to stop abruptly for some reason (I forget what). You guessed it, the seats all at once came crashing down, making a loud thump throughout the cabin. Needless to say, they lost the bet!

Nice story...needless to say, that ground crew got their a$$es beat to a pulp!

 

[FN FAL]

Nice story...needless to say, that ground crew got their a$$es beat to a pulp!

That's interesting. IF the pilots could in fact beat the ground crew's asses to a pulp, they would be stuck with this predicament...

"Hey Lenny, where did you get that nasty gash on your forehead?"

"I got it off a toilet seat."

 

[Tripower455]

Here's some proof that pilots like to have a little fun (maybe too much of it!) heh.

A few years ago a couple of Southwest pilots were fired for stripping down to their boxers up front during a revenue flight. After stripping, they summoned the flight attendant up front. Their defense - they spilled coffee on their uniforms! = O)

Uhhh, not true.......

 

[TurboS7]

Wake up, everything in aviation has been bought with blood.

 

[WorldOnTime]

"Professional pilots" also try to fly to 410 when they have never been there before and have no business giving it a try.

Real classy, scab. They are DEAD you know. What they did was pretty far out there, but have a little respect.

 

[NYCPilot]

Uhhh, not true.......

I see you're an SWA guy, so shed some light. I'm just going by what the news article stated. Were they given their jobs back.

 

[enigma]

So, does the "professional pilot" tend to goof around and have fun when there are no pax???

I'm too scared to ever "goof off" in an airplane. However, I do fly differently with no pax on board. I won't go outside of the normal envelope, nor go against my companies operating manual. What I will do is get to the edge of the envelope much quicker. With pax on board, I keep the bank shallow, roll rates small, pitch changes easy and power changes as smooth as I can. Without pax, I just a tad quicker on the control inputs. One thing that I won't do is attempt to fly higher than the airplane wants to go, full boat or empty. But then again, I'm the original aeronatical chicken.

enigma

PS, it is rare for an airline line pilot to ever fly an empty airplane. My empty leg flights have been the result of delivery flights after maintenance, and the occasional reposition flight.