Can passengers talk to the pilot?

In the airlines and in much of corporate aviation, the pilot rarely talks directly to the passengers during flight. In fact, there is a “sterile cockpit” rule that says that there shall be no communication with anyone other than the flight crew and ATC below 10,000 feet indicated altitude.



People Also Ask

But if you've ever felt compelled to applaud the pilot for landing safely, think again. Pilots actually hate it when passengers clap.

MORE DETAILS

Every airliner has a public address system that flight attendants and pilots can use. Most planes offer pilots the option to choose a hot mic or push-to-talk option for addressing the passengers.

MORE DETAILS

There's an actual rule in place that prohibits them from chatting up a storm, which is a very good thing considering how they're responsible for every life onboard. Called the Sterile Cockpit Rule, it's meant to limit any and all unnecessary chatter and procedures below 10,000 feet.

MORE DETAILS

Ensures Overall Aviation Safety Safety risk is significantly higher when a single pilot flies an aircraft, so dual pilot operations are almost always mandatory. With two pilots, the workload is split thereby decreasing stress significantly.

MORE DETAILS

Whether flying at night or during the day, pilots need to see some kind of horizon. They use this to determine the airplane's attitude. At night pilots will turn their gaze from outside to inside and use the artificial horizon. The artificial horizon is normally a simply globe split into two hemispheres.

MORE DETAILS

The FAA (Federal Aviation Authority) and ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization), the world's organization overseeing aviation, require all pilots flying under their organizations to have attained ICAO “Level 4” English ability. This means all pilots must speak, read, write, and understand English fluently.

MORE DETAILS

Yes, the FAA permits pilots to listen to music as long as it's not distracting. Some headphones have the ability to have two inputs, one for comms and one for music, and can silence the music whenever audio is detected on the comms input.

MORE DETAILS

A pilot may not use his or her phone for non-flight related tasks during takeoff, landing, or while flying under 10,000. Upon reaching cruising altitude the pilot is free to use their phone at their own discretion. This is, however, the FAA policy so for commercial pilots it may vary company to company.

MORE DETAILS

Many airlines provide crew rest areas on their aircraft, where pilots can sleep during long-haul flights. These areas are usually located in the tail, cargo area or above the cabin of the plane and are designed to be as quiet and comfortable as possible. Other crew members prefer to use business class seats to rest.

MORE DETAILS

Can pilots see behind them? Some do, some don't. It depends by the type of the aircraft and by the need to see behind the aircraft itself. On the canopy's frame are located three adjustable mirrors (like the one on the windshield of a car) the pilot can use to see what's happening behind him.

MORE DETAILS

Though exceptions exist, pilots are usually free to decide who flies every flight. Some airports feature challenging approaches due to their proximity to rising terrain. These airports might require special training to fly to and are often captain-only flights.

MORE DETAILS

The anemometer, the instrument for measuring speed in aeroplanes. Pilots have to promptly know the speed at which they are moving in the mass of air that surrounds the aeroplane and the anemometer is responsible for measuring it. The anemometer, as it is known today, was designed in 1926 by John Patterson.

MORE DETAILS

Airline pilots take turns using 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.

MORE DETAILS

The truth is that pilots who fly at night will navigate using instruments instead of what they can see outside. This type of flying is conducted under instrument flight rules. Some ground features may be visible, but visual cues aren't normally as reliable in the darkness as in the daytime.

MORE DETAILS

While pilots can't actually see turbulence, they often know what is coming up, thanks to reports from other planes, weather reports, and radar equipment. However, clear air turbulence (severe turbulence occurring in cloudless areas) can sometimes catch pilots off guard.

MORE DETAILS

Nearly all airlines have trips that do not get you back to your home every day. Pilots “lay over” in other cities and are provided per diem and a hotel for the time they are there.

MORE DETAILS