Reading, conversation, etc are all common ways to keep alert. The goal is to stay awake but also still be focused on the task at hand which is flying the plane and not get too distracted.
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Pilots need to stay awake and alert at all times so they can be ready to take control of the airplane at a moment's notice. Some of the ways pilots stay awake include drinking caffeine, getting plenty of rest the day/night before, staying busy, keeping the cockpit warm and the lights bright.
“Red-eye” flights aren't all bad––in fact, some pilots like them because they generally pay more. The more seniority one has, the more control he or she has over his schedule. Freight airlines fly a lot of all-nighters; airlines with West Coast domiciles or fly through West Coast bases (e.g., SFO, LAX, PDX, SEA, etc.)
As far as the experience, red-eye flights are generally less crowded than regular morning or midday flights tend to be, so you might luck out with an empty seat next to you and have more space to spread out (making it easier to sleep).
Generally, if the flight is longer than eight hours, a third pilot (second officer) is required onboard. That requirement may vary slightly between operators.
Pilots “lay over” in other cities and are provided per diem and a hotel for the time they are there. It is a great opportunity to see a place you may never have been, enjoy time with your crew, and rest for the next day of flying.
They take turns napping and yes, they have both fallen asleep at the same time on a few occasions. Most long haul flights have two sets of pilots. Most modern aircraft that do the long hauls have bunks and relaxation places which are out of sight of the passengers.
What happens if both pilots go unconscious? If both pilots died during flight, the plane would be in a state of autopilot. The aircraft would continue to fly until it ran out of fuel or encountered an obstacle that it could not navigate around.
If you ever gazed at the window during a night flight, you'll be welcomed by pitch black darkness. That's why most passengers wonder– how do pilots see at night? The answer is quite simple, no, they don't actually see anything at night.
Pilots have separate tasks to accomplish while the autopilot manages the flight path and altitude in cruise. The pilot monitoring continues to maintain radio communication with ATC. Pilots need to check in with a new controller every 15 minutes or so in cruise as they pass between multiple zones of control.
You can't read a novel, but you could read a manual about procedures or about the airplane, ... You can't read a newspaper. You can't use a laptop. That's strictly prohibited. But generally speaking, pilots engage in causal chats between themselves and flight attendants (when they visit the cockpit)1.
Pilot pay varies, but most pilots are paid from the moment the door is closed until the door is opened at the destination. This is called a “block” of time. Most pilots fly about 80 hours of block time a month. This time does not include all the time spent at the airport or preparing for departure.
Flight Duty LimitationsIn the United States, the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) limit pilots to 36 flight hours in a week, 100 hours in 672 hours (28 days), and 1,000 hours in a 365-day calendar period. As a hard answer, the maximum number of hours a pilot can fly in a year is 1,000 hours.
John Edward Long, Jr. (1915–July 18, 1999) was an American pilot who is in the Guinness Book of Records for the most flight time by a pilot: over 65,000 hours (more than seven years and four months) at the time of his death.
Flight times within the duty periods are restricted to a maximum of 8 hours for flight crews consisting of one pilot and 10 hours for flight crews consisting of two pilots. The 8-hour and 10-hour flight time limitations include any additional commercial flying performed by the flight crew during the period.
In commercial aviation, a red-eye flight refers to a flight that departs at night and arrives the next morning, especially when the total flight time is insufficient for passengers to get a full night's sleep.