Who can access the cockpit?

While the flight deck used to be accessible to passengers and especially children, it has been strictly closed off since the beginning of the millennium. In the meantime, only the pilots and, in exceptional cases such as some standby flights, airline employees are allowed to fly in the cockpit.



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While the flight deck used to be accessible to passengers and especially children, it has been strictly closed off since the beginning of the millennium. In the meantime, only the pilots and, in exceptional cases such as some standby flights, airline employees are allowed to fly in the cockpit.

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Passengers sometimes want to sit there in flight to see what it's like, but it is against Federal Aviation Regulations.

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Yes, a passenger can take a picture in the cockpit, but it's not as common as you might think. If you're an influencer with a large following, you may be able to get away with it, but it's still not something that's generally done.

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Commonly known as the sterile cockpit rule, these regulations specifically prohibit crew member performance of non-essential duties or activities while the aircraft is involved in taxi, takeoff, landing, and all other flight operations conducted below 10,000 feet MSL, except cruise flight.

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If both pilots left the flight deck, the door would lock automatically behind them unless the door lock system was first turned off. There are procedures in place which can allow the door to be unlocked from the cabin in case no one in the flight deck can open it due to incapacitation.

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Aviation regulations state that two pilots are required onboard a commercial aircraft, but they don't typically state that two pilots must remain in the cockpit at all times. However, airlines are free to implement their procedures, above and beyond what the regulator requires.

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Since 9/11 it has always been the rule in the US for two reasons. The first, and most important, is so that the pilot flying doesn't have to get out of his seat in order to open the door. The second is if the pilot flying becomes incapacitated there is someone there immediately aware of it and can also open the door.

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Answer: Yes, pilots know what every button and switch does. The school to learn the specifics of an airplane is very intense, requiring great concentration for several weeks.

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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.

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There's no fixed number – each individual is unique, as is the ejection that they endure. After ejection, a pilot will be given a full medical evaluation and it is down to that medical professional to advise whether it is recommended that the pilot continues to fly or not.

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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.

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An altitude of 500 feet above the surface, except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In those cases, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.

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In the past, there was always a flight engineer in the cockpit alongside the two pilots, but now only three people are on board to control the aircraft on long-haul flights, to allow for alternating rest phases. For particularly small aircraft with up to eleven passengers, only one pilot is even necessary.

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A buzzer sounds, and the pilots must switch the door control inside the cockpit to “unlock” to release the door after verifying the crew member through a peephole or video surveillance. If the pilots become incapacitated, a flight attendant can use a special code to activate an emergency access entry system.

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