iPods on the flightdeck

[rayban]

Just looking for some opinions/thoughts on what fellow pilot's and management think of flight crew listening to iPod's and the like while working.
Has anyone heard of specific prohibitions against it at some companies?

What would passengers think if they saw the pilots bobbing their heads to music?

Would it affect the "professional" image we struggle to maintain at all times?

Common sense would dictate not using them during any other phase of flight but cruise and on flights of long enough duration. It seems to me like a way to ease the boredom of long cruise segments. I tend not to mind when my co-pilot tunes in and now I find myself thinking about purchasing one.

I suspect the younger folks out there would approve and the older aviators might scorn the idea. Let's see.....

[Bushav8er]

A few of the FOs I've flown with have and use them. I don't have one and haven't thought about it, one person should stay alert. I have seen others that have Sat (XM) radio installed but it is through the audio panel and cuts out during comm.

[HS-748 2A]

As a knuckle-dragging, non-eye-pod-wearing-mechanic, I find it a bit perturbing when I've got some young throttle jock who just came back with the 'Jo and he's telling me an engine is acting up..

"OK, so when did you notice that?"

"Oh, well it was really just before descent, you knoow - when I turned my ipod off, I could hear it.."

"Ok..... "

So, IMO, not good.

(Audio) Situational awareness, particullarily with piston engines, is a big plus, & it could save your ass.

[Just another canuck]

I've been at one company that was strictly against them... with good cause. Another company, they didn't care... we were supposed to have only one guy listening to the iPod, but as long as you didn't have it in both ears, then you could hear if anyone was on the radio. Also, some of the new headsets, the iPod automatically turns down/off when someone is transmitting on the radio. I know a lot of survey guys use them as well... I don't think it's a big deal as long as they are used responsibly.... not in the busy area, not below a certain altitude (sterile cockpit concept) or until clear of the congestion.

As far as passengers go, well, some probably frown upon it, but I personally don't worry about that. It's not up to them and as long as the boss gives it the thumbs up, then I don't worry.

[yfly]

Ipods are great! I wouldn't travel without one. I also wouldn't consider using one on the flight deck. I don't think it is too much to ask for ones attention be paid to flying in flight. That is your job, rocking out is not. Yes, I am "old school".

[The Old Fogducker]

testing 1 2 3

[Gumby]

AC have a no MP3, no newspaper restriction? I heard that somewhere.

[HS-748 2A]

Ipods are great! I wouldn't travel without one. I also wouldn't consider using one on the flight deck. I don't think it is too much to ask for ones attention be paid to flying in flight. That is your job, rocking out is not. Yes, I am "old school".

I'm with yfly. ipods should be registered in the Federal ipod Registry.

I'm sure there is a have-not town in Alberta that host and staff the office..

[rayban]

Ipods are great! I wouldn't travel without one. I also wouldn't consider using one on the flight deck. I don't think it is too much to ask for ones attention be paid to flying in flight. That is your job, rocking out is not. Yes, I am "old school".

There's only so many fuel calculations one can do during cruise and I've heard just about every office gossip story there is to hear... so, how many other ways are there to maintain mental alertness.

P.S. the Sudoku novelty has worn off.

[yfly]

As far as passengers go, well, some probably frown upon it, but I personally don't worry about that. It's not up to them and as long as the boss gives it the thumbs up, then I don't worry.

I had a pretty high profile corporate job at one time and the FO was reading the newspaper. The CEO came up front and saw this and said "what the hell am I paying you guys for?". The optics didn't impress him too much so you may want to rethink your "I don't worry about that approach". You just never know how the passengers view things.

[yfly]

Ipods are great! I wouldn't travel without one. I also wouldn't consider using one on the flight deck. I don't think it is too much to ask for ones attention be paid to flying in flight. That is your job, rocking out is not. Yes, I am "old school".

I'm with yfly. ipods should be registered in the Federal ipod Registry.

I'm sure there is a have-not town in Alberta that host and staff the office..

Almost funny HS. Keep working on that comedic timing!

[square]

Yep AC says the only thing you can read is the AFM, though I know that some read books/the paper and so on, one at a time to stay alert.

Personally I think one bud in is fine in cruise as long as it doesn't interfere with your cockpit duties, even better if it's through a headset or intercom plug with automute (even the cheapest sets have them).

[HS-748 2A]

Yes, it would have been funnier yesterday.

[yfly]

Ipods are great! I wouldn't travel without one. I also wouldn't consider using one on the flight deck. I don't think it is too much to ask for ones attention be paid to flying in flight. That is your job, rocking out is not. Yes, I am "old school".

There's only so many fuel calculations one can do during cruise and I've heard just about every office gossip story there is to hear... so, how many other ways are there to maintain mental alertness.

P.S. the Sudoku novelty has worn off.

I can't answer that question for you rayban. "hours of boredom punctuated by seconds of shear terror". Is conversation really that dead?

[ScudRunner]

Well with the DC X11 its got the Ipod plug in that cuts out when ATC or your Cojo starts yakking works great but I can't walk and chew gum so on approach its off.

[rayban]

Ipods are great! I wouldn't travel without one. I also wouldn't consider using one on the flight deck. I don't think it is too much to ask for ones attention be paid to flying in flight. That is your job, rocking out is not. Yes, I am "old school".

There's only so many fuel calculations one can do during cruise and I've heard just about every office gossip story there is to hear... so, how many other ways are there to maintain mental alertness.

P.S. the Sudoku novelty has worn off.

I can't answer that question for you rayban. "hours of boredom punctuated by seconds of shear terror". Is conversation really that dead?

Not at all, although even I must admit that the sound of my silky voice has it's limits. But seriously, flying with the same few co-pilots day in and day out, I tend to run out of interesting shit to talk about 3 or 4 hrs into a flight.

Now if I could do some good impersonations..................

[yfly]

I flew with a skipper years ago and we would randomly pick a word from the dictionary, then see how many ways we could use it during the flight. Kind of corny but it was actually quite entertaining. This was long before walkmans, diskmans, ipods.

[Just another canuck]

As far as passengers go, well, some probably frown upon it, but I personally don't worry about that. It's not up to them and as long as the boss gives it the thumbs up, then I don't worry.

I had a pretty high profile corporate job at one time and the FO was reading the newspaper. The CEO came up front and saw this and said "what the hell am I paying you guys for?". The optics didn't impress him too much so you may want to rethink your "I don't worry about that approach". You just never know how the passengers view things.

Good point, but if the CP gives it the thumbs up, then there really shouldn't be a problem. I think a high profile corporate gig may be a different scenario as well.

I flew with a skipper years ago and we would randomly pick a word from the dictionary, then see how many ways we could use it during the flight. Kind of corny but it was actually quite entertaining. This was long before walkmans, diskmans, ipods.

That's actually not a bad idea at all.

I should have said earlier... I rarely use my Ipod. I only do when I've forgotten my book.

[200hr Wonder]

I use an MP3 player hooked up through the headset on a nice low volume so I can hear ATC, My Capt. or anything else I need. I tend to use it only on the longer legs, 1+hr of cruise and then it comes off a TOD. The key is that it is low enough that I can hear everything I need it just breaks up the silent monotony. Though anytime I am getting into busy airspace it goes off. Just be sane when you use it all really. I also have it plumed through the headset such that pax could not see it and really just get up decent play lists that I do not need to fiddle with it much. On when I want it to start and stop when I am done.

[raven54]

Too funny. JAC will confirm this too...I never had a problem wearing the ipod and passing out complete with neck pillow in full view of pax

[Doc]

ipod, schympod! I'm working on a way to watch porn flicks on the CRT!!!

[Nark]

Sometimes I think I bought the DC X-11 for the Ipod feature only.

I often fly 3-4 hours solo at a time, so there's only so much talking I can do. When I loiter in Class B, I turn it off becuase it cuts out way to much to be worth listening to. (it automatically cuts out when the radio chatters, as mentioned before)

I'm of the school of thought that I'm able to make a good decision when I can and when I shouldn't listen to music.

On a similar note, how many times flying in Sask did I tune in the ADF to listen to the bannock song or the communty call-in classifieds? How is that any different?

[yfly]

ipod, schympod! I'm working on a way to watch porn flicks on the CRT!!!

I am told one airline already allows that with personal laptops.

Probably why I hear:

Blue 184, Piarco Control....

Blue 184, Piarco Control....

Blue 184, do you hear Piarco?

Ah...say again for Blue 184.

Blue 184, Piarco, do you have an Alpha November Uniform position?

Ah... Standby..... Ah yes Blue 184, we have passed ANNOO.

Blue 184, say your Alpha November Uniform position.

Ah...Blue 184 is past Alpha November Uniform.

Blue 184, Piarco, What is your radial and distance from Alpha november uniform?

Ah... Say again for blue 184.

Blue 184, Piarco, Say your radial and distance from Bravo Golf India..

Ah... Bravo Golf India estimate is 1825 for Blue 184.

Blue 184 Piarco, call when ready for descent.

No shit, same conversation twice in one week. Pay attention guys!!

[Just another canuck]

[quote="raven54"]Too funny. JAC will confirm this too...I never had a problem wearing the ipod and passing out complete with neck pillow in full view of pax [/quote
Neck pillow... you mean the first aid kit!!!

[bottom_feeder]

I found my ipod helped keep me awake on those long medevac flights up north. So now, I dont see the issue listening to them at 450 with long cruises as long as the pax dont see them. Half the f/o's I fly with listen to them, the other half dont. We have a rule against non company reading material in the cockpit, but nothing on ipods...