Reading a book while on autopilot

Meatservo · Post by **Meatservo** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 2:12 pm

I know a guy who reads books while he's flying. Just sits there and reads while auto the pilot does the flying. He says that since he's usually inside the clouds anyway, there's nothing to look out for, and he listens to the radio. I should mention this guy flies way up north, in sparsely settled areas. Somehow, this just seems wrong, although I can't really think of why. Sounds kind of relaxing.

I thought this board was getting a little heavy; this topic makes me laugh, even though I think this guy belongs in Jail. He might even be reading this post. You know who you are!

What do all of you think of this behaviour? Do any of you do this? Or anything worse?

Doc · Post by **Doc** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 2:24 pm

I used to read books by the box full while the auto-pilot flew the Caravan up north. Did a couple of um, er, other things while on automatic as well. Cant see a problem with it. If you have taffic, how often do you see it even when you have nothing to read?

ttx15 · Post by **ttx15** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 2:28 pm

I use to fly for a guy in north eastern ontario that was flying a beaver. He was reading every time he had a chance. He had a pair of glasses in every airplane so he could read something. I think there nothing wrong with that and probably easier if you got an autopilot.

Out of Control · Post by **Out of Control** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 2:33 pm

If your reading I think there is no problem. But if your sleeping then there's a whole nother issue

Doc · Post by **Doc** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 2:40 pm

Yah, for sure, I never sleep in the airplane. I always sleep in the car on the way to the airport. That way, I can stay awake to read!

complexintentions · Post by **complexintentions** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 2:45 pm

Heck years ago I flew with guys where we'd both be reading and there's no autopilot...just trim 'er up and put the newspaper in your scan...

..freight operation, in cruise, IFR, to qualify this statement...also, this was in the turboprop days, where things were happening a wee bit slower and lower...not exactly a dire emergency if the cabin dumps at FL180 vs. 430...

Single-pilot IFR, probably not the smartest idea though, autopilot or no...

dxprguy · Post by **dxprguy** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 2:50 pm

Damn and I just thought this was part of the check list.. On a fam flight from the Caribbean to YYZ a few years ago... SID departure left turn out 6500 ft autopilot engaged..and 3 hours worth of newspapers, magazines and jep updates filled the rest of the evening till initial descent.

yycflyguy · Post by **yycflyguy** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 3:26 pm

If I didn't fly, I would never have time to read.

flyboeing · Post by **flyboeing** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 3:34 pm

WOW......he makes it seem like being a pilot is an easy job, and everyone seems to bitch for more money????? All we are are glorified bus drivers......oh wait a bus driver can't turn autopilot on and read a book.....hmmmm.....perhaps we are not as good a bus drivers....hmmm.

bottom_feeder · Post by **bottom_feeder** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 4:08 pm

hmmm.... maybe thats y most bus drivers make more $ than pilots

...

someguy2 · Post by **someguy2** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 5:15 pm

Its often a tough call whether to read or sleep. I either like 4hr legs to read or 12 hrs legs to read and sleep, but those 4-10,12hr legs are a really problem..what to do

Elliot Moose · Post by **Elliot Moose** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 5:19 pm

Without books, I would have lost my mind flying freight in a Caravan! Instead, I still say it was the best job ever. Fly for an hour reading your book, drinking coffee, chatting with the boys on the radio, and then land. Dump a measly 3000lbs out the door and fly home! Fantastic--except that I would have had to live in YPL forever to keep doing it.

Flying a 748, I flew with my knees and read my book on my leg, and frequently did the same thing on the Captain's leg because he tended to get too wrapped up in his book, drinking his coffee and smoking his cigarette, and we would start to "wander" a bit. New guys didn't know whether to shit or go blind when he would catch them trying to "help" keep things flying straight on his leg and he would look up and say "Don't do that--I LIKE to fly".

I found that if I flew with my knees as I was taught by our 6'8" chief pilot, I wouldn't get caught helping and we would also fly reasonably level all the way to destination! On a couple of occasions he actually fell asleep on his leg......until the cigarette got a bit warm on the fingers.

BTW this is all true. Several lurkers on here should be able to identify the captain of which I speak. He was the same one who was at one time the CP for a branch of Ontario Northland. One day he was happily sitting in the front of a Twotter reading his book when a woman from the back stuck her head in and said "How far is it?" He of course replied "Page 175". On return to base that night he was called in to the boss's office to answer to accusations of one of the pilots reading and generally being a smart ass to a pax. In the end he suspended himself for two weeks.

ei ei owe · Post by **ei ei owe** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 5:52 pm

I flew Cubs in northern Ontario, often for 5+hours at a time over the same spot. I didn't read, per day, but had some pleasing pictures on my lap with great smiles to keep me company. I could see myself reading with the plane on autopilot once I move into a "big" plane.

Jaques Strappe · Post by **Jaques Strappe** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 6:32 pm

I turn the auto pilot on and then play flight sim on my lap top.

planedriver · Post by **planedriver** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 6:43 pm

Does viewing Miss March count, because were not really reading we are looking and assessing, kinda like briefing an approch.

flyinhigh · Post by **flyinhigh** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 6:47 pm

HAHA, I read all my books,
so now I we carry a 7" portable DVD player, on the longer legs with no passengers we'll pop that puppy onto the dash while watching Top Gun, and eat pop and chips outta the commisary.

Meatservo · Post by **Meatservo** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 7:03 pm

Somebody just told me I had lost all "credibility" for starting this thread, but I think it's funny. Elliot, you must be talking about Capt.M.; I just saw him the other day.

Your story worries me, because if you were flying from YPL,reading your book, anytime between 1995 and 2002, I probably passed you going the other way reading MY book. It must be a big sky.

someguy2 · Post by **someguy2** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 7:35 pm

flyinhigh wrote:HAHA, I read all my books,
so now I we carry a 7" portable DVD player, on the longer legs with no passengers we'll pop that puppy onto the dash while watching Top Gun, and eat pop and chips outta the commisary.

You got the Polariod? I bought a second battery for mine for the longer flights...

East Coaster · Post by **East Coaster** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 9:37 pm

Just don't crash the planes, k. I don't want to pick up pieces off my front lawn...

TTail · Post by **TTail** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 10:08 pm

FlexJet supplies their pilots with portable dvd players and a movie selection at their bases....

Guys, there's nothing wrong with it. I'm just envious of you guys now cause our autopilot in one of our lears is busted and trimming that aircraft out lasts about 2.5 seconds with that squirrely wing!

shitdisturber · Post by **shitdisturber** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 10:34 pm

I used to fly as an FO with a guy from semi civilzation to buttf**k nowhere on occasion. This entailed a 2 hour drive for me just to get to the airplane in the wee hours of the morning then a just after sunrise takeoff for the boonies. Once we were levelled off and auto was doing his thing, he'd drag out the paper and read it up to and including doing the crossword puzzle. After all it was his leg to fly so I was working the radios.

So on one of these little jaunts when I'm more tired than usual and having trouble keeping my eyes open I happen to glance over and notice he's done with the crossword and is taking a little nap.

Was able to keep my eyes open for the rest of the trip after that.

Panama Jack · Post by **Panama Jack** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 10:38 pm

LJDriver wrote: I'm just envious of you guys now cause our autopilot in one of our lears is busted and trimming that aircraft out lasts about 2.5 seconds with that squirrely wing!

And of course flying below FL 290

TTail · Post by **TTail** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 5:34 am

Panama Jack wrote:
LJDriver wrote: I'm just envious of you guys now cause our autopilot in one of our lears is busted and trimming that aircraft out lasts about 2.5 seconds with that squirrely wing!
And of course flying below FL 290

But of course! This lear in question does not have the RVSM upgrade yet.

Wasn't Me · Post by **Wasn't Me** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 9:14 am

Who's looking out the window in case someone is there. ?? I heard a pilot once read of the registration of a tail at 12,000 feet in cloud and ask why he was there. being to comfortable is dangerous.

Elliot Moose · Post by **Elliot Moose** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 3:39 pm

That would be captain M. Lots of good times with him for sure! Capt O as well.

Yeah, that would have been me flying past you with feet up and reading a paperback in those years.

Wasn't me,
Every aircraft I ever saw in cruise up close I either knew about (we did listen to the radios) or else I saw waaayyy too late to do anything about even though I was already looking out the window (and NOT reading a book). You'd generally have to be extremely lucky to see unannounced traffic at any distance while in cruise even at caravan speeds. In cloud (or in the clear) and out of controlled airspace you rely on flying proper altitudes for direction of flight and a good listening watch to keep you alive a lot more than looking at the inside of a cloud. Short, clear traffic calls are the key.

I will say though, the fish-finder in the 1900 was the best safety device ever in that country!

Reading a book while on autopilot

Reading a book while on autopilot

Viewing vs Reading