Would you like to sit in the cockpit for your next flight???

[IBPilot]

Hello Everyone.

This story might make a few of you jump.

Coming home last Christmas (2009) from my family vacation to Florida, I was offered the thrid seat IN THE FLIGHTDECK on an Air Canada A320 from YYZ to YWG. Because my dad works for the airline, our status is standby. I'm sure some of you know when the meaning of standby is for travellers around Christmas. My family had flwon ahead on the flight previous so I had to get on the last AC flight to YWG (home) otherwise I'm sleeping in the airport. as I'm waiting to board, the agent announces that the plane was full. As I was about to get up and go sit in a comfortable place for the night (already like 10:15pm), the Captain comes out. I've never seen this before so I stayed around just to see why he came out. It turns out that he was looking at the standby list and saw that I had the highest priority (my dads priority) out of everyone there. he called me up and once he saw that I was in fact not the employee, he began searching for the next standby. Curious, i asked him what he was doing. His answer, "i'm looking for standby's who want to fly the flightdeck home." I instantly junped at him and said that "wait, i'm a private Pilot." he looked at me and said, "really" and I said, "yes!" he then asked me if I had my license with me and I unfortunately had to say no. That was the end of my chances. he did say that if I had my license with me, the third seat would have been mine.... the flight left with noone in the flightdeck because i was the only pilot in the group.

In all, I learnt a lesson. Always bring your TC License with you when you fly... you never know. I was so pissed off but that was a missed opportunity that I would have like so much...

Have any of you ever run into a situation like this???

Cheers

[yycflyguy]

Hello Everyone.

This story might make a few of you jump.

Coming home last Christmas (2009) from my family vacation to Florida, I was offered the thrid seat IN THE FLIGHTDECK on an Air Canada A320 from YYZ to YWG. Because my dad works for the airline, our status is standby. I'm sure some of you know when the meaning of standby is for travellers around Christmas. My family had flwon ahead on the flight previous so I had to get on the last AC flight to YWG (home) otherwise I'm sleeping in the airport. as I'm waiting to board, the agent announces that the plane was full. As I was about to get up and go sit in a comfortable place for the night (already like 10:15pm), the Captain comes out. I've never seen this before so I stayed around just to see why he came out. It turns out that he was looking at the standby list and saw that I had the highest priority (my dads priority) out of everyone there. he called me up and once he saw that I was in fact not the employee, he began searching for the next standby. Curious, i asked him what he was doing. His answer, "i'm looking for standby's who want to fly the flightdeck home." I instantly junped at him and said that "wait, i'm a private Pilot." he looked at me and said, "really" and I said, "yes!" he then asked me if I had my license with me and I unfortunately had to say no. That was the end of my chances. he did say that if I had my license with me, the third seat would have been mine.... the flight left with noone in the flightdeck because i was the only pilot in the group.

In all, I learnt a lesson. Always bring your TC License with you when you fly... you never know. I was so pissed off but that was a missed opportunity that I would have like so much...

Have any of you ever run into a situation like this???

Cheers

I am afraid you misunderstood. If there were cabin seats available you would have been permitted on the plane but only Air Canada Pilots and FA's are allowed the flight deck with their valid RAIC pass. Sorry to burst your story. You can thank 9/11 and TC stubbornness to lift this restriction.

[Lurch]

A few years ago I was in coach about to dive into my complementary pretzels when the FA came on the intercom and asked if there was a pilot onboard. Apparently the crew eat some bad food and was incapacitated, they needed somebody to land the plane. I was so excited jumping out of my seat I forgot to undue my seatbelt and quickly fell back into my seat. I fumbled with the seat belt for a minute and then rushed to the front of the plane, all ready to land the giant. My heart quickly hit the floor as the green puking captain asked to see my licence, I forgot it at home. I showed him my Breitling and my Raybans but to no avail. As I pouted back to my seat an excited PPL passed me and jumped into the cockpit and had the flight of his life.

Lurch

[yycflyguy]

Why not just show 'em your gigantic wang? Pilot fur shizzle.

[IBPilot]

Then how come he asked to see my License. I have travelled enough to know that Pilot's don't ask you for your license to get on board the aircraft. This is something that I have never ran into before and caused me to think exactly what he said. He did in fact say that if I had my license with me (proving that I was a pilot), I would have sat in the flightdeck home to YWG from YYZ.

[IBPilot]

A few years ago I was in coach about to dive into my complementary pretzels when the FA came on the intercom and asked if there was a pilot onboard. Apparently the crew eat some bad food and was incapacitated, they needed somebody to land the plane. I was so excited jumping out of my seat I forgot to undue my seatbelt and quickly fell back into my seat. I fumbled with the seat belt for a minute and then rushed to the front of the plane, all ready to land the giant. My heart quickly hit the floor as the green puking captain asked to see my licence, I forgot it at home. I showed him my Breitling and my Raybans but to no avail. As I pouted back to my seat an excited PPL passed me and jumped into the cockpit and had the flight of his life.

Lurch

I hope the flight landed safely... after all, the controls would have been in a set of far more capable hands

[iflyforpie]

That's why it was nice working for a cargo company. No security door, no fuss. I could have stashed a 12 gauge in the cockpit and no one would have been the wiser. Didn't need to bring my PPL either (though I did, just in case ).

But seriously, I have a hard time believing they would let you into the cockpit with just a PPL. There are no security or background checks for licenses, which is why you need security/ramp passes....

[CD]

Actually, there is an exemption available for air operators if they wish to permit commuting pilots to have access to the flight deck on domestic flights. However, the air operator has to be willing and it doesn't apply to a PPL.

The purpose of this exemption is to permit Canadian air operators who wish to offer their flight deck jump seat to commuting pilots and their pilots-in-command to grant admission to the flight deck of their aeroplane on domestic flights to pilots employed by other Canadian air operators commuting to or from their flight assignments, subject to the conditions below.
...
This exemption is subject to the following conditions:
...
4. The pilot-in-command shall verify the identity of the commuting pilot by examining and comparing his or her Restricted Area Identity Card (RAIC) with:
a valid passport;
a valid Airline Transport Pilot Licence and a valid Medical Certificate; or
a valid Commercial Pilot Licence and a valid Medical Certificate.

EXEMPTION FROM SUBSECTION 705.27(3) OF THE CANADIAN AVIATION REGULATIONS

[Nark]

I'm pretty sure he was using a bit of tact to say, "sorry, you can't sit here."

yycflyguy said it in his post. Only certain individuals can access the flight deck.

But don't worry about that missed opportunity, come to Alaska and I'll let you up the in jumpseat, hell I'll even let you sit in the copilots seat the whole ride.

Cheers

[IBPilot]

But seriously, I have a hard time believing they would let you into the cockpit with just a PPL.

I know, it's sounds like I had one too many to drink before I wrote this but what reminded me of this incident is my friend was in a similar situation last month and he had actually asked. After he heard what hapened to me, he actually brought his license, and being that his dad works for AC, asked if he could sit in the third seat in the flight deck. The agent of course looked at him like he was crazy and he ended up taking the next flight.

I know.... crazy, how could I have been asked to sit in the flightdeck... yes, its crazy... That's why I posted this - to see if there is a justification for this and if anyone else has run into a situation like this...

[SAR_YQQ]

Post-911 probably not going to ever happen.

Pre-911, all the time. I spent the entire YYZ-LHR on the flight deck - it was my seat. Quite a few other seats too - all as contingent.

[IBPilot]

Quoting Everyone

I guess the point is that I either missunderstood or something along those lines... not possible... I got it.... but I do know what I heard...

Thanks for the feedback guys

[Lost Lake]

If you have any more doubts, just reread CD's post. Just letting you down easy.

[SeptRepair]

Ya think maybe the guy was screwing around with you? He knows your so and so's kid so he has a little fun at your expense.

[Pratt]

Then how come he asked to see my License. I have travelled enough to know that Pilot's don't ask you for your license to get on board the aircraft. This is something that I have never ran into before and caused me to think exactly what he said. He did in fact say that if I had my license with me (proving that I was a pilot), I would have sat in the flightdeck home to YWG from YYZ.

The Captain would end up getting into ALOT of trouble if he allows anybody but those that are approved to ride in the jumpseat. I don't think any Captain would risk the repercussions to himself for allowing it to happen.

[ogc]

I was allowed to do this, I rode from YYZ all the way to YVR in the flight deck and I didnt even have a licence.



It was 1993 though...

[IBPilot]

It was 1993 though...

The discussion is concerning the issue with the post 9-11 era.

The feeling Im getting is it was either a joke that I didn't get right away or I misunderstood why he came out and why he was looking at the standby list for a flight that was full.

But anyway guys, i appreciate the discussion. I think I heard something the wrong way...

Cheers

[pika]

Ask your dad. He is an Air Canada pilot you know...

[IBPilot]

Ask your dad. He is an Air Canada pilot you know...

Ok, back up one step... I never said my dad was a Pilot, just that he workes for the Airline. He is part of the NDT field. The scanning and x-raying of aircraft structure looking for malfunctions and tiny faults in the aircraft body itself.

But, to much surprise, I actually asked him the same question and he said that likely I misunderstood him because that sort of thing is not practiced in AC. I told him the rest of what happened and he didn't have a concrete answer for me. Either i heard something wrong or i completely missed the pilots joke...

In any case, i decided to pull the opinion of AVCanada to see what you guys think and I think I have my answer now...

regards

[yycflyguy]

Ask your dad. He is an Air Canada pilot you know...

Ok, back up one step... I never said my dad was a Pilot, just that he workes for the Airline. He is part of the NDT field. The scanning and x-raying of aircraft structure looking for malfunctions and tiny faults in the aircraft body itself.

Understood. No big wang.

[Rowdy]

Also remember that airlines (AC being one of them) hold a jump seat for commuting pilots in the cabin these days. NOT in the cockpit.

I seem to remember a veteran capt. taking his wife on his last flight prior to retirement. There not being any cabin seats so she was given the seat up front. The story goes he was fired for a security breach... and spent quite some time fighting a legal battle with the company and union to keep his pension. Maybe a couple of the others on here know of this individual and could post the actual story??

You wont be sitting in the pointy end of an airliner ever again unfortunatly.. unless you're the one driving!

[JAG]

I agree as well. You won't be up front unless you're being paid to fly.

As for the NDT comment, I'm pretty sure we're all aware what NDT is, but thanks for the lesson.

[sapper6fd]

As for the NDT comment, I'm pretty sure we're all aware what NDT is, but thanks for the lesson.

I was unaware, so in a non smart a$$ed and non sarcastic tone - thanks for that lesson

People are so quick to jump on one another on this forum.

[Panama Jack]

I will be sitting in the cockpit during my next flight, but I would prefer being asked whether I wouldn't like to be sitting in First Class instead?

[. ._]

Does NDT stand for non-destructive testing?