UConnQB14

obviously in the post 9-11 world, things are different, but on the whole, are you against people, most specifically young kids taking a peak in the cockpit after or before a flight, maybe even sit in the right seat for a quick picture

WhiteH2O

I would rather get my picture in the left seat, can I do that?

Personaly, I don't see any harm in it as long as it is before pushback. Inflight, I guess I can see why that would be a bad idea.

FlyerJosh

After the flight, and only after all other passengers have left the aircraft (otherwise the entrance can get a bit jammed up). Otherwise, I personally enjoyed giving cockpit "tours" to whomever.

Truth of the matter is that anything a terrorist might learn in 2 minutes of sitting in the seat and looking around, they can find readily available on the internet, so I don't see a security issue with pictures/questions/visits/whatever, as long as the plane is in the gate and all the post flight duties have been completed (and the crew has the time - ie not a quick turn that's running late)...

calcapt

You can generally tell those who may be interested in a cockpit visit by those who sneak a peek up toward to cockpit either boarding or leaving the aircraft. Time permitting, I ask mom or dad of they have a camera and encourage brief visits with a picture or two. Almost always, mom and dad seem almost as excited as the young ones do. I always warn the parents that flying lessons are expensive and their brief visit may someday cost them thousands of dollars. There is also a selfish aspect to this good will as the grateful passengers will hopefully come back to your airline and spend their future travel dollars. I still remember the first time I visited a cockpit when I was a young boy and how excited I got at all the switches and dials. Perhaps that visit planted the seed that put me in an airline seat. It is a shame that evil forces in our world make it impossible to share the magic of flight with our passengers today. I remember hearing old timers tell stories of having passengers sit in the jumpseat on a regular basis - can you imagine?

LAfrequentflyer

My first visit to was to a PAN AM 747 from UK to NYC. I think people were smoking in the plane - maybe even the pilots? This was in 78 / 79...


-LAFF

Roll Inverted and Pull

Many, many years ago, the local newspaper near the base I was preparing to depart from, wanted to get a photo of a couple of pilots just before takeoff. The operations officer snagged me and said that I should pose for the photographer, which I did.(the squadron was on the way to Japan, using inflight refueling). An hour later I was in the Pacific Ocean, after bailing out of a big fireball. I`ve never been too keen about my photo in a plane that I was planning to fly since that time. Several times, during my airline career, passengers would come up either before or after a flight and ask "can I get a photo of you and the cockpit?"..I always said " here, come sit in my seat and let me photograph you"...they were, of course always thrilled to do it and I didn`t have to explane my stupid superstition .

Crashman

Very interesting to see that the old traditions still hold even post 9-11 and -natch- while still respecting all the inflight door-closed & sterile cockpit regs. It's of course great Company public relats to give interested pax a peek at the front office, esp. kids and um, of course the nice ladies. When flying one of those left seats real far aft, I always take a quick glance while boarding to see the Mfr. plate inside the doorseal that gives the a/cs SN and exact model #. Then I pass in quickly (I know what the FAs have to deal with at boarding time) and then later linger behind after the rest of the cattle deplane. If I see that the crew is not rushing, I'll try to drop a friendly remark; complimenting a greaser landing always works, (and I always try to guess who was landing by which gear they "felt" for the touchdown with. That works too.) And briefly ref'ing that type's performance or engining so they can see I'm not totally ignorant is helpful... And if they have time for a quick look-see and/or are inclined to chat a moment, I love it. Many 3- and 4-stripers have so indulged me and I always appreciate it A LOT. One can never know too much... I've been bumped up to First once or twice on near-empty flights and even (on a Swearingen Metro) given a headset to listen to comms. The other pax thought I was some kinda bigshot... heh!

There's payback to this sort of kindness for busy flight crews too - one time the lady in front of me was seated in the overwing exit row and the plug exit window had been reset by maint. just a leetle bit cockeyed, and it was sucking & hissing audibly at altitude. She was starting to freak out about this and on the point of kicking up a totally unnecessary fuss, so I leaned forward and gave her a long reassuring talk on why that was 100 percent harmless, there was NO way it could dislodge and suck her out, etc. Calmed her right down without crew involvement, and she didn't even take me up on my brave offer to switch seats. NO alarming any other self-loading cargo! ;-) Then on the way out I had a quick word with the 4-striper to tell him why he was maybe losing .1 lb/hr of press, so he could decide whether to write it up or not. Not really signif. for ops of course, just might prevent other worried groundhogs pestering the FAs (and scaring other pax) on that a/c in the future.

Also know where you're coming from on that pre-flight photo belief, Captain 7-6 Split-S! Do you think that common superstition comes from the well-known pic of Rittmeister Manfred Freiherr von Richthofen playing with his dog before his last mission? Superstition or not, I don't tempt fate. You're 100% right - take all the pics you want, just not of me!

skengdon

I had a chance for such an experience back in da early 90s. I remember being told to 'be quiet'..or 'you cant talk now'. I was just filled with questions about every button. I was a youngster then.=>

Crashman

This thread wouldn't be complete without the classic story: Airplane buff gets a cockpit visit, gazes wonderingly at all the gauges, awed. Pilot gives a quick rundown, asks if any questions. Buff points at an instrument pretty much at random: "What's that instrument?" Pilot sighs, pauses.... "That's the, ahhh, the clock".

Taylor0289

That brings back memories skengdon. My best memories flying are all the times I got to sit in the jumpseat during cruise as a kid (most of them on the Dash8), and they let me stay in the cockpit for landing many times. Post 9-11, i'm not a kid anymore and I don't know if I should ask to pop up in the cockpit for a visit. A quick glance when boarding the plane is the most i've got in a few years. I have to say, the pilots were always super friendly, they only used to raise their voice abit when I pointed up at the T-handles to explain what they were, guess' they thought I might have tried to grab them .