Are Passengers Still Allowed In The Cockpit? Options

[Sean]

When was this exactly?

February 2006

[morris542]

I have a question:
If I was a pilot and wanted a friend of mine to have a visit in the cockpit would that be allowed? The friend is not a passenger of the flight, but he/she is being taken for the journey and would sit in the jumpseat throughout the flight. Would that be allowed?

[trijetflyermd11]

That is what is so upsetting about the whole thing. Forget "friend"...you can´t even take your mother, who gave you life, with you. She might be a potenial terrorist and might endanger your life!!

[bluebird121]

I have a question:
If I was a pilot and wanted a friend of mine to have a visit in the cockpit would that be allowed? The friend is not a passenger of the flight, but he/she is being taken for the journey and would sit in the jumpseat throughout the flight. Would that be allowed?

Nope.. I have a friend who is going to fly for Easyjet, and I have known him for quite some time now , but even so, I still would never be allowed to sit in the jumpseat. It just does not matter at all. Rules are rules. The law is the law. You would end up sacked my friend.

[The Airbuser]

Nope.. I have a friend who is going to fly for Easyjet, and I have known him for quite some time now , but even so, I still would never be allowed to sit in the jumpseat. It just does not matter at all. Rules are rules. The law is the law. You would end up sacked my friend.

Well, damn, then I'm just a very lucky guy... I get to go in the jumpseat, since the push-back to the parking. And, well... I was going to BOG because I was going to do my apprentice time over there (well... here), and I didn't know the pilot, but I did have a company ID, which obviously I showed to the Captain.

Don't know how that changes things around, for the record it was on December 15, 2006.

[Sean]

Yeah.. if you're a pilot yourself, I think you should be allowed to sit in the cockpit. especially if you're a pilot for the same company!

[AirRabbit]

Sean:

It was I who was skeptical of the story. So, if you’re upset with anyone, it should be me with whom you have an issue. I offer the following in my defense: you may be surprised (or perhaps not) at the number of times I’ve run across one of my “younger” friends who gives me a really outlandish story about something that may have actually happened; but there’s a 98% probability that it didn’t happen – and a 98% probability that the story was designed strictly to impress someone.

For example: A guy is telling a story about Deep-Sea fishing on a vacation in Key West, Florida. He describes catching a 12-foot shark on the line and having to fight him for over an hour to get him to the side of the boat. A young friend in the group chimes in with his recollection of the last time he and his family were in St. Thomas, VI, snorkeling and spear fishing with a “hand spear.” He describes how a 15-foot shark comes out of no where and chases the lad back to the beach. This story from a 16-year old who (I know) doesn’t know how to swim! And, believe me, there are hundreds of other similar examples.

My response was sort of a “cry wolf” scenario, I guess. I know the rules and I think I know how most airline crews would have handled that particular problem. So, if I was in error in questioning you about your friend’s journey in the cockpit, I apologize. I guess there are always exceptions to almost anything. I happen to know quite a few of the SAS pilots in both Stockholm and Oslo and the next time I run across one of them, I’ll have to ask what their policy is now about letting folks into the cockpit – and if a soiled seat in the cabin would have a similar result with one of them. At least it will give me an opportunity to "heckel" them a bit - as they do me almost all of the time.

Don’t get me wrong… I’m not an advocate of the way things have to be today. And, I think that the US has probably gone a lot farther than anyone else has about security – and the way they apply it. I, too, believe that the little Jewish lady boarding in Chicago with her three grandchildren under the age of 9 (all with Mickey Mouse ears on) headed to Orlando, is probably less likely to be a terrorist than the 3 olive-skinned males – about 20 years old – huddled in the corner praying and mumbling about something in a mid-eastern dialect. But, because we, in the US, want to make sure we don’t insult anyone unfairly (as we might actually hurt their feelings or something serious like that), we treat Grandma and the kids exactly the same way as Muftasa, Hamil, and Imir. Make sense? No, it doesn’t. Will it change? No, probably not. Welcome to the 21st century and the age of political correctness.

[The Airbuser]

Yeah.. if you're a pilot yourself, I think you should be allowed to sit in the cockpit. especially if you're a pilot for the same company!

Ahhh, first, I'm no pilot... I'm a dispatcher (but pilot soon-to-be), and second, I'm not a company's employee, I'm an apprentice, with NO license just yet...

[27driver]

Welcome to the 21st century and the age of political correctness.

Screw that...I want to know what the heck Muftasa, Hamil, and Imir are talking about, otherwise there's gonna be some kind of malfunction and we're gonna have to be delayed while there's another background check. And as the PIC, I get to make that decision. Thankfully, management would (and has) understand why I feel that way, even if the PC police do not. That's why you know that PC police aren't pilots...all situations look a lot different at altitude then on the ground...and PC doesn't matter when the feces strikes the rotating air-transmuting device...at least in my limited experience...

Either way, rules are rules and we follow them as that is how the aviation world works...no matter how we personally feel about it.

So...a 16 year old non-swimmer can outrun a 15 foot shark? Dude...they're not making sharks like they used to.

[AirRabbit]

So...a 16 year old non-swimmer can outrun a 15 foot shark? Dude...they're not making sharks like they used to.

My point ... exactly.

[boeing2]

Ive heard of people managing to get a peep in the cockpit during the flight. It seems to me that in the US the only way that you are going to get a look at the flight deck is if you are wearing a uniform (pilots!) or somtimes preflight or at arrival. Outside the US it doesnt seem to be policed so much with some airlines (especialy charters) allowing passengers inside although this is what i have just heard from friends that are cabin crew.

Last year i was a passenger with MyTravel airlines and was surprised to se the captain keep the door open throughout the taxi to the runway, guess he forgot!!!

Dave

[The Airbuser]

Last year i was a passenger with MyTravel airlines and was surprised to se the captain keep the door open throughout the taxi to the runway, guess he forgot!!!

Well, may I say: That's just wrong!!!

[boeing2]

Well, may I say: That's just wrong!!!

Yup. The pilot was a real nice guy though, when we got of the other end he followed me off the plane down the stairs to do checks. Unfortunately the coach taking us to the terminal building was full ,so whilst I waited for another one me and the pilot had a chat!

[Sean]

Yup. The pilot was a real nice guy though, when we got of the other end he followed me off the plane down the stairs to do checks. Unfortunately the coach taking us to the terminal building was full ,so whilst I waited for another one me and the pilot had a chat!

Whaaaaat? I would call that fortunately

[Earlmister]

I dont understand what you are talking about. I have NEVER had any problems with getting into the cockpit before flight, and often i get to sit in the jumpseat the whole way (maybe that has something to do with the fact that i am 15 and innocent-looking and most of the flights i am on are in in Norway, though). The pilots nearly always let me sit in the jumpseat if the flight is not to an uptight city like london, as the authorities there would "totally flip out" like the pilot's i've flown with usually say. But, i have also sat in the jumpseat of a southwest 737-700 from nashville to BWI, and in an icelandair 757 from Keflavik to BWI (yup, sat in the cockpit for 6 hours). What you have to do that often works for me is first to make your way into the cockpit preflight somehow, and then ask the pilots a couple o' questions about the aircraft systems and procedures, etc.
After they are starting to feel comfortable with you being there and the ice is broken, ask casually if you can sit in the jumpseat during takeoff. if they say yes, you will most probably be able to stay for the entire flight.

[bluebird121]

name='Earlmister' date='Mar 18 2007, 04:38 PM' post='114691']
I dont understand what you are talking about. I have NEVER had any problems with getting into the cockpit before flight, and often i get to sit in the jumpseat the whole way (maybe that has something to do with the fact that i am 15 and innocent-looking and most of the flights i am on are in in Norway, though). The pilots nearly always let me sit in the jumpseat if the flight is not to an uptight city like london, as the authorities there would "totally flip out" like the pilot's i've flown with usually say. But, i have also sat in the jumpseat of a southwest 737-700 from nashville to BWI, and in an icelandair 757 from Keflavik to BWI (yup, sat in the cockpit for 6 hours). What you have to do that often works for me is first to make your way into the cockpit preflight somehow, and then ask the pilots a couple o' questions about the aircraft systems and procedures, etc.
After they are starting to feel comfortable with you being there and the ice is broken, ask casually if you can sit in the jumpseat during takeoff. if they say yes, you will most probably be able to stay for the entire flight.

Yes you are only 15 and yes you are not a terrorist, but think about the way a terrorist's mind works. Get a young lad, innocent looking too I may add, and very pleasant, very informative, wishing to know all about flying, asking the right questions so the pilots are relaxed enough to let him into the cockpit. Then what can happen!!
The thing is that it has all changed since 9/11, and I for one would have loved to have sat in a jump seat, but no way will I ever be allowed to or the pilot will lose his job.
It is not about being "uptight" by the way, it is all about making damn sure the passengers and the crew are safe in all their flights, and I for one am quite happy that this is imposed on all the flights I have been on.

[Aspiring Boeing ...]

Hey Sean....
Noone was accusing you of lying my friend, they were just a little skeptical about the course of events and how your friend proclaimed them.

As a matter of fact, I'm a little skeptical...but I wasn't there.....

Hi. I know in the UK The CAA haven't changed anything (or at least i don't think they have) so we're still allowed to go to the cockpit if the Captian approves of the request.

Whaaaaat? I would call that fortunately

Lol i would have to agree on that

[bluebird121]

Aspiring Boeing + Airbus ]. Hi. I know in the UK The CAA haven't changed anything (or at least i don't think they have) so we're still allowed to go to the cockpit if the Captian approves of the request .

What you say is paritally true, but only if you put in the request via the cabin crew, who in turn, ask the Captain and if he agrees it will only be when all passengers have left the aircraft and not at any other time.