Mid-Atlantic, 4am, 39,000ft. Just a couple more hours to go before landing back in London after another night crossing the pond. I looked across at my colleague, gently sipping on his umpteenth coffee of the night, eyes heavy and bloodshot. Behind us, 250 passengers were fast asleep, trying to compensate for the five hours their body clocks were … Continue reading ‘We skimmed houses at 170mph, completely blind’: How pilots land in near-zero visibility
It was 2.30 in the morning, maybe even closer to 3. All was quiet in the flight deck, just the odd ripple of turbulence occasionally bumping the aircraft. Peering 38,000ft down below us, the moonless sky gave little away of northern Canada. A black abyss of nothing; no roads, no towns, no people. We were … Continue reading Pilots have a little-known ace up their sleeve when passengers fall seriously ill at 35,000ft
When asked what the key skill is to being a long-haul pilot, people are often surprised when I reply with “sleeping”. No matter what job we do, getting good sleep is essential to our productivity, the key to our alertness and critical to our health. Without sufficient quality sleep, we do not perform anywhere near … Continue reading Pilots are obsessed with sleep – it can mean the difference between life and death
Everyone loves an adventure. Growing up in Lincolnshire, my best friend lived on a farm and each time I went round to play, it was a proper adventure. Hide and seek in the barns, pushing our way through cornfields and staging mock battles in the treehouse. I loved exploring and I loved the sense of … Continue reading As a pilot, I’ve learnt just how good long-haul flying is for the soul
Being an airline pilot is a glamourous job. Or so the movies tell you. Whilst the image of the ‘Catch Me If You Can’ pilot is a relic of the 1960s, the reality of the 21st Century is something quite different. Long flights often followed by just 24 hours in an airport hotel, the joys of … Continue reading Police escorts and hotel lockdowns: How the pandemic has killed the glamour of being a pilot
To many, the 747 personified ambition; it was inspirational. If you put your mind to it, you could achieve anything The first time I piloted a 747, I was 14 years old. Easing away from Terminal 4 at London Heathrow, I can still feel the thump through my seat each time the nose wheel rolled … Continue reading The sad demise of the 747, the icon that inspired a generation of pilots
