Hey, why’s the plane shaking?!
Relax, it’s just an air pocket!
You’re lucky — there’s a pilot next to you, flying as a passenger.
They know much more about flights than you do, so a bit of turbulence won’t make them
move a muscle.
But if they start worrying about ice on the windows or sniffing the air for some reason,
well, that’s when you should pay attention!
1.
The Angle of Light If the flight is during the day, an experienced
pilot always pays attention to the angle between the plane window and the light coming through.
They know that any difference in this angle means that the aircraft has suddenly changed
direction.
Weather conditions can prevent the plane from following its normal route.
Then it can take a roundabout way.
The cockpit crew can also alter the course because of an equipment malfunction.
People aren't usually informed about minor problems to avoid panic, but a pilot flying
as a passenger will realize that something's wrong just by watching the light angle.
2.
Weird Smells When a pilot is flying a plane, they can understand
that everything's going as it should just by listening to the sounds the plane's making.
A bizarre, unfamiliar sound is an obvious sign that something's gone wrong.
While flying in a passenger seat, they can't rely on their ears because the cabin is mostly
soundproof.
That's why pilots pay attention to the second most important sign of problems: the smell.
No doors can prevent odors from traveling around.
Some smells, such as superheated bleed air, fuel, or hydraulic fluid, are easily recognizable
for a professional.
And pilots know all too well that such scents can hint that there are some problems with
the fuel-storage systems or the engine.
3.
Landing Routine Pilots and flight attendants have to follow
a strict and precise routine when it comes to landing.
Window shades open, seats and tray tables put in an upright position, seat belts fastened,
announcements made — experienced pilots know the timing to the second.
But what they pay attention to is something different.
When a plane is about to descend below 10,000 ft, the cockpit crew levels the plane.
The pilot in a passenger seat can't but imagine this procedure and go through the checklist
as well.
If something goes wrong, they notice it immediately.
4.
The Nearest Exit Location Most frequent flyers don't pay attention to
the safety information presented by flight attendants, including the location of emergency
exits.
Pilots fly way more than any regular traveler, but they always check where those exits are,
and how much time it would take them to get to the closest one.
They also try to count the steps or the number of rows between them and the exit because,
in case of an emergency, the place is likely to be dark, filled with smoke, or even upside
down.
Unless a passenger has prepared before, they won't be able to find the exit, open the door,
and escape.
Well, if pilots pay attention to where the nearest emergency exit is, maybe you should
too?
5.
Icing Some passengers get paralyzed with fear at
the first signs of turbulence, but pilots don't care about some bumpy road: turbulence
is unlikely to cause an accident (if you're buckled, that is).
What they DO worry about is ice.
Before a plane takes off in cold weather, it gets covered with chemicals preventing
icing from building up on the aircraft's surfaces during the flight.
Unfortunately, this substance works for a limited time.
During landing, the plane's engines don't produce enough heat because their power drops.
It can lead to the aircraft getting covered with ice, which will prevent a smooth landing.
Pilots always pay attention to how fast the ice is forming on the windows, and how thick
it is.
6.
In-Flight Announcements If you're a regular passenger, it may sometimes
seem to you that pilots and flight attendants communicate in another language — so many
secret codes they use.
But a pilot flying in a passenger seat knows all these phrases by heart.
By listening to the crew interaction, they can understand what's happening during the
flight, and whether something's gone wrong.
For example, when a pilot hears the cockpit crew announcing, "We're now flying through
an air pocket," they immediately realize that the plane is about to be jostled up and down
due to some turbulence.
And for other passengers, "an air pocket" sounds much less alarming than "turbulence."
By the way, speaking of turbulence, pilots tend to shake their heads at passengers who
exaggerate the danger.
"The idea of a plane plummeting for hundreds of feet is extremely far from reality," they
say.
"Even during the roughest turbulence, the aircraft rarely changes its altitude for more
than 20 feet either way."
Another thing that gets them amused is how passengers perceive take-offs and descents.
They're never as steep as it seems to a non-professional.
The plane's nose is usually 5 degrees down and 20 degrees up at most.
Anyway, let's return to other things pilots pay attention to.
7.
Delay Messages There's probably no air passenger who has
never experienced some kind of a delay.
Most of us, mere travelers, don't expect a detailed explanation of why the flight hasn't
departed or arrived in time.
Pilots, though, get frustrated when after spending more than half an hour on a taxiway,
they're still in the dark about the reasons for the delay.
A vague announcement won't lift their mood either.
Delays aren't usually caused by some complicated things.
Pilots say that all passengers can understand the reason for a delay and be more patient
about it if they get everything explained in time and in the right language.
8.
The Number of Other Passengers and Their Distribution Pilots are well aware of how important the
passengers' combined weight and their distribution are for the plane's balance.
By the way, that's the main reason why you aren't allowed to change your seat unless
a flight attendant gives you the all-clear — you can disturb the aircraft's balance.
So, when a pilot flies as a passenger, they automatically check how other people are seated
around the cabin.
Not only pilots but also flight attendants have some things they pay attention to while
traveling off-duty.
But cabin crew members mostly concentrate on the details connected with their responsibilities.
9.
"Ding" Sounds The sounds you hear in the cabin during the
flight have their own meaning.
Flight attendants know each "ding's" interpretation by heart.
- You can hear quite a handful of "dings" when the seat belt sign gets turned on and
off.
- In most aircraft, a "boing" soon after take-off indicates that the landing gear's being retracted.
- Three "dings" in a row mean more urgency than just one.
Hey, I gotta go, man!
- A high-low ringtone alerts crew members that their colleagues need them in another
part of the plane.
- Three low chimes inform about some serious turbulence ahead.
Crew members are supposed to put away meal carts, take their seats, and fasten seat belts.
10.
The Dirtiest Places on the Plane What would you say when asked about the filthiest
place on a plane?
Nope, that's not the toilet seat!
It's not even the bathroom.
Flight attendants know that you should be particularly careful with headrests, seat
pockets, tray tables, and seat belts!
Experiments showed that one-third of all seat belts had yeast and mold on them.
Most tray tables were covered with bacteria and mold.
Seat pockets were outright filthy: there was mold and harmful bacteria on many samples.
But headrests were the dirtiest of them all — flight attendants simply don't have time
to change or disinfect them in-between flights.
11.
Bathroom Location Unlike the average passenger, flight attendants
always know where the nearest bathroom is.
And if they don't, they find it out — such information can come in handy at the most
unexpected moment.
Yep, that’s a three-dinger!
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