Nervous traveler?
So you’ve probably wondered whether turbulence can damage an airplane’s structure, what that unsettling sinking feeling is after takeoff, and why engines can suddenly sound like they’ve stopped working at 37,000 feet.
Are you interested in the explanations?
Former Virgin Atlantic captain and social media sensation ‘Pete the Irish Pilot’ He revealed them all in a fascinating Q&A on YouTube, along with answers to other questions like “where is the safest place to sit on a plane?” and “are there any airlines you wouldn’t fly with?”.
Read on for fascinating insights from a veteran aviator.
Is it true that pilots don’t train for water landings?
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Pete, who has more than 40 years’ experience as a pilot, says: “It’s not true. It’s something you do in initial training. We do drills with the cabin crew… and in my time, every three years you had to prove you could ditch the aircraft, obviously in the simulator, after all-engine failure, when there was no airport to land at. So it’s certainly something you train for and test.”
What was the worst mechanical or electrical failure you have ever faced?
Pete, who flew fast RAF jets before he took to commercial air, says: ‘I once took off from Heathrow to Miami and was struck by lightning right over Windsor.
‘We later learned that we had been hit 45 times. All the instrumentation (on the Airbus A340-600) on the first officer’s side was damaged.
‘So all I had were my main screens on the left, but the redundancy of the aircraft meant we could still dump fuel over the Welsh coast and return to Heathrow, dodging the clouds like a Cessna 150.
“It’s really amazing what you can do in an emergency with air traffic. We were like kids in a candy store, having a great time, even though only 50 percent of the cockpit was working.”
Can severe turbulence cause aircraft structural failure?
‘Pete the Irish pilot’ has over 40 years of flying experience
Pete says, “No. The plane has been tested with many, many more loads than severe turbulence can put on the plane in flight. The professionalism and skill of the flight crew will keep you out of cloud clusters, large wind accumulations, and storms. So the plane may bounce and tumble, but trust me, it’s a lot tougher than you could ever imagine.”
Where is the safest place to sit on a plane?
Pete says: “All seats are safe. Sitting next to an exit? Probably better than being far from an exit. In terms of comfort to minimise the effect of turbulence or the movement of the aircraft, sitting right next to the centre of gravity, which is where the wings are. So, exits over the wings are the answer to your question.”
Have you ever been on a flight where you felt like things could go to hell?
When asked, Pete replies: “No, I’ve never had a flight where I think it’s going to go the way you suggest in your question.
‘I’ve been in situations where I feel like I’ve earned my daily wage and others where, because training can’t cover everything, I’ve had to think hard and outside the box to find a solution, but I’ve never thought it would all go down the drain.
“There is always a solution.”
Have you ever landed in 10 minutes and the cabin crew said “cabin crew, 10 minutes left until landing”?
Pete says: “Where I worked (Virgin Atlantic), we didn’t have a ten-minute call before landing. I think that’s more typical of short-haul flights than long-haul ones.”
Is there any airline you wouldn’t fly with and why?
The planes have been “tested far beyond the limits they would experience in a normal flight”
Pete says: ‘I would prefer not to fly with some of the lower cost airlines in Asia, South America and Europe.
‘I’m not a fan of Ryanair. I don’t mind EasyJet at all. It works fine. Do I like BA? No, I don’t. Do I like Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, Emirates?
‘Yes, I do.
“Given the number of operators in the world, it is an incredibly difficult question to answer.”
I am terrified of the ‘drop’ that occurs during turbulence…
Turbulence “doesn’t mean the plane is going to fall out of the sky”
Pete says: ‘Don’t worry. The plane is obviously flying through the air, but the air it’s travelling through is also moving and has undulations. Like on a road surface, there may be a bump, an air pocket, and that’s largely the cause of what you’ve experienced.
‘That doesn’t mean the plane is going to fall out of the sky, the wings are not going to fall off, the engines are not going to stop, the pilots are not going to lose control of the plane.
‘I strongly recommend that you relax and let the aircraft do its thing. It has been tested far beyond the limits you would experience on a normal flight.
“(Airplanes) remain the safest means of transport in the world.”
Why would putting my phone on airplane mode negatively affect the plane?
Pete says: “I have not seen any evidence to support the need to turn off phones or put them in airplane mode. However, it is something that is mandated globally by all aviation authorities.
“It’s a security bug, so there’s no point in complaining. And what the hell happens if you can’t receive email for a few hours?”
In mid-flight, at 37,000 feet, suddenly the engines sound as if they have been turned off and it seems like you are about to crash…
Pete says: ‘I can assure you that you are not about to have an accident. It could have been an overload in the air conditioning system and that surge has been reduced and you have incorrectly perceived it as a reduction or stoppage of the engines. I can assure you that is not the case.
‘Engines have to increase and decrease their thrust to maintain speed if they are flying in turbulence or due to other factors.
“It’s a bit like when you’re driving a car, you step on the accelerator and then you take your foot off the accelerator… but you’re not going to crash.”
What is the feeling of falling just after takeoff?
Pete says: ‘I think your question is referring to the reduction in thrust after takeoff. There comes a point in the climb out of the runway where, at about 1,500 feet above the ground, the pilot flying the aircraft will bring the thrust levers down to a lower position and in order to accelerate he will need to lower the nose of the aircraft, so it goes from fairly steep to less steep, but it’s still climbing… you may have incorrectly perceived that as a feeling of “oh, we’re going down”. You’re just going up with less gradient.
“There’s no need to be anxious.”
Should low-cost airlines be avoided?
Pete says, “Absolutely not.”
For more information on Pete the Irish Driver, visit his Instagram profile at www.instagram.com/petetheirishpilot/ and his YouTube channel – www.youtube.com/@PetetheIrishPilot.
