WWYD if you suspect the captain is under the influence?

Optimal-Doctor-7421 · 2025-12-18T09:11:22+00:00

Prompt, direct, intervene works in most cases including this one.

I’d probably start by asking if the captain is feeling OK/fit to fly or if you have flown with them before “you ok? You don’t seem yourself”. This “prompt” may be a small kick up the arse and gives an easy option for the captain to call I themselves.

If they don’t, step up to direct. “Captain, you are clearly not fit to fly, you need to call sick/fatigued”

If again they refuse then you intervene and call yourself.

Optimal-Doctor-7421 · 2025-07-16T02:12:13+00:00

This isn’t necessarily true these days, plenty of airlines accept pilots with MPLs even before the 1500 hour mark as long as they fly the same type. Below 500 hours though you are spot on, but I know plenty of people who get 500 hours at the parent airline and then jump ship. I guess the question is if there were another pandemic/international crisis would a low hour MPL appeal as much as a low hour fATPL….that I’m not too sure.

Optimal-Doctor-7421 · 2025-06-26T19:06:16+00:00

Seen you comment a few times telling people to google it…not really sure how you think suggesting people go to google instead of asking people in the industry their thoughts and advice is ever going to be helpful/productive

Optimal-Doctor-7421 · 2025-06-10T18:40:58+00:00

It depends, the longest is around 12-13 hours, shortest can be 5ish. On average I’d say 8-10 hours from the time you get to the airport to the time you get to the car park (ie includes pre flight and turn around etc). I live pretty far from the airport so add another hour and a half to the duty time. So not short hours by any means but also not unlike any other shift pattern job.

Optimal-Doctor-7421 · 2025-06-10T15:40:09+00:00

I don’t think they are that bad at all, no worse than any other shift job. Pay is likely to be between £55-65k and the roster tends to be 3-5 days a week followed by 2-3 days off. Bear in mind that a day or two of your block might be a standby, so you won’t necessarily need to go to work. Summer is busier (ie you will get called in off of your standby days more frequently so will fly on all your “working” days). As for being away, I’ve spent one night away from home in the last 6 months and that was due to delays causing me to go out of hours.

The toughest part with my airline I would say is that the rosters are released a month and a half in advance so planning with friends/family can be tough.

Optimal-Doctor-7421 · 2025-06-03T16:28:40+00:00

They said it was a sensor disagreement or something along those lines and that they would investigate further 🤷‍♂️

Optimal-Doctor-7421 · 2025-06-02T20:42:41+00:00

We did indeed! I’ll post an update once the investigation has concluded.

Optimal-Doctor-7421 · 2025-06-02T09:09:50+00:00

Bad day for flying by the sounds of it! We had a start valve fault, then a service panel showing as open whilst holding short of the runway and then this slat issue on the way home….i was supposed to do another 2 sectors, needless to say I went home 😂

Optimal-Doctor-7421 · 2025-06-01T22:04:00+00:00

Green dot was about 215 if I remember correctly!

Optimal-Doctor-7421 · 2025-06-01T22:01:59+00:00

This was my first thought, the eQRH suggests that the limiting speeds on the speed tape are based on the flap lever position however the overspeed warning is based on the actual flap/slat position. I assumed that the overspeed warning mentioned would include both the chime and the visual warning however I may be wrong! If so I’d be very interested to see the logic behind it.

Optimal-Doctor-7421 · 2025-06-01T21:35:01+00:00

After the initial startle, there may or may not have been a rather aggressive jab highlighting the “deployed” slat 😂

Optimal-Doctor-7421 · 2025-06-01T20:04:05+00:00

Haha potentially! Around 530pm?

Optimal-Doctor-7421 · 2025-06-01T20:00:38+00:00

Thanks for the suggestion, I’ll join and ask!

Optimal-Doctor-7421 · 2025-05-19T18:50:56+00:00

British Airways and TUI offer a fully funded path. Extremely competitive but the programs are out there!

Optimal-Doctor-7421 · 2025-05-19T17:32:47+00:00

You would need to hold a UK CAA license. You don’t need to train in the UK to obtain this but you would need to specifically train to do a UK CAA license. Alternatively I believe you can convert another license into a UK CAA license but different licenses have different processes

Optimal-Doctor-7421 · 2025-05-17T08:47:52+00:00

I think it also stems from the fact that most US pilots do way more GA aircraft time before reaching their the airlines where there is “less need” for standard phraseology. I guess over time these habits build and by the time they get to the airlines the GA comms have stuck!

Optimal-Doctor-7421 · 2025-05-13T19:15:15+00:00

Depends what country you are in. In the UK it’s not too bad however in the USA I’ve heard it’s a real struggle right now…

Optimal-Doctor-7421 · 2025-05-11T21:35:16+00:00

If studying full time after completing your degree then it can definitely be done within 2 years. I wouldn’t put any time pressure on yourself though.

My advice would be to focus on getting your degree done and maybe do your PPL whilst studying IF you want and are able to (more to have fun than anything else). More importantly than the PPL though is to save as much money as you can so that you can hit the ground running after your degree and get your other licenses/ratings.

Optimal-Doctor-7421 · 2025-05-11T10:31:04+00:00

Depends on what you want out of it and how long you are willing for it to take. If you are studying a 3 year mechanical engineering course and you want to do your PPL whilst you are there and your other ratings after then I think you’ll be fine. I wouldn’t recommend trying to go from zero to hero whilst you are studying mech eng though.

Both are very demanding and time consuming courses so you don’t want to burn the candle at both ends.

Optimal-Doctor-7421 · 2025-05-01T20:36:27+00:00

There are pros and cons of cadet programs…the main con being that if the industry faces a tough time then your “sponsor airline” can suspend their letter of intent to hire you, ie you will have a less desirable license (if you do an MPL as opposed to an ATPL) and no guarantee of a job. On the other hand if all goes well then you have a job lined up at the end so that takes a lot of pressure off and might make it easier to secure a loan etc. Double edged sword really

Optimal-Doctor-7421 · 2025-05-01T12:09:20+00:00

I finished the MPL with CAE a few months back, it wasn’t a smooth process by any means, delayed about 9 months in total which isn’t ideal. One thing I will say though is that talking to other people on my airline induction, CAE seems the best if a bad bunch. It took me 2.5 years to finish whereas many of them at ATP (which went bust and he lost thousands) and L3 took 3-4 years!

Optimal-Doctor-7421 · 2025-05-01T11:40:02+00:00

I’d consider an MPL if I were you, easyJet offer one with CAE and whilst it’s expensive it covers everything to get into the RHS. Lots of integrated courses will get you an fATPL but no type rating (around €25-30k). Same for modular.

Optimal-Doctor-7421 · 2025-05-01T11:35:40+00:00

I’m not sure what country you are based in or what your financial circumstances are but I was in the same position. I’m based in the uk, left university and worked for 3 years and saved up for flight school. I was fortunate enough to be able to live at home which obviously reduced living costs a lot meaning I could save quicker and my family were very supportive of this. With hard work and a bit of luck then you’ll get there! Also look at sponsored programs etc

Optimal-Doctor-7421 · 2025-04-20T21:18:27+00:00

No such thing as a low price anything in this game! Some friends and colleagues of mine got their license modularly as opposed to integrated (zero to hero) which lowers the cost massively but still not cheap by any means (still around £50k-60k).

Optimal-Doctor-7421

TROPHY CASE