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The Secret Pilot

The Secret Pilot

Airline pilot

The Secret Pilot takes you inside the world of airlines, offering expert tips and advice from a pilot’s perspective. In his Traveller column, this active airline pilot lifts the lid on air travel both inside and outside the cockpit.

Passengers will never know about the amazing items of cargos that fly on commercial planes.

There are amazing things flying under your feet you’ll never know about

Racing pigeons hitching a lift alongside snakes? The cargo list given to pilots before a flight features a wild variety of things from interesting … to dangerous.

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Pilot’s briefcases used to be chunky – and heavy – items of baggage.

As a pilot, here are the key items I never fly without

Pilots need to carry some key pieces of equipment for every flight, plus there are a few personal items I always take in my carry-on bag.

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The autopilot, as depicted in 1980 comedy classic Flying High (AKA Airplane!), was not particularly accurate.

Think flying the plane is all done by computers these days? Think again

Autopilot systems are highly sophisticated, but there are still some things that only human pilots can do.

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While we use the metric system in Australia, in aviation pilots also use imperial measures.

Why plane cockpits have a special setting for flying over China

Everything in the world of aviation is made to measure. But not everyone measures things the same way, which makes a pilot’s job complicated.

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Both aisle and window seats have their benefits and drawbacks.

Aisle or window? The best seats on a plane, according to a pilot

I spend most of my time in an aircraft on the flight deck, in the ultimate window seat. But when I need to sit in economy, there are a few things to consider.

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Original URL: https://www.smh.com.au/traveller/by/the-secret-pilot-p537yp