What type of shift work does a pilot do?

Zagreb Ebnem Zloty Diev

What would a roster look like for an EI or FR captain hopping around Europe or north Africa and what would a roster look like for a pilot flying between DUB and North America?

Does the same pilot fly from DUB to EWR, JFK, ORD, LAX and back again or is it a different captain and FO flying the return leg?

What if a pilot gets sleepy mid-flight? Can he/she take a controlled rest and what are the rules surrounding this?

What if a pilot is late because of an incident beyond his or her control? A road accident, car stolen or vandalised etc? What if he or she calls in sick?

Is a pilot allowed to use the toilet during the flight or do they have to hold on? I've never seen the pilot leave during short haul routes and when I've been on the A330 I was never lucky enough to be in J class and close to the cockpit to see them leave.

Jesus almighty, although I was a wee bit jealous of the cadets who went from zero to hero with a full ATPL with A320 type ratings, the shift work and constant fear of being late would wreck my head. Maybe it's a blessing in disguise.

I work in a technical scientific fielf with partially-flexible time keeping and attendance. The worst that'll happed to me is my manager would jokingly take the piss out of me and call me a lazy <SNIP> if I was late as long as it doesn't happen too often.

Stovepipe

A typical roster is two weeks long with typically four or five days of operations in any seven days. It may also include rostered sim sessions and any other Company sanctioned training days. It may even include rostered days with no work available so you stay at home or days when you are on satndby at home or at the airport. If you needto use the toilet, you do so,while the other adult flies the aircraft. If you are running late on the way in,you ring Flight Ops to warn them so that they can get a standby guy to go out to the aircraft and get it ready and if you get in before flying time, you take the seat,otherwise the standby guy does the flight.

TheDriver

Toilets-ryanair do the seat belt light thing when flight deck need the toilet and a member of cabin crew goes into cockpit for safety.

Del2005

TheDriver wrote: »

Toilets-ryanair do the seat belt light thing when flight deck need the toilet and a member of cabin crew goes into cockpit for safety.

After the pilot flew into the Alps isn't that now mandated by the regulators. Though I don't know what good a lot of FAs could do if the pilot is trying to commit suicide.

Locker10a

Del2005 wrote: »

After the pilot flew into the Alps isn't that now mandated by the regulators. Though I don't know what good a lot of FAs could do if the pilot is trying to commit suicide.

I don’t think it’s mandatory but most airlines do it.
All the flight attendant has to do is put their hand on the door handle of the flight deck door and open it, allowing the other pilot back in or other crew etc. it’s really that simple, having the FA in there prevents the remaining pilot from locking the door

IngazZagni

Del2005 wrote: »

After the pilot flew into the Alps isn't that now mandated by the regulators. Though I don't know what good a lot of FAs could do if the pilot is trying to commit suicide.

No it’s not. It’s mandatory for airlines with no cctv but other airlines also do it. Nothing to do with the scenario you are talking about.

As for shift work. Here in Ireland the two main airlines on their short haul routes generally operate either a 5 days on 3 days off or 5 days on 4 days off depending on the airline. These usually rotate between early shifts and late shifts and the cycle continues. The on days can also include standbys at home or the airport.

billy few mates

Del2005 wrote: »

After the pilot flew into the Alps isn't that now mandated by the regulators. Though I don't know what good a lot of FAs could do if the pilot is trying to commit suicide.

They could open the door...