Yes. On most passenger aircraft models, some cockpit windows can be opened. On the Airbus A320, for example, there are two windows that can be opened, one on the captain's side and one on the co-pilot's. The entire window assembly, including the frame, slides inwards.
Simply put, there must be at least two people in the cockpit at all times when the aircraft is airborne. Indeed, when flying below 10,000 ft, the sterile cockpit rule applies, which prohibits all unnecessary conversation and activities. This includes leaving the cockpit for reasons other than absolutely necessary.
Most commercial airplanes feature fixed windows that cannot be opened. However, small aircraft, such as the planes typically used for private flights, often have windows that can be opened or closed. Luckily, small aircraft rarely cruise at altitudes that require cabin pressurization.
While the flight deck used to be accessible to passengers and especially children, it has been strictly closed off since the beginning of the millennium. In the meantime, only the pilots and, in exceptional cases such as some standby flights, airline employees are allowed to fly in the cockpit.
U.S. airlines are required to use procedures designed to prevent the behavior that allegedly caused a fatal crash this week in Europe. The rules require two crew members to be present on the flight deck at all times — a measure making it harder for a renegade pilot to lock another flight officer out of the cockpit.
While pilots love to talk about what they love, passenger access to the cockpit comes with some restrictions for safety reasons. "If it's a two-pilot aircraft, a passenger should never be allowed to sit in one of those seats," said Bob Conyers, director of safety for Global Aerospace.
Answer: Yes, the buttons and knobs are used to control the airplane in normal flight or when there is a problem with a system. While they look confusing to the layperson the pilots know exactly what each one does and how it is to be used.
One of the main reasons and probably the most important one according to aviation analyst Peter Forman, is in U.S. airlines, the FAA requires that there must always be at least one other crew member with the pilot in the cockpit.
Answer: Yes, pilots know what every button and switch does. The school to learn the specifics of an airplane is very intense, requiring great concentration for several weeks.
There's little question that today's avionics offer more capability and utility than ever before. But many of their advanced functions are only advisory in nature: Pilots still must look out the window to verify what they're telling us.
Airplanes are designed to remain safe if a windshield or cabin window cracks. While this does happen occasionally, it is infrequent. Pilots will descend to reduce the pressure and plan on a diversion if necessary.
They are usually left locked throughout the flight. Cockpit security systems are supposed to allow a pilot the ability to access the cockpit.
A flight engineer (FE), also sometimes called an air engineer, is the member of an aircraft's flight crew who monitors and operates its complex aircraft systems. In the early era of aviation, the position was sometimes referred to as the "air mechanic".
The third officer would serve as a relief pilot and aircrew member, and could move between pilot, co-pilot, radio officer, and flight engineer positions to provide a rest period for the primary crews.
The secondary cockpit barrier rule will apply to passenger planes manufactured starting in the summer of 2025. The barrier, which may look more like a gate than a hardened door, will be locked into place when the cockpit door is opened during flight – such as to allow pilots to access the lavatory.
The cockpit door automatically locks, but a keypad outside allows a flight attendant to insert a security code to gain access. A buzzer sounds, and the pilots must switch the door control inside the cockpit to “unlock” to release the door after verifying the crew member through a peephole or video surveillance.
But as it turns out, most airline pilots don't wear pilot watches at all. Watches and aviation have an intertwined history. Time-elapsed, distance traveled and fuel burn calculations are essential to pilots, and before computers did the job, the watch was the tool to use.
Many airlines provide crew rest areas on their aircraft, where pilots can sleep during long-haul flights. These areas are usually located in the tail, cargo area or above the cabin of the plane and are designed to be as quiet and comfortable as possible. Other crew members prefer to use business class seats to rest.
Pilots do not usually carry parachutes because the kind of aviation that they plan is very different from what usually goes into a regular skydive. A commercial pilot flies at a much higher altitude than a planned skydive, with a planned skydive occurring at no more than 15,000 to 16,000 feet.
The reality is that commercial airplanes are complex machines, and even pilots with years of experience undergo extensive training to learn how to fly them. However, there have been a few rare instances where non-pilots have successfully landed planes in emergency situations.
In aviation, the rule of three or "3:1 rule of descent" is a rule of thumb that 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) of travel should be allowed for every 1,000 feet (300 m) of descent.
Except for some helicopters, the right seat in the cockpit of an aircraft is the seat used by the co-pilot. The captain or pilot in command sits in the left seat, so that they can operate the throttles and other pedestal instruments with their right hand.
1 hour before to 1 hour after your ETA (at the listed destination), the ceiling will be at least 2,000′ AGL, and the visibility will be at least 3 SM. It's called the 1-2-3 rule; this is the easiest way to remember this section.