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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.

A Thai Airways simulator for a Boeing 737.

The $20 million piece of equipment that’s made flying much safer

Pilots used to have to train for emergency situations on real-life planes – occasionally with disastrous results. Thankfully, that’s no longer the case.

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V1 is the speed where there isn’t enough runway left to safely stop the aircraft – it is committed to flight no matter what.

Why ‘black swan events’ are what pilots fear most

There are events that require a pilot to test the limits of the skills they possess, ones which even those with thousands of hours of experience would find difficult to execute.

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Communication is key when it comes to aviation safety.

‘Flying skill’ is ranked low on what makes a good pilot. Here’s why

As the Boeing 727 roared too fast and too high down its final approach into Alaska in April 1976, the first officer tried to warn the captain they had a problem.

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Illustration: iStock

I’m a pilot, yet my barber tried to convince me the Earth is flat

That’s 20 minutes of my life I’ll never get back, as I tried to work through enough facts to debunk his strange belief.

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Flight diversions happen for various reasons and passengers can end up at an unexpected airport.

‘Land ASAP’: The three key reasons your flight can get diverted

It’s always better to be on the ground wishing you were in the air, than be in the air wishing you were on the ground.

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There’s more going on behind the cockpit door during a long-haul flight than you might think.

Behind the cockpit door: How pilots spend their time on long hauls

Flights where nothing out of the ordinary happens and the weather is great are rare. There is always something to deal with.

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Sunsets seen from the cockpit can be truly spectacular.

What pilots see that you’ll never witness from seat 30A

No matter the time of day or the direction of travel, the view from cockpit is full of celestial surprises.

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At cruising altitude, passengers and crew only have a few seconds to access oxygen masks before losing consciousness.

Why you’ll never hear a pilot use the word ‘plunge’

The media likes to say “plunge”, implying an aircraft was out of control. The reality is almost always the opposite.

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Close call … lightning strikes near a plane in Offenbach am Main, Germany.

A bang, a flash: I’ll never forget being struck by lightning mid-flight

An incredibly loud bang and a brilliant flash of dazzling light. It’s the startling experience of sitting in the flight deck of an aircraft struck by lightning.

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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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