Book Description

"This is the captain speaking..." You've heard the announcements, but have you ever wondered what's really going on "up there?" You can't visit the pilots during flight, but now you can get the inside scoop. Join an experienced Airbus flight crew as they face a typical day's work. From the hectic pace of irregular operations, turbulence, and quick turn-arounds, to landing in marginal weather with minimal fuel, this detailed description of a line pilot's job places you in the heart of the action. Captain Grant Corriveau (Uplift - A Pilot's Journey) once again takes you behind that locked door to see what real airline pilots are up to while you're invited to "sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight." Really? After thirty years of airline flying the captain has gained a few insights and formed some strong opinions. Now, he's happy to share... "Fuel gives us time and options. But now fuel is costly, and companies dole it out by the teaspoonful. They dispatch us with minimal fuel reserves based on the reliability claims of weather forecasts. I wonder if meteorology departments ever overstate the validity of their predictions, to justify the multi-millions spent on technical equipment and super computers. Or is this just another example of my old pilot skepticism morphing into cynicism?" Corriveau shares intimate details with typical humor and candor... "An old aviation maxim says: "We don't fly until the weight of the paper equals the weight of the pilot." And, just like my waistline, the paperwork has increased over the years. ... once on board, the datalink will start spitting out paper like... well, like it grows on trees. First Officer Paula hoists about an elm-and-a-half off of the counter, and we make our way back over to the luggage rack." ... "I hear the sounds of galley doors and storage units slamming shut behind me. I glimpse someone in the jetway swinging the main cabin door closed. It must be time to go." Here's your boarding pass, now hurry! Don't miss this golden opportunity to sit in the flight deck, and view the job of an airline pilot from the inside out.