First of all, I just added the last video of the flight deck to my last post, since the link I used previously clearly didn't work. So it should be up now and working.
Dan,
Not a problem at all. Always happy to share, especially those sunrise pics.
All you need to do is ask the flight attendants if you could have a quick visit to the cockpit. It also helps if you have an ASIC, but even that is not necessary in most cases. What is necessary is that you show enthusiasm for wanting to learn about the flight instruments etc. (My advice is to say you are either thinking about becoming a pilot or you already have a pilots licence).
Also, just ask if you can take pics/video, cause sometimes, the crews can be a little worried if it might come back to bite them later on. So it's always best to play on the safe side and ask first, but I've never had any trouble over the years.
What I can suggest is that you ask the flight attendants during the flight itself, so that it gives them time to send the message up to the flight crew. You see, that way the flight crew are expecting you and generally make more effort to finish the paperwork in the air as much as possible so that you can get more time in the flight-deck with them.
Unfortunately it seems the days of visiting the flight deck while the aeroplane is in-flight are long gone thanks to 9/11, which is a real shame. I remember spending almost 40 mins in the F/O seat on a QF 763 in 1998/9 coming back from India. On that occasion, the captain told me to take the control wheel and gently turn it to the right (i.e bank the aeroplane right). I did as he told me, and as I did, he quietly changed the heading bug on the autopilot, although I didn't notice him do it at the time. So with the plane actually turning, I really thought I was turning the plane. It was moments like those that really ignited my love of aviation.
Cheers
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PPL and flying member at Schofields Flying Club
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