If you would look to your left, you can see the pilot craning his neck out your window.
December 30, 2009 8:37 AM Subscribe
Flying commercially on some planes, the crew asks you to open your window shades at take off and landing. Why on earth do all passenger window shades have to be open?
What is this affecting? It's obviously not the pilot's vision, or at least I hope they're not looking backwards through the passenger windows as they land... How does having the shades open change the functioning of the plane?
What is this affecting? It's obviously not the pilot's vision, or at least I hope they're not looking backwards through the passenger windows as they land... How does having the shades open change the functioning of the plane?
See also this thread on straight dope, which also links to this thread at airliners.net.
posted by inigo2 at 8:42 AM on December 30, 2009
posted by inigo2 at 8:42 AM on December 30, 2009
Response by poster: I'm going to blame my inability to properly use the search function on jetlag. Thanks y'all.
posted by grapefruitmoon at 8:54 AM on December 30, 2009
posted by grapefruitmoon at 8:54 AM on December 30, 2009
Further details on what the crew is doing during takeoff/landing here. Quote:
Takeoff -
Don comes on the PA again - “Flight Attendants must now be seated for takeoff”. I dim the galley lights, sit on my jumpseat and fasten my belt and shoulder straps as tightly as possible - every centimetre of slack belt doubles your G-force if we stop suddenly, so I’m extremely careful about this. We swing onto the runway and, without stopping, power up and roar down the runway. At this time all flight attendants are in a heightened state of awareness - if you see our lips moving, we’re doing our ‘silent review’ - reminding ourselves of where we’re sitting, what emergency equipment we have, and what our responsibilities are in the event of an accident. I remind myself that above my jumpseat is where the emergency locator beacon is stored, and that’s what I’ll need to collect if we have an accident.
We power into the air and commence climb without incident, and NZ002 is now bound direct for Los Angeles!
Landing -
Don makes the final PA, advising passengers that they must now be in their seats with the seatbelts fastened, tray tables and footrests stowed, and seatbacks fully upright. We each walk through our designated cabin area. All my passengers are on their best behaviour, so I don't need to prompt anyone to follow the instructions. As I do a final check that the galley is secure, Don makes the PA "Flight attendants must now be seated for landing". I strap myself into my jumpseat and tighten my harness, as ZK-SUJ dips her left wing and sweeps gracefully towards LAX.
As we enter our final approach, I notice a Southwest 737 in the Shamu colour scheme is approaching the parallel runway. The couple in my exit row remark on how close it is, so I reassure them it's a normal procedure for such a busy airport. We're nearly down, and I'm keeping a careful watch out my window, alert for any possibility that something's not normal. At the same time my mind is going through the steps required of me in the event of an emergency. We're sinking rapidly now, over the runway, wheels nearly down... and a gentle bump as our wheels kiss the ground, and ZK-SUJ's 11 hour 37 minute flight is over. A few passengers break into spontaneous applause as reverse thrust engages, and as we turn off the active runway.
posted by mdonley at 8:58 AM on December 30, 2009 [1 favorite]
Takeoff -
Don comes on the PA again - “Flight Attendants must now be seated for takeoff”. I dim the galley lights, sit on my jumpseat and fasten my belt and shoulder straps as tightly as possible - every centimetre of slack belt doubles your G-force if we stop suddenly, so I’m extremely careful about this. We swing onto the runway and, without stopping, power up and roar down the runway. At this time all flight attendants are in a heightened state of awareness - if you see our lips moving, we’re doing our ‘silent review’ - reminding ourselves of where we’re sitting, what emergency equipment we have, and what our responsibilities are in the event of an accident. I remind myself that above my jumpseat is where the emergency locator beacon is stored, and that’s what I’ll need to collect if we have an accident.
We power into the air and commence climb without incident, and NZ002 is now bound direct for Los Angeles!
Landing -
Don makes the final PA, advising passengers that they must now be in their seats with the seatbelts fastened, tray tables and footrests stowed, and seatbacks fully upright. We each walk through our designated cabin area. All my passengers are on their best behaviour, so I don't need to prompt anyone to follow the instructions. As I do a final check that the galley is secure, Don makes the PA "Flight attendants must now be seated for landing". I strap myself into my jumpseat and tighten my harness, as ZK-SUJ dips her left wing and sweeps gracefully towards LAX.
As we enter our final approach, I notice a Southwest 737 in the Shamu colour scheme is approaching the parallel runway. The couple in my exit row remark on how close it is, so I reassure them it's a normal procedure for such a busy airport. We're nearly down, and I'm keeping a careful watch out my window, alert for any possibility that something's not normal. At the same time my mind is going through the steps required of me in the event of an emergency. We're sinking rapidly now, over the runway, wheels nearly down... and a gentle bump as our wheels kiss the ground, and ZK-SUJ's 11 hour 37 minute flight is over. A few passengers break into spontaneous applause as reverse thrust engages, and as we turn off the active runway.
posted by mdonley at 8:58 AM on December 30, 2009 [1 favorite]
Have you not seen Nightmare at 20,000 Feet? To check for gremlins, of course!
posted by jayne at 12:28 AM on December 31, 2009
posted by jayne at 12:28 AM on December 31, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by mdonley at 8:39 AM on December 30, 2009