What Pilots REALLY DO in Cruise?!

What are Pilots REALL doing and what are they NOT allowed to do once the aircraft has reached its cruise altitude?
Can we Eat, Sleep or listen to music in the cockpit? What about particular discussion subjects that we NEVER should talk about?
I will be covering 5 different areas in this video and I can almost guarantee that you will learn something new if you watch the whole video.
As always, make sure to leave a comment, like the video and SUBSCRIBE to the channel if you haven't already!

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A huge THANK YOU to the channels and publications that were quoted in todays episode. See the full links below 👇🏻

The New York Times (Pilots missing their destination- distraction)

ABC News (Northwest flight 188)

Timestamps to the questions below 👇🏻

1: What are pilots PAID to do? 1:38
2: What CAN pilots talk about? 8:06
3: Can pilots listen to music, read books etc? 10:52
4: Can Pilots sleep in the cockpit? 14:23
5: Can Pilots eat and Drink in the cockpit? 16:28

[Seemashe]

The speed of your speech is perfect Peter, not slow and not too fast trying to cramp lots of info fast. Very easy on the ear to listen to and understand 👍👍

[nicjansen]

"The pilot with the least amount of food in the mouth answers the radio." :P
wow, that's just... wow

[vovacat]

Playing games in cruise, huh? Next level stuff: bringing a gaming laptop AND a flight joystick, so you can fly a plane while flying a plane. Well, I did this as passenger and people were looking at me in some weird ways.

[Muck]

_"I can see something you can't see ... beginning with S."_
_"Sky"_
_"I can see something you can't see ... beginning with M."_
_"More Sky."_

[repeatdefender]

i can't thank you enough for how much you've alleviated my formerly intense flying anxiety. i'm actually excited about the next time i fly, for the first time in my life! that is an awesome feeling.

[frosty]

Love how he has the red and green pillows arranged as if they were nav lights: And he has them right.

[Zestence]

I remember visiting the cockpit as a kid, in a DC-9 and A320. This was pre-911 obviously. Both times both pilots were drinking coffee and reading newspapers and that was really weird to me because I was ten and didn't know about autopilot.

Also one time my cousin visited the cockpit when she was flying I think Lufthansa from Germany and one of the pilots let her sit in his lap and press a button or flip a switch or something. Which button/switch it was even she doesn't remember because she was like 5-6 at the time, probably something like the seatbelt light since it was apparently shortly before landing. I kinda miss when flying was chill like that, though I'm guessing letting a random kid flip switches was against company policy even in the 90s.

[Housenflou]

As a nervous flyer I love watching your videos explaining aircraft related subjects. Really helps me to understand more and worry less.

[joaomatos]

yep, right here on the company policy books: "The one with least amount of food in their mouth shall communicate with ATC"

[christiangranum]

Great video! My adventure in aviation started when I got lucky and got to sit at the spare seat in the back of the cockpit, for the whole duration of the flight, when I was 11 years old. OSL-ARN. SAS DC-9-41. Probably around 1998. It was amazing! Breaking through the clouds with a cockpit view, and listening to those cool radio conversations. The pilots had a great vibe and made me feel so utterly safe, so safe I can’t even begin to describe it. The flight attendant asked me what I wanted to eat, and I asked for the meal that was the least popular that day. She smiled. I then asked the pilots when I could start my flying lessons. They told me I had to be 15 (Norwegian aviation rules), and here I am, 32 years old, with a ppl-a license. Now, I just need to get that instrument rating...

[Mr.Scootini]

Me as an introvert aviation enthusiast: pretends to have mouth of food in mouth so my FO or CAP to take the ATC

[dalesfailssagaofasuslord]

I’d love to hear some pilot stories from the heyday of commercial jet aircraft when pan am and twa pilots were like rockstars and the flight attendants all looked like models. I bet there were some serious shenanigans in the cockpit.

[cockatoo]

Record in flight videos for their Instagram

[CoolestCreaturesYouTube]

As a non pilot I never knew that planes didn’t fly straight from point A to point B. I knew that you couldn’t fly through restricted airspace like something to do with the military but having regular airways was something I had never even considered. There is a reason why I have been watching this channel nonstop since I found it about a week ago.

[JustDesignzzz]

What happens in the cockpit stays in the cockpit

[MBHenriksen]

I was lucky (through a personal relationship with a Qantas pilot) to fly in the cockpit of a 747 from Sydney to Hong Kong in August 2001 (timing was lucky). It was great fun. Captain showed me his flight simulator on his new Palm Pilot (long time ago). The approach and landing in great weather in Hong Kong was sensational. Very pretty and the elevated position during touch down etc. Will never forget this experience.

[erichammond]

My favorite part! "Food for the crew can't be from the same source as the passengers to avoid food poisoning" - brought to you courtesy of "Airplane" 🤣 - AND STOP CALLING ME SHIRLEY!

[liamwade]

Hi Petter, I just want to say, you have been such a huge inspiration for me this past year. Out of all of the pilot Youtubers, you are by far the best and, from what I can personally see, the most passionate of them all. My wife, who is decidedly not interested in aviation, knows your first name and voice by heart. That says something. Keep making videos, and I will continue to support you.

[panterid]

Speaking from my personal experience, that's where crossword champions come from.

[wellwh]

Love to listen him. Reminds me of class on college. He could easily be professor of aviation.