![]() ![]() An important part of the briefing is to also gather information about the situation on all alternative airports for all stages of the route with the help of the aforementioned NOTAMs. Is a runway or a taxiway at the destination temporarily closed? Are some navigation aids inoperable?Īll these factors play a vital role and it also helps with the decision on how much fuel is “taken along”. What does today’s route look like and what are the weather conditions along the way? What are the winds like? And what do the “ Notices to Airmen ( NOTAMs)” look like today? NOTAMs are short and important information for crews that is crucial for the flight as supplementary information. At the briefing, the cockpit crew first discusses the whole flight. We have all the documents set up – now we can head to the actual briefing. As we fly along the Pacific coast, we subsequently reach the greater area of Los Angeles via Santa Monica. We will reach the United States while crossing Idaho and the Rocky Mountains, as well as the Yosemite National Park in California. After that, we continue our journey to the South-West. We go up, all the way to 73° North! Once we pass Greenland, we continue to fly over water until we eventually pass Canada to reach the American mainland. From Switzerland, across Germany and Denmark, Southwards past Norway, and right across the heart of Greenland. Due to the wind blowing in high altitudes, our route is taking us far up north. □įirst, we obtain our planned route for LX 40 from the flight dispatch centre. ![]() This ensures that each crew member can get enough rest in order to be able to fully concentrate on the critical phases of the flight, i.e. But: why’s there a need for three pilots, if modern aeroplanes can easily be operated by two? At SWISS, it is common that three pilots are taken on very long flights. Thierry and Sales already know each from their their type rating for the Boeing 777. The crew is supported by Thierry Schwank, who’s also a Senior First Officer, just like Sales. The captain of today’s flight LX 40 is Patrick Widmer. This is deliberate because this avoids running the risk of pilots “blindly” relying on one another during their routine. Due to the size of the airline, it is not often the case that the same crewįlies together. This is where Sales meets the rest of the cockpit crew. One hour and 15 minutes before take-off, the briefing takes place at the SWISS Operation Center. Sales lives close to the airport, so he enjoys a rather short commute. Cameras? Checked! Batteries? Equipped and charged! SD-Cards? Empty and stored! Let’s go, shall we? 1:25H before take off – time for the briefing! Get ready! Fasten your seat belt, we will shortly be “cleared for take-off”! Hour Zero – Start the day with…Birchermüesli!Ī very basic principle of life also holds true to pilots: Start your day right! So, before we start our long journey, we strengthen ourselves with a good amount of sleep, a large Swiss breakfast and a huge cup of that certain essential fuel that reliably drives most pilots forward: Coffee.īefore we leave the airport, Sales puts on his uniform, and we pack the last of our belongings. Breathtaking landscapes, the skyline of down town Los Angeles, Long Beach at night and even a flight into the desert! I am dedicating the first part of this series to our outbound flight – LX 40. After approximately 50 hours under the Californian sun, we will head back to the Swiss metropolis. Those three days were jam packed with unique impressions that brought me a step closer to seeing what it’s like to be a pilot as well as the unique operation on a long-haul flight across the Atlantic. On the jump seat of the mighty Triple Seven, we were ready to fly all the way Westwards for some 11.5 hours, until we reach the city of angels right beneath the Californian coast. I was able to look over his shoulder in the cockpit for a whole weekend, on board off SWISS flight LX 40. This is how my childhood dream came true. Since we share a passion for aviation (just like me, Sales also runs an aviation blog and also shares his photos on Instagram he recently suggested that I accompany him for a weekend while he works. He earns a living as SWISS Senior First Officer on the Boeing 777-300ER, the largest twin-engined jet of our time, and flies thousands of passengers to far away countries and continents and back home every month. Or PILOT! Sales Wick is one of the few people that can honestly say that he fulfilled his childhood dream. LX 40 – From Zurich to Los Angeles aboard the SWISS Boeing 777-300ER! // If you think of the term dream job, you immediately think of numerous buzz words, right? Fireman.
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