I always tried to be polite and friendly but must admit I did have my moments.

Sorry. Yes, you're correct. And yes, 70% is all that you need to pass. :(

Ah, thanks Zach for sorting this out!

There is another rendition of the phrase that goes like this...."anything over 70 is just showing off!" What it imlplies is that, you only need a 70 to pass. Dont go wasting your time trying to get that A or "Show off" lol. After all, on a check ride its either pass or fail.....no As no Bs...just pass or fail. Do everything you can to pass and dont waste your time trying to perfect anything. In the end...you and everyone else will have the same certificates. No one will know how well you did...only that you passed.

Haha I guess nobody told me this before my writtens... Although, now I tend to hear quite the opposite from several people - that there are airlines that very well want to know a little more than "pass or fail"... So it might be showing off after all, but if it helps getting a job, then why not. :POh, and to add to the experiences, one thing that definately got me hooked was the following: I was about to do a winterly evening flight with a major European operator, lasting a good hour. Was 12yo back then or so. After asking they would grant me access to the flight deck and told me the wx at our detsination was so bad that I could stay for the takeoff and then some, but had to go back to my seat for the remainder of the flight. The cpt was extremly kind and so was his first officer, who was still very young and had just gotten of flight school some time ago.I don't exactly remember if the PSS Airbuses were out back then already but I certainly had some understanding of flying and the flight deck of that A320. Funny how you simply can't forget some of the details that struck you, even after years: The weird taxi route that involved a quite unneccessary major 180 (ground controller didn't quite know where to send us), the double flashing strobes that lit up the ground once we hit the runway (hint hint PMDG), how the landing lights would brighten the clouds when we rocketed through them right after liftoff. I even remember our squawk code, now how weird is this. Anyways, as we we climbing out they constantly checked the weather and while doing so took lots of time to explain everything in stunning detail.Well, they decided I could stay. Imagine me freaking out at this point. Visibility at destination had improved meanwhile but was yet barely hitting three-digit meters. The captain still was so nice as to explain how the plane would slide down the glidepath and that it would land on its very own that night. I very well remember how the airport could be seen with all the glorious lights when we passed it on downwind. I remember that other plane approaching the opposite runway in front of us. And how we immerged into that opaque layer of fog, finding ourselves in the middle of nowhere. The synthetic voice started to call out the last few feet of air seperating us from the earth, and all of sudden there were the last bright lights coming up in front and facing us, and two or three seconds later followed by the thump of the rubber touching the concrete.Well, enough of the talk, that was my first jumpseat flight, a CAT IIIB autoland in quite adverse conditions. You may now believe me that I got hooked. Back then the crews were not all that concerned about company. So relaxed, unbelievable. And you can be sure I was on the jump on the return flight, you bet... Although it wasn't all that impressive haha. :(

I have a vague memory of visiting the flight deck of a 747-200 en-route to the US when I was a kid! Don't remember what the pilots were like, just remember thinking there were a lot of gauges and switches!!

I still remember my first trip the the US (Melbourne - Los Angeles with Hawaii stop over) on a Continental 747-200 when I was eight, a pilot (not sure which one) personally gave me Continental gold flight wings to clip on my shirt. Needless to say I was very happy and I still have them stashed away somewhere around here, I wish I knew where.

I visited Turkish 738 cockpit several times, even one crashed at EHAM (I was so sad when saw it destroyed, that was nice bird), and JAT 733 and 734. All captains I speak with, was nice and polite, but I cannot said for FAs that usually deny my request to speak with flight crew. So I usually find captain myself, and usually they allow me to be guest on flight deck. Ljubomir Prodanovic

All captains I speak with, was nice and polite, but I cannot said for FAs that usually deny my request to speak with flight crew. So I usually find captain myself, and usually they allow me to be guest on flight deck.

The FA's are usually the issue, if the first one says no just ask the next one in line.

Thanks for sharing, he sounded like a great guy.I had two similar experiences with air traffic controllers. One of them was a supervisor when I was touring a local facility. I got half a sentence into explaining what VATSIM was and she rolled her eyes and literally walked away. Some time later I toured a different facility and the gentleman I sat with was amazing. He let me plug in and sit with him for over 45 minutes, he answered all my questions, had a lot of questions of his own, and was so nice I almost thought he would let me talk on freq if I asked (but I was too chicken to ask, lol).

LOL... yep I get called names at work because I use vatsim lmao! Doesn't bother me, it's a hobby like anything else.

I personally think the vast majority of them are very friendly as flying is their passion as they know it isn't a career that's going to make them millionaires (far from it lol). Most I have spoken to are extremely proud of their aircraft though and hate it when a 'down' comment is made, even in jest.John Ellison

wonderful experiences here. had my only little exp to. it was amazing to say the leastlast saturday i flew caribbean airlines TTPP-CYYZ on a 738, it was a great flight, turbulence for 1/3 of the flight which was exiting to me... lol but while we were parked at the gate in trinidad before takeoff, while i was boarding i asked the usher flight atttendant if i can meet the captain and he asked him and he said sure , In fact the FO greeted me and i was shown into the flight deckk...Very small btw everything looks so small ( after watcing the AOA NGX cockpit vid it looks almost strikingly the same) . i was just amazed at how small the flight deck was, not cramped but but so neat and efficient. Seems a very neet office .anyway im so amazed by the deck, HE asked me why i dint fly an i told him my dad sent me to med schl instead and I told him that i wish if i can have their job. Told them they had the best job in the world. The pilot jokingly said "if the pay was better, They were going tru their checlists an all. i was able to take some pics. the pilot said to continue the my career and give the flying a try, i plan to and head into commercial flying cus i ve loved nothin but planed since i knew myself. Now im staying near Pearson Int'l and every 30s there is a plane landing. Its just amazing. I plan to do the same on my return, which is in the night and ill be able to see the fligth deck in all its christmas light stardom. Ofcourse when I fire up my NGX itll be nothing but nostalgia. In fact one time while at Piarco airport in Trinidad, i met a pilot just grabbing a bite before a next flight, an during the convo he said, If caribbean paid us (capt) $300 a month to fly from tomorrow we would all still come to work. ITs an amzing job, thats all..I also home PMDG comes out wih a caribbean airlines livery !!