Thank you for all these opinions! As i said before i'm not a frequent flyer so i'll just ask and to heck with it.. I'll ask during deboarding so even if i get a no there won't be any place and time for embarrassment nor i will scare anybody.. I won't miss that opportunity this time. Going to get my camera ready

Correct, A passenger can visit the flight deck at the invitation of the pilot in command before or after a flight (typically after).

Sec. 121.547 — Admission to flight deck.

(a) No person may admit any person to the flight deck of an aircraft unless the person being admitted is—

(1) A crewmember;

(2) An FAA air carrier inspector, a DOD commercial air carrier evaluator, or an authorized representative of the National Transportation Safety Board, who is performing official duties;

(3) Any person who—

(i) Has permission of the pilot in command, an appropriate management official of the part 119 certificate holder, and the Administrator; and

(ii) Is an employee of—

(A) The United States, or

(B) A part 119 certificate holder and whose duties are such that admission to the flightdeck is necessary or advantageous for safe operation; or

© An aeronautical enterprise certificated by the Administrator and whose duties are such that admission to the flightdeck is necessary or advantageous for safe operation.

(4) Any person who has the permission of the pilot in command, an appropriate management official of the part 119 certificate holder and the Administrator. Paragraph (a)(2) of this section does not limit the emergency authority of the pilot in command to exclude any person from the flightdeck in the interests of safety.

(b) For the purposes of paragraph (a)(3) of this section, employees of the United States who deal responsibly with matters relating to safety and employees of the certificate holder whose efficiency would be increased by familiarity with flight conditions, may be admitted by the certificate holder. However, the certificate holder may not admit employees of traffic, sales, or other departments that are not directly related to flight operations, unless they are eligible under paragraph (a)(4) of this section.

© No person may admit any person to the flight deck unless there is a seat available for his use in the passenger compartment, except—

(1) An FAA air carrier inspector, a DOD commercial air carrier evaluator, or authorized representative of the Administrator or National Transportation Safety Board who is checking or observing flight operations;

(2) An air traffic controller who is authorized by the Administrator to observe ATC procedures;

(3) A certificated airman employed by the certificate holder whose duties require an airman certificate;

(4) A certificated airman employed by another part 119 certificate holder whose duties with that part 119 certificate holder require an airman certificate and who is authorized by the part 119 certificate holder operating the aircraft to make specific trips over a route;

(5) An employee of the part 119 certificate holder operating the aircraft whose duty is directly related to the conduct or planning of flight operations or the in-flight monitoring of aircraft equipment or operating procedures, if his presence on the flightdeck is necessary to perform his duties and he has been authorized in writing by a responsible supervisor, listed in the Operations Manual as having that authority; and

(6) A technical representative of the manufacturer of the aircraft or its components whose duties are directly related to the in-flight monitoring of aircraft equipment or operating procedures, if his presence on the flightdeck is necessary to perform his duties and he has been authorized in writing by the Administrator and by a responsible supervisor of the operations department of the part 119 certificate holder, listed in the Operations Manual as having that authority.

 

Note: A certificated airman would include a pilot, A&P mechanic, and a flight dispatcher. This does not include a flight attendant.

There may be some countries in the world that may still allow it but I don't see it happening in western nations or the EU.

 

My Girlfriend was born in Zimbabwe and she says you may have had a chance on an Air Zimbabwe flight, if you ever get a chance to fly with them that is. I think they are gone now.

There may be some countries in the world that may still allow it but I don't see it happening in western nations or the EU.

 

My Girlfriend was born in Zimbabwe and she says you may have had a chance on an Air Zimbabwe flight, if you ever get a chance to fly with them that is. I think they are gone now.

 

Most EU countries leave it up to the operator and/or the PIC as far as I'm aware. Also since when isn't the EU in the western nations anymore? .

 

 

I don't see it happening in western nations or the EU

 

It happens in the EU for sure

I go every year to Jamaica during presidents week JFK-MBJ. It is always the same flight, same aircraft and I usually sit in the same seats. Anyway, I always ask when boarding and when leaving the aircraft to be able to say hi to the captain, or sit in the cockpit for a bit and I usually am allowed to do so. I just ask politely and they are nice. Delta is a very nice Airline. 

 

I also have a friend who lives in NY and does alot of travelling with his family and he always posts pictures and videos of himself in the cockpit on AAL aircraft during preflight and takeoff, and sometimes during cruise, I dont know how he does it. He has also been up in the tower at JFK which I dont get either, maybe its because he goes to the Aviation High school in Queens? ) Anyway, if you ask politely and are nice and dont act weird than you should get in. Pilots are nice people, they aren't the ones who make the rules.

One of my good mates is an airline pilot, and I once got to go on a day trip, on a maintenance flight where there were no passengers, but still wasn't allowed in the cockpit, for the most critical points of the flight, and I had to get permission from the airline to go anywhere near the cockpit in flight, so my guess is that in a full airliner, where you are just a passenger, the chances of getting in the cockpit at any point during flight is nil, but I always chat to the pilots at the end of the flight. 

Most EU countries leave it up to the operator and/or the PIC as far as I'm aware.

 

I am sure the big carriers won't do it but maybe some of the smaller carriers do. Consider the hijacking's Air France has had for decades way before 911

 

 Also since when isn't the EU in the western nations anymore? .

 

True...Just my bad wording is all.   B)

Don't know why so many people are saying no to in flight visits, it is forbidden without clearance in the States, but in Europe it's allowed and common enough.

 

That being said, it depends on company policy, some airlines such as Ryanair, BA etc. don't allow visits, full stop, others such as Aer Lingus, Lufthansa(?) etc. allow visits if arranged prior, and some airlines it goes on the Commanders discretion, I think Thomas Cook is pretty good for letting people up from from what I've heard...

 

Regards,

Ró.

I had a nice chat with the Captain of a Cebu Pacific flight about Cost Index and ALT Cruise from DVO to MAN,and managed to peek inside the cockpit.

The central console is really lower down than I thought it would be.

Yours truely in co-pilots  seat CRJ 900  on the ramp at KORD after flight from KOMA the P.I.C. took the photo just ask.

The last two times I flew to Rome from Venice I have visited cockpit, obviously on the ground, during boarding passengers, with Alitalia and EasyJet. Captains and copilots were very glad to see someone on cockpit appreciating their works. They was so kind, and last time with Alitalia, talking to pilots we spoke about their preferred FS software and they told me MSFS was very helpfull during their traning period.

 

Ask to flight attendant and there will be no problem at all, on the ground, yes, I kmow, its a shame but its better than nothing.

 

When you'll enter the cockpit you'll feel very familiar with that ambience :-)

Don't know why so many people are saying no to in flight visits, it is forbidden without clearance in the States, but in Europe it's allowed and common enough.

 

Regards,

Ró.

 

I'm quite alarmed about this.

 

I've not flown for ages. My last trip was about 7 years ago on a BA A320 to Rome and after we'd landed I asked if I could see the cockpit with my lad and that was fine (except for the camera batteries choosing that precise moment to give up the ghost!)

 

But I'm not so sure I would want anyone being given access to the flight deck during the actual flight. Especially if he claimed to be the CEO of a virtual airline!!   

 

I thought it was a blanket ban, and I didn't know policy in Europe varied between airlines.

 

I'm happy for that cockpit door to be firmly locked, and I'll be sure to choose BA and avoid Thomas Cook in the future.

 

Ian  

Having flown United more times than I can count across the pond I can tell you emphatically you will not get into a United Flight-deck in-flight.    If they have to so much open the cockpit door for the crew to get out for the facilities they actually use a catering cart at the front of first class and build a barrier with a FA standing behind the barrier.  I have seen this happen every time a member of the flight crew leaves or re-enters the flight deck.  They just do not open that door in flight unless absolutely necessary from my experience.  

I can tell you without hesitation that on the BA flights there will be absolutely no chance of of getting on the flight deck during the flight however once its on the ground and providing the turnround is long enough you might have a chance unless it arrives with a snag in the book then again the answer would be no as engineers would need access.

Regarding the fact if you sounded knowledgeable that this would help again the answer would be no and you risk the possibility of being laughed at (behind your back though)

I remember someone who tried this on an arriving aircraft and asked to visit the flight deck made the fatal mistake of saying that he flew the aircraft regularly (a320) the crew then asked him what airline he flew for, he replied that it was on his computer the crew then suddenly very busy and didnt have much time for him and after he left they were somewhat less than polite about his flying!! .