What's the actual event of a commercial flight?

Question

What I'm asking is what are they actual events of a pilot (e.g. for a commercial airline on a Boeing 747): from driving to the airport, getting on the plane, flying it and then getting off?

The main questions I'm asking are:

1) Where does the pilot go from driving to the airport and arriving there? Do they have an office they go to or must check-in at; when do they find out the information for the flight?

2) How does the pilot find out the correct airplane they're flying - what gate?

3) Is the pilot allowed to start the plane up as soon as they're sat in the cockpit? Must they gain ATC clearance beforehand?

4) When the plane's started, is the startup procedure done in one big lump (from 'battery switch on' to taxiing and engine start); or is it done in small bits?

5) After what startup point do the passengers usually start boarding?

6) What does the pilot do when waiting for passengers to board?

7) Where does the pilot go after landing in a foreign country? On holiday etc.?

Answer 1

I would be VERY cautious on asking a question like this because it can look like a phishing for information on just what are there weaknesses and how to exploit it for a hijack (911) or more

1)flight ops

2)flight ops

3) no burns too much fuel and someone or something could be suck into the engines (fod). Probably the APU will be running.

4) was but my gues now is to use one for taxi and start the rest  before take-off to conserve fuel.

5)checklist

6)pilot discretion.

Answer 2

as usual, a few "guesses to correct" it is rare in the us to ever get engine start clearance. the pic decides almost always. not so in many foreign countries. many airports have no gates. just a ramp. burbank, ca for instance. so at many airports pushback doesnt happen.

Answer 3

The most important event is, releasing the brake.  The captain wants to do that as soon as possible.  Because at that point, the flight crew is "on the clock".

Answer 4

1) They go to security into Flight Operations to get paper work etc etc.

2) How do you find the gate your going to when flying?

3) No...Start up occurs once the plane is push backed from the gate. (some times they start it during push back) Yes atc usually will say start engines when ready, advise when ready to taxi.

4) No. They do one engine at a time. Some planes like the 747, the APU's power allows them to start two at a time.

5) What? Well usually passengers being boarding 45 Min's prior to departure.

6) They check the plane, set everything for the flight make sure everything is working and if they have time when done all that (usually don't) they talk about B.S within the airline. (humor?)

7) If the pilot is don't flying for that day, he or she will go to a hotel or crash with someone else they know.

Seems you have the idea the airplanes engines are running from the point the pilot arrives at the gate (hour before the flight) until the end of the flight?

No, again airplanes engines are started right before the push back, during the push back or after the push back.