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Airline Pilot: A Day in the Life
“This is the captain speaking…” You’ve heard the announcements. But, have you ever wondered what’s really going on “up there?” You can’t visit the pilots during flight, but you can get the inside scoop. Join an experienced A320 flight crew as they face a typical day’s work. From the hectic pace of irregular operations, turbulence, and quick turn-arounds, to landing in marginal weather with minimal fuel reserves, this detailed description of a line pilot’s job places you in the heart of the action.
Captain Grant Corriveau (Uplift - A Pilot’s Journey) once again takes you beyond that locked door to see what real airline pilots are up to while you’re invited to “sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight.”
After thirty years of airline flying the captain has gained a few insights and formed some opinions. Now, he's happy to share...
"Fuel gives us time - and options. But now fuel is costly, and companies dole it out by the teaspoonful. They dispatch us with minimal fuel reserves based on the reliability claims made for weather forecasts. I wonder if weather departments ever overstate the validity of their predictions, to justify the multi-millions of dollars spent on technical equipment and super-computers. Or is this just another example of my "old pilot" skepticism morphing into cynicism?"
Corriveau shares intimate details with typical humor and candor...
"An old aviation maxim says: "We don't fly until the weight of the paper equals the weight of the pilot." And, just like my waistline, the paperwork has increased over the years. … once on board, the datalink will start spitting out paper like... well, like it grows on trees. First Officer Paula hoists about an elm-and-a-half off of the counter, and we make our way back over to the luggage rack.”…
"I hear the sounds of galley doors and storage units slamming shut behind me. I glimpse someone in the jetway swinging the main cabin door closed. It must be time to go."
Here’s your boarding pass, now hurry!
Don't miss this golden opportunity to sit in the flight deck, and view the job of an airline pilot from the inside out.
Captain Grant Corriveau (Uplift - A Pilot’s Journey) once again takes you beyond that locked door to see what real airline pilots are up to while you’re invited to “sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight.”
After thirty years of airline flying the captain has gained a few insights and formed some opinions. Now, he's happy to share...
"Fuel gives us time - and options. But now fuel is costly, and companies dole it out by the teaspoonful. They dispatch us with minimal fuel reserves based on the reliability claims made for weather forecasts. I wonder if weather departments ever overstate the validity of their predictions, to justify the multi-millions of dollars spent on technical equipment and super-computers. Or is this just another example of my "old pilot" skepticism morphing into cynicism?"
Corriveau shares intimate details with typical humor and candor...
"An old aviation maxim says: "We don't fly until the weight of the paper equals the weight of the pilot." And, just like my waistline, the paperwork has increased over the years. … once on board, the datalink will start spitting out paper like... well, like it grows on trees. First Officer Paula hoists about an elm-and-a-half off of the counter, and we make our way back over to the luggage rack.”…
"I hear the sounds of galley doors and storage units slamming shut behind me. I glimpse someone in the jetway swinging the main cabin door closed. It must be time to go."
Here’s your boarding pass, now hurry!
Don't miss this golden opportunity to sit in the flight deck, and view the job of an airline pilot from the inside out.
242 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 12, 2019
58 people are currently reading
16 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 28, 2022
A good summary.
If you want to know what really goes on in an airline flying from point a to point this is a very in depth picture of a day in pilot office, of a very successful Canadian airline. Some Sstuations are presented as if you are on the brink of some monumental decision making process but l guess just for the drama of it. As a pilot myself I would read it as a good one time read. There are so many unpredictables which have been turned into non events by today's technology that flying is mostly a boring exercise. And that is a good thing !! The making of any good aviation book is what you take away from it and here my take away is being a airline pilot is not fun and games or even glamorous, in today's Times.
The entire exercise of airline industry is scripted by air traffic control , flight operations, airline management and you are just a peg, doing your best to follow the rules.
If you want to know what really goes on in an airline flying from point a to point this is a very in depth picture of a day in pilot office, of a very successful Canadian airline. Some Sstuations are presented as if you are on the brink of some monumental decision making process but l guess just for the drama of it. As a pilot myself I would read it as a good one time read. There are so many unpredictables which have been turned into non events by today's technology that flying is mostly a boring exercise. And that is a good thing !! The making of any good aviation book is what you take away from it and here my take away is being a airline pilot is not fun and games or even glamorous, in today's Times.
The entire exercise of airline industry is scripted by air traffic control , flight operations, airline management and you are just a peg, doing your best to follow the rules.
May 12, 2024
A day in the life of …
I really enjoyed this book - I am an aviation fan, so to be able to metaphorically sit in the jump seat behind the Captain & his First Officer was quite interesting.
I read a lot of aviation based books, I do enjoy aviation fiction, but that is usually about some sort of disaster or close call, so to read about the process of flying a plane was a refreshing approach for me.
I really enjoyed this book - I am an aviation fan, so to be able to metaphorically sit in the jump seat behind the Captain & his First Officer was quite interesting.
I read a lot of aviation based books, I do enjoy aviation fiction, but that is usually about some sort of disaster or close call, so to read about the process of flying a plane was a refreshing approach for me.
July 30, 2025
A decent read, but the author tries too hard to be patronizing to the opposite sex on the flight deck. (especially, since he says up front that this person is simply a made-up character) Yeah, I get it, the first officer is female. No need to keep reminding the reader this. The First Officer is female, female, female. Geez, just call the person first officer and be done with it.
February 3, 2022
The real world of an Airline Pilot
A fascinating, informative, account of the professional life of an Airline Pilot. Without Doubt this is the most interesting and well written Aviation Book I have ever read. I know I am going to read it again countless times.
A fascinating, informative, account of the professional life of an Airline Pilot. Without Doubt this is the most interesting and well written Aviation Book I have ever read. I know I am going to read it again countless times.
January 30, 2024
An easy Enjoyable Aviation Read
Full of authentic aviation experiences. Corriveau comes over as an experienced and good natured captain. He provides the wealth of detail behind every flight.
Full of authentic aviation experiences. Corriveau comes over as an experienced and good natured captain. He provides the wealth of detail behind every flight.
January 1, 2020
Really interesting details about all the work that goes into a flight (well, two flights) -- all the concerns and considerations, all the things that need to go right, all the key decisions that keep all those planes up in the air every day!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews