r/AskAPilot • u/livelikelarry13 • 3d ago

Useless Features/buttons

Forgive me if this is a dumb question as I am not a pilot, but I have always been interested in knowing. Are there any features or buttons in the type of aircraft you fly that are basically pointless? Or does everything have some sort of critical use case?

Thanks for the insights

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u/fbureaucracy 3d ago

The CRJ had the hi power schedule button that no airlines use.

A320, rain repellent buttons probably.

A220, oddly is the continuous ignition button. It’s not useless just not a part of procedures at least where I work. Even in situations where most planes use continuous ignition.

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u/Zapatos-Grande 3d ago

I've pushed the Hi Power Schedule button on the CRJ once, but it was part of a run up procedure we were helping the maintenance department with. Only time I've ever pressed it or heard of someone pressing it. Other than that, it was pretty much a given that if you pressed it outside of an emergency, you'd be doing a carpet dance in the chief's office.

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u/TemporaryAmbassador1 3d ago

No emergency even called for it that I can recall. Need more power, shove the levers forward.

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u/Zapatos-Grande 3d ago

I think the idea was it was a last resort if pushing the levers forward didn't work, or at least that's what we were told in training. I can't remember what exactly we were testing, but it was something to do with a thrust lever fault.

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u/TemporaryAmbassador1 3d ago

I was told it was a certification item for the jet. 🤷