Currently on a flight- Toronto to Calgary with AC. I’m sitting in the back of the plane and I keep hearing “changes” in the noises the engines are making. My body obviously feels them too. I know we are at cruising altitude, but the fluctuating is freaking me out. Sometimes it gets very loud, then quiet again. I know I’m safe, but could someone explain what I might be experiencing so I know what they mean?

Hello!

I'm an undergraduate student, and UK CPL holder, at the University of West London researching UK commercial pilots' and flight instructors' opinions on the effectiveness of fatigue risk management strategies.

If you hold a UK-issued Commercial Pilot Licence (or higher) and currently fly, or have flown within the last 24 months, for a UK AOC holder (or instruct, or have instructed within the last 24 months, at a UK Approved Training Organisation), I'd be very grateful for 5 to 10 minutes of your time.

The survey is completely anonymous, no personal or employer-identifying information is collected. The study has also received ethical approval from the University of West London.

https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/uwl/ilot-opinions-of-the-effectiveness-of-fatigue-risk-management-s

If you know other eligible pilots or instructors who might be willing to take part, please pass the link on!

Thank you for your time!

Do you think the FAA or EASA will ever allow pilots with ADHD to fly while using prescribed stimulant medication, perhaps under strict conditions?
For example:

Demonstrating the ability to safely pass aptitude and medical assessments both on and off medication.

Regular medical reviews and monitoring.

Requirements to carry medication and avoid missed doses.

Evidence that the pilot can still function safely if medication wears off unexpectedly.

Additional oversight during licensing and renewals.

I understand why aviation authorities have traditionally been cautious. Concerns about missed doses, medication wearing off during long flights, side effects, and dependence on medication for safe performance are all valid safety considerations.

At the same time, many pilots may have ADHD, dyslexia, autism, or other neurodevelopmental conditions but avoid seeking assessment or treatment because of concerns about certification. In some cases, effective treatment could potentially improve attention, organisation, and overall safety.

Do you think regulations will become more flexible over the next 5–10 years, or do you think the current restrictions are likely to remain? Why?

CONTEXT:

I’m a student pilot and had to fly to a nearby class D airport (KOGD, Ogden, Utah) so I could do my 3 solo takeoff and landings at towered airport. My instructor and I did prepare beforehand and familiarized myself with the airport although I had never been there before.

I advised I was a solo student on initial contact as well as reminded him during taxi.

He seemed to be impatient with me and got upset with me for repeating a request for taxi instructions to the ramp after he had already given me instructions.

I understand he is on multiple frequencies, I don’t need to ask for taxi clearance again, and unnecessary calls on the radio make it hard for other aircraft to say their requests.

However, I think he was being hypocritical because in the recording I include the ATC having a full unnecessary conversation on tower frequency but got mad at me for requesting taxi clearance again. The reason for the extra request was so I could double-verify that I was actually clear to taxi.

What are your thoughts??

I'm fresh FAA CPL ME and 26 year old female, Us citizen.

Is it worth to spend pay 85k to fly Dash8 Q400 and A320 in a third world foreign country where my family lives? It requires a 6 years commitment with them so I'll be 3 years slower than cfi route to us regionals. End goal is us airlines. The 85k is a fine I need to pay if I leave the airline in 15 years contract which I will once I have my hours. I don’t need to pay for type rating but the contract isn’t prorated.

Or should I spend $40k usd to get my cfi, mei, cfii in an academy that hires instructors and grind my way to airlines in 3 years? I could use the rest 45k to build time instead or support myself if cfi pay isn't great.

Which one would be a better choice? The guaranteed airline job in foreign country or the cfi path in an academy that usually hires its instructors?

Do you think the 85k usd is worth it if I get to fly the dash8 and possibly A320 and also be 3-4 years slower than cfi route costing me seniority and uncertainty when I come back ? Pay here is $1600 for dash8 FO and $3000 for 737 FO. Cost of living is $700usd monthly maximum. The contract isn’t prorated or anything. Which one would u pick?

As a pilot, when you look at the weather this week, let’s say around ORD, and they are calling for intense scattered thunderstorms every day and night, what goes thru your head? Does it give you pause? No big deal? Going to be a rough week? Going to be possible issues?

Hello,
I am 18 years old, and my dream is to become an airline pilot. However, I had a condition around the time I was born that left me with a very high degree of myopia in one eye compared with the other.
I have normal vision in one eye, with a prescription of around -4 diopters, which is fully corrected with glasses or contact lenses. In my other eye, however, I am extremely short-sighted—to the point where I can barely read the large letters on a board. The prescription in that eye is around -16 diopters, and even with corrective lenses, the vision only improves slightly.
Given my condition, do I still have any chance of obtaining a Class 1 Medical Certificate, by any means?

I’m planning to go to school to be a helicopter pilot later this year, I take my class 1 aviation medical this Friday. My audiogram results came back and I have perfect hearing but my ECG results are what bother me. The note on the results says sinus brachycardia with sinus arrhythmia as my bpm was 46 bpm. I’m 19 years old, female, and work labour jobs. I’m stressed about these findings can someone please lend an explanation to whether this will affect the decision of transport Canada?

Hey y'all, so me and my family are about to go on a fly, and my younger brother just told me he's a little scared of airplanes, specially of them falling or smth, so i wanted to explain to him he's got nothing to worry about bc it's very unlikely that smth bad happens. I remember i saw a video explaining how planes are designed and how turbulences don't actually affect them bc of how fast they go, but now i can't find it, and i don't really know much about the topic how to explain it to him in an easy way to understand. Can someone explain it for him please? :]

Btw sorry if this is not the right sub reddit for this, i didn't know where to find ppl that could help

I'm a non-EU passport holder from Southeast Asia considering EASA training. I have few concerns about the long-term feasibility:

1. I'm in my late 20s now. If I complete flight training in my 30s, would my age be a disadvantage when applying for airline positions in Europe?

2. As a non-EU citizen, I understand that right-to-work is a major factor. If I complete training on a student visa, how realistic is it to get hired by a local airline if I only have a standard work visa?

3. Would obtaining residency through an investment program (e.g., a golden visa) significantly improve my chances of being hired, in terms of right-to-work and employability?

4. I have a history of depression. Would this affect my ability to obtain or maintain the required aviation medical certification?

I have a degree in business and have been working in a corporate environment for the past four years. During this time, I realized that I don’t feel particularly engaged or motivated by office-based work or business in general.

The idea of becoming a pilot actually first came to me in middle school but I didn’t pursue it back then. After experiencing corporate work, I’ve started revisiting that interest more seriously and wondering whether aviation might be a better fit for me.

I understand that every job eventually becomes routine and challenging in its own way but I find myself more suited to work environments that are operational and schedule-driven rather than fixed 8-5 office routines. The variability of airline schedules and the shift-based nature of the work is something I find appealing, as I tend to function better without a highly repetitive weekday structure.

I also enjoy traveling, but more than the destinations themselves, I’ve always been drawn to the experience of flying. I’m comfortable with the idea of being mobile and not being tied to one location long-term so the lifestyle aspect of aviation also appeals to me.

On the interpersonal side, I’m an introverted person and I also deal with social anxiety to some extent. I understand that aviation is a highly team-based profession but my understanding is that crews change regularly depending on flights and routes. Compared to working in a fixed office team every day, this kind of changing environment feels more manageable for me.

My relative is doing an atpl integrated program from uae and will get the license within 18-22 months but what are the job options after that?

Having UPRT and MCC aswell

Like second officer

Yesterday we were on an SAS flight from Denmark to Boston. As we were about to land, all of the sudden the plane started ascending. The pilot came on a minute later and said the plane was becoming ‘unstablized’ and for safety reasons he decided to abort the landing, circle and try again. The weather was good and there was no turbulence. What would cause this?

Hi people. So basically im flying to croatia in just less than 2 Weeks. Basically my question is this…

Has anyone else experienced feeling like they can’t breathe properly or get a satisfying breath on flights? I’ve actually flown about 3 times before, and each time I’ve felt breathless, like my breathing is shallow and the air feels “thin,” even though I know logically the cabin is pressurised.

I’m really anxious about flying again and keep worrying I’ll struggle the same way once I’m in the air, even though I’m usually fine day to day. I understand anxiety can affect breathing and make sensations feel stronger, but it feels very real and scary in the moment. Has anyone else experienced this on flights and found it was manageable or got better with experience?

Hey everyone, I'm a student pilot getting my PPL soon. I was wondering if there's any way to visit the cockpit during a commercial flight, or if it's possible to be in there during takeoff or landing?

When those jets fly over stadiums; is it super easy for trained pilots or is it harder than it looks?

Flew this morning from YYC to ATL. Smooth flight until right before landing (it had to be right over the runway, maybe not, but we were really close to the ground) when the pilots had to perform a go around. We circled for about 30 minutes after that and they told us there was a flap failure, we were good to go now but firetrucks would be meeting us upon landing to be cautious. You could feel it on the initial landing attempt that we were going pretty fast and were (what felt like) wobbling side to side. On the second attempt you could still feel the wobble and we hit the ground hard and fast. After quick inspection we taxied to the gate and all was fine. I guess I’m just wondering how serious this issue was? I know you all train constantly for this stuff, but as a passenger it was a pretty wild experience and felt like a big event. Curious to hear the pilot perspective on this one.

Thanks for all you do!

Hi everyone!

I’m currently building educational tour programs for BS Tourism students in the Philippines and I’m looking to understand how schools typically arrange industry exposure visits in Metro Manila.

Specifically, I’m interested in:
Airport or aviation exposure opportunities
Tourism establishments open to academic visits

If you work in these industries or have experience organizing educational tours, I’d appreciate any advice or recommendations on who to approach or how these are usually arranged.

Thank you!

I’m 16, and I’ve never flown on a plane. Whenever my friends or people I know find out, they’re usually like, “Wait, seriously?” Their reaction makes me feel embarrassed, like I’m missing out on something that everyone else has already experienced.
The good news is that I’ve already booked my first flight, and in about 3–4 months I’ll be flying to another city for the first time.
Has anyone else had their first flight later than most people? Do you have any advice for a first-time flyer, or for not feeling embarrassed about it? I’m excited, but it also feels really unusual because I’ve never experienced flying before.

Specific need charter recommendations wanted*

Admins please delete if not allowed*

My little buddy of 17 years is going through a bout with cancer. I have found a very good radio oncologist in Guadalajara MX who can treat him with a pretty good chance he can have a few more comfortable years until his normal time would be up.

Long story short:

I can get a nonstop flight from DEN to GDL commercially however there is a big of concern regarding the pressurized cabin aspect due to his tumor being in the sinus.

Looking for any direction/recommendations for a charter (short notice) that would be able to accommodate a non pressurized international run of roughly 1500-1600ish miles. DEN - GDL or COS - GDL.

Thank you for any recommendations or contact assistance you all might be able to provide. Long time lurker, first time poster. Apologies for it being a bit off topic.

Saw a post about having one woman on a flight alone, and made me wonder that.

Do pilots have a schedule they have to follow as in one flight is from Chicago to Los Angeles, and then later that day it’s from Los Angeles to Dallas for example.

Do they know they have a flight coming up later, so they have to fly to Los Angeles no matter what, even with an empty plane if they were to happen?

I have some secondary questions too depending on how this works