The FAA is reinstating its Flight Deck Training program, letting air traffic controllers apply to ride in the jumpseat on eligible flights to see pilots' workload firsthand.
This will be helpful for some controllers to understand how things work in the cockpit. Unfortunately, pilots don't get the same opportunity to sit side by side w/ a controller, although visits to ATC facilities have been done.
There is still a sterile cockpit so there might be a lot less discussion that might otherwise be possible; flying in/out of busy airports provides little time for chit chat anyway.
Since alot of pilots use the cockpit jumpseats to commute on full flights, they might or might not be excited to see another group of people vying w/ them
Sterile cockpit is below 10k ft.
Have taken 57 FAM flights, all back in the good old days.
yes...but that is when the most activity occurs including interacting w/ ATC.
Departures are more likely to "follow the script" (flight plan) than arrivals.
I would also say that most controllers have a pretty good knowledge of what pilots want and do their best to accommodate requests. Although a bad interaction here and there shows up, most controllers and pilots interact well together.
Neat new technology like digital releases and ATIS eliminate a lot of voice interactions not just for airline pilots but also for general aviation; they just are being rolled out first in predominantly air transport airports.
Very good idea. I think it would take down some of the heat, and I think we all should learn some from it as pilot and controllers.
@tim dunn--My very furst thought when reading this arricle was "turnabout is fair play.". That is, pilots might benefit from observing controllers. From a safety perspective, though, it's probably not a good idea. ATCs are already incredibly busy so it would be difficult --and dangerous -- for them to interact with visitors, who would be just another distraction.
Pilots won't have to compete with controllers for the jumpseat... a company pilot will universally have higher priority for the seat than an air traffic controller.
Nice that ATC can deliver pilots that phone number to call in person.
Good. Now everybody practice the King's English!
Great idea. Just don’t allow any JFK controllers onto the flight deck. They will try to fly the plane too.
What a not well thought out idea.
This will just end up as an excuse for ATC having free flights.
If they really wanted 2 egomaniac narcissist human occupations who will always clash to cooperate, they need these to be mandatory. And they need to get pilots into the towers AND into TRACON.
Doing this one sided would just put more ego fuel into the fire.
But do it fast, both of them are already obsolete but don't know it yet. They'll be extinct real soon.
Just ask those flight engineers who denied decades ago the same way pilots and ATC are doing it today.
Have no fear re: "free flights", as the ole "flash-and-dash" program hasn't been around since pre-9/11.
Meanwhile, most other members of the flying public would support free flights for controllers, and plenty that I've run into were surprised it wasn't already a benefit.
Making it "mandatory" in the midst of a staffing crisis sounds like a "not-well-thought-out" idea. The previous iteration of the program (pre-pandemic) took staffing into consideration when approving FDT requests, and this program also has staffing limitations (albeit less restrictive than the last one).
"staffing crisis" = automation
Problem solved.
Now time to go extinct and enjoy your free flights.
Get rid of controllers so there's staffing for FDT: That's an Eskillogical argument, right there!
Great to hear this program is coming back!
Said it before and I'll say it again: the only person writing worthwhile articles on ATC matters is Anna Giaritelli. But I'll grant this is better than most of the other discussions Ben initiates- 90% of which seem to revolve around that JFK controller 😉.
Laughing at the unhinged Eskimo take, though. Most of the flying public knows little about ATC, but at the end of the day, they're generally accepting of that fact. Meanwhile this chap is desperate to prove otherwise... or at least prove that it doesn't matter that he doesn't because we're all "dinosaurs" anyway.
Eskimo's AI claims remind me of all those people insistent we'd eventually get the evidence that the 2020 election was stolen. "jUsT WAit aND sEe".
The reality is, at the point in which AI is adequate enough to make this career "extinct", our world will have already radically changed because of it. How that will impact my (and everyone elses, really) retirement is the *real* concern.
Controllers need to know what it's like to operate in the space. But also...
Operators need to know what it's like to control the space.
Cross training is a 2 way street... for upskilling and for humility.
Would pay to see “that guy” from JFK jumpseat on Aeromexico or any foreign carrier where English is not the official language.
For an agency that most recently pushed to have paper cups collected before pushback, this is utterly brilliant.
So, if ATC on radio says one thing, but ATC behind you in the cockpit says another… what to do… what to do…
Ask JoeAmateur, and do the opposite.
He can't see the big picture and always gets it wrong.
One day these planes will fly themselves ✈️🙏😵💫
As a pilot for a US Legacy airline, the restoration of this program is long overdue. Every ATC facility (Tower, Approach, Center) I've ever reached out to for a 1-on-1 tour, was met it with enthusiasm. 3-4 hours at each facility and it's usually a 50/50 split of me asking them questions, and them asking me questions. It really helped me make better decisions knowing in part what's going on their side of the radio.
Having them in the jumpseat will pay dividends for efficiency and safety writ large.
Why didn't Mayor Pete bring this back?
So what is going to be their priority for occupying the jumpseat? Who goes first, a commuting pilot or a controller? Think ALPA and APA are going to let their pilots get bumped by a controller? Pilots don’t like the FAA looking over their shoulders and even though they are controllers and not inspectors, their badges still say FAA. When a captain tells a controller that they are not riding in his or her cockpit what happens to the controller? Do they get a “free” seat in the back, or just get left at the gate. This type of program sounds good on paper but in the real world I don’t think it’s going to work
Pre 9/11 controllers routinely flew in the flight deck. In the early 2010s they brought back the program in a limited capacity (ended in 2020).
It already has worked, they've already done it.
To answer at least one of your questions: if a pilot decides they don't want ATC in flight deck, then the controller must leave the plane (before door closes) or find a seat in the back (after door closes). Controllers are required to plan alternate flights as a backup.
Also, badges stopped saying "FAA" 5+ years ago.
Having worked for a major both before and after 9/11 I don’t remember very many controllers riding in the cockpit, but I’ll take your word on it. The program actually goes back to the 70’s when they were referred to as “Fam Trips”. Load factors are a lot higher today which creates more demand for the jumpseats than in earlier days and these days a lot of eligible employees would prefer to ride in a jumpseat rather than a center seat in coach. Maybe a better idea would be a program that allows controllers to sit with a Dispatcher or ATC Coordinator in the airline’s operations center or, better yet, let them observe a Sim ride. That would show them a lot and be a lot more fun.
Jumpseat priority is established in each airline's Flight Operations Manual (or equivalent). At my airline, controllers are 16th out of 17 priority categories.
I love the comments...pilot unions are worried about being pilots being displaced as they "commute" from their residence to where they are ACTUALLY DOMICILED to operate out of?
Rest assured, the controllers won't be taking your precious seat to work while you live in paradise!
It's a great program allowing controllers to witness firsthand the other side of their operation. If ONLY we could get air crews to spend a moment of THEIR free time to go to the control tower and witness the chaos that goes in behind the scenes! Maybe they too, could garner a bit of appreciation which goes into making their existence possible?
For some reason, the industry has allowed aircrews to develop a primadonna complex to where EVERYTHING revolves around them! There are PLENTY of equally import parts to this chaos which gets millions or travelers and flights to their destinations safely each and every day! From the mechanic, to the dispatcher, to the aircrew, controllers & so forth! We ALL take pride in our positions and focus on SAFETY!
I've spent 35+ years in a multitude of aviation operations to include flying, maintaining, & regulating this wonderful & dangerous discipline we love...there's nothing wrong with expanding the exposure to the features that others take for granted!