Ask The Pilot

[Montien]

Well, AV will be the master of these sectors, though we did some in the 767, and even occasionally in the 747. Singapore to KL was about 20 minutes. You'd get the arrival information before takeoff, and have the expected arrival loaded. It's easy enough to change if necessary. And you'd brief for the arrival before departure. The shortest sector with passengers that I did in the 747 was 27 miles (Heathrow to Stansted). Same deal. Just get everything done that you could before getting airborne. Remember that we all flew training circuits in these aircraft, and we had to get through all of the procedures and checklists in the few miles of a downwind leg.

27 miles in a 747! That’s a staggering stat, @jb747. I can only imagine the workload on the flight deck for a hop that short, finishing checklists before you’ve even reached cruising altitude.

Your point about training circuits and the downwind leg makes perfect sense. It’s easy to forget as a passenger that while we’re just settling in, you’re essentially running a high-speed logistical marathon. Thanks for the insight into the "behind-the-scenes" sprint!