WHILE some people see flying as a chore before the holiday begins, others see it as the first part of their break.
Aircraft fanatics can make all their friends jealous if lucky enough to visit the cockpit when embarking on a flight.
While it’s never guaranteed and is down to the discretion of the pilot and onboard crew, there are some times when visiting the cockpit is more likely to be possible.
Answering a question from a traveller on community site Quora, pilot Tim Hibbetts explained: “You can ask to come and visit the pilots of most any US airline and they will be excited to show you the buttons and knobs and lights and switches.
“It’s our passion, we love it. We love when others love it. It’s the best job in the world and as long as we have time, we will show you what’s going on.”
Tim went on to explain the times when it won’t be possible to have a unique tour of the cockpit.
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He explained: “Schedules are sometimes so tight that we are not able to show off one of our great loves.
“But if you come up early, chances are that we can spare a couple minutes.”
The Sun previously spoke to pilot Vicky McCarthy for her opinion on people visiting the cockpit before or after flights.
She said: “A lot of people are scared that they can’t go in, but if you would like to, just ask.
“If it’s too busy, the cabin crew will just tell you – there’s no harm in asking.”
Vicky added: “The pilots will be more than happy to answer any questions…
“If your plane is delayed on the runway then that’s the perfect time.”
Last month, a woman was left stunned after realising she was the only passenger on her flight.
In a rare opportunity that will make avid aviation fans green with envy, she was allowed to fly in the cockpit for most of the journey.
Aurora Torres was travelling from Røros, in Norway with airline Widerøe to take pictures for a wedding.
However, she quickly realised she was the only person on the 50-minute flight, apart from the crew.
She posted a video to her Instagram account, which showed a completely empty flight with no one else in the seats.
Those lucky enough to have a rare tour of the cockpit should keep an eye out for the new button that means even a passenger could land a plane.
Garmin International Inc is launching an innovative new “Autoland” system that’s set to revolutionise the world of aviation.
To activate the system, someone just needs to press a dedicated button in the cockpit – and it can be the pilot or a passenger.
According to Garmin, the new system will be able to “control and land the aircraft without human intervention” in just about any situation – but it should only be used in an emergency, such as when the pilot passes out or becomes ill.
Once activated, the system will calculate the best airport within 200 nautical miles and automatically fly towards it.
In March, one lucky passenger revealed why it’s a good thing to be the last person to get off a plane.
Reddit user u/aylzb took to the community sharing site to explain what happened to her when she was the last to disembark.
She shared a photo of her sat in the cockpit of a plane, which the pilots had allowed her to enter as she was the only person left onboard.
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She wrote: “I was the last one to get off the plane. I asked if I could take a photo of the cockpit and the pilots invited me to sit in the seat and take a photo of me!
“I was so happy I cried afterwards, lol.”
