Contributed by Carmen Summerfield
In May, I wrote an article, “The Art of Flying, 2020”, about my experiences flying during the early stages of this pandemic.
Well, the paranoia (in the aviation world, at least) is starting to dissipate. A few weeks ago, I had to fly to Atlanta for my periodic “refresher” course. All pilots attend these “refresher” courses to keep us up-to-date, and to let us practice complex situations in a “flight simulator”.
These “flight simulators” are far removed from the home computer types; our simulators are gigantic multi-million dollar behemoths that reside in their own dedicated building.
Built the exact size as the real airplane flight deck, all the windows look out on high resolution computer monitors which can accurately depict any terrain, city, or airport in the world.
Underneath the flight deck is a complex system of hydraulics, also tied into the main computer system, that can move the entire flight deck in all axes, simulating thrust, climb, descent, or braking. If you’re not strapped in, a quick maneuver can even throw you from your seat, just as in real life.
Any scenario can be programmed into the computer for the flight crew to experience. I can fly to Tokyo, and back, with side trips to Shanghai and even Moscow, in only a few hours. And any unusual situation or emergency that you can imagine can be set to happen. Sort of like “Star Trek”, isn’t it?
After I finished (and passed) the refresher training, it was time to travel back to Alaska.
Three months ago the terminals and the airspace was eerily quiet, like a bad movie. Now in early August, going through the Anchorage and Seattle airports, the terminals were much more crowded and the restaurants and shops were open. Everybody is required to wear masks.
On the airplane, all passengers and crew are wearing masks and the air is filtered to the same standards as a hospital operating room. The airline I was traveling on continued to block the middle seats, keeping passengers at safe distances.
The food and beverage services are still limited, to reduce contact between passengers and crew. Basically, you get a baggie with snacks and a bottle of water.
I like the reminder in the Seattle airport about social distancing; personally I like to use the term, “physical distancing”. We can still socially connect over the phone, so give someone a call today!
Now that I’m back in Alaska (and sharp as a tack), I’m not sure how much I will be flying. At this time, we are flying about 20% of last year’s activity. Except for cargo flying, which is way up (probably all of us ordering on line).
These flight simulators are amazing. and I actually look forward to these periodic refresher courses!
