Flying is great as a passenger on holiday – but have you ever wondered what it’s like for the pilot?
One person who flies planes for a living has now spoken out about what her day-to-day looks like, even sharing some behind-the-scenes footage – and there’s a lot you’d never know as a customer. Emily, an Emirates pilot, moved to Dubai in 2019 after landing a job and quickly rose through the ranks to become an A380 Captain. The Sydney-born mum-of-three was the first Australian woman to achieve the job title.
A video clip from Emirates, shared by @thetravlish on Instagram, shows Emily piloting a flight from Dubai to her hometown. She begins her day by putting her uniform on.
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She then proceeds with her pre-flight preparations at home before bidding her daughters farewell with a hug and kiss, and heading off to the Emirates Group headquarters.
After being picked up by a driver, she heads to meet with the crew and goes over the flight plan. “We cover things like weather conditions, airspace rules and regulations, and any other relevant information that will ensure an efficient flight,” she said.
The crew then head to Dubai International Airport and board the aircraft. Emily added: “Once we arrive at the aircraft, we conduct our pre-flight checks before passengers board.” The flight from Dubai to Sydney takes 13 hours and 40 minutes.
Once the crew receive confirmation that all checks have been conducted, they set off. She says she gets “the best office view in the world” at 40,000ft in the sky. Emily gets to have a break after six hours – and on the flight shown in the video, she handed over her plane seat to Captain Lewis.
She spent some time in the crew rest compartment where there are bunk beds. Emily said she finds it “quiet and comfortable”. There are also TVs that have the same in-flight entertainment as the passengers’.
After her break, Emily resumes control and is responsible for landing the aircraft. While she concedes she “might be biased”, she maintains that “Sydney is one of the most beautiful cities to land in”.
The revealing behind-the-scenes footage left viewers gobsmacked, with many confessing they had no idea about the realities of a pilot’s working day. “It’s nice to see the daily lives of others that normally you never see,” one person commented.
Another added: “This is so nice to see. Sometimes as a passenger you don’t even realise the prep that goes into flying for pilots and crew cabin. Too busy hoping our kilos of clothes are not over the limit. We are grateful to you all. God bless you.”