Long-haul pilot reveals what they’re actually doing during 12-hour flights

When you’re taking nice and cozy long-haul direct flights to another country, have you ever wondered what the pilot does all that time? Well, this US-based pilot has some answers.

There’s no doubt that pilots have a great deal of responsibility on their shoulders, and flying a plane is no easy task.

But after the hard part is done and the aircraft is cruising, it’s all about navigating the plane.

This pilot finally revealed what happens during the cruise hours and whether they ever watch Netflix or take a nap.

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What a pilot does during a 12-hour flight

Meet the American pilot Pascal, who flies airplanes full-time and posts wild cockpit footage videos for enthusiasts.

In a video he posted on YouTube, he revealed what happens inside the cockpit during long-haul flights.

We already know that most flights these days have two pilots, but longer flights sometimes come with three.

However, that heavily depends on the route and weather conditions.

There’s also no doubt that taking an aircraft to the skies (or landing) requires an extreme amount of will, skill, and effort.

We’ve seen our fair share of cockpit POVs of flights taking off, but there’s a lot more that goes into it than you might think.

Pascal revealed that most of the hard work is complete by the time an aircraft reaches a certain altitude and goes into cruise.

All of that can take anywhere between one to two hours, depending on the route.

During this time, pilots need to check every reading, verify the weather, and contact Air Traffic Control (ATC) to verify everything.

And let us tell you, there are more numbers involved than a non-flyer can imagine.

What happens when the plane is on autopilot?

When the aircraft finally cruises, it’s mostly about keeping track of the flight path and weather conditions.

According to Pascal, every pilot is responsible for mapping out alternative routes and flight paths in case something goes wrong.

It could be anything from bad weather to airport trouble, and it’s certainly a tedious process.

They have to know what runway they will land on if they choose to divert the flight.

They also have to know what the weather conditions are on the alternate paths.

Moreover, they have to do the exact same thing at regular intervals.

If that seems hefty to you, there’s more.

It’s not just about planning one alternate path, but common practice is to have four alternate routes planned during the entire flight.

So the short answer is no — pilots do not get any free time to procrastinate.

The next time you’re on a long flight, remember that the situation inside the cockpit is never worry-free.