Watch: Rare View Of What Happens Behind The Locked Door Of The Cockpit

The cockpit in a plane is a place very few people are allowed to see in operation these days. Before 9/11 you may have been able to get permission to peek your head in and say hi to the pilots. Today, you'll probably just get laughed at. Or detained. To me, what happens behind that closed door is fascinating. You don't often get to see the pilots in action... until now!

I was perusing the inter-webs the other day and I came across three videos I really enjoyed. So, I figured I'd share them with you.

The first video explains how the autopilot works. The plane is a KLM 737 flying from Amsterdam to London.

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The next one explains how planes cross the Atlantic using the so-called "highway of the sky" which keeps planes safely separated given the lack of radar coverage in the middle of the ocean.

The third video shows the steps the pilots take to land a 747 on a short runway - such as the one at the popular vacation destination of St. Maarten.

I find videos like these mesmerizing. Flying has always been a passion of mine. At one point in my life I thought I was going to make a career out of it. Some of you may know (but probably not many) that I am a licensed pilot. Life, however, took me in a different direction. That doesn't mean I'm no less interested in flying than I was 15 years ago. 


Anyway, I hope you enjoy these videos as much as I did :)




(h/t: One Mile At A Time)