For many people, the job of a pilot is enviable and mysterious, with the general public often unclear about their tasks and routines. Recently, a female captain filmed the entire process of completing a flight, providing insight into how a pilot spends their day.
Named Emily, this Australian female captain joined Emirates Airlines in 2019 and relocated with her family to Dubai in the Middle East. She quickly became a captain of the company’s A380 aircraft, becoming the first Australian woman to achieve this milestone.
In July, Emily shared a behind-the-scenes video on Instagram of her flight from Dubai back to her hometown of Sydney, allowing people to see how a pilot’s day unfolds.
This was her first time flying as captain for the company flying an A380 from Dubai to Sydney, a journey that took 13 hours and 40 minutes.
In the video’s opening scenes, Emily is shown at home donning her captain’s uniform, making flight preparations, saying goodbye to her daughter, and then heading to Emirates Airlines headquarters.
Upon arrival at headquarters, Emily immediately goes to the briefing room to meet with other pilots to discuss the day’s flight plan. They go over weather conditions, flight regulations, and other pertinent information to ensure a successful flight mission.
Next, they board a shuttle to Dubai International Airport and proceed to the aircraft. Emily mentioned, “Once we arrive at the plane, we conduct pre-flight checks before passengers board.”
After all preparations are complete, the aircraft undergoes the push back procedure to move away from the boarding gate, taxi to the runway, and take off to commence the long-haul flight.
Emily then showcases the aerial views at 40,000 feet during the cruise phase of the flight, including breathtaking cloud formations, describing it as the best office view in the world.
After flying for 6 hours, it’s Emily’s turn to rest. Another captain, Lewis, takes over her duties in the cockpit, allowing her to relax in the pilots’ rest area.
The video shows the layout of the rest area, which includes quiet and comfortable beds for pilots to sleep, along with TV and in-flight entertainment facilities similar to those in the passenger cabin.
After a brief nap, Emily returns to the cockpit to take control of the aircraft and execute the landing for this flight. She considers Sydney to be one of the most beautiful landing cities in the world, albeit admitting her bias since it’s her hometown.
Emily’s video provides a fascinating insight for viewers, many of whom expressed a newfound appreciation for the work of pilots.
One viewer commented, “It’s great to see someone else’s everyday life, things you don’t usually get to see.” Another said, “This is amazing. Sometimes as passengers, we don’t even realize the preparation work done by pilots and flight attendants.”