(BUFDRVR) wrote:

Gord Beaman wrote:

I can attest to the fact that it's quite a unique experience to
spend that (and many many slightly less lengthily sorties) over
the North Atlantic below 500 feet in the dead of winter

Oh the hell with that! At least on cruise legs between refuelings at FL350,
both pilots can kind of "zone out". At or below 500' ASL would require
vigilence by both pilots and I have no idea how the hell you could do that for
anything longer than 5 or 6 hours.

BUFDRVR


Well a normal crew did have 3 pilots but that likely only helped
a little. The a/c did have a very good autopilot with an
'altitude hold' feature plus the engineer, usually a crotchety
old soul who wasn't above pushing the 'master fire warning bell
test switch' when he saw a pilot nodding off. It's one of the
most attention getting sounds in the world.
--

-Gord.
(use gordon in email)