Having a computer engineering background, what motivated you to become a pilot and switch careers?
Show HN: I'm an airline pilot – I built interactive graphs/globes of my flights
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Re: Show HN: I'm an airline pilot – I built interactive graphs/globes of my flights
#12Having a computer engineering background, what motivated you to become a pilot and switch careers?
Looking at your projects, seems like you still have the hacker going in you! Saw Home Assistant one! Kudos!
Re: Show HN: I'm an airline pilot – I built interactive graphs/globes of my flights
#13Very cool! I didn't know pilots are required to maintain a logbook. What's the official recommendation for this - using a paper logbook?
Each country has slightly different requirements! For the US, here is the FAA rule for it: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/chapter-I/subchapter-D... A lot of people still use paper (and fill it in after landing each flight), but there are quite a few digital options on the market now. I use one called LogTen, which stores everything in a SQLite file behind the scenes which is what I used to make this.
You are only required to log time required for 61.51.a.1 or .a.2, but are not required to log “all [your] flying hours” by the FAA. (Your airline might require it and it’s a good idea to log all your flights, but it’s not a law.)
Re: Show HN: I'm an airline pilot – I built interactive graphs/globes of my flights
#14Having a computer engineering background, what motivated you to become a pilot and switch careers?
I had always been interested in aviation, and I was fortunate that I was in the right place at the right time after graduation to join an airline on a sponsored "cadet scheme".
I still (hopefully evidently) very much love software/engineering, but I guess I chose the path of "professional pilot, hobbyist engineer" over the alternative of "professional engineer, hobbyist pilot".
Re: Show HN: I'm an airline pilot – I built interactive graphs/globes of my flights
#15Maaaaan, this is so cool. I'm geekin'.
Re: Show HN: I'm an airline pilot – I built interactive graphs/globes of my flights
#16This is great work! I have a somewhat off-topic question. How are your ears? Do pilots have any tricks to save their ears from getting clogged due to the constant pressure changes?
Second question. Would it be possible to predict flight delays based on the number of inbound and outbound flights?
Re: Show HN: I'm an airline pilot – I built interactive graphs/globes of my flights
#17Love it :-). Do you also need to log the gps co-ordinates as you are flying? I would love to see how you avoid the airspace in the war hit areas.
Re: Show HN: I'm an airline pilot – I built interactive graphs/globes of my flights
#18Cool visualization for your personal logbook. How is the raw or display data stored?
The globe map reminds me of this hexagonal grid article from my bookmarks I’d found on here or reddit.
https://www.redblobgames.com/grids/hexagons/
As an airline pilot, I am curious, have you watched the season 2 of Nathan Fielder’s Rehearsal on HBO, that comically addresses the topic of pilot-copilot communication?
If so what are your thoughts on his portrayal of the existence of copilot communication friction. And without intending to dig into your personal business, do you think there is a tendency and survivor (retention) bias for the profession to remain high functioning ______, without recognizing a need for help. Or is this portrayal of stunted coworker dialog an edge case that is amplified from his perspective.
Re: Show HN: I'm an airline pilot – I built interactive graphs/globes of my flights
#19Hell yeah. This is very cool, happy flying!
Re: Show HN: I'm an airline pilot – I built interactive graphs/globes of my flights
#20I'm curious to know what is the small concentrated cluster of flights Northwest of Dulles airport, where the flight durations seem way too high compared to the effective distance between the points.