Pilots have plenty to do to keep busy during flights

Question: Do pilots get bored if they must fly exactly the same route many times, or does it not matter to them?

— submitted by reader Joe Berman, Stow, Mass.

Answer: I would not say they get bored, but it can become repetitive. Pilots flying the same route, such as the New York, Boston or Washington shuttle, become very, very familiar with the route. That said, no two flights are the same.

Q: What do commercial pilots do to remain alert during long, uneventful flights?

— Dan Kwiatkowski, Sarasota,

Fla.

A: During long flights there are many duties required of pilots. These include position reports, fuel-burn monitoring and monitoring the navigation system. While the workload is lower than during takeoff or landing, there are definitely ongoing duties to keep the pilots involved in the flight.

Q: How are pilots assigned routes to fly?

— Justin, Surrey, Canada

A: Many airlines use a seniority bid system that allows pilots to pick trips in a month based on the length of service with the airline. Others use computer programs to assign pilots to trips based on availability and flight time restrictions.

The direct answer to your question is it depends on the airline on how assignments are made; some are seniority-based, others are not.

Q: How much are pilots allowed to chat in the cockpit?

— James, Minneapolis

A: Non-safety-related conversation is permitted when the aircraft is above 10,000 feet or when it is in cruise flight. Casual conversation is like any other normal workplace above 10,000 feet. Have a question about flying? Send it to travel@usatoday.com.