04.05.2024

Well ladies and gentlemen Captain with an update  on our progress EasyJet is now Britain's biggest  . Airline hold on to your hats carry 90 million  passengers last year nice days from Faith but  . in 2019 this is going to be challenging  I think times have never been tougher for  . airlines fly BMI blames Rising fuel costs for its  collapse staying Top Dog in these turbulent times  . you know better wet pants and a broken  neck means flying more passengers please  . don't get drunk on board and aircraft again  on more flights there's various things we  . can't predict I just broke the wiper to new  destinations wow it doesn't get much better  . than this and that means hiring a new crop  of young Pilots we'll just wait for these  . two ducks okay that's clear with liver takeoff  who could be flying you to 30 000 feet minimum.

Sooner than you think over a crucial six  months relax relax relax relax relax relax  . relax relax our cameras have been given unique  access inside the cockpit around here Bakewell. following all the highs. so buckle up fold your trays away. and prepare for what  could be a bumpy ride [Music]. from Inverness to Southampton Belfast  to Bournemouth the jet flies to 17  . destinations across the UK short domestic  hops are big business for the company. and with such a tightrunning  network they can't afford any hitches. in Newcastle 186 passengers are  boarding the flight to Belfast  . they're all looking quite well behaved at the Moon  and this orderly commuter crowd are in for a treat  . newcastle's top pilot base Captain  Steve Freeman is at the helm  . flying with first officer 22 year old Ajit sidhu  and most importantly please throughout that is to.

Monitor what I'm doing yeah because I'm getting  old now as you know and you need to watch me okay  . I'm in charge of the the other Pilots most  of them are young enough to be my daughter  . or son yes and they don't have the wrinkles  that I have this afternoon this unlikely Duo  . have their work cut out four domestic flights  carrying over 600 passengers first to Belfast  . and back and then a return flight to Bristol  and as if that wasn't challenging enough. Here Comes storm Fred the wind's really  picking up with the tail end of storm Freya  . still battery in the UK Gusty cross winds are  forecast flying in Crosswinds is no easy task  . it increases the risk of a wing striking the  runway or an aborted Landing experience does  . come into it I'll be honest with you um I actually  enjoy the challenge because it focuses both of us.

More because you you realize there's a perhaps  a little bit more of a risk than on a normal  . day but hey when I look at the weather like  that I go yeah bring it on thank you   . try and talk to him downstairs Captain Steve  . calls Grand support to push back the  plane can't be ground good afternoon. pop the ground hello. it's taken them longer than  usual Brian hello. the ground hello consumers  they have a slightly more  . relaxed approach to getting flights  in the air in the North hello ground. patience is a virtue Steve   maybe one last try Telegram. oh hello crowd can we have your checks now please  . there you go finally time for takeoff  don't take off from my two five economy  . but no sooner are they on the Move than Fierce  Crosswinds begin to batter the aircraft   . you drive across a bridge where you've got  Gusty wind and you know you feel the you sit.

Feel the van or the truck buffeting you're at  high speed going down a runway for us it's not  . about fingers crossed hope this goes well  this is on us to make the right decisions. high above the clouds the crew briefly escaped  the powerful winds below it's nice and choppy on  . the water down there I wouldn't want to be in  one of those boats would you I like it before. in the cabin the regular commuters are  expecting the usual Swift service to Belfast  . it's a short trip 35 minutes 40 minutes so it's  um it's like a taxi but back in the cockpit. weather warnings the news  from the ground isn't good  . the Hefty Crosswinds are blowing at over  34 miles an hour whilst within the safe  . limits to attempt to Landing any faster and  they may need to divert to another Airport  . if we do go around do we go to Dublin Dublin  is good we've got fuel and the flight plan.

But with Dublin over a hundred miles away these  passengers could be looking at a lengthy bus ride  . and the next batch of customers currently  waiting at Belfast might be going nowhere fast. two thousand miles away in  Cyprus everything's looking good  . Iris de Khan is making sure her 60 million  pound jet is safe to fly these are always quite  . important checks because you see if the aircraft  you know is still the same as when you left. with 11 years as a first officer under her belt  she has her sight set on becoming an EasyJet  . Captain the fight of becoming a captain  is something that's really scary actually. work you know to get this job with each  jet there's a very big selection process  . you have to know what you do you have  to be good and luckily for Iris today  . she's flying with 29 year old Daniel  Munoz who passed his captain's exam.

Just eight months ago hi is it all  still there outside oh it's raining  . all right first things first what's for dinner  what's the chef's recommendations I always play  . it safe I got chicken chicken how is that  same it's the most dangerous of all of that  . it's already precooked it's not like you've got  raw chicken for passenger safety the captain and  . first officer must eat different meals so that  in the unlikely event of food poisoning someone  . can still land the plane have you ever seen  airplane why never eat the fish okay   . with a fivehour flight to Gatwick Iris has time  . to grill Captain Daniel about captaincy  training also known as the command course  . so if you could tell me one thing to take with  me for the command course what would it be. communication is always the biggest one.

I think one of the first things. if Iris makes the grade she will join the  ranks of 2100 captains at EasyJet 76 of  . whom are female I like to see girls get  on the same as men are not very good at driving  . I can't pass my driving test so it wouldn't let me  fly a plane and flying this plane is about to get  . a whole lot more complicated wow do you see that  I wasn't looking at it but I could still see it  . the plane is heading directly towards a huge  thunderstorm over the Greek Islands that was  . massive like straight ahead of us what is that  then the weather that wears Pilots are most afraid  . of are the clouds are called cumulon nimbers so  they're basically the big thunderstorm clouds that  . can get up very very high these clouds can contain  ice violent winds and cause extreme turbulence you.

Basically are taught from a very early age when  you're a pilot to steer well clear of them because  . they're a danger to Aviation maybe I'm further  to the right it's like a serious for a line. time for a Sharp diversion from their planned  route a mere 100 mile detour across central turkey  . so heading 340 or something until far too right  let me try three three five the smooth ride in  . the cabin however means everyone is wonderfully  oblivious of the storm ahead to right now the  . police autopilot Chilean hello I reckon that  in the cockpit they play a nice boy and guess  . what stars what in the sky wow it's like really  impossible look at it it's a big one it's massive. and with the seat belt signs  on in case of turbulence some  . of the passengers are getting restless. uh. because we're doing a good job yeah 100 miles  and we are like literally about another country.

In five minutes that should be the worst  of it gone then we should be back on track. I'll get it I get it bro this stuff  is pretty powerful stuff around. thank you very much. you see now that is a difficult thing  about being captured because country  . can't always say back what you  think it is but we've got bigger  . you know better wet pants and a  broken neck it's my motto   . it's a new day in Manchester yeah I look okay yeah  nice and shiny proud mankunian Captain Philip Ash  . and first officer Tom Parker are preparing for a  packed flight to Palmer well obviously as a monkey  . Union Manchester is the best base on the entire  network great crew professional crew we have a  . fun day out and we get paid for it Manchester is  the fastest growing of easyjets 11 UK bases flying  . nearly 4 million passengers to 63 destinations  every year and Captain Phil is one of its most.

Senior Pilots the floor saw quite a few times and  he is quite cheeky good morning ladies and gents  . welcome on board you're in for a treat today my  fourth favorite cabin crew team led by Rebecca  . just testing see if they're listening yeah  this is our fourth favorite pilot . uh it seems pretty smooth should we've got  seat belt signs off I'm realm free   . yeah for Christmas my wife genuinely bought  me matte finish moisturizer from her head  . can you believe it that's cheeky  that is so I don't have a shiny head  . about just 10 minutes into the flight a shiny  head might be the least of Captain Phil's worries. a passenger traveling alone  has lost consciousness . in critical situations like this the  cabin crew must alert the cockpit  . straight away giving them time to prepare for  a medical diversion if needed yeah go ahead.

I think ideally if we end up having to do  an a new diversion with a seat passenger  . it's probably better for them if we can try  and drop them off in the UK before we even  . but for now it's a waiting game while cabin  manager Rebecca monitors the woman's condition  . I guess we've just got to sit tight and wait  to see what they say any deterioration and  . Captain Phil and his 186 passengers could  be making a very Swift return to the UK. 180 blue 36 000 feet above  the channel on route to Palm. crc35 for back Hotel Captain Philip Ash and first  officer Tom Parker have just been informed they  . have a sick passenger on board she's on  two Charlie see Charlie female passenger  . he's feeling famous um she's  thrown up and she has his contest  . cause of the passenger's condition remains  uncertain a diversion is still on the cards.

Stansted's safe option getaways will  pass leave with an and possibly. quite right to me we take what the cabin  Crews say verbatim there on the front line  . with the sick passenger they've got the best  tools to analyze what we need to do   . in the cabin new information is emerging  the passenger has been able to speak to  . cabin manager Rebecca and a nurse who  happens to be on board has assessed her  . sure whether she's had a slight choking effect  whether she's just had what's called amazing Bagel  . which is a fainting effect I don't she's like 100  and I think she needs to be attracted when we land  . cabin manager Rebecca reports back to the cockpit. the stole Larry a sandwich while she's falling. with sandwich gate behind them next  stop Palmer every day is definitely  . different there's always something technical  problems weather issues passenger issues.

So you need to stay calm under pressure . ahead of schedule Captain Phil brings  flight ezy1911 to a gentle touchdown  . in Palmer I'll be happy anyway we'll  make 15 minutes early in 17 degrees. if only we could get off a red  wine and some olives . and with a husband waiting for her in the terminal  the sick passenger seems to be on the mend  . back to normal yeah it was  an interesting one morning. but Captain Phil has one big question what  sandwich was it not everybody I can't believe  . it yeah I can't believe it thank you so  much oh well I hope you feel better enjoy. adios. thank you for the cabin ET two  and a half thousand miles away 35  . 000 feet above a very blustery Belfast veteran  Captain Steve Freeman and first officer Ajit  . sidhu are getting ready to make their approach  it's below 30. in this sector it's three thousand.

34 mile an hour Crosswinds await them  below the safe limit for a captain to  . land is just over 43 miles an hour which  means Steve can still choose to go ahead  . as long as the winds don't get any worse if we  can't get into Belfast even though everybody  . would like to get to Belfast and so would we  if we can't get in we can't get in . so still 35 up here visual of the field now  Landing in Crosswinds at Belfast will require a  . technique called crabbing flying sideways towards  the runway the nose of the plane pointed into  . the wind and then straightening up just before  touchdown the final hundred feet of The Descent  . requiring all of the Pilot's skill to hold the  Airbus steady as it's buffeted by gusts of wind  . when you get 30 knots and it's gusting  that can cause the upset and it's more.

Challenging the higher the crosswind you  know undoubtedly it's more challenging. yeah. less than two minutes before landing. Captain Steve takes manual control then uses  the side stick in his left hand to maneuver the  . plane's nose into the wind when you're actually  coming down in a crosswind it's all very dynamic  . and really you're just just constantly  battling with the side stick more than  . anything on the actual approach with  with the upset and the gusts of wind 500.. at any given point during that approach everybody  needs to be happy with what is happening  . 30 seconds from touchdown and  in the strong winds Steve has  . moments to draw on his expertise  to stabilize the planes movement. 100 above. Captain Steve commits to Landing first screen. come down three to go you  may look so easy.

Everybody likes a good Landing you know  it's uh everybody's got a little bit of  . touch of Pride every now and then  even though they may say they don't  . welcome to Aldergrove yeah it's great  London didn't know how to fly so. but while his passengers are relieved to  be back on Terra Firma thank you byebye  . bye now take care for Captain Steve and first  officer Ajit this is only the beginning it was  . okay it was it's not as bad as it will be back  into Newcastle so um but that was a good one. 400 miles away from Belfast and three miles from  Gatwick first off is a iris de Khan is continuing  . her quest to become an EasyJet captain this year  EasyJet will promote over 150 first officers to  . the rank of Captain you guys have jumped through  lots of Hoops to get here already haven't you a.

Role that brings complete responsibility for plane  and passengers and commands a sixfigure salary  . so we'll come through to the same man but not  everyone who applies makes the grade and Iris has  . already been through a rigorous selection process  we go which began almost 18 months ago you have  . to perform every simulator session every question  they ask you you know you have to know what you're  . doing you have to be on top of it and I can fail  over the next six days Iris will face the worst  . scenarios that can be thrown at a captain from  manual Landing in ultra low visibility smoke in  . the cockpit and the Ultimate Nightmare twin engine  failure there's going to be a lot of things thrown  . at you and I think in all of it my biggest thing  has been that I haven't been confident enough in.

Myself so now I feel like I am confident and I am  ready iris's first task might seem simple execute  . a smooth landing and take off but this time  she must do it from the captain's chair   . it's a massive adjustment  . the A320 is flown using a side stick for first  officers this is operated by their right hand  . captains however sit on the left and so must  switch to their left hand often quite a challenge. I'm guiding Iris during this tricky  first day is training Captain Chris Yates  . did say it didn't use your left hand for  much it's just familiarity acting as her  . first officer is fellow captaincy hopeful  Giovanni Spina how are you feeling . yeah stop one sec. easy five up for Mike are  you ready for the bathroom  . time for the inaugural test  of iris's lefthanded fly. yep. so far so good let's just get to three miles.

And next up an even more challenging  test for a landing the A320 okay. it's at 2 000 feet please two thousand  vs 1000 please yes one thousand  . approaching the runway too fast Iris lifts the  nose of the plane a fraction too high in an  . attempt to slow down oops okay spiders  you got screen and is check manual breaking. bring her to a nice halt there we are okay. I think we would live to tell  the tale we would live to tell. what's up. a bad start and the end of the first  week's training didn't bring better news  . I did my final Sim I was so stressed all went  well until the end and then I didn't pass. which is really nervous and I I think  my confidence kind of slipped away  . it's a bump in the road and I'm I'm  just I'm gonna do it I'm still gonna  . do it I'm still here I'm still in it and yeah.

It's just a really massive shame. EasyJet train up about 600 new pilots every  year so yeah take your time get yourself  . into the correct seating position this is very  surreal it's an intense 18month course. you're a natural pilot yeah . yeah that looks good excellent once  qualified they can be posted to any  . one of 30 bases in Europe where  they will live and work . and for newly qualified 26 year old Josh  Taylor it's Paris just gotta find my way  . to the crew room now unfortunately for Josh he  didn't study French at school when I was told  . I was going to move to Paris it wasn't  something that I I wanted specifically  . I was really nervous because I'm  obviously Yorkshire born and bred  . today is his first day on the job his  first flight with passengers awaits   . if he can get through the crew room door.

There we go okay guys hello Josh Josh yeah  yeah nice to meet you as a newbie Josh will  . be overseen by training Captain Adam elmstead  not too bad yeah just uh just settling out yeah  . thank you very much how's your French terrible  good awesome but Josh won't yet be judged on  . his linguistic skills this morning's passengers  will be more interested in his flying ability. oxygen testing okay here we go today's  flight will be from Paris to Toulouse Captain Adam  . will be taking off but if the conditions are good  in Toulouse Josh will perform his first landing on  . the job you want to impress you want to show the  training Captain and the the lion Captain you're  . with that you're able to perform at the level  you're required to day in day out okay   . try and take it from here already then  Joshua uh I can do yeah yeah all right.

Joke at all I control your radios  my radios whatever you ready get  . disconnected and get a feel of uh the  Airbus understood uh disconnected yep. join your first landing there's a moment you take  control and you disconnect the autopilot and it's  . at that moment you're you're flying the jet you're  looking down the runway and you're thinking right  . I've got to get this right the pressure's on  for Josh to land safely with 150 passengers  . as Witnesses on the surface you know  you are calm levelheaded ready to  . ready to do a job don't forget to look  outside as well uh Josh up to get the  . visual picture instead on the inside the  first line I was thinking can I do this. fifty forty Thirty but Josh has  positioned the nose of the plane too low  . which makes for a very bumpy  Landing for his passengers.

Not quite the smooth start he was hoping for  sorry about that by the way it was pretty bad. we could take off your shoulder harness now  as well still railing after it that's why  . it was uh pretty pretty terrible really  yeah it's the inexperience with it I think  . but it shouldn't happen again it's very  natural they feel like this and if you'd  . say that you're comfortable with it I'll  be worried Josh has at least another 50  . flights with the training Captain  so he can improve his technique. how many hours have you got now man 50 members. first officer Ajit and Captain Steve are  heading back from Belfast to Newcastle it's  . the second of their four flights today  they're just off the coast of Northwest  . England flying over an extremely Breezy  Irish sea oh lovely just 30 knots across.

And wind speeds have continued to increase  bad news for the more apprehensive passengers. three on twice before it came on I don't  fly often I have influence in the year 2000.  . with some of the strongest wins of the year  it might be more like flying queasy jet today  . it's going to be challenging I  think yeah and when one of the  . most experienced captains in the company says  it's challenging it might be time to worry. every time you're in the right seat  it's going to be a learning day [Music]  . as they approached the runway 14 mile an  hour Crosswinds batter the plane rocking  . it from side to side in turbulent conditions  it's not us that is that if you like stirring  . the stick Steve needs to keep the plane  level for a safe landing stable. minimum . 50 40 30 20 [ __ ] redone. spawners first green.

Back on firm ground there is a palpable  sense of relief amongst passengers just like that  . everybody appreciate your life again no nervous  for the guys behind there let me fellow to the  . skies I'm just glad to be alive but while  most passengers are glad the flight is over. again straightforward absolutely  why are you laughing  . at you I like to remind Steve that he  couldn't have done it if I wasn't there so. just part of the job after a quick  turnaround Steve and Ajit have just  . one more return flight to Bristol  before they can finally call it a day. I bet you're not old enough to know that film  Zulu are you ever heard of it Michael Kane I'm  . Fair Back to the Future 88 miles an hour Marty  that's it isn't it make sure there's a storm. and where Steve and Edge eater  going they don't need roads.

Early morning at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport  . do you want me to just have a quick dinner at  the load sheep why not newbie first officer  . Josh is preparing to fly to Gatwick  I've got 58 and zero if you're away. his first landing with passengers  was a bit bumpy today he's hoping  . for a smoother touchdown and  there's a special passenger  . he's really hoping to impress three I  can just make out two people in there  . dad Ian stumped up all the money for his son's  training a hundred and twenty thousand pounds uh  . so uh FB validation yes uh flight one and today  he'll find out if it was money well spent first  . time will be the one that he he always always  recalls so it's got to be good so fingers crossed. into the big world you know I'm  sure he'll be uh waiting to judge  . the landing with what he deems as  an expert opinion on the subjects.

Yeah this is your flight that's it  yeah what could possibly go wrong. safe lie then. and to add to the pressure Josh is going  to attempt his announcement to the cabin  . in French under the watchful eye of  frenchspeaking Captain Frank Norte  . so I've written it down I'm not I'm not that  stupid I've got it written down yeah I tried  . to memorize it yesterday and I was just like  if I try and do this live it's going to come  . out like a piece of piece of trap when I speak  French people just go what and I'm like it's  . that bad like I'm I'm that bad at the French  that people don't even know what I'm saying. because I can't actually sit in  there with him but there you go. 30 000 feet up in the air it's time  for Josh to address his passengers in  . French now I dread to think how  French sounds when spoken with.

The York tracks and I imagine it's  truly truly awful right you ready. foreign. won't know any better either so it works I'm  quite impressed actually yeah quite impressed  . you seemed okay ever been the back  probably going out you know I do. not all of it. with the announcement safely navigated it's  just that Perfect Landing to aim for passengers. nice clear day though Paris just outside  newbie first officer Josh is on a return  . flight from Paris to Gatwick his first landing  with paying passengers came down with a bump s. so with his financial backer AKA dad on board  today the pressure's on to nail this one my son's  . a copilot today this is his first time I will  have flown in an air possibly while Josh focuses  . hopefully we'll get there in one piece it's  quite impulsive I suppose dad Ian is making.

Firm friends with his fellow passenger in seat 2E  we I'll be marking him out of 10 on his Landing  . no pressure then plus one. I'm always nervous about my dad's  opinion I uh I want it to go well. it's got to be good 100 above minimum. 30 20 [ __ ]. Ed. now I'm not fluent in Yorkshire but I'm  guessing Josh is pleased with that   . it's Landing at nice landing I'll give you  a 10th an hour why do you want to take a  . picture while you're in here about the only  time I'll ever get to sit in one of these  . seeing that seat before I do eh yeah   wonderful absolutely wonderful it was just  . fantastic the fact where he was flying it I'm  really proud but this is the Pinnacle really  . to be a qualified pilot means the world to me  doing the thing I dreamed of since I was a kid  . to do something you want to do every day is is  fantastic at Gatwick first officer Iris.

De Khan has an important day ahead after a setback  in her captain training it's been a crazy couple  . of weeks with the command chorus and everything  things are looking up when I passed my final exam  . two days ago it's one thing to pass the test in  the flight simulator but now she has to do it  . in 66 tons of aircraft and with 153 passengers  who will shortly be closing the doors on this  . flight from Gatwick to Geneva so as we didn't see  the crew how much of this pink bit do I rip out  . um the whole thing correct you're good but luckily  for the passengers It's all under the watchful eye  . of training Captain Tony Nixon who's been a pilot  for over 20 years and is not at all nervous oh  . calmly pull this out are you ready for  efb evolution aircraft is fine threats  . training first time in the lefthand  seat and our windshear on departure.

Be sitting comfortably in training Iris struggled  to adapt when moving to the captain's seat and  . operating the side stick with her left hand this  morning taking off for Geneva it's her first  . chance to prove she's mastered what is essentially  driving on the other side of the road . I'm trying to not think of how  many people I have in the bag. mentoga SRS Runway once you start  focusing on all the lives you're  . having your hands then it becomes  something way more stressful . now she's Airborne the most important  bit for a new captain Oh can you take  . a picture of me because then I can  send it to my mom she would love that. are you ready ready. if you need any more there is a fee those are  all free from now on it's five pounds   . with one of the most challenging parts  of flying now looming her passengers have.

Mixed feelings about iris's first  attempt at Landing as a captain. she's not flying this place. I'm assuming given that she's been given  the nod to be the captain that she's fairly  . competent so and it's an argument to say that  if it's her first time she'll be trying extra  . hard to be safe so yeah I'm gonna put on a  brave face internally I'm slightly nervous  . Irish descends into a very rainy Geneva down  with training Captain Tony watching her every  . move any mistakes now could be another  setback in her quest for four stripes. 500 stable. 100 above. minimum. 50 40 30 20 [ __ ]. it's been a bumpy ride for Iris but a  smooth and safe landing at Geneva is a huge boost. thank you there you go well done yeah he's in it  well I wouldn't say easy but it's like it's it's  . uh it's not difficult though is it well done  Iris has at least another five flights with.

a training pilot before she'll become a fully  fledged captain we're alive it's good oh that's  . fabulous thank you thank you you can do  whatever you want you know it's never stop me  . now I'm excited good now you've got  the first one out the way yay I have  . a lot of people believing in me and I think  I believe in me now as well that I can do it  . soon I'll be Captain priest yet  which is very exciting