FV 070 : (Part 1) Life of an airline pilot

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Jean-Benoît is a pilot for a major Middle Eastern airline. In the first episode of our long and absolutely fascinating conversation, he will tell us how one becomes a pilot and he will also take us behind the scenes of the preparation for a flight: what are the roles of the captain, the co-pilot, the rest of the crew? What major changes have happened in the world of aeronautics over the past few decades? Listen to find out and learn so much more!

Episode Timeline

Part 1

When Jean-Benoît was little…

How Jean-Benoît became an airline pilot

The weather during a flight

Part 2

The roles of the captain and the co-pilot

What do the pilots do during the whole flight?

The pleasure of flying

Who decides on the safety rules

Part 3

How pilots get ready for a flight

Defects on the plane ?!!

The roles of the crew for the flight

Part 4

What happens once the passengers have boarded the plane

The direction of wind: a history of aviation

Is being a pilot really a dream job?

Noticeable changes in aeronautics over the past 3 decades

Vocab List

à l'issue de = at the end of

à vol d'oiseau = as the crow flies

atterrir = to land

atterrissage (nm) = the landing

bitume (nm) = asphalt, tarmac, bitumen

cabine (nf) = cockpit, cabin

commandant de bord (nm) = captain

compagnie aérienne (nf) = airline (company)

décalage horaire (nm) = jetlag, time difference

décollage (nm) = the take off

décoller = to take off

faire demi-tour = to U-turn

goudron (nm) = tarmac; tar

hélice (nf) = propeller

le Moyen Orient = Middle East

manche à balai (nm) = joystick, control stick

nœud (nm) = knot

passer l'immigration = to go through customs

passerelle (nf) = footbridge; walkway

pilote automatique = auto-pilot

pilote de ligne (nm) = airline pilot

piloter = to fly (a plane)

porte (nf) = gate

prendre la relève = to take the helm, to take over

roulage (nm) = taxi

se cantonner à… = to limit oneself to…

vol (nm) = flight

Questions:

(part 1) What did Jean-Benoit want to be when he was a child? What eventually made him change his mind?

(part 2) What is “the pilote en fonction”?

(part 4) Before they were a mere strip/line, what shape did the landing strips used to be? Why?

Answers:

He wanted to be Santa! (le Père Noël) but gave up when he found out he had to learn all the languages in the world!

He/she’s the one who make the plane take off and land.

A round/ a circle / a disc. The pilot would use its diameter as the landing strip, in the way that would make them face the wind to take off.

Links & Resources

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