Does flying screw your body up?

F

future777captain

New Member
I was curious as to how this works. As a pilot, especially if you do a lot of international flights, you are working accross various time zones and different schedules. After a while doesn't if begin to affect your body. For example, I know this sounds crude, but a lot of people need to have a d**p in the morning. But doesn't being halfway accross the world affect your body's 'comfort' levels? Or even knowing when to eat breakfast and when to eat dinner.
This also goes for any kind of pilot really. How do you handle the weird schedules and keep your health?
 
I dont have any answers backed up with any real data, but my personal feeling is that Cargo pilots have a shorter lifespan because working on the backside of the clock takes a toll on your body. I think any job where you work graveyard, isnt good.

with that said, i woudnt turn down a job from UPS. haha
 
I know alot of guys who flew frieght, were in the military, and flew international that are in there late 70's, early 80's and they are still doing alright.

As for the bowel statement, well, im guessing the body is ready to release when it is time... and its usually dependant on your eating habits.
 
Shifting your schedule around certainly can screw with your body. Trips that mix daytime flying with redeyes are pretty tough sometimes. For example flying from JFK to Las Vegas in the morning, day-sleeping in Vegas, then flying a redeye back to the east coast.

I personally believe that half an Ambien to get the day-sleep going wouldn't be a bad thing but sleep aids are against the rules.

So yes, it can be tough on your body but you get used to it after a while.
 
future777captain said:
How do you handle the weird schedules and keep your health?
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You just do it. I guarantee this career will take years off of your life. Eventually you'll just forget how good you used to feel and just suck it up. It's part of the job. And I am just speaking for the poor seats, poor food, loud noises, constantly changing sleep/work times, and changing hotels. I can't even imagine how crappy the long haul guys must feel after a trip.
 
It absolutely has a deleterious effect on your health if you're not proactive about it.

I've always been relatively nocturnal so I'm usually working when I'd be up surfing the internet on the west coast. However, the "morning people" that are usually in bed by 9 or 10pm on the east are some of the ones that have a tougher time with the international operations.
 
proper diet, sleep, and excercise are key to staying healthy. On a long overnight I will try to get 10 hours IN THE BED, a couple real meals, and at least a basic workout. That can easily be done on a 14 hour overnight which we typically get a couple good ones on a 3/4 day trip. A couple adult beverages are helpful in relaxing the body before bed and I think a combo of all the above will keep you feeling good. If you consume a ton of alcohol, sleep it off, and eat a ton of junk food you are heading down a horrible path.

I do not believe that flying the long haul international stuff will shorten life spans. My father has been doing it for 18 years and I cannot find another 48 year old who can keep up with him! Taking care of your body of first and foremost regardless of the job.
 
On layovers long enough, I usually walk to a grocery store and buy fruits and vegetables. This does not turn me into a slamclick who doesn't to out to dinner with the crew, though, and I don't do it to save money. I do it to eat stuff that will keep me alive. A typical assortment might be a head of broccoli, a few cloves of garlic, a box of cherry tomatoes, and a grapefruit and eating it while I surf the internet.

A few people I've flown with make me wonder how they are still alive. Coffee and peanuts for breakfast on a three hour flight. Once at the hub, McDonalds and soda. Out to dinner later, a big plate of fried whatever and soda or beer. Four days out of seven with zero fruits or vegetables. That's how flying can screw your body up. But as people above this post have said, there are plenty of ways to stay healthy while doing this, you just have to try.
 
Nick said:
A few people I've flown with make me wonder how they are still alive. Coffee and peanuts for breakfast on a three hour flight. Once at the hub, McDonalds and soda. Out to dinner later, a big plate of fried whatever and soda or beer. Four days out of seven with zero fruits or vegetables. That's how flying can screw your body up. But as people above this post have said, there are plenty of ways to stay healthy while doing this, you just have to try.
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You just explained how I went from a healthy 175 pounds 8 years ago to 260 pounds today with slowly increasing blood pressure. This career is killer if you don't watch yourself.
 
Nick said:
On layovers long enough, I usually walk to a grocery store and buy fruits and vegetables. This does not turn me into a slamclick who doesn't to out to dinner with the crew, though, and I don't do it to save money. I do it to eat stuff that will keep me alive. A typical assortment might be a head of broccoli, a few cloves of garlic, a box of cherry tomatoes, and a grapefruit and eating it while I surf the internet.
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I used to always do this when I flew single-pilot 135, but now with a crew, I feel like exactly what you're saying 'a slamclick who doesn't go out to dinner with the crew.' So I quit doing the grocery thing. How do you do both?
 
ppilot said:
I used to always do this when I flew single-pilot 135, but now with a crew, I feel like exactly what you're saying 'a slamclick who doesn't go out to dinner with the crew.' So I quit doing the grocery thing. How do you do both?
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There are enough layovers that are long enough. If we get in at noon, I could go out right after I change clothes and still have hours until we might meet for dinner later.

Not every place has a grocery store but others have a huge selection of course, as you know. Some days you can see the approach lights to the runway you just landed on and other days Pike Place Market is a five minute walk. I just try to take advantage of the latter type.
 
Oh it's a heck of a challenge for me. But I've "reversed" my trend by taking a three hour nap when I get to Europe, getting up, taking at least a 20 minute run, NO SNACKING and trying to sleep at least 6 hours at night (which is about my average anyway). If I get up too early, I'll hit the gym again and keep meals on the airplane at a minimum. Plus, while I'm in the city, I try to walk a lot if the area is safe

Some guys will eat the nuts, the appetizer, a soup, salad, main dish, the fruit plate, the cheese plate and then have an ice cream sundae, and then a few hours later, have either the hamburger/chicken salad (westbound) or eat breakfast (eastbound).

HOLY COW!

The meals usually change every few months so most times I'll just have a soup and salad on the airplane because I'm tired of eating the choices we have available. Killer soups, maing. Killer.
 
Dad does the "3 hour nap" on arrival deal. But that is more of a function of the 3rd pilot deadheading over on a flight that is less than 8 hours, instead of helping you guys out. So the only 3 person crews eastbound are ATH and FCO (MXP in the summertime too), and he is nowhere near holding those. He can get a MAN (8:10 westbound) or two now as a CA.

As an FO he did the nap in the afternoon before departure, nap on the plane, and go out in the city.

International food kicks serious rear end.
 
That's the weirdest setup!

I figure if you've got another pilot on the aircraft under 8 hours eastbound, might as well use him, you know? Heck, even our late JFK-LGW has a three-man crew and it's rarely even close to 8.

How does the relief pilot get paid when he's deadheading?
 
Doug Taylor said:
That's the weirdest setup!

I figure if you've got another pilot on the aircraft under 8 hours eastbound, might as well use him, you know? Heck, even our late JFK-LGW has a three-man crew and it's rarely even close to 8.

How does the relief pilot get paid when he's deadheading?
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He gets paid more to ride in the back than if he was flying on a 757. Just after the contract was signed DH pay went to 50% for a year then 75% for another year, now its back at 100%. With all the DHing that the EWR FOs were doing that DESTROYED the EWR 756 FO base. On top of the payrate cut he probably lost another $1000 a month because of that deal for 2 years, as all the IRO trips went VERY junior, instead of rather senior.

Why do they do it? IRO's (the second FO) will credit over 100 hours for the month. Less staffing.
 
I know a friend of mine who flies Gulfstreams to god knows where..he always seems to be in a different city of the world everytime I get in touch with him. Anyways, he makes it a point to fit in an hour of yoga at least every other day, along with walking around the city he is at (of course keeping in mind that safety factor), and a healthy diet. I guess the rest is up to whoever is upstairs. I can only speak for myself, but here at TechOps, I have a rotating schedule which changes every three weeks, and I try to walk around the whole site at least 3 times a day and avoid snacking on junk food (even though it is SOOO tempting at 130AM).

Doug Taylor said:
Oh it's a heck of a challenge for me. But I've "reversed" my trend by taking a three hour nap when I get to Europe, getting up, taking at least a 20 minute run, NO SNACKING and trying to sleep at least 6 hours at night (which is about my average anyway). If I get up too early, I'll hit the gym again and keep meals on the airplane at a minimum. Plus, while I'm in the city, I try to walk a lot if the area is safe

Some guys will eat the nuts, the appetizer, a soup, salad, main dish, the fruit plate, the cheese plate and then have an ice cream sundae, and then a few hours later, have either the hamburger/chicken salad (westbound) or eat breakfast (eastbound).

HOLY COW!

The meals usually change every few months so most times I'll just have a soup and salad on the airplane because I'm tired of eating the choices we have available. Killer soups, maing. Killer.
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...Doug, are the soups good up in BE? I keep meaning to try them when I go to Europe, but I take the salads instead. Maybe this weekend I'll break down and try one ;-)
 
The Carrot-Ginger and the Lobster Bisque are hella tasty. Nothing beat the Thai Ginger-Coconut though.
 
These are some interesting replies. I was worried about how I would handle it if I ever get hired after training. I used to teach English in Korea and the non-stop toronto-seoul flight was easy for me to go through, because I love planes, but it was adjusting to the time differences and all that that took me a week or so each time.
 
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