Sleeping While doing a Transoceanic flight?

[Caleb Duress 1383581]

I'm planning a transoceanic flight from Los Angeles to Sydney, but I'm wondering, should I disconnect sometime after take off and let the plane fly while I rest up and back up in the morning for the last 11 hours? And how do I keep myself entertained during the flight?

[Robert Shearman Jr]

If you're going to be away from the cockpit (or otherwise unable to answer commands) for more than a few minutes, then yes, you should disconnect.

 

As for entertainment -- we'll, you're sitting at a computer connected to the internet. The options are nearly limitless.

[Trent Hopkinson]

You need to be able to answer a private message in reasonable time, and be ready to sit there and talk to ATC if that message was a "Hi, I'm ATC and just logged on/you just entered my airspace, please contact me for traffic, information and separation services"

 

I'd say "Within 3 or 4 minutes" is a reasonable time. Do what you need to make this happen, be it editing/turning up the volume of your private message "ding dong" sound to be so loud it 100% wakes you up if you drifted off... not leaving the room, setting alarms every 20 mins so you don't go into deep sleep, drinking caffeinated beverages, getting up off the seat and doing excersizes and stretching etc. I say 3 or 4 minutes because there will be a requirement to visit the bathroom if you are doing the whole caffeinated beverages thing on a 8 or 9 hour flight.

 

I edited the sound file for my private message to double the volume and repeat 3 times using the sound editor http://www.audacityteam.org/ as a last safety net, just incase I fell asleep in my "Comfy chair".

 

I also make sure my SELCAL is working (SELCAL check on initial contact) and ensure I'm on SELCAL watch with Oceanic ATC so if they need to talk to me, they send the SELCAL. Additionally set an alarm for your Waypoint estimates (maybe a minute lead time to get the data ready for the report).

 

So the best answer is If you want to sleep for an hour without waking up every few mins, log off.

If you want to stay logged on - expect (even hope for) ATC to come online and be ready to respond to them.