Airbus A320 Cockpit Pictures!

So while everyone was moving slowing out of the parked aircraft at Singapore's Changi Airport, I noticed a kid walking into a cockpit. What was he doing there?! Post 9-11, it's totally impossible to ask for permission for a tour of the cockpit while the aircraft was in flight. But what about if the flight was already over? I never considered that scenario, did the kid know something I didn't? Valuair has a more informal and carefree attitude towards life, could they possible accommodate to the most minute request in the entire world and allow someone to waltz into a cockpit for a glimpse of heaven?

So I waited around while everyone alighted, and then walked to the front and asked the stewardess if I could go into the cockpit. She turned and asked the Singaporean co-pilot, whom I thought was an angel; he was so friendly and said sure, go ahead! So I went in and it was fantastic, with all the glowing gauges and knobs...

I decided to push my luck because I had already had an inch and wanted a foot more. I asked whether I could take pictures. He didn't have a problem with that, but out of respect for the French captain, he asked his superior. The French man was still sorting out his Jeppesen charts, and casually agreed. So I got my foot.


I didn't dare sit at the empty copilot's seat because it wouldn't be right. I was but a computer simulator turbo prop student, this is a real jet aircraft! I trembled in fear whilst in this temple of aviation, and hence some of the pictures are quite blurry.








I told the copilot that I play the computer simulator (although that's technically incorrect since I don't know how to fly a jet with the computer yet), and he said yeah, this is just like the simulator. I guess he's probably right, since this aircraft, an Airbus A320, is flown-by-wire where electrical signals and not mechanical effort is sent to the flying surfaces. The pilot was probably quite amused as I bid him farewell...I'm going to try my luck in this manner from now on. Maybe I'll even dare sit in the right-hand co-pilot seat next time... Is that bad manners? Is this against FAA regulations?!