Pilots reveal some secrets of air travel

In the latest edition of Reader's Digest, which hit newsstands this past Tuesday, the publication asks 17 airline pilots to dish the dirt about what is really going on behind the scenes when you're flying the friendly skies. 

Below are just a few of our favorite entries from the mostly anonymous pilots. 

• “Sometimes the airline won’t give us lunch breaks or even time to eat. We have to delay flights just so we can get food.” – First officer on a regional carrier.

• “The truth is, we’re exhausted. Our work rules allow us to be on duty 16 hours without a break. That’s many more hours than a truck driver. And unlike a truck driver, who can pull over at the next rest stop, we can’t pull over at the next cloud.” – Captain at a major airline

• “No, it’s not your imagination: Airlines really have adjusted their
  flight arrival times so they can have a better record of on-time
  arrivals. So they might say a flight takes two hours when it really
  takes an hour and 45 minutes.” – AirTran Airways captain, Atlanta

• “At some airports with really short runways, you’re not going to have a
  smooth landing no matter how good we are: John Wayne Airport; Jackson
  Hole, Wyoming; Chicago Midway; and Reagan National.” – Joe D’Eon, a pilot at a major airline

• “We miss the peanuts too.” – US Airways pilot, South Carolina

For the full list check out this month's Reader's Digest.