Secrets Pilots Won’t Tell You: 35 Things Most People Don’t Know About Flying

On one hand, morning flights are a drag simply because you have to get up so early. No one likes the alarm going off at 3AM. But if you're a nervous flyer, you should know some facts about flights, and one big secret is that morning flights are the smoothest. According to the Daily Mail, lighter winds and fewer storms mean less turbulence.

Here are 20 reasons why Canadian travellers are loved abroad.

Planes are no different than any complex machine in that they occasionally break down. Airlines won't tell you that it happens more often than you might think, but thanks to rigid inspections, these problems are rarely life-threatening. And, says the Daily Mail, more serious troubles like power failures and engine problems are either fixed before takeoff or dealt with in the air, often without you ever knowing.

The Daily Mail reports that half the pilots surveyed in a 2012 study admitted to nodding off. That fact about pilots is not as big a deal as you might think. First, the autopilot takes care of much of the flight, and second, there's a co-pilot. On long flights pilots often take breaks and put the co-pilot in charge. Some newer planes even have designated sleeping areas.

See even more surprising facts you didn't know about flying.

Another pilot secret, according to the Daily Mail, is that pilots don't eat the same food as those of us back in economy. They either chow down on special meals or enjoy the same fare as those in business class. Sometimes they even bring their own food. Another secret: the captain and co-pilot will eat different meals, just in case of food poisoning.

When you experience a hard landing, it doesn't mean that it was a bad landing. The Daily Mail reveals another pilot secret: if the runway is wet, the pilot will bring the plane down hard to prevent it from skidding.

Planes get hit by lightning all the time. According to the Daily Mail, it happens at least once a year to most planes and does no damage. Go ahead, ask your pilot to spill more on that fact the next time you're on board a flight. You may even pick up a few phrases from the secret language of flight attendants!

In case of an emergency, oxygen masks will deploy from the ceiling. But another secret you may not know is that there isn't an endless supply of air. The Daily Mail says that there's enough for about 15 minutes. But don't panic, that's more than enough time for the plane to descend to an altitude where you can breathe without a mask.

Commenting on Quora, air traffic controller Paul Cox says that ATC delays are really over-scheduling delays. In general, a one runway airport can handle about 60 flight takeoffs or landings (or a combo) per hour. That drops with bad weather.

So if you're stuck spending more time on a plane than you might've planned for, try these 20 things to do when you're bored on a plane.

A pilot won't tell you this in person, but one writing on Quora advises that you should avoid airplane coffee, calling the on-board potable water used to make it 'disgusting'. The Wall Street Journal investigated the quality of on-board flight water in the past and found all sorts of nasty critters swimming around. If you want to be sure that your water is just water, buck up for something in a bottle or can and avoid anything that uses airplane water.

Ever wonder why the 'fasten seatbelt' sign is on, even when the flight is smooth? It's because the pilot forgot to turn it off. Whoops! (Sorry, pilots, now we know!)

Did you know that in the US, Federal Flight Deck Officers (a program of the US Federal Air Marshal Service) can carry a firearm in the cockpit? However, they have to undergo rigorous training and screening before bringing it on the flight.

According to Quora, many of the planes in the air are quite old. They don't look their age thanks to a fresh coat of paint. It's easy to find out how old a plane is. Just copy down the registration number on the tail and look it up at Planespotter.net. Surprise fact!

One secret fact about plane crashes relates to the flight recorder. They're built to survive most crashes, but flight recorders aren't indestructible. A severe impact or a jet fuel fire can damage or destroy data on the recorder.

According to Quora, a pilot can send a secret signal that something is wrong on the plane by leaving the flaps down after landing.

You already know to avoid an aircraft's on-board water. But it's much harder to avoid germs in the cabin. According to Reader's Digest, they're on every surface, which airlines definitely don't want you to think about. When people get sick after flying it's generally because of something they touched, not something in the air. Pack some disinfectant wipes to clean your tray, armrest, touch screen and seatbelt buckle.

For more on where to avoid, check out the filthiest spots on airplanes and in airports.

Even though they're big and heavy, passenger jets can still glide. With no propulsive power, a big plane can glide more than 60km. A good pilot can then land the plane. Remember the Gimli Glider?

It's all but impossible for turbulence to cause a plane crash. Pilots may not want you to know that in fact, the big threat is a sudden updraft. "It's like hitting a giant speedbump at 500 miles an hour," John Nance, aviation safety analyst and retired airline captain, told Reader's Digest.

A plane is like a seesaw, Patrick Smith, pilot and author of Cockpit Confidential explained to Reader's Digest. His best secret for a less bumpy flight? If you want a smooth ride, sit over the wings. The back of the plane is the bumpiest although it is the warmest part of the cabin.

Just like your flight there, we're pretty sure you want your entire trip to go smoothly, too. To ensure all goes well, don't forget any of these 20 things you should always travel with.

According to Reader's Digest, there is such an emphasis on on-time performance these days that pilots often can't delay a flight even if there is a connecting flight coming in a few minutes late.

Think you can hold on to your child if there's an impact or sudden deceleration? Pilots, flight attendants and airlines would tell you there's not a chance, reports Reader's Digest. Your kid is going to become a projectile. If you want to ensure his or her safety, use a safety seat.

According to Knowable.com, there's a secret latch hidden inside the lavatory sign that will open the door from the outside, even when locked. Your flight attendants know how to open it up, if they need to get inside!

Dead bodies are transported on many commercial flights.

Many animals are terrified of flying. Airline employees will do what they can to calm your pet. It helps to write your pet's name on the carrier so staff can call it by name.

Just because the weather is nice locally, it doesn't mean that your incoming flight isn't hitting bad weather elsewhere. So don't get too grumpy about delays.

Speaking of bad weather, Knowable.com says it's rare that you'll get a free hotel room because of weather delays or anything that is considered beyond the airline's control.

If you do, here are some insider hotel secrets that will help make your stay more comfortable: 20 secrets hotel managers don't want you to know.

You can often get better consumer protection if you buy directly from the airline.

Airline employees and their families get free standby flights and only have to pay the taxes. The lucky ones work for airlines that are part of a large alliance.

According to Knowable.com, if an ambulance on the tarmac has its lights and sirens on, the airport will be shut down.

We're about to share one of the best travel secrets from airport workers we've ever learned. You can often raise the outside armrest on aisle seats. There's a button hidden in the underside of the armrest. However, the flight attendant may tell you to put it back down for safety reasons.

Do airline pilots actually fly the plane? Even though the autopilot does a lot of the heavy lifting, pilots still fly the plane.

Locks on zippered bags don't really do much for security, as we learned in this list of 13 secrets from flight attendants. It's easy to pop a zipper open — even a locked one — with little more than a pen.

One former airline employee writes on Knowable.com that one thing you may not want to know is that the coffee is gross because no one washes out the coffee container on many flights. Yuck.

Bags get tossed around and break open all the time, admitted one baggage handler on Knowable. Don't be surprised when it happens to you.

Have you ever boarded a flight and wondered about the difference between the pilots? The pilot (captain) and co-pilot (first officer) have the same authority and skills.

Flight attendants have lists of who is on the plane, their seats, their frequent flyer status and they know if a traveller is an employee or family of an employee.

That's why, says one commenter on Knowable.com, you'll see jerks being treated nicely.

Want more? Be sure not to miss 20 expert flying tips for winter weather.