{"id":2414,"date":"2015-01-30T16:48:29","date_gmt":"2015-01-31T02:48:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/grumpyseniors.com\/?p=2414"},"modified":"2015-01-30T17:29:36","modified_gmt":"2015-01-31T03:29:36","slug":"so-whos-the-pilot-anyway","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/grumpyseniors.com\/?p=2414","title":{"rendered":"So – who’s the pilot anyway?"},"content":{"rendered":"

I need to share something with my friends in the press.
\nSome education apparently is needed.<\/p>\n

Years ago, reporters used to specialize and had knowledge of specific fields.<\/p>\n

Mine was aviation and medial reporting.<\/p>\n

I owned a plane at that time.<\/p>\n

Today, local reporters (and more than a few national ones) seem not to know much about passenger planes other than how cramped the seats are.<\/p>\n

Case in point…<\/p>\n

Problems with airplanes have been in the news a lot lately.<\/p>\n

\"crew-01-sized\"<\/a>Why does an organization that supposedly cares about getting the facts correct keep leaving the impression the co-pilot on the plane is some sort of person in training?<\/p>\n

Last week everyone got all crazy when the captain of a Delta flight was locked out of the cockpit.<\/p>\n

Heaven forbid – the copilot had to land the plane in Las Vegas.<\/p>\n

So\u00a0what?
\nIt’s perfectly normal for the co-pilot to fly the plane.<\/p>\n

In fact, in many cases he or she may have more experience than the Captain.<\/p>\n

A copilot, or more properly the First Officer, is fully qualified to operate the aircraft.<\/p>\n

They are fully trained and can have more flight hours and years of experience than the Captain.<\/p>\n

He or she shares flying duties with the captain.<\/p>\n

\"app_briefing_checklist-sized\"<\/a>For example, in a trip with 4 stops, the First Officer usually alternates with the Captain taking turns taking off, flying and landing.<\/p>\n

If there’s a flight from Honolulu to Las Vegas, the Captain will usually fly one way and First Officer the other.<\/p>\n

So why the different titles if both the Captain and First Officer do the same thing equally well?<\/p>\n

Somebody has to be in charge and responsible.
\nThere has to be a boss to make the final decisions and take the heat if something goes wrong.<\/p>\n

That’s why the Captain makes more money.<\/p>\n

It’s a common thing during emergencies or some situations that the captain gives the co-pilot the responsibility to fly the plane while the captain can give attention to communications, troubleshooting, coordinating the checklists.<\/p>\n

Finally, if co-pilots are so good why aren’t they Captains?<\/p>\n

They will – some day.<\/p>\n

Right now seniority rules everything.<\/p>\n

It’s not uncommon to find a crew where the co-pilot is older and more experienced than the captain.<\/p>\n

\"FlightAware_LAS_STAR_CRESO-THREE-sized\"<\/a>The biggest problem that Delta First Officer faced without the Captain was the workload.<\/p>\n

There’s the the usual things involved in finding the airport, following controller instructions, lining up for an often complicated and precise approach, doing the necessary checklists and handling the controls.<\/p>\n

Add to that working the radios and move a lot of switches and levers normally handled by the other person – who wasn’t there.<\/p>\n

There’s very few shortcuts so you suck it up and get it done.<\/p>\n

Busy?
\nYes.<\/p>\n

Impossible?
\nObviously not.<\/p>\n

Remember there two pilots in the nose of that plane.
\nBoth superbly trained, experienced and part of a team.<\/p>\n

To my reporter ex-colleagues…
\nStop freaking out.
\nPlease.<\/p>\n

You’re making me grumpy.<\/p>\n

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