Non-Rev Crew Member In The Cockpit

I'd have the FA's get a head count on all the pilots in the plane. Ratings, hours, previous experience and so on. Depending on the weather, traffic volume, location, destination, etc I would decide if I needed help or just do it myself.
 
Krystal said:
Whats made me laugh about the entire thing is that if you read or watch anything about this incident, the reporters/writers keep stressing how the "co-pilot MANAGED to land the plane by himself...and that LUCKILY, an "off duty CAPTAIN, was able to step in." Like it was some miracle that the "lowly co-pilot" was able to fly at all. Never liked the term "co-pilot"....last I checked, they're ALL pilots!
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Yeah I was thinking the same thing. I don't think the media knows that us co-pilots could land the plane solo.
 
dasleben said:
. Good chance they'd also be more a hindrance than a help.
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Have to agree for any GA pilot. It would take more time showing them where the comm radios are and ensuring they didn't goof something up then they would be saving, They would be so out of their element they would not know what to do. Experienced jet transport aircraft pilot would be a different story.
 
Krystal said:
Whats made me laugh about the entire thing is that if you read or watch anything about this incident, the reporters/writers keep stressing how the "co-pilot MANAGED to land the plane by himself...and that LUCKILY, an "off duty CAPTAIN, was able to step in." Like it was some miracle that the "lowly co-pilot" was able to fly at all. Never liked the term "co-pilot"....last I checked, they're ALL pilots!
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Kinda funny, the last time I was getting a haircut, my barber asked: "So, you're a co-pilot? Are you allowed to land by yourself yet?"

Just since the first day. :)
 
I'd make a PA asking if there are any Flight Simulator Captains who have at least 10,000 hours "logged" in whatever I'm flying. Then I'd sit there quitely in the right seat, watch, and learn.
 
Boris Badenov said:
I'd make a PA asking if there are any Flight Simulator Captains who have at least 10,000 hours "logged" in whatever I'm flying. Then I'd sit there quitely in the right seat, watch, and learn.
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That time only counts if they sat there with the hat on.
 
Jet said:
Yeah I was thinking the same thing. I don't think the media knows that us co-pilots could land the plane solo.
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Not just the media; I recently had a non-pilot friend ask me what would happen if the captain was incapacitated. He wasn't sure if a copilot could land the plane or not.
 
dasleben said:
That time only counts if they sat there with the hat on.
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A niggling point of procedure, my friend. I mean, honestly, do you think there's a Flight Sim Nerd in the universe, let alone the world, who wouldn't have "steal the Captain's hat" as the first item on his "Airport '12" checklist? It goes without saying.
 
dasleben said:
Kinda funny, the last time I was getting a haircut, my barber asked: "So, you're a co-pilot? Are you allowed to land by yourself yet?"

Just since the first day. :)
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First Officer.

First-Officer-Ted-on-Pan-Am.png
 
Oh hell, I don't care what they call me. A lot of these oldskool retired Delta guys I fly with refer to FOs as "co-pilots." I don't think they mean anything by it...they're just old. :)
 
Probably depends on who is in the cabin and what the situation was.

I do, however, have a story that I'll tell over beers but not on the internet! Don't even ask for details electronically.
 
dasleben said:
Oh hell, I don't care what they call me. A lot of these oldskool retired Delta guys I fly with refer to FOs as "co-pilots." I don't think they mean anything by it...they're just old. :)
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Hell, I call myself a copilot. I guess it's just a result of the Eastern Air Lines culture around here. So many of the captains still say copilot, that I just started saying it myself. Doesn't bother me.
 
It's a bit like the term "Stewardess". Outdated, yes. But not meant as an "insult" when it's used.
 
Boris Badenov said:
I'd make a PA asking if there are any Flight Simulator Captains who have at least 10,000 hours "logged" in whatever I'm flying. Then I'd sit there quitely in the right seat, watch, and learn.
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It's every flight sim nerds dream!
FA- "the pilots are dead, can anyone fly this plane."
MFS Nerd- "I have 1,000,000 hours in this bird and have never had a girlfriend, yes I Can"
 
How about a flight attendant with a pilot certificate? (Yes, there are a few out there!) Would you consider that F/A an asset to the flight deck in such circumstances or insist s/he maintain their role as F/A?
 
MQAAord said:
How about a flight attendant with a pilot certificate? (Yes, there are a few out there!) Would you consider that F/A an asset to the flight deck in such circumstances or insist s/he maintain their role as F/A?
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I use 'em both. Co-pilot and first officer.

Now on the FA side, I generally stay "Flight Attendants" or behind closed doors, "Stews" just because I'm lazy and it's fewer syllables. I had a bad habit of saying "the girls" but they're women, most are older than I and there are a lot of dudes back there! :)
 
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