Trans-Pacific 747 crew questions

Schinpop

Schinpop

Well-Known Member
I recently travelled to China from the US, and it made me wonder how the flight crew deals with a 15 hour flight. I was on a 747-400 (United) out of SFO for HKG, and I thought I saw 4 pilots, but I'm not sure. Do they switch crews mid flight, or can a single crew work 15 hours straight? Also, I've heard that the international wide body crews get paid the most. What does the typical trans-pacific monthly line look like?

Schinpop
 
The hourly pay is highest for the large widebody planes like the 747 at the passenger airlines.

There are two ways that I know of that US airlines staff these flights. Northwest is the only airline that I know of that brings two crews. All pilots are in the cockpit for takeoff. The off-duty captain and off-duty first officer go back to the rest bunk shortly after departure and stay there on break for the first half of the flight. At the halfway point in time, they come back up and are briefed by the crew that has flown the first half. They switch. The takeoff crew is done until the descent when they come back up and sit in the jumpseats for landing. The landing captain and landing first officer complete the second half of the flight. One the next legs or return flight they would switch so that the takeoff crew gets a chance to land.

Other airlines have one captain and three first officers. The captain is on duty for takeoff and then takes a break in the middle of the flight. He or she returns for landing.

There are a variety of trips for these long haul routes and I am only able to give you a sample of one airline, Northwest. All 747-400 pilots are based in DTW. Here are the extremes:

Day 1 DTW - NGO
Day 3 NGO - DTW

Or up to a 13 day long Pacific Rim adventure such as:
DTW - NRT - JFK - NRT - SIN - NRT - MSP - NRT - DTW

I made that up but it is basically what most of the longer ones look like. From what I've been told the shorter three day trips are the most senior, and I understand why. It would be about 28 hours in just three days and commuting home on the return day would be easy since they usually arrive between 10AM and 4PM.

I am eager to read what pilots who have flown these routes have to say.
 
I hear JAL operates these flights with just 2 pilots!

With BA there is no pay difference on equipment - it is all about time with the company. I think the pilots prefer it, they can select an aircraft that suites their lifestyle.
 
FedEx normally does it with two full crews, although we can do it with three f/o's. Unlike NWA, we don't swap at the midpoint, the "operating" crew does both the takeoff and landing, the relief crew just does that, but the company feels it is safer to have two full crews, even though the contract allows either way.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I hear JAL operates these flights with just 2 pilots!

With BA there is no pay difference on equipment - it is all about time with the company. I think the pilots prefer it, they can select an aircraft that suites their lifestyle.

[/ QUOTE ]

I really do not think that the JCAB would allow "2" pilots to fly a "2" man cockpit for a 15 hour flight.
 
That is whtat I heard was one of the reasons the burn out/medical disqualifications were say high at JAL.
 
Whew 15hrs for a 2 man crew... how many cups of coffee or Jolt did they drink!
shocked.gif
I guess thank god for autopilot.
 
From what I remember talking to Cathay and Qantas crews - flight crew consists of Capt, FO, and 2 SO's. Say a 16hr flight is then broken into roughly 4 - 4hr segments - always having 2 people up front at a time. Captain obviously makes final call on when he wants his shift but is definitely there for t/o and landing.

Last time I saw a JAL crew there was 3 from Osaka - Melbourne which I believe is 8 or 10hrs or so. Can't imagine they'd only put 2 on a 15hr flight??
 
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