What is the job of a First Officer?

[Roscoethepilot]

I need to know what are some of the responsibilities and roles of a first officer in a two pilot crew. Is it to pretty much man the radios while the pilot flys or what?

 

[AV1ATRX]

Do you mean in terms of interview question or just in general?

 

[EOpilot]

Gear up, flaps up, shut up.


Just kidding.

 

[General Lee]

The FO does all of the grunt work,(walkaround, cockpit setup most of the time) and the Captain makes the decisions--albeit with some input from the FO, and taxis the plane.

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[DirkkDiggler]

The FO does all of the grunt work,(walkaround, cockpit setup most of the time) and the Captain makes the decisions--albeit with some input from the FO, and taxis the plane.

Maybe if you fly with a bunch of arsehole captains. I've only ever flown with folks who are quite happy to share the chores such as walkaround and cockpit setup. We often rotate chores on a daily basis. As far as the flying; we swap every other leg with one pilot working the radios and checklists while the other flies the aircraft. Obviously the captain has the final say in any decision, but decent captains certainly respect the opinions of their first officers.

 

[jobear]

Heck I been at my company for going on 4 years and my captains still won't let me even tune the radidos. As far as being allowed to touch anything else they also asked to stop doing that as it was freaking out the passengers


Jobear
Master of Nothing

 

[FN FAL]

What is the job of a First Officer?

I think it's the "Blow Job", as evidenced by the ASA Dork Jet photo seen flying around the forum last week. Now we know the reason for rules pertaining to facial hair at airlines.

 

[General Lee]

That was funny.


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[Erlanger]

It's an easy job! You're the F.O. (flap operator)

 

[RJP]

I need to know what are some of the responsibilities and roles of a first officer in a two pilot crew. Is it to pretty much man the radios while the pilot flys or what?

YGTBSM! I hope you're in the 5th grade to be asking this question. FOs are only allowed to talk on the radio, can't fly and must load all the bags.

 

[dash8driver]

the FO is there to comment on the nasty crosswind when the captain botches a landing. most importantly he is there as the wingman to take the ugly chick while on overnites.

 

[RJP]

And to stand in the doorway after the captain greases one on and take credit where it's not due.

 

[dash8driver]

And to stand in the doorway after the captain greases one on and take credit where it's not due.

are you following me around the board?

 

[RJP]

are you following me around the board?

Nothing personal. I'm bored and no one else is on these threads. I'll stop stalking you now.

 

[dash8driver]

Nothing personal. I'm bored and no one else is on these threads. I'll stop stalking you now.

that makes two of us that are bored. i'll take any stalkers i can get..

 

[Publishers]

The difference between a F/O and a duck,
the duck can fly.

In many small carriers -== F/O is the auto pilot.

 

[LR25]

The job of an FO in a 3 crew aircraft has even more responsibility, after working the flaps and the gear, you also have to deflect birds so the FE doesnt get hit.

 

[Checknsix]

Depends on the captain. With some of them, you might as well be the four-striper. Fortunately, at my company, it has been few and far between.

Most of us that have been on the line for a while, put captains in one of two categories:

Cat 1. Man, I hope when I get to captain, that I can do that job half as well as he does.

Cat 2. Holy crap! If he can make captain, I sure as hell can.

- Checknsix

 

[Simon Says]

The job of the FO is to say " I will take the fat one"

 

[Reelbigfish]

The FO is nothing but an oxygen thief!

 

[dash8driver]

The FO is what the captain uses to hold heading, altitude, etc when the autopilot is MEL'd.

 

[heavy_d]

Clear right, nice landing Sir I'll take the fat one.

just remember that, it'l be that way for awhile

 

[TWA 2 ASA FO]

Your MAIN job as an F/O is to keep the Captain out of the Chief Pilot's office. An pilot who has been in this industry long enough knows there is ALWAYS a rule/reg/SOP to remember. As an F/O, you are there to support the Captain and give as much assistance as he requests or needs.

Unfortunately, some Captains think the 4th stripe gives them the ability to ignore any rules they choose. As an F/O, your job is to VERY politically "suggest" to the Captain a more safe/legal course of action. It is VERY difficult to do that an not bruise the ego of this type of Captain. Once you do that you can forget having any fun. He will resort to the dictator and tell you how to tie your shoelaces.

The professional Captain views F/O's as Captains in training. The only reason anyone is Captain is due to seniority. Anyone who tells you they are Captain because "They are a better pilot than you" is just full of themselves. This doesn't mean I don't respect the Captain, I always say sir of ma'am to them out of respect.

 

[RJP]

Don't forget they do the walk-around in the snow and rain.

 

[Freight Dog]

The FO is what the captain uses to hold heading, altitude, etc when the autopilot is MEL'd.

Also to blame for certain things....

.... and perhaps to yell at when the FO starts tracking vs. homing.

 

[Propsync]

FO= Choremonkey

Good job= bananas

 

[flyer172r]

The primary job of the F.O. is to make the Captain look good.

 

[1.3XVso]

Clear right, nice landing Sir I'll take the fat one.

just remember that, it'l be that way for awhile

LMAO Funniest sh!t I've read!!

 

[Swede]

Some carriers have some mighty strange rules, here's one from AA that blew my mind - I was a 4,000+ hr MD80 FO, first leg of the trip, with a brand new Capt on type with 15 hours. We were going to some ski resort on a seasonal, and it was a "Captain-only airport", meaning the skipper HAD to make the landing. Bad wx too. The Capt was a good guy and said "This is B.S., YOU should be landing this bird". Sure enough, we cratered and gathered all sorts of snide comments from the ski people deplaning.


The FO's job is to keep the flight safe and everyone off the $hit-list, buy his round when it's time, and weild the crash axe when the bad guys come. If the FO landing sucked, he must stand in the CP door and absorb the abuse, shielding the skipper since it wasn't his fault.

Oh yeah, get your verbal "objection" to a bad capt. decision on the CVR in a timely fashion = most important.