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  • First Officer landing an airplane

    hey guys.

    Maybe the answer to this question is obvious but I wasn't sure so I decided to ask you - experts

    When I was flying in a 762 (in a cockpit) and when we were landing I asked the pilots who will be landing. Just for a joke you know So the first officer said taht he will which surprised me a lot. Captain said that he has to learn and all taht stuff so yeah. We performed ILS but then at the end first officer took the control and landed the aircraft himslef without any help of the Captain. Have to add taht it was one of the smoothest landing i have witnessed

    Anyway my question. Is it common for first officers to land aircrafts? I mean I thought that all that they do is just the secondary work (like papers, comm, etc.) and not landing. Also are they cases when first officer flies the whole flight jsut like the captain and vice versa ?

    Please hel pwith this question. I know Anthony works as first officer so maybe he can tell from his experience

    Thanks

  • #2
    I think you may need spell-checker!

    I do about 50% of the landings. The only time I am limited is when the weather is below Cat I, the crosswind exceeds 20knots or the aircraft is in a non-normal configuration.

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    • #3
      Alright thanks for reply. What about take off ? Are you doing them sometimes or is it captains job ?

      Oh and sorry for spelling. I just hate typing on a keyboard....lol

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      • #4
        In the US, for most airlines, the Captain and the First Officer are equal with the final decision laying on the Captain.

        But otherwise they share the same work, one may do take off and the other does landing, and they switch back and forth per leg.

        Alex
        Stop Searching. Start Traveling. southwest.com

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        • #5
          When I am given a sector I am expected to operate 'In Command Under Supervision'. At flightplanning I am expected to make a fuel decision. After the Before Taxi checklist I am given control to taxi, take off, manage the flight, land and taxi until we are aligned with the gate.

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          • #6
            Can a captain or fo taxi? Do some aircraft have a tiller on both sides? I do realize that not all aircraft have tillers for ground taxi

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            • #7
              All Qantas widebodies have a tiller on both sides. The limitation as I mentioned above is that the FO relinquishes control when aligned with the gate as most nose-in guidance systems are aligned to the Captains perspective.

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              • #8
                At CX all our aircraft have tillers left and right. There are few roles which must be done as Captain and FO. This includes the signing of the paperwork which requires the captains signatures. Apart from that, everything else is split down into PF (Pilot Flying) and PNF (Pilot Not Flying), regardless of whether it be the Captain or FO. I notice AJ says the FO takes control after the Before Taxi Checklist. At CX the FO can start the engines as well as do all the preflight stuff....in fact as I say the PF does it all.

                The aim of all this is to basically have FOs operating and thinking as Captains so when it becomes turn for the FO to get his or her promotion it is a fairly easy and painless transition from the left to the right seat....at least that is the idea!
                Have a look at my photos, including Kai Tak crazy landings!http://www.jetphotos.net/showphotos.php?userid=460

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                • #9
                  At my airline, I start all 3 engines and read the Before Start, After Start, and Securing checklists. I have 3 "flows" I must accomplish for various checklist items.

                  When I fly (Pretty much 50% of the time) I can do everything but taxi (no FO tiller) and abort the takeoff. Once I set the reduced or maximum EPR my hands go on the yoke and the captain has control over the abort. After V1 it is my airplane until I land and usually get to about 60 knots and the reversers are stowed. Then the captain will take the tiller and taxi in.

                  I am trained in the simulator to the same standards as a Captain. The only manuvers a Captain has to accomplish on a checkride that I do not are a 2-engine out approach, steep turns, and a slats only landing. Aulthough we are trained on them as FO's we are not required to accomplish them on a checkride.

                  It is always the Captain's discretion on how much flying gets split.
                  Anybody can fly a round airplane....

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                  • #10
                    The only non-normal thing an FO is prohibited from doing at my company is a 0 flaps landing. There are still situations that might require it, so will still do it in the sim.

                    Other than that, it is captain's discretion how many legs the FO flies. I only know of one captain who doesn't let the FO fly at least half the legs. I know another one who barely flies any of the legs. He figures the FO will learn more if he can repeat something immediately rather than a couple of hours later. If the FO is experienced, then he just gets chaufered around the system.

                    As already said, we're trained to the same standards as the captain. We take one less checkride is all, and in most cases the captain has more experience in the airplane.
                    Bite me Airways.....

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                    • #11
                      I think the practice at WN is that the Captain and FO alternate on a leg-to-leg basis.
                      Follow me on Twitter! www.twitter.com/flyingphotog

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by FlyingPhotog
                        I think the practice at WN is that the Captain and FO alternate on a leg-to-leg basis.
                        I believe that's how it is in many airlines..at least all the ones that I have flown on.

                        As far as I know the only thing the FO isn't allowed to do at Alaska Airlines is take off from SNA. The Captain is required to do the take off from runway 19R because of 'noise restrictions' (there's a special take off procedure).

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                        • #13
                          I'm promoted to Captain now, but before that i did almost everything a Captain would have done. And to do everyting you have to sit in de left seat to do so. So sometimes the Capt. told me to sit on the left.

                          One way I flew and the return de Capt. to "bring the baby back" they most say.

                          but the more experience you have the more you may do. And ofcource the weather is very important during t/o or landing.

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                          • #14
                            Hey guys,

                            as LH it is the same like most of you said. I do about 50% of the landings. Sometimes more, depends on the mood of the captain. Once I did all landings (except one) on a 5 day trip (20 sectors). The captain asked me which sectors I want to fly and I said: ALL! he said: ok, all but one... So, I did all the take offs and landings! was great fun

                            At LH you get to an B737 or A320 right after flight school with about 200 hours on props. So you need to learn a lot and they let you do a lot! As long as it is safe of course. I am allowed to do all landings except when it goes below CAT I. Even at 30knots crosswind I am allowed to land and did it already. I mean, you have to learn it as well! And if you are in doubt, GO AROUND! At LH we dont need to report why we did go around. We just do it and then land afterwards, thats it.
                            During abnormal or emergency situations it is highly recommended that the captain is doing the landing. A few weeks ago we had to land with the 737 with flaps 15° only (instead of 30° or 40°) and the captain asked me if I had done such a landing yet. I said no, so I kept the controls and did the landing. The captain did already 5 of these landings, so a new experience for me and training as well

                            WILCO737

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by JSchraub
                              Do some aircraft have a tiller on both sides?
                              Good question. Only the Captain could taxi Air Canada's DC8's (pax and freighters).

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