Aircrew, also called flight crew, are personnel who operate an aircraft while in flight. The composition of a flight's crew depends on the type of aircraft, plus the flight's duration and purpose.
In commercial aviation, the aircrew are called flight crew. Some flight crew position names are derived from nautical terms and indicate a rank or command structure similar to that on ocean-going vessels, allowing for quick executive decision making during normal operations or emergency situations. Historical flightdeck positions include:
Captain, the pilot highest-ranking member or members of a flight crew.
First officer (FO, also called a co-pilot), another pilot who is normally seated to the right of the captain. (On helicopters, an FO is normally seated to the left of the captain, who occupies the right-hand seat.)[1][2]
Second officer (SO), a person lower in rank to the first officer, and who typically performs selected duties and also acts as a relief pilot. The rank of second officer was traditionally a flight engineer, who was often the person who handled the engine controls. In the 21st century, second officers on some airlines are pilots who act as "cruise relief" on long haul flights.[2][3][4]
Third officer (TO), a person lower in rank to a second officer, and who typically performs selected duties and can also act as a relief pilot. Largely redundant in the present day.[3]
'Relief Crew' members in the present day are fully licensed and trained captains and first officers who accompany long-haul airline flights, and who relieve the primary pilots during designated times from the commercial operator or consented portions between the two crews to provide them with the opportunities for rest or sleep breaks to avoid the risk of pilot fatigue (some large wide-body airliners are equipped with special pilot sleeper berths, but more typically reserved seats in the section closest to the flight deck, or cockpit, are used for the relief crew).[5] A relief crew will take over most predominantly during the middle portions of a flight when an aircraft is usually on autopilot and at cruising altitude.[6] The number of relief crew members assigned to a flight depends in part on the length of the flight and the official air regulations the airline operates under.[2][3]
Flight Engineer (FE), a position originally called an 'Air Mechanic'. On older aircraft, typically between the late-1920s and the 1970s, the flight engineer was the crew member responsible for engines, systems and fuel management. As aircraft became increasingly sophisticated and automated, this function has been mostly assumed by the primary pilots (Captain and FO), resulting in a continued downsizing in the number of aircrew positions on commercial flights. The flight engineer's position is commonly staffed as a second officer. Flight engineers can still be found in the present day (in greatly diminished numbers), used on airline or air freight operations still flying such older aircraft. The position is typically crewed by a dual-licensed Pilot-Flight Engineer in the present day.[3][7][8][9]
Airborne Sensor Operator, An airborne sensor operator (aerial sensor operator, ASO, Aerial Remote Sensing Data Acquisition Specialist, Aerial Payload Operator, Police Tactical Flight Officer, Tactical Coordinator etc.) is the functional profession of gathering information from an airborne platform (Manned or Unmanned) and/or oversee mission management systems for academic, commercial, public safety or military remote sensing purposes. The airborne sensor operator is considered a principal flight crew or aircrew member.[10][11]
Navigator (archaic), also called 'Air Navigators' or 'Flight Navigators'. A position on older aircraft, typically between the late-1910s and the 1970s, where separate crew members (sometimes two navigation crew members) were often responsible for the flight navigation, including its dead reckoning and celestial navigation, especially when flown over oceans or other featureless areas where radio navigation aids were not originally available. As sophisticated electronic air navigation aids and universal space-based GPS navigation systems came online, the dedicated Navigator's position was discontinued and its function was assumed by dual-licensed Pilot-Navigators, and still later by the aircraft's primary pilots (Captain and FO), resulting in a continued downsizing in the number of aircrew positions on commercial flights. Modern electronic navigation systems made the navigator redundant by the early 1980s.[3][12]
Radio Operator (archaic). A position on much older aircraft, typically between the mid-1910s and the 1940s, where a separate crew member was often responsible for handling telegraphic and voice radio communications between the aircraft and ground stations. As radio sets became increasingly sophisticated and easier to operate, the function was taken over directly by a FO or SO, and still later by the pilot-in-command and co-pilot, making the radio operator's position redundant.[3][13][14]
Purser or In-flight Service Manager or Cabin Services Director, is responsible for the cabin crew as a team leader.
Flight attendant or Cabin Crew, is the crew member responsible for the safety of passengers. Historically during the early era of commercial aviation, the position was staffed by young 'cabin boys' who assisted passengers.[15] Cabin boys were replaced by female nurses, originally called 'stewardesses'. The medical background requirement for the flight attendant position was later dropped.[15]
Loadmaster, is a crew member on a cargo aircraft responsible for loading freight and personnel, and for calculating the aircraft's weight and balance prior to flight, which must be within the aircraft manufacturer's prescribed limits, for safe flight. On non-cargo aircraft, weight and balance tasks are performed by the flight crew.
Militaryedit
USAF, RAF and RAAF aircrew and maintenance personnel with their C-17s
From the start of military aviation, additional crew members have flown on military aircraft. Over time these duties have expanded:
Airborne Mission Systems Specialist, an aircrew member who operates some form of electronic or other type equipment such as computers, radars, or intelligence gathering equipment to assist or complete the aircraft's mission.
Airborne Sensor Operator, An airborne sensor operator (Aerial Sensor Operator, Tactical Coordinator, EWO etc.) is the functional profession of gathering information from an airborne platform (Manned or Unmanned) and/or oversee mission management systems for tactical, operational and strategic remote sensing purposes.
Crew chief, an enlisted aircraft mechanic with many various responsibilities. Primary among those are aircraft maintenance, pre-flight/postflight inspections, passenger management, acting as a doorgunner, in-air fire fighting, airspace surveillance, assisting the pilots to land the aircraft in difficult landing zones, assisting pilots with engine start up and shutdown safety, fuel checks, monitoring "hot" refuels (refueling with engines running).
Flight attendant, a crew member who tends to passengers on military aircraft. This position is similar to the duties performed by commercial flight attendants.
Flight engineer, a crew member responsible for engines, systems and fuel management.
Flight surgeon or flight nurse, aerial medical staff not involved in the operation of the aircraft but is considered by some militaries to be aircrew.[citation needed]
Loadmaster, crew member responsible for loading freight and personnel and the weight and balance of the aircraft.
Navigator, a crew member responsible for air navigation. Still actively trained and licensed in some present day militaries, as electronic navigation aids can not be assumed to be operational during warfare.
^ abcSmith, Patrick. Patrick Smith's Ask The Pilot: When a Pilot Dies in Flight May 2, 2015, at the Wayback Machine, AskThePilot.com website, 2013, which in turn cites:
Smith, Patrick. Cockpit Confidential: Everything You Need to Know About Air Travel: Questions, Answers, and Reflections, Sourcebooks, 2013, ISBN1402280912, ISBN978-1402280917.
^ abcdefLowery, John. , in Flying the World in Clipper Ships. Retrieved from flightjournal.com
^"Cathay Pacific - Cadet Pilots". jobsatcathaypacific.com. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
^"Flight Crew Alertness and Sleep Relative to Timing of In-Flight Rest Periods in Long-Haul Flights" (PDF). NASA Ames Human Systems Integration Division. 2020. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
^"Relief pilot concept "cruising" down the wrong path?". www.eurocockpit.be. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
^Stringman, D.C. (Flt. Lt.). The History of the Air Engineer: Training in the Royal Air Force, U.K.: RAF Finningley, 1984, pp. 39–43.
^Cox, John. Ask the Captain: What does the flight engineer do?, USA Today, March 23, 2014. Retrieved August 14, 2014.
^Eldridge, Andrea. Confessions of a Flight Engineer: Flashlights, timers, and breath mints required, Air & Space Smithsonian magazine, November 2011.
^Military Factory website, 2016. Retrieved February 21, 2016
^Law Officer 2016-02-16 at the Wayback Machine, October 30, 2008. Retrieved February 21, 2016
^Grierson, Mike. Aviation History—Demise of the Flight Navigator, FrancoFlyers.org website, October 14, 2008. Retrieved August 31, 2014.
^"Technology Timeline: The First Air-to-ground & Ground-to-air Communication". AT&T Labs. Retrieved November 7, 2011.
^Ennis, E.E. Wireless Telegraphy from an Aeroplane, Journal of Electricity, Power and Gas, April 1, 1911, pp. 279–280
Harris, Tom. How Airline Crews Work, HowStuffWorks.com website, June 14, 2001. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Aircrew members and Aviators in cockpits.
January 09, 2024
aircrew, crew, flight, crew, redirect, here, films, crew, film, flight, crew, film, also, called, flight, crew, personnel, operate, aircraft, while, flight, composition, flight, crew, depends, type, aircraft, plus, flight, duration, purpose, aircrew, jetstar, . Air crew and Flight crew redirect here For the films see Air Crew film and Flight Crew film Aircrew also called flight crew are personnel who operate an aircraft while in flight The composition of a flight s crew depends on the type of aircraft plus the flight s duration and purpose The aircrew of a Jetstar Airways Boeing 787 Contents 1 Commercial aviation 1 1 Flight deck positions 1 2 Cabin positions 2 Military 3 See also 4 References 4 1 Citations 4 2 Bibliography 5 External linksCommercial aviation editFlight deck positions edit In commercial aviation the aircrew are called flight crew Some flight crew position names are derived from nautical terms and indicate a rank or command structure similar to that on ocean going vessels allowing for quick executive decision making during normal operations or emergency situations Historical flightdeck positions include nbsp Bell 212 aircrew from Alpine Helicopters scramble on a medical evacuation mission Captain the pilot highest ranking member or members of a flight crew First officer FO also called a co pilot another pilot who is normally seated to the right of the captain On helicopters an FO is normally seated to the left of the captain who occupies the right hand seat 1 2 Second officer SO a person lower in rank to the first officer and who typically performs selected duties and also acts as a relief pilot The rank of second officer was traditionally a flight engineer who was often the person who handled the engine controls In the 21st century second officers on some airlines are pilots who act as cruise relief on long haul flights 2 3 4 Third officer TO a person lower in rank to a second officer and who typically performs selected duties and can also act as a relief pilot Largely redundant in the present day 3 Relief Crew members in the present day are fully licensed and trained captains and first officers who accompany long haul airline flights and who relieve the primary pilots during designated times from the commercial operator or consented portions between the two crews to provide them with the opportunities for rest or sleep breaks to avoid the risk of pilot fatigue some large wide body airliners are equipped with special pilot sleeper berths but more typically reserved seats in the section closest to the flight deck or cockpit are used for the relief crew 5 A relief crew will take over most predominantly during the middle portions of a flight when an aircraft is usually on autopilot and at cruising altitude 6 The number of relief crew members assigned to a flight depends in part on the length of the flight and the official air regulations the airline operates under 2 3 Flight Engineer FE a position originally called an Air Mechanic On older aircraft typically between the late 1920s and the 1970s the flight engineer was the crew member responsible for engines systems and fuel management As aircraft became increasingly sophisticated and automated this function has been mostly assumed by the primary pilots Captain and FO resulting in a continued downsizing in the number of aircrew positions on commercial flights The flight engineer s position is commonly staffed as a second officer Flight engineers can still be found in the present day in greatly diminished numbers used on airline or air freight operations still flying such older aircraft The position is typically crewed by a dual licensed Pilot Flight Engineer in the present day 3 7 8 9 Airborne Sensor Operator An airborne sensor operator aerial sensor operator ASO Aerial Remote Sensing Data Acquisition Specialist Aerial Payload Operator Police Tactical Flight Officer Tactical Coordinator etc is the functional profession of gathering information from an airborne platform Manned or Unmanned and or oversee mission management systems for academic commercial public safety or military remote sensing purposes The airborne sensor operator is considered a principal flight crew or aircrew member 10 11 Navigator archaic also called Air Navigators or Flight Navigators A position on older aircraft typically between the late 1910s and the 1970s where separate crew members sometimes two navigation crew members were often responsible for the flight navigation including its dead reckoning and celestial navigation especially when flown over oceans or other featureless areas where radio navigation aids were not originally available As sophisticated electronic air navigation aids and universal space based GPS navigation systems came online the dedicated Navigator s position was discontinued and its function was assumed by dual licensed Pilot Navigators and still later by the aircraft s primary pilots Captain and FO resulting in a continued downsizing in the number of aircrew positions on commercial flights Modern electronic navigation systems made the navigator redundant by the early 1980s 3 12 Radio Operator archaic A position on much older aircraft typically between the mid 1910s and the 1940s where a separate crew member was often responsible for handling telegraphic and voice radio communications between the aircraft and ground stations As radio sets became increasingly sophisticated and easier to operate the function was taken over directly by a FO or SO and still later by the pilot in command and co pilot making the radio operator s position redundant 3 13 14 Cabin positions edit Aircraft cabin crew members can consist of Purser or In flight Service Manager or Cabin Services Director is responsible for the cabin crew as a team leader Flight attendant or Cabin Crew is the crew member responsible for the safety of passengers Historically during the early era of commercial aviation the position was staffed by young cabin boys who assisted passengers 15 Cabin boys were replaced by female nurses originally called stewardesses The medical background requirement for the flight attendant position was later dropped 15 Flight medic is a specialized paramedic employed on air ambulance aircraft or flights Loadmaster is a crew member on a cargo aircraft responsible for loading freight and personnel and for calculating the aircraft s weight and balance prior to flight which must be within the aircraft manufacturer s prescribed limits for safe flight On non cargo aircraft weight and balance tasks are performed by the flight crew Military edit nbsp USAF RAF and RAAF aircrew and maintenance personnel with their C 17sFrom the start of military aviation additional crew members have flown on military aircraft Over time these duties have expanded Pilot Co pilot Air gunner crew member responsible for the operation of defensive weapons for example gun turrets Specific positions include nose gunner door gunner and tail gunner Bombardier or Bomb Aimer is a crew member for the release of ordnance particularly bombs Boom operator an aircrew member on tanker aircraft responsible for operating the flying boom and the transfer of fuel Combat systems officer Airborne Mission Systems Specialist an aircrew member who operates some form of electronic or other type equipment such as computers radars or intelligence gathering equipment to assist or complete the aircraft s mission Airborne Sensor Operator An airborne sensor operator Aerial Sensor Operator Tactical Coordinator EWO etc is the functional profession of gathering information from an airborne platform Manned or Unmanned and or oversee mission management systems for tactical operational and strategic remote sensing purposes Crew chief an enlisted aircraft mechanic with many various responsibilities Primary among those are aircraft maintenance pre flight postflight inspections passenger management acting as a doorgunner in air fire fighting airspace surveillance assisting the pilots to land the aircraft in difficult landing zones assisting pilots with engine start up and shutdown safety fuel checks monitoring hot refuels refueling with engines running Flight attendant a crew member who tends to passengers on military aircraft This position is similar to the duties performed by commercial flight attendants Flight engineer a crew member responsible for engines systems and fuel management Flight officer Flight surgeon or flight nurse aerial medical staff not involved in the operation of the aircraft but is considered by some militaries to be aircrew citation needed Loadmaster crew member responsible for loading freight and personnel and the weight and balance of the aircraft Navigator a crew member responsible for air navigation Still actively trained and licensed in some present day militaries as electronic navigation aids can not be assumed to be operational during warfare Air observer Radar intercept officer Rescue swimmer on air sea rescue aircraft Air Signaller or radio operator crew member responsible for the operation of the aircraft communications systems Tactical coordinator TACCO Weapon System Officer on board a Maritime Patrol Aircraft Weapon Systems Officer WSO Commissioned Aircrew Officer Weapons or Mission System Specialist Weapon Systems Operator WSOp as above but Enlisted See also editAircrew Badge GroundcrewReferences editCitations edit UK Civil Aviation Authority CAP804 a b c Smith Patrick Patrick Smith s Ask The Pilot When a Pilot Dies in Flight Archived May 2 2015 at the Wayback Machine AskThePilot com website 2013 which in turn cites Smith Patrick Cockpit Confidential Everything You Need to Know About Air Travel Questions Answers and Reflections Sourcebooks 2013 ISBN 1402280912 ISBN 978 1402280917 a b c d e f Lowery John Pan American Airways Conquers Global Travel in Flying the World in Clipper Ships Retrieved from flightjournal com Cathay Pacific Cadet Pilots jobsatcathaypacific com Retrieved July 7 2015 Flight Crew Alertness and Sleep Relative to Timing of In Flight Rest Periods in Long Haul Flights PDF NASA Ames Human Systems Integration Division 2020 Retrieved June 3 2022 Relief pilot concept cruising down the wrong path www eurocockpit be Retrieved May 26 2022 Stringman D C Flt Lt The History of the Air Engineer Training in the Royal Air Force U K RAF Finningley 1984 pp 39 43 Cox John Ask the Captain What does the flight engineer do USA Today March 23 2014 Retrieved August 14 2014 Eldridge Andrea Confessions of a Flight Engineer Flashlights timers and breath mints required Air amp Space Smithsonian magazine November 2011 Military Factory website 2016 Retrieved February 21 2016 Law Officer Archived 2016 02 16 at the Wayback Machine October 30 2008 Retrieved February 21 2016 Grierson Mike Aviation History Demise of the Flight Navigator FrancoFlyers org website October 14 2008 Retrieved August 31 2014 Technology Timeline The First Air to ground amp Ground to air Communication AT amp T Labs Retrieved November 7 2011 Ennis E E Wireless Telegraphy from an Aeroplane Journal of Electricity Power and Gas April 1 1911 pp 279 280 a b Harris 2001 p 4 Bibliography edit Harris Tom How Airline Crews Work HowStuffWorks com website June 14 2001 Retrieved September 2 2014 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to wbr Aircrew members and wbr Aviators in cockpits Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Aircrew amp oldid 1182652843, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
