FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - DL offers early retirement to some pilots as it prepares to ground 4 Boeing 747 jets

Sep 18, 2014 | 7:24 pm

#50

PRWeezer

Join Date: Jul 2010

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Elliott

I remember reading somewhere that one of the 2 FO’s in the cockpit when the Captain is on a rest break has to be Captain qualified as far as the FAA is concerned.

Actually the FAA does not use the titles Captain or First Officer, these are titles airlines use to designate rank, officially the FAA titles are Pilot in Command, (PIC) and Second in Command, (SIC) so the pilot in charge in the cockpit, and it does not matter what seat they occupy has to be qualified to act as a PIC during the time the senior PIC, designated by the company as the Captain is on a rest break....
Mr. Elliott

I was simply trying to elevate an earlier comment regarding "pilot vs. co-pilot" to more specific company terms Captain & First Officer. But I think we agree. Of course the airline is not going to put someone in the left seat if they aren't qualified by the FAA to be there. And we also know that the FO/right seat might be 'in command' of an aircraft at any point in the flight and qualified as such.

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