zakami

On AA 1510 from DFW to RDU today there was a third not uniformed person sitting on a pull-out seat (that I did not even know existed on MD-80s until today) between the 2 pilots. He sat there for the entire flight and I noticed that the door to the cockpit was slightly ajar (probably because of that additional seat) although I did not dare get a closer look. I have never seen one of these before. Who could he be? Trainer? Trainee? Air-Marshall? Engineer? Friend? Executive?

LLZ

Probably, nothing as exotic you have suggested. Most likely either another pilot for AA (or even another airline...different ones have different "sharing" agreements). Could also have been an Air Traffic Controller as most airlines give them the "jump seat" prilviledge also.

crew4aa

The third person in the cockpit was most likely falls into one of two categories.

1. FAA inspector doing a mandatory checkride.

2. Off duty pilot who sat jumpseat to get to his/her desitination. This could be the lack of available seats.

FYI. all aircraft have at least one jumpseat in the cockpit

Wayne

ESpen36

I've been on AA flights (esp. to MIA) where the captain makes the following announcement before departure:

"Good morning ladies and gentlemen..... I wanted to let you know that there is a second captain on board the aircraft today, Captain XXXX XXXXXXX. Please don't be alarmed if you see him moving about the cabin, and rest assured that your full flight crew is still in control of the aircraft. Thank you for your attention."

I guess they do this so the F pax don't start getting nervous when a guy with 4 stripes on his shoulder plops himself into a comfy seat near them and starts to snooze.

Gaza

Since 9/11 jumpseat privledges for ATCO's have been removed in the UK and Europe. I would assume that the FAA (whose already had tougher rules on cockpit access) would be the same. I would guess the occupant fell in to one of the categories described by crew4aa.

The removal of JS priveledge for ATCO's in the UK has been extensively critisised by Pilots and ATCO's alike. It was always seen as part of the training for ATCO's to understand what goes on at the "pointy-end", hence why the were encouraged to take JS rides. By return, pilots were welcome to visit ATC facilities to see the pressure ATCO's work under.

FoothillFlyer

Also could have been a flight dispatcher. They are also crewmembers and must do "route checks."

Steve M

Do you think the government would remove a privilege or benefit for a government employee because of 9/11? I think that jumpseat privileges for employees of other carriers has been removed, in part because of the inability for the crew to easily verify their identity.

LarryJ

Currently, the only pilots who can ride in the jumpseat are pilots who work for the airline. Procedures are being developed that will once again allow off-line pilots in the jumpseat but that's still a ways down the road. They will have to impliment a system that can verify their identity and employeement in a sufficently fast but secure manner.

The other person could have been another AA pilot.

Could have been an FAA inspector, they ride periodically as part of the normal compliance monitoring of the FAA.

Could have been a company check airman conducting a line check. Captain's much have a line check at least once every twelve months.

He could have been a company dispatcher who much make routine jumpseat flights to maintain his currancy. (I don't know the number of flights/hours required annual)

I don't think that ATC controllers can currently ride in the jumpseat. I don't think that that's been restored since 9/11.

I believe that secret service agents are still authorized in the cockpit if required by whatever duty they are performing though this doesn't happen very often.

That's all that I can think of at the moment. Most employees of a passenger airline are prohibited from riding in the cockpit of passenger carrying flights. Cargo airlines have more latitude there but there's talk that this will be restricted in the near future.

hillrider

These are the initial and currency requirements for a dispatcher as per Federal Aviation Regulation 121.463:

a) No certificate holder conducting domestic or flag operations may use any person, nor may any person serve, as an aircraft dispatcher for a particular airplane group unless that person has, with respect to an airplane of that group, satisfactorily completed the following:
(1) Initial dispatcher training, except that a person who has satisfactorily completed such training for another type airplane of the same group need only complete the appropriate transition training.
(2) Operating familiarization consisting of at least 5 hours observing operations under this part from the flight deck or, for airplanes without an observer seat on the flight deck, from a forward passenger seat with headset or speaker. This requirement may be reduced to a minimum of 2 1/2 hours by the substitution of one additional takeoff and landing for an hour of flight. A person may serve as an aircraft dispatcher without meeting the requirement of this paragraph (a) for 90 days after initial introduction of the airplane into operations under this part.
(b) No certificate holder conducting domestic or flag operations may use any person, nor may any person serve, as an aircraft dispatcher for a particular type airplane unless that person has, with respect to that airplane, satisfactorily completed differences training, if applicable.
(c) No certificate holder conducting domestic or flag operations may use any person, nor may any person serve, as an aircraft dispatcher unless within the preceding 12 calendar months the aircraft dispatcher has satisfactorily completed operating familiarization consisting of at least 5 hours observing operations under this part, in one of the types of airplanes in each group to be dispatched. This observation shall be made from the flight deck or, for airplanes without an observer seat on the flight deck, from a forward passenger seat with headset or speaker. The requirement of paragraph (a) of this section may be reduced to a minimum of 2 1/2 hours by the substitution of one additional takeoff and landing for an hour of flight. The requirement of this paragraph may be satisfied by observation of 5 hours of simulator training for each airplane group in one of the simulators approved under Sec. 121.407 for the group. However, if the requirement of paragraph (a) is met by the use of a simulator, no reduction in hours is permitted.
(d) No certificate holder conducting domestic or flag operations may use any person, nor may any person serve as an aircraft dispatcher to dispatch airplanes in operations under this part unless the certificate holder has determined that he is familiar with all essential operating procedures for that segment of the operation over which he exercises dispatch jurisdiction. However, a dispatcher who is qualified to dispatch airplanes through one segment of an operation may dispatch airplanes through other segments of the operation after coordinating with dispatchers who are qualified to dispatch airplanes through those other segments.
(e) For the purposes of this section, the airplane groups, terms, and definitions in Sec. 121.400 apply.