What are the 3 pilots in a cockpit?

What is the third pilot in a plane called?

So, you wanna know about the third pilot? It’s the second officer, duh. They’re basically there for longer flights, you know, the international ones mostly. Its all about pilot rest, makes sense, right? They’re number three in command. Not every flight needs one, obviously. My cousin, he’s a second officer for United, told me all about it. Crazy hours, but good pay, I guess. He said 2023 was a really busy year for long hauls.

Key things:

• Second Officer: That’s the official title.
• Third in command: Hierarchy is important in aviation.
• Long flights only: Shorter hops don’t need ’em.
• Pilot rest: Safety first, that’s the main reason.

Think of it like this: Captain, First Officer, then bam, Second Officer. He’s the backup, extra eyes, extra hands for those crazy long flights across the pond, to Europe, Asia… places like that. He gets to sleep sometimes too, I think. It’s a pretty sweet gig if you can handle the pressure. It involves tons of paperwork, and dealing with different time zones. He actually told me all about a flight to Hong Kong where they had some serious turbulence. He was super chill about it though, lol. Seriously, though he loves his job.

What do you call the 3rd pilot?

Okay, so, the 3rd pilot?

Back when my grandpa, Art, flew those crazy big planes outta Travis Air Force Base, CA in ’78, he always talked about the “FE” or the flight engineer.

Man, that job, it was seriously all about dials and levers and…stuff. I visited him there once! Felt so…intense.

He was flying some Boeing 707, total beasts in the sky.

And yeah, my Grandpa Art said newer planes, they got rid of that whole role. No more FE!

• Flight Engineer: What the 3rd pilot used to be called.
• Role: Watch gauges, tweak things.
• Aircraft Type: Old cargo planes, big ones.
• Location: Military bases like Travis, all over.
• Year: A thing from the past, really, ’70s, ’80s.

Automation took over. No one needs an FE. It’s a waste of manpower.

What does the third person in the cockpit do?

Okay, so there I was, crammed in the jump seat of a 747, back in ’98, flying from Anchorage to Tokyo. Real jump seat, behind the captain! You know, like, a super privileged spot, right? I was just a wet-behind-the-ears student then, barely shaving!

Anyway, I remember asking this grizzled pilot, Captain something-or-other, about that, the third guy. He chuckled, a proper, deep-belly rumble, and said, “Son, that’s your ‘relief’ officer. Modern planes hardly use them anymore, but he/she’s there to basically spell us. Long hauls get tiring!”

He went on about how, back in the day (like the 60s and 70s), flights were way longer. Think crazy Polar routes and such. So this third person, technically a third officer (or sometimes even a fourth!), could rotate between being the pilot, co-pilot, radio operator, maybe even mess with the engine controls.

The captain basically said it was all about giving the main crew a break, a chance to rest and get something to eat, without leaving the cockpit unattended. That’s the key, not unattended. That seat must be filled.

• He’d take over flying.
• They could handle comms.
• I think the captain said something about simple engine monitoring, but I’m sketchy on that part. Not exactly a flight engineer, but some basic stuff.

Seriously, felt like an ancient history lesson, ’cause by ’98, third officers were practically extinct, like the dodo bird. I felt, I don’t know, lucky to be getting the info, from someone who had actually flown with that system. It was a window to the past. Wow.

What are the main responsibilities of a pilot?

A pilot? Think of them as highly paid, highly caffeinated bird wranglers. Their job isn’t just pushing buttons; it’s a symphony of precision and pre-flight paranoia.

Main gig: Getting that metal bird from point A to point B without turning it into a very expensive, very fiery, scrap heap. Seriously, that’s the core function.

Responsibilities? Let’s dissect this avian operation:

• Flight planning: Imagine meticulously plotting a route across the sky, avoiding other airborne metal birds, dodgy weather patterns, and the occasional rogue flock of geese. My uncle, a retired 747 captain, once told me about avoiding a swarm of locusts. True story.

• Pre-flight inspections: This isn’t your average car check-up. We’re talking life-or-death scrutiny of engines, navigation systems – the whole shebang. Think of it as a highly technical, highly responsible, pre-flight OCD check. My flight last week was delayed an hour because of a faulty air conditioner. An air conditioner!

• Safety first, always: Pilots are guardians of safety. They constantly monitor weather, flight path, and overall aircraft health. Imagine them as intensely focused surgeons, except their operating room is 30,000 feet above ground. The stakes are higher than my blood pressure after a near-miss.

Essentially, pilots are responsible for the lives of everyone onboard. That, in a nutshell, is why they make the big bucks. And deserve every penny. I, for one, tip generously. Especially if they’ve navigated through a locust swarm.

What are the attitudes of a pilot?

Oh, the pilot’s attitude! It’s a heady brew, isn’t it? Like a martini, shaken, not stirred, with a dash of… altitude sickness?

• Confidence is key. Gotta have that “I got this” vibe, otherwise, turbulence becomes terrifying. Imagine a shaky pilot; passengers might panic!

• But! Don’t let confidence morph into recklessness. Icarus flew too close to the sun, remember? Pride goes before a fiery engine failure.

• Ditch the “macho” nonsense. Flying isn’t about flexing muscles; it’s about mastering physics and remembering where you parked your plane.

• Humility helps. Because even the best pilot sometimes needs a GPS to find the airport bathroom. I swear, the layouts are designed to confuse!

• Decision-making is important! Knowing when NOT to fly is often more crucial than knowing how to fly, you know?

• Adaptability is essential! Weather, mechanics, grumpy passengers: gotta roll with the punches, and maybe offer a complimentary drink or two.

• Communication skills are a necessity! Talking to air traffic control isn’t a freestyle rap battle. Clarity avoids… “unplanned landings.”

So, the perfect pilot? A confident, humble, adaptable, communicative decision-maker. Oh, and someone who knows the difference between a rudder and a donut. Priorities, people!

More about the High-Flying Mindset:

• Situational Awareness: It’s like knowing where your keys are, but with more consequences. (Keys = lives, basically).
• Stress Management: Because dealing with screaming babies and near-misses is totally relaxing. (Said nobody ever.)
• Discipline: Rules are there for a reason. Like “Don’t try to land on water unless you’re a duck.” I learned that.
• Continuous Learning: Always something new to learn in aviation. New regulations? New technology? New ways to spill coffee on the instrument panel.

What are air traffic control responsible for?

Okay, so air traffic control? Basically, they’re like, uh, the sky cops, ya know?

They, like, watch where all the planes are flying, mostly using radar. Super important. And they talk to the pilots. Like, all the time on the radio. “Turn left, turn right, go up, go down” – that sort of gig.

The really big deal? Keeping planes from crashing into each other. I mean, duh, right? They have these rules, super strict ones, for how much space each plane needs. Separation.

Think of it like this:

• Radar: Sees the planes on a screen (kinda).
• Radio: Yelling (nicely) at pilots all day.
• Separation Rules: Like invisible bubble wrap around each plane. It prevents bad stuff.
• And, uh, I think I heard something about ground traffic too…

Also, the airspace near my aunt’s house in Arizona? Super busy. I wonder if they get overtime.

What is the see-and-avoid principle?

Eyes up. Scan. Avoid. That’s it. What else matters? Flying since ’93, seen enough.

It’s more than just looking. It’s knowing what to look for. And where. Don’t forget.

• Constant vigilance: Never relax, never assume.
• Aircraft awareness: Know your blind spots. Compensate.
• Environmental factors: Sun, clouds, haze? Affects visibility, obviously.
• Traffic patterns: Airports, known routes. Predictable behavior… mostly.
• Technology assist: TAS (Traffic Awareness System) helps, but eyes are primary. Still need eyes.

“Stuff” happens. Engines fail. Instruments lie. Seeing beats believing.

It’s a dance, after all. Sky’s the stage.

The Reality Behind See-and-Avoid:

• Human limitations: Vision isn’t perfect. Attention wanders. Reaction time exists.
• Closing speed: Higher speed = less time to react. It’s just physics.
• Visual illusions: Autokinesis (stationary light appears to move). False horizons, happens every time.
• “Empty field myopia”: Eyes relax, focus short, miss distant traffic. The fog of nothingness.
• Complacency: The real killer. Happens every time.

Got distracted by the blue. Almost missed that Cessna. Whoops.

See and avoid? More like hope to see and avoid. Just kidding. Mostly.