Questions tagged [crew]

The staff on-board an airplane, including pilots and flight attendants.

Filter by
Sorted by
Tagged with
15 votes
5 answers
6k views

Are there any active aircraft remaining that require a 5 person flight crew?

Are there any active aircraft still in service (bar for historical air shows etc) that still require the following roles? 2 pilots 1 Flight Engineer 1 Navigator 1 Radio Operator
Cloud's user avatar
  • 12.6k
16 votes
2 answers
5k views

Other than the rest areas for the crew - what else is in the 'attic' of an aeroplane?

So I am seeing some information about crew rest areas in an aeroplane which typically just sit above the passenger cabin. In the image of the a350 XWB for example you can see those areas in the front ...
KPK's user avatar
  • 261
-2 votes
1 answer
154 views

Where would you smell the extensive use of cigarettes in the cockpit of an A321? [closed]

Last night I flew on a A321 and midway during the 2.5hrs flight I went to the rear right toilet. It strongly smelt like hefty cigarette smell, but not like anybody would have smoked in there. I had ...
Denis's user avatar
  • 1
5 votes
1 answer
355 views

Did British Airways or Air France use Professional Flight Engineers on Concorde?

Did British Airways or Air France use Professional Flight Engineers (non-pilot PFEs) on Concorde or were the flight engineers required to be pilots (not necessarily qualified to fly Concorde) who ...
user avatar
8 votes
2 answers
3k views

Do any modern aircraft require 3 crew on the flight deck?

These days, most (all?) airliners require 2 pilots at any given time. However, until the 1980s, many airliners required more crew on the flight deck than this (5 for the Lockheed Constellation and 3 ...
ThatCoolCoder's user avatar
-5 votes
3 answers
322 views

How can I communicate an emergency de-pressurization descent to the cabin as a passenger?

Hypothetical scenario. I'm on a commercial airliner (A320) as a passenger, sitting by the wings. We are cruising at 32,000. The oxygen masks suddenly drop down and the nose pitches down heavily, ...
Cloud's user avatar
  • 12.6k
2 votes
1 answer
398 views

What were the common crew ranks on WWII US Navy flying boats and bombers?

I have been trying to figure this out for some time, but have not had much luck elsewhere. I have found info on USAAF bombers, and what ranks the crewmembers often had, but nothing for larger navy ...
Jazzyamx's user avatar
  • 133
2 votes
0 answers
136 views

What is the ratio of standby crews to flying crews?

Section 4.O of the FedEx Collective Bargaining Agreement discusses how pilots are to be compensated for being on standby. From what I can tell they basically get paid a "trip guarantee" that is close ...
nodapic's user avatar
  • 1,825
9 votes
2 answers
2k views

Why do cargo flight companies reposition their crew via passenger airlines?

U.S. airlines prepare plans to virtually shut down domestic service amid outbreak : Coronavirus This will cause massive issues for cargo as well. Cargo operators use commercial airlines to ...
user avatar
9 votes
2 answers
3k views

Can a F/O declare "My plane" to the Captain? [duplicate]

Let's presume an airline flight piloted by 2 people: the Captain (assuming PIC role) and the F/O. Is the F/O allowed to take manual control over the Captain actions? Under what circumstances? Could ...
ppinto's user avatar
  • 707
9 votes
1 answer
2k views

Are Ground Crew Airline or Airport Personnel?

Are ground crews (baggage, tug operators, fuel, aircraft parking guides, etc.) hired by the airline or by the airport authority? I’ve always been curious. What are the norms worldwide vs US? Small ...
Jon's user avatar
  • 1,413
3 votes
1 answer
293 views

What DAL are Humans?

I am no expert at the Development Assurance Process, but hypothetically speaking what Design Assurance Level (DAL) would a human pilot receive if they were classified as one (i.e. DAL A, B, C, D, E). ...
Greg 's user avatar
  • 373
0 votes
1 answer
274 views

How exactly are checklists shared between the pilots?

Plane startups are shared between the crew But how exactly? Does the captain do the startup and then ask the copilot if everything is correct? How exactly does it work? Is it aircraft specific or ...
Delta Oscar Uniform's user avatar
7 votes
3 answers
651 views

How are crews managed after a diversion (far from hub)?

While reading one of the reports of flight diversion, I started thinking about how airlines manage aftermath of the diversion especially for long haul transatlantic flights. Many of the reports say ...
user871199's user avatar
  • 1,817
22 votes
1 answer
5k views

Why does the Antonov 225 needs 6 crew members?

Why does the Antonov 225 need 6 flight deck crew? What are they called and what do they do?
user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
676 views

What's the purpose of airline CREW tags? [closed]

I see it sometimes on airline crew luggage, but not always. I see these come with airline name, sometimes airline base code and large CREW. What is the purpose of these airline crew tags? After all, ...
Sholay's user avatar
  • 23
4 votes
0 answers
64 views

What happens when a person dies during the flight? What kind of procedures exist regarding deceased passenger on board? [duplicate]

I was just reading about a young woman who died on the long haul flight from LA to Melbourne. Heartbreaking. Young life cut short. RIP. But this horrible situation made me wonder about a presence of a ...
Monika Coble's user avatar
11 votes
2 answers
506 views

How was the navigation managed on jetliners before having programmable routes?

This in-flight photo provides a look into the pre-FMS era (also pre-INS), i.e., not having a programmable route. How was the navigation managed back then? (Question limited to 2-crew jetliners, or ...
user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
580 views

Is the air in aircraft cabin toxic?

I just listened to the recent BBC podcast episode Aerotoxicity: the hidden dangers of flying and there were interesting claims there: Cabin air in modern passenger aircrafts comes directly from ...
Hask S.'s user avatar
  • 495
4 votes
1 answer
810 views

Can a pilot choose his co-pilot?

How are pilots paired in the duty roster? Pilots choose their co-pilots from a pool (whitelist)? (Pilot has the final say) Randomly, but taking pilot wishes into consideration? (Airline has the final ...
summerrain's user avatar
  • 3,344
4 votes
1 answer
671 views

co-pilot incapacitation: land alone or with a passenger-pilot?

Pilots are trained to safely fly the aircraft in case of co-pilot incapacitation: "A commercial aircraft can be landed with one pilot at the control and Delta pilots are fully trained to do so if ...
summerrain's user avatar
  • 3,344
1 vote
1 answer
613 views

Which of the pilots flies when it gets dangerous?

Who flies when it gets dangerous ? In other words: Which pilot takes control of a passenger aircraft as Pilot Flying (PF) in an emergency (aircraft upset, loss of control, mechanical failure, etc.) ...
summerrain's user avatar
  • 3,344
3 votes
1 answer
3k views

Why is there a cutout in the pilot seat (looking as if it had separate "legs")? [duplicate]

Why is there a gap in the seat (between the legs)? What function does it have?
summerrain's user avatar
  • 3,344
16 votes
1 answer
3k views

Why do extra flight crew members sit in the cockpit during takeoff/landing?

I have observed this many times for long haul flights where they have extra cockpit crew: during takeoff they all gather in the cockpit and then disperse to their rest areas. They meet again somewhere ...
user871199's user avatar
  • 1,817
5 votes
1 answer
2k views

What are the factors behind crew pairing and crew rostering?

What are the factors to be taken in to consideration for crew pairing and crew rostering?
Thomas's user avatar
  • 61
0 votes
0 answers
69 views

How do flight crews handle a death aboard a commercial aircraft? [duplicate]

Kinda a morbid subject I know, but whether a prince or a street sweeper, we all dance with the Grim Reaper - sooner or later. And there’s no reason he cannot visit you at 30,000 feet, if it’s your ...
Romeo_4808N's user avatar
  • 72.8k
0 votes
1 answer
417 views

How airlines are calculating crew member's payroll? [closed]

What methods are used by the airlines to calculate the payroll of a commercial airline crew member? Does it always depend on the number of flight hours in the period, the number of duty days, or some ...
ALN Frs's user avatar
  • 11
4 votes
2 answers
3k views

With similar weapons why does an AH64 Apache require a pilot and gunner when the A10 Warthog only needs a pilot?

The Apache has a 30mm chain gun. It carries Hellfire (anti armor), Stinger/Sidewinder (air to air) and Hydra (air to ground, APKWS guidance package available) missiles. source The Warthog has a ...
Pilothead's user avatar
  • 19k
12 votes
1 answer
2k views

Why would pilots get special cups?

This Reddit post shows a picture of a disposable cup that is labeled specifically for use by pilots only: Is that seriously a thing? If so, why? There's some explanation in that discussion thread ...
200_success's user avatar
  • 1,237
3 votes
2 answers
527 views

Does the crew have a professionally mandated responsibility to inform passengers of a potentially fatal emergency?

This follows on from the question here on an incident wherein a passenger asked crew about an aberrant situation during a flight. Gathering from the answers to the question, flight crew's priority is ...
user1997744's user avatar
33 votes
4 answers
9k views

What do flight attendants do if a passenger asks what is going on in case of a potential emergency?

This is related to, but not the same as, another question I asked on Interpersonal Skills. I was on a flight last year, on a route I fly on a fairly frequent basis. Shortly after takeoff, I heard the ...
gparyani's user avatar
  • 881
2 votes
1 answer
2k views

Is recurrent simulator training required every 12 months whilst acting as SIC under Part 91?

What are the regulations on recurrent training for a crew member who is type rated as PIC but is acting as SIC, flying internationally on a Bombardier Global Express Part 91 operation (not subpart K)? ...
Catherine Swann's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
2k views

What is the maximum number of cabin crew members on an A320 load sheet?

What is the maximum allowable number of cabin crew members to be mentioned on the load sheet for A320, with respect to weight and balance? And does the number of deadheading crew members add to this ...
Hossam Helmy's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
305 views

What does "Crew: Top of your mind!" mean in commercial aircrafts?

On a flight this year in Europe, the pilot or co-pilot announced midflight "Crew: Top of your mind!" via the loudspeakers. The crew didn't visible react on that and I couldn't notify any change in the ...
SCM's user avatar
  • 1
6 votes
2 answers
252 views

What policies, technologies, equipment, etc is used to mitigate liquid spills in the cockpit especially during turbulence?

While reading this stack exchange question about waterproofing cockpits, I wondered what common industry practices as well as personal practices are in place to mitigate spills and damage. Type of ...
Alex Cooper's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
281 views

What are the crewing requirements for a B787 flying LAX to SIN?

I’m wondering what the crew size, and rest requirements for the flight crew of a Boeing 787-9 flying LAX to SIN (Flight number UA37).
Tony L's user avatar
  • 91
29 votes
3 answers
11k views

Why is Heraklion airport a 'captains only' airport?

I was recently watching "EasyJet: Inside The Cockpit" and it said pilots need 4 shoulder stripes to land at Heraklion International Airport, “Nikos Kazantzakis” (IATA: HER, ICAO: LGIR), but it didn't ...
L.Halfpenny's user avatar
  • 1,697
9 votes
1 answer
7k views

What is the exact definition of a "crew duty day"?

How do you define a crew duty day? When does it start and when does it end? Also what are the legal limits (in other words how long can a crew duty day last in terms of hours)?. Edit: Here is a link ...
BigONotation's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
128 views

Flying to Paro, Bhutan requires a special crew, what are the regulations? [duplicate]

I would like to fly from Geneva to Paro, Bhutan on Gulfstream GIV-SP. I was informed that I have to take a specialized pilot from Delhi. Can anyone guide me what are the formalities and what are the ...
Chatterjee S's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
1k views

A330 flown by low cost airline - is 8 cabin crew really all they have?

I'm reading the Australian Transport Safety Bureau report on an incident involving an AirAsia X A330 (PDF). The flight in question was intended to be Sydney to Kuala Lumpur so something like a ten to ...
glaucon's user avatar
  • 1,653
10 votes
1 answer
2k views

How did the 737 become a 2-crew plane?

In 747-400 documentaries it's often said that the switch from 3- to 2- crew cockpit is attributed to the digital displays that present only the relevant information, combined with the FMS. Little to ...
user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
984 views

Can flight crew book tickets for themselves, on the same flight?

Is it possible that flight crew book a ticket for themselves, for say utilizing their rest time better (like Emirates offers mid air shower to first class passengers, but not to crew)?
anshabhi's user avatar
  • 11.5k
7 votes
1 answer
334 views

Are there different configurations of cabin crew seating arrangement for one aircraft model?

In many airlines, cabin crew are shown to be sitting in different areas. Is it common for airlines to offer different seating configurations for a particular airline model? Also, are there any ...
Firee's user avatar
  • 9,131
6 votes
2 answers
349 views

Can someone provide details about airlines dividing crew into personality groups?

In this answer about crew bidding/scheduling, it's mentioned that crews may be divided into groups based on personality. What personality traits may be considered? How are people matched? Is this ...
Steve's user avatar
  • 2,218
4 votes
1 answer
151 views

How are bids packages and awards generated?

There probably is no short answer for this. Crews out there, how do you bid and how are you rewarded? Are you always satisfied with your lines? Can someone also explain in brief from a system point of ...
modernvampire's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
439 views

Can a pilot work flight engineer's station?

In kinda reverse of Did Flight Engineers progress to be pilots? In three-crew cockpit can a person qualified as pilot work in the position of flight engineer? Does a flight enginner have different ...
vasin1987's user avatar
  • 8,070
39 votes
3 answers
8k views

Is 3 crew cockpit safer than 2 crew?

Today, commercial aircraft cockpit is manned by 2 pilots, previously it was 3 to 5. Is safety compromised in any way?
Irshad Ahmed's user avatar
9 votes
1 answer
12k views

How is the crew rest area on the A350 accessed?

As per this image of the A350, the crew rest areas have been placed on the top of the fuselage. How can this be possible and how would the crew get into the rear one since it seems that it is placed ...
Fabrizio Mazzoni's user avatar
17 votes
1 answer
2k views

What is the work routine of a boomer operator in a refueling aircraft?

This is a boomer operator: (source by John E. Lasky - United States Air Force) If he is not refueling an aircraft, or the plane is not on a refueling mission, what is he doing? Is he sitting in that ...
user3624251's user avatar
  • 1,679
13 votes
1 answer
2k views

What is the relation between number of crew members (pilots and attendants) and fleet size in airlines?

Taking into account relevant elements like the fleet size or the type of flights (short or long haul, passengers or cargo, ...), do airlines use typical ratios between the number of aircraft and the ...
mins's user avatar
  • 71k