Originally Posted by
Sailvi767
The US rules require a third pilot. NYC to Rome is not a short flight and controlled rest is basically a joke. To many things can interrupt such a rest and a cockpit seat is never great for sleep.
There's no short flight or long flight. Regulations tell you categorically when relief pilot is required. Controlled rest has become a joke after it was allowed, ask me who flew in an era when it wasn't allowed. Anyway we discussed sometime back Airbus planning to do single pilot cruise on long flights in A350 with Cathay. I don't want to repeat that.