Tonkenna wrote:
Do the airlines have all pilots qualified in both seats? I don't know... but just a thought. And if not, why not.
No, they don't. The simple reason is that there is no need, and that it would cost extra money in simulator time. Certain duties are
seat specific rather than
pilot role specific, and to train all new pilots to learn the duties of both seats would be unproductive - and potentially detrimental to new pilots on type.
That is not to say that the civilian experience reads across to the military environment. If there is a need for the RAF to have pilots qualified in both seats, the costs can be justified, and there are no control or command issues, then there is no intrinsic reason why a junior co can't be qualified in either seat.