'First Officers Code of Ethics'
Survival Rules:-
Don't fly at night.
Don't fly in bad weather.
Keep your poor attitude a secret.
Don't sleep while your Captain is.
Never, ever eat a crew meal in the dark.
Talk up the advantages of early retirement.
Don't fly with a Captain nicknamed "Lucky".
Don't make better landings than your Captain.
Speak very, very softly when you speak to your Captain.
Never, ever awaken your Captain when he is smiling in his sleep.
Don't interfere if your Captain absolutely insists on making a fool of himself.
It's hell to fly with a nervous Captain, especially if you're the one making him nervous!
Keep your Captain out of the morgue, jail, the papers, FAA hearings, and Chief Pilot's office.
Always let your Captain be the first out the door of the airplane. After all, there may not be any stairs.
It's better to be down here, arguing about how you are going to do it up there; than to be up there arguing.
As a Co-pilot, your primary job is to detect and correct mistakes:-
1. First, your own mistakes.
2. Second, your Captain's mistakes.
3. Finally, everybody else's mistakes.
Don't expect your Captain to:-
Wear expensive uniform shoes;
Pick up the meal check on a layover;
Wear a small or inexpensive wristwatch;
Be impressed with your flying background;
Believe the FAA is doing a satisfactory job;
Purchase his own newspaper to read on a trip.
Hear and understand the ATC request the first time;
Buy anything without asking for an airline discount;
Respect the competency of senior airline management;
The two basic rules of a Captain's authority:-
Rule One. The Captain is always right.
Rule Two. IF, the Captain is ever observed making a mistake, see Rule One.
When you upgrade to Captain, you must:-
1. Accept responsibility for being right all of the time.
2. Compensate for all of those inept and disrespectful Co-pilots.
But as a good First Officer:- Do today what your replacement will do tomorrow