The Quiet Ones

[flapsforty]

Originally Posted by John R

I flew Virgin Atlantic a while ago LAX-LHR and thougt it was odd that the captain did not say a word for the entire long-haul flight, instead leaving all announcements to the F/O. But as you say, who knows what's going on up there.

JohnR, different airlines have different procedures for this and many other things, and since I donŽt fly for Virgin, I canŽt speak for them.
But the very same thing can happen when you tavel on 'my' airline.

Explanation of how things work at my mob:

• Before every stretch, the pilots decide who will be the Pilot Flying and who will be the Pilot not Flying.
• The PF (Pilot Flying) does the taxiing, flying & looking out of the window with everything that entails, from pushback to on-blocks. (very simplified, pilots feel free to expand)
• The PnF is also very busy and will do many things. Among them keeping an eye on the PF and the instruments, read the checklists, do the Radio Transmissions, do the call-outs, dial & preset frequencies, pre-set the v and l-nav buttons, type into the flight management computer and other systems, check the manuals if needed, send ACARS massages and do the public address to the passengers.

If on a particular stretch the Captain is the PF and the First Officer is the PnF, the FO will be the one making all the PAs.
Unless something out of the ordinary happens and the Captain feels that the pax specifically need to hear from him/her since he/she is the ultimately responsible and final authority on every flight.

Now you know a little more about what can go on Žup thereŽ