Will,
Here is a contribution by Pihero on the Airliner.net forum
The Case of the Cruise Crew
Task attributions are generally well defined in a modern flight-deck: One pilot flies and communicates, the other manages the systems and the check-lists..
There is some uncertainty, though, as to who the “Pilot Flying” was. With the Captain in the LH seat, either one could have been it. During the Captain’s rest, only the most experienced co-pilot could have been PF and only from the RH seat, the second co-pilot being in charge of the systems, radio-com and navigation from the left-hand seat.
It was then up to him to keep an update of the weather at alternates, keep a sharp eye on the ETPs between the alternates in an ETOPS environment, fuel siytuation, including the aircraft balance, help with the radar… It’s also his job to compute at every reporting waypoint engine and speed parameters for turbulence penetration, altitude capability and possible step climb…etc.,..
This is how AF captains generally manage their crews : to establish a roster, take off ½ an hour for climb and ½ hour for descent ; then divide the remainin time by three that’s the times of rest.
So we have (hours rounded up) as per the flight plan :
22.30 Takeoff
23.00 end of climb
08.30 Descent
09.00 Landing.
So remain 9 hrs and 30 mins for rest, divided by 3 = 3 hrs and 10 mins each., minus 5 to 10 minutes for hand over, control transfer and instructions :
So we have this roster :- From T/O to 23.00Z All three in Flight Deck
- From 23.00Z to 0210Z, One co-pilot resting
- From 0210Z to 0520Z, F/O and SF/O on duty, Captain resting
- From 0520Z to 0830Z, Second cop-pilot resting
- From 0830Z to landing (ETA 0900) All three in Flight Deck.
But looking at the above, that 0210Z time is striking… and you know why as it is the moment of the first of the ACARS failure messages…
Captains in general chose the middle bunk-slot as they want to be in the cockpit during the most work-loaded phases of the flight : Dense ATC, multiple clearances for level changes, direct routings, Departure and arrival procedures...etc...leaving the - comparatively - quieter and more routine phase of the cruise to his young aides.