Hi Cap'n B,
"Sharing the workload" at V1 minus 5 is a furphy. Action must be taken immediately, and that should be done by the captain. V1 is the one time things have to be got right, and as I am responsible for the aircraft, then I want to be the one that makes the decision and do the stop.
I think attitudes towards this subject vary enormously with background, experience and current SOPs. Would an engine failure during the takeoff and climb be dealt with in the same way if the FO was handling? If an engine needs shutting down (something that has to be "got right", especially on a twin) would you involve the FO in this?
It depends on where you're coming from: with appropriate training and assessment, many "critical" tasks can be delegated. I'm sure my company is not alone in having all FOs qualify to P1 standard - and that includes RTOs. As long as everyone knows in advance what their roles and possible actions are, which can be confirmed in briefings, the problem is not as big as it might seem.
I'm not saying that this way of operating is appropriate to every airline, or that it is any more valid than than having the captain do it all - I'm just pointing out that the 2-crew inclusive environment works for us...
Only an egotistical maniac would, as an FO, consider themselves a "lower form of life" when starting out life in the right hand seat; just the sort of person who should not be making go-stop decisions.
It's more about institutionalised restrictions. If the company treats 10,000hr ATPs like 200hr cadets, then there might be future issues. As I keep asking, how do you gain experience of handling and decision making if you're prevented (by rules) from doing this? If, as others say, you can fix that in a couple of sim details during command training, why not do those sessions at the start of your career and function as a more effective crew member from the beginning?
Haven't you ever noticed, over the course of a couple of years, how FOs develop from a green-behind-the-ears novice who stays "close to the centreline" to a skilled, capable, assertive crewmember who is prepared and experienced enough to go to the limits and who would easily slip into the left hand seat?
Yes, but that may be because I work for an airline which encourages full role-reversal for P1 U/S apart from signing the tech. log and a few things like CAT2/3. That doesn't mean the captain or FO is obliged to do all or any of this on a particular sector - just the opportunity is there for the development of skills, which may not happen to the same extent if there are too many restrictions on what you can practice.
I think there's quite a wide range of SOPs, relative to FO involvement, which seem to produce a satisfactory outcome. I don't pretend for one minute that my company has got it more "right" than any other. I would question, however, the edge cases where the FO role is diminished to virtually that of "pilot's assistant".