Do AB pilots need separate certifications for flying left and right handed? Just being curious.
Yes, all pilots are qualified to fly from "their" seat, ie : Cpt from the left seat ; F/Os from the right seat.
Additional qualifications are required for a Cpt to fly from the right seat (instructors) and for F/Os to fly from the left seat (during captain's rest on long haul flights).
In the AF 447, case the PF was the F/O seating in the right seat.
If the returning captain had wanted to take over controls, he obviously would have done it from the left seat.
Therefore, the crew allocated seats was totally wrong on that flight.
Please, do not give credit to "Parole de Gaulois" invented "
urban legend".
1) PF did hold a valid ATPL since aug 3rd 2007 (see BEA interim report #3 page 15).
2) "
The composition of the crew was in accordance with the operator’s procedures" (see BEA interim report #3 page 77).
Do you seriously beleive "operators procedures" could be grossly illegal ?
Do you seriously beleive BEA would hide the fact that the PF did not hold all required qualifications to act as "
relief captain" on this leg ?