Originally Posted by
Boudreaux Bob
Something I seem to be hearing is Co-Pilots may have been utilized to do all the Grunt Work, while the Captain did the flying.
That does not mean the Coey's never fly or rarely fly, but does it pose a question as to who should be doing the flying and who should be doing the Monitoring, and under the current Industry Environment we have it wrong way around.
Would that one change, letting the Co-Pilot do the majority of the hands on flying with the Captain pushing the buttons and making the radio calls and thus being free to devote his full attention to ensuring the Flight is being done as best possible not be the better approach to business?
I'm pretty sure it is industry practice to take turns at being PM and PF. Certainly was for us. For poor weather instrument approaches (onshore) the Co should be PF allowing the captain to monitor the approach, make the decision, and fly the possibly difficult bit between DH and landing. Offshore it is complicated by the landing being one or other side and not wanting a double-handover of control.
I wouldn't like to see Cos doing most of the flying - Capts have to maintain currency too and as has recently been repeatedly demonstrated, it is often when the Capt has been flying that disaster has struck or nearly so.