Rapid Depressuriation and use of oxgen masks
Discussion during an overnight. Seems different airlines have different policies with regard to the donning of crew oxygen masks as part of the Cabin Altitude Warning or Rapid Depressurization.
Keeping in mind the time of useful consciousness at typical airliner high altitude cruise altitudes, some operators require that both pilots immediately and simultaneously don their oxygen masks regardless who is PF or PM.
Another point of view is that the PF hands over control to the PM and dons his oxygen mask while the PM continues to monitor the flight path. Once the PF has his mask on, he takes over control while the other pilot then dons his own mask. Crew communications are established next. The principle being one crew member looks after the flying rather than both pilots donning their masks simultaneously leaving no one looking after the flight path even for the theoretical few seconds it should take to don their masks and establish comms.
Realistically, since the probability of the autopilot being engaged at high altitude cruise is the norm, it should be perfectly safe and highly desirable that both pilots simultaneously don their masks. But to leave one pilot off oxygen for any amount of time (for the claimed reason of watching the flight path) while the second pilot dons his mask first, would appear to be unwise, in view of the time of useful consciousness that could be less than ten seconds.
Your views appreciated.