Inquiry on captain/FO combination
 

Hello; I'd appreciate if someone can provide info on a topic of crew "combination", so to say; I searched around but did not find the answer; I'm not sure if this is proper subforum, but it says "about ... airline business", so I hope it is...

So, I know it is common practice to combine older captain with younger FO, for newcomer FO to learn from seasoned superior. However, I would like to know if there is a practice to combine younger captain with older FO?

From my layman point of view, reason is the same, gaining experience. Let's say that young FO gained substantial knowledge and experience; but since he is quite new in left seat position, it would be logical to assign older captain to be FO, so he/she can monitor young captain, how does he perform in that new role. He might know all the tricks, but it still makes difference when he does not have anyone above to make the final decision, when he is in final command of the plane.

Can anyone point me towards any document, report, study, whatever serious document that recommends such a practice?

Thanks in advance!

What has Old/Young got to do with it? There are plenty of 50-year-old/200 hour FOs flying with 25-year-old/4000 hour Captains. The only rule is that two age 60+ can't fly together.

Do you mean Experieced/Inexperienced?

Operations manual Part A is the document you're looking for. It will describe flight deck experience requirements. Usually a pilot will be considered inexperienced until X-number of hours/sectors in their respective seat, and there will be a prohibition on inexperienced pilots flying together. In my operation a * after the name denotes inexperienced. Unless specific in-seat training is carried out, a captain is prohibited from flying as an FO in the right seat. A new captain will fly a certain number of training sectors with a training captain in the RHS, then take a line check before being allowed on the line with a * next to their name.

It's more common then you would think to have a younger captain than FO.

No, Captains must be grey haired old men.

Thank you for answers! Indeed, I thought old/young by experience, not necessarily by age, my bad.
I have checked Operations manual Part A as suggested, it might be what I'm looking for, thanks!

and Really? Two strikes already so I'll not question your word 'old' .... perhaps 'mature' would be more appropriate?

With a beard?

I knew a BA pilot who became a very senior 747 first officer. Before he got his command (on 757s!) he was sent to San Francisco with a new, younger, Captain "just in case" (his words but I suspect there's a bit more to it).