View Full Version : 2- or 3-man cockpit crew in the Caravelle
Sorry for my ignorance, but are/were the Caravelles designed with a 2- og a 3-man cockpit. i.e. did it carry a FE.
Down the same lane - why does the B727 require a FE and the B737 classic not.
I know it has an extra engine, but otherwise I would imagine, they had the same level of automation, hence the workload being almost the same, or are the B727 more complex.
LukeEGTE
18th Jun 2004, 16:11
I don't know about the Boeings, however I do know that the Caravelles had a 3 man cockpit including a FE.
The very first 737s were to be laid out for a 3-man crew, then in about 1968 the FAA changed the regulations which allowed 2-man crews only under 80,000 lb gross weight. United, an early 737 user, changed the spec on their order and there was a pilot's union dispute about it. Someone else here may know how it was resolved.
The 727 was well established before this time and always used a 3 man crew.
The 80,000 lb limit also led to a special version of the BAC One-Eleven to get under the limit with a 2 man crew (and in those days they were all just men !)
Airways Ed
31st Aug 2004, 01:21
The Caravelle was designed for two-crew operation, although unions forced the use of three in many cases.
The first two-crew operation by a Caravelle was in 1960, by Finnair; thus the first two-crew jet airliner operation in the world.