Why 2 people?

[likair]

Any comments, why does it take 2 people to fly a plane?

[llondel]

One person can do it if necessary, and on occasion it has been necessary. The reason there are two people is because you don't know in advance which one might be required to fly solo and leaving him behind isn't a good idea.

[llondel]

And now for the more useful reply (although drawing on my previous one).

For long-haul you need more than one (often you find three pilots on the longer flights) because eight hours of continuous duty without opportunity for a break is impractical. Even on short haul, having someone else to mind the controls while you take a rest is important, even if all he's doing is sitting there looking out of the window and listening to ATC while the aircraft flies itself. In the event of a problem, having two people available to fly the aircraft, go through checklists, communicate with ATC, etc, makes it easier. And as above, occasionally one of the pilots dies, gets taken ill or tries to leave via window so the other one gets to do all the work.

[skiesfull]

The true answer is that the miserable bean-counters will not allow three!!!

[old,not bold]

Two pilots are needed so that the person in the RHS can keeping everything going along nicely, and talk occasionally to the passengers, while the other one prepares the business plan for the airline he's going to start, and run a lot better than the one he works for.

It's a good question though; a woman on a Radio 2 phone quiz the other day said that she has been flying airliners transatlantic for 13 years, and that it is actually very easy to do, not at all complicated.

The pilot fraternity needs to stamp out, or at least counter such leaks. All sorts of trouble can follow if the truth gets out.

Meanwhile, for the foreseeable future two are needed in case one snuffs it without arranging for a replacement, to put it bluntly. But that's already been said, in a better sort of way.

[Spitoon]

The fact that there are two pilots shows how vital they are considered to be - you can bet your last groat that airline managements would dispense with at least one pilot, or even better, both, if they thought they could get away with it.When I were young, big aeroplanes had three crew on the flighdeck (they called them cockpits in them days). Airline managements - and aircraft designers - found a way to dispense with the FE. I rue the day that they find a way to reduce the redundancy in the manual control system to zero.

[chornedsnorkack]

Plenty of planes are flown by solo pilots. Some of them fly for airlines. How many passengers can they carry? 9? 14? 19?

[likair]

From the posts, it seems that the pilot on the RHS is there only as an observerer.
Is this true?

I saw some clips of take-offs and landings and even climbs, descends. The pilot on the RHS commands the aircraft while the other gives inputs such as pulling the "gear up" lever, etc.

[YYZ]

Easy to fly after 13 years, maybe, easy to fly when just starting out, no way!

likair

The captain (LHS) always has the final say as long as it does not negatively affect safety. However, either pilot can fly the aircraft, they allocate who will fly the sector and the person flying leads the flight as you said, it is an incorrect assumption to say the RHS is just an observer.

YYZ

[Capot]

There was a contract DC3 skipper flying oil charters in the 70's in the Gulf...he was of a certain age and blagged his way through eye tests, because his distance vision was poor. The DC3 was the only transport type in his licence, and he'd been flying them since 1943.

Some of the desert strips were difficult to spot among the dunes, even if you knew where they were, and so he would plot a course aiming 2-3 miles to the left of the target. The F/O's role was to spot the strip on his side and shout "Turn right now" at the appropriate moment, at the same time as reducing power and pumping down a bit of flap (Was it a pump, or was that the gear? Memory fails.) If necessary (ie if into the sun) he then had to continue with lateral guidance from the RH seat, "right a bit", "left a bit", and controlling ROD with power while the skipper kept the speed on the button. Flap settings, wheels etc were organised by mutual agreement during the approach. Once down to 100-200ft the skipper could see the oil drum markers and did a perfect landing every time, provided the F/O had got him nicely positioned at the right speed.

Now that was team work. Neither was capable of operating safely on his own due to the rotten eyesight of the skipper or the inexperience of the F/O, especially on only one engine (quite often the case with DC3s), but working together they were excellent.

[A37575]

Regarding why two pilots. I noted in Tech Log where one airline requires that both pilots are required to have both their hands on their respective flight controls whenever the aircraft is operating below 10,000 ft. Must be a trifle dodgy depending on cultural sensitivities if both pilots are also required to hold hands on the thrust levers unless of course there are two sets of thrust levers. Certainly a bit tricky (throttle handling) if one of the pilots is female where I guess the gentlemanly behaviour would dictate woman on top... :hmm:

[411A]

From the posts, it seems that the pilot on the RHS is there only as an observerer.
Is this true?



On a few occasions, yes, or so it seems, as mentally they are out to lunch.
I worked for one particular airline where one of the First Officers many times would simply not show up for work...he claimed the long distance drive was not worth the effort.

Just as well, as he was, shall we say....totally removed from the scene when seated in the RHS.

OTOH, I have many times had the distinct pleasure of flying with other First Officers, who were spot on...every time.
What a joy, one could ah....rest the eyes, or read the newspaper without concern.

[McAero]

Note that you don't have 2 IFE systems or 2 sets of duty-free carts.

Except on routes to GLA or EDI! :}