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Qantas FO vs SO

Old 25th Mar 2018, 21:20
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Qantas FO vs SO

Hi Folks,
what is the difference in QF between a First Officer compared to a Second Officer?
Is it seniority? Is the SO something like a cruise relief pilot who is only allowed in the right seat during cruise flight, or is can he do take offs and landings as well?

Thanks

LW20
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Old 25th Mar 2018, 21:31
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SO is a cruise relief pilot.
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Old 25th Mar 2018, 21:32
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QF long haul flights operate with Captain, F/O and either one or two S/Os depending on the sector length. The S/Os are Cruise relief only. In either seat above FL200.

Promotion to F/O on seniority and competence.
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Old 25th Mar 2018, 21:47
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Originally Posted by Keg
Promotion to F/O on seniority and competence.
...and willingness.
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Old 26th Mar 2018, 01:47
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Originally Posted by LW20
Hi Folks,
what is the difference in QF between a First Officer compared to a Second Officer?
Is it seniority? Is the SO something like a cruise relief pilot who is only allowed in the right seat during cruise flight, or is can he do take offs and landings as well?

Thanks

LW20
Easiest way to identify a Second Officer is on Instagram. All in flight photos will be with them in the left seat, accompanied by captions such as “I just ‘flew’ the old girl to London again tonight, now time for beers with the boys”

(In joke with SO mates. No need to post angry replies)
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Old 26th Mar 2018, 01:49
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Talking

Originally Posted by ruprecht
...and willingness.
Lol. Of course!
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Old 26th Mar 2018, 04:23
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...and willingness
...to take a pay cut and work harder!
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Old 26th Mar 2018, 05:50
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Wink

Originally Posted by Capt Fathom
...to take a pay cut and work harder!
Lol. Only if they've been an A330 or 787 S/O more than 6-7 years. It's a decent pay rise for a 787 S/O on year's 1-4 and an A330 S/O less than 6 years.

There's no doubt it's much harder work though!
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Old 26th Mar 2018, 06:07
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Originally Posted by AmarokGTI
Easiest way to identify a Second Officer is on Instagram. All in flight photos will be with them in the left seat, accompanied by captions such as “I just ‘flew’ the old girl to London again tonight, now time for beers with the boys”

(In joke with SO mates. No need to post angry replies)
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Old 26th Mar 2018, 07:03
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Thanks for the quick replies.

Brgds.

LW20
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Old 26th Mar 2018, 07:29
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what is the difference in QF between a First Officer compared to a Second Officer
The S/O's the one who's eaten 3 crew meals, usually the fish and a breakfast, 2 steak sangas, done 5 hours straight in the bunk and come back in time for the left over First Class brekky and a quick sunrise selfie in the LH seat while the Captain goes for a pre-descent slash.…….

…..between Dubai and London or Singa's and Sydney.
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Old 26th Mar 2018, 07:32
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Well that was all very disappointing, after seeing the thread title and expecting to read about something like a punch-up over crew meals.
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Old 26th Mar 2018, 08:47
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Originally Posted by itsnotthatbloodyhard
Well that was all very disappointing, after seeing the thread title and expecting to read about something like a punch-up over crew meals.
The record that I've seen is five meals in a sector......he had the SO stuff worked out for sure.
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Old 26th Mar 2018, 10:00
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Originally Posted by C441
The S/O's the one who's eaten 3 crew meals, usually the fish and a breakfast, 2 steak sangas, done 5 hours straight in the bunk and come back in time for the left over First Class brekky and a quick sunrise selfie in the LH seat while the Captain goes for a pre-descent slash.…….

…..between Dubai and London or Singa's and Sydney.
Christ, sign me up.
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Old 26th Mar 2018, 10:14
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Wow the crew meals sound different to ours. Most get sent back, very few eat them.
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Old 26th Mar 2018, 12:17
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You get good at being an SO after 17 years apparently
Does the time to F/O at Qantas take that long? What happens when a S/O is eligible for upgrade to F/O but declines to take it up after a reasonable time?
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Old 26th Mar 2018, 13:00
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Originally Posted by Ken Borough
Does the time to F/O at Qantas take that long? What happens when a S/O is eligible for upgrade to F/O but declines to take it up after a reasonable time?
SO is a rank on a fleet at a base like everything else that can be bid for with attendant seniority considerations. Plenty of people don’t want FO unless on a particular plane at a particular base.

There are already ‘new’ hires who are 737 FOs.
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Old 26th Mar 2018, 16:15
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Lifestyle choice for sure-if you don't need any personal satisfaction from your flying 'job' or no professional ambition and have outside interests/family etc then I guess it works for some. Can't think of anything worse than not having a window seat -let alone for for years-even with outside interests there has to be a modicum of professional satisfaction!
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Old 26th Mar 2018, 16:54
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Can't think of anything worse than training as a pilot and then my airline forbids me to fly the aircraft.
Do S/O's get a proper Type Rating or are they less qualified than an F/O?
In my Uk airline all pilots recruited are fully trained to operate as co-pilots in a two crew cockpit. Many of the shorter Long Haul trips on 777/787/744/A380 are operated with just two crew.
Extra crew are carried for crew rest requirements on longer trips, but all fully trained on the Type and share the landings as required for recency.
Presumably the S/O scenario is a cost saving exercise by the company.
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Old 26th Mar 2018, 20:27
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what is the difference in QF between a First Officer compared to a Second Officer?
As has been quoted elsewhere before, the SO is the one who is required to nod and smile politely as the skipper describes the renos to his 5 bedroom Point Piper home, all 110 strokes of his last round of golf and when questioned whether $3 million in cash is enough to retire on...
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