Flying the LINE professionally
 

Just finished my type rating, and soon, after a month or so of various inhouse ground school and tests (SOPS, OCC, firedrills etc.) coupled with sim sessions, I will be doing base training and later, proceeding to line training (60 sectors).

I would love to hear from experienced pilots and captains on how i can perform and be the best i could possibly be flying the line professional. Would appreciate any of your best advices you wish to share, or the same ones which you may have also shared to your own junior F/Os and Cadets. Furthermore any suggestions on what I should avoid to do in line flying that's considered a big red flag.

Cheers,

Turn up early
Look smart
Be nice to ground staff and cabin crew
Know the SOPs
Focus on a safe operation
Try to keep the big picture in mind
Avoid / manage distractions
Support the Captain
Keep a good look-out
Minimal paperwork below FL100
Ask for feedback (you should get it anyway)

All of the above.
Keep your phone usage to a minimum. Only turn it on at the end of the day.
Leave the GoPro at home.
As well as the SOPs, know the aircaft limitations - esp re icing etc.

Make sure you give a good brief, know your SOPs and hit all the calls on the way up and on the way down. Other than that pay attention to what you're being taught and enjoy it.

Be humble, admit when you’ve made a mistake and ask for techniques.
SOP’s tell you what to do, techniques is how to do it.
Experienced people almost without exception have a favorite technique.
These are all tools for your personal tool box.

All the above, but above all........Don't be an arsy little know-it-all just because you're straight out of groundschool.
The Captain's probably forgotten more than you know so just listen politely to what he has to say and learn from what he does, right or wrong.
Only interrupt if he tries to kill you !
It's actually a great career if you know when to keep your mouth shut. After all, it'll soon be you turn ! .........Enjoy.

Learn to like the chicken.

Don't be late for the report.
Iron your shirts, and (If you are of the shaving persuasion) be clean shaved.
Don't cock about with your phone at the expense of lookout/scan etc (even if it is in the cruise, on autopilot).
The occasional selfie is fine, as is a flight deck view photo. But not all the damn time. If your colleague is in the photo, get their explicit permission before putting it on social media.
Flightdeck conversation topics; no religion, politics or sex. Remember there is no need to fill a comfortable silence sometimes.
1st rule of dealing with company politics and gossip; assume that everyone in the company could eventually hear what you say about them, and adjust your conversation accordingly.
Make sure you take the time to ask your ramp/ops staff how they're doing - and more importantly, actually listen to the response.

All above plus :

- If your company is not a charter company, check the route you will fly from previous days' flights. Note down the en-route alternates, airport briefing pages, and have an idea about taxi route, parking stand, etc. Instructors like to see a first officer who prepared for the flight.

- To know your SOP, OM PART A, O PART B is a must but also it is always good to know your OM PART C / D. Not every detail for sure but when you read it even one time, you may catch helpful details. For example, in my company, you should have a working EFB on your side if you are flying any kind of check flight, and when I learned this? After my first annual line check :)

- Don't reduct the flight down to landing only. You may have an excellent briefing, cruise, descent, approach but spoil the landing. If your instructor takes control, keep calm, and switch to PM duties. In the debriefing, listen carefully. If he/she thinks you can correct your landing with a piece of debriefing, he/she will not fail you. Yes failing a LIFUS flight is not the end of the world but still, it may create some stress.

I am not an experienced pilot, just a first officer who has been there and seeing lots of folks from the observer seat.

twinotterifr.

All good stuff but now a tendency to overcomplicate.
Basically, BE AHEAD OF THE GAME, particularly if, because of ATC or the weather, things get a little busy.
Have weather updates, approach options and frequencies ready in plenty of time, for example,
The skipper won't expect you to know everything at this stage.
Just be Mr. Niceguy, efficient but not overanxious.
It's a two-man operation. Try and share the effort with the final decision coming from the LHS.
Your turn to expect the same will come later on........
For now, be an indispensable co-pilot but, above all, enjoy it. Don't worry. You'll be fine.

Not sure about this. If you’re flying from Gatwick to Antalya you’ve probably got 50 en routes you could divert into. Not convinced that being able to explain the taxi routing for Frankfurt Hahn or where you’d likely park(!) is all that important.

Know the SOPs, don’t be a tit and that’s all there is too it. And when you’re in the cruise feeling like you should be doing something? You really don’t need to, that’s why your captain is reading a newspaper.

It's actually very peculiar the first few times because you do a normal takeoff, climb, cruise descent and landing and (normally) nothing goes wrong.... All very strange after a type rating that is nothing but failures and decisions...
I remember thinking "Is that it? That's what they're paying us for?"