What does an air crew officer do?

What is an Air Crew Officer?

An air crew officer is more commonly known to the general public as a pilot or a co-pilot. These individuals are highly trained and highly experienced aviators who are responsible for safely operating an aircraft. They perform a wide range of pre-flight, mid-flight, and post-flight duties.

Air crew officers fall into two categories: civilian air crew officers, and military flight officers.

What does an Air Crew Officer do?

The day-to-day job duties of air crew officers are many. The most complicated and dangerous part of any flight is the take-off and landing. To minimize the risks of flying, air crew officers must fill out a pre-flight checklist in order to monitor the integrity of flight systems - these flight systems consist of hydraulic, engine, or instrument checks.

Other pre-flight job duties of air crew officers include monitoring the latest weather advisories and arranging flight schedules with air traffic controllers. This requires a lot of coordination between pilots and air traffic controllers in order to safely take off and land.

Mid-flight job duties of air crew officers range from operating an aircraft's controls, monitoring flight instruments, and navigating a pre-approved flight plan. They also monitor fuel levels as well as the status of engine systems.

An air crew consists of a captain and a first officer, also known as a co-pilot. The captain oversees the entire flight while the first officer helps the captain in flying the plane or checking the status of the flight. Both pilot and co-pilot take turns flying the plane.

Post-flight job responsibilities of air crew officers include properly filing the paperwork required and checking the final maintenance status of an aircraft.

What is the workplace of an Air Crew Officer like?

Air crew officers must be able to travel long distances and work in many types of settings. A career as an air crew officer is a very demanding career path physically, mentally, and psychologically.

The actual work schedule of an air crew officer depends on the amount of non-flight job duties involved. For example, senior airline captains perform fewer pre-flight checks than the first officer. Commercial cargo pilots in particular perform many more non-flight duties than airline pilots.