Simviation Forums

I often watch cockpit videos on YouTube. I've noticed that during approach the pilot and the co-pilot engage in activities such as operating switches, levers and adjusting knobs barely talking to one another. I understand some of the basic equipment and instruments such as landing gear, flaps etc. However I've observed that with the flurry of activities during landing, sometimes over reaching one another, do the pilots rehearse on what and who does a particular action?

You may not hear them talking, but believe me, 99% of their actions are performed after a checklist prompt from the other person, and each is absolutely certain the other KNOWS what they are doing before they do it. There are absolutely NO independant actions taken in a cockpit. Or there shouldn't be. I know in the Navy/MC, for example, even if they've lost intercom, they will write down things and show one another, use handsigns, scream, whatever it takes. And during an Emergency proceedure, say an engine out requiring a prop feathering, they will have the PNC reach to the appropriate feather lever, receive verbal confirmation from other pilot, THEN and only then pull it into position. They will then reach for the fuel cut-off, and not until they receive confirmation from the other person will they pull it, even if the engine is burning merrily away. The same is true of commercial planes, although procedures may differ slightly from company to company. The basics remain the same: Checklist or command callout, verbal confirmation, action taken, verbal confirmation, and response. Say, for example flaps during landing: "Speed 210, flaps 15","roger, flaps 15", move flaps lever to first detent. "Flaps 15 set and moving", "Roger, flaps 15 set"
All this seems a tad unwieldy, but it's important, because it prevents errors that could cause severe repercussions, missed checklist steps, etc.
Like I say, in a simulator environment, without an AI second person in the cockpit, things like this don't happen, but in the RW, I gar-un-tee you they are done like that. Basically, in a simulator, one person does it all, so a lot of the give-and-take of a cockpit's communication procedures is missing.
My Father was a UAL pilot and Captain for many, many years, and I listened when he and his friends, people like Mr. Lear, and several pilots, etc from various airlines would get together and talk, whether during parties or just a chat. I learned an awfull lot that way, and I was even permitted a few 6-month refresher training classes when my father went. These included a lot of sim time (Much bigger and more complex than my FS9!) practising emergency procedures, etc. I had a blast
Ok, I'll stop babbling now. Sorry, just a subject near and dear to me
Pat☺

Excellent read, Pat!.... ...!

Puts it all into perspective...(as he said, with one eye missing)... ... ...!

Paul....Checking out for Breakfast.... ...!

There are cockpit flows and call-outs during each phase of flight. Generally these are based in some set form of operating procedures, where the PNF completes the action then references the checklist to verify. Generally the PF is the guy on the controls while the PNF is the guy taking on the radios, navigating, and running the checklists.

A few programs can do this in FS, one that is freeware is FSFO2. Radar Contact 4 has the same feature, you can give most controls to the "co-pilot/FO" allowing you to simply fly.

Fozzer wrote:Excellent read, Pat!.... ...!

Puts it all into perspective...(as he said, with one eye missing)... ... ...!

Paul....Checking out for Breakfast.... ...!

Thanx, Paul!
Sadly, my perspective is a lot flatter than when I had them both. Need two for depth perception. Makes trying to play frisbee a real adventure, and forget tossing a baseball or football around!!
Just the way life goes

Have a great breakfast! I still say you keep a Hobbit's meal schedule, though

Pat☺

This is an interesting topic, but I wanted to ask you a question for example, I have seen many videos of landings and almost all are made by the first officer
why is it so? will have some kind of arrangement for instance the captain makes takeoff and landing first official??

Two reasons, really: mainly, training, because the FO will, by definition, have fewer launches and recoveries than the Capt, so usually they have the FO do T/O and landings both. Secondly, because this permits the Capt. to keep an overall view of what the plane is doing, the engine health, fuel consumption, control settings, communications with the ground, and so on. This is, after all, his main function on the plane. It's his job

Hope that helps a little

Pat☺

Thanks Pat for the explanation it makes sense.

Bubblehead wrote: However I've observed that with the flurry of activities during landing, sometimes over reaching one another, do the pilots rehearse on what and who does a particular action?

Everything, from initial checks up until shutdown will be following a Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), where both Captain and First Officer, either as Pilot Flying (PF - ie, operating the aircraft) or Pilot Not Flying (PNF - supporting the PF, operating stuff, doing the radios etc) know exactly what they are doing. This is designed as very few airlines will have the same pairs of crew operating day in day out.

All things will be rehearsed in the sim, in particular emergency drills, and even more so with take off and landing emergencies.