Many misconceptions about a commercial pilot’s job relate to the fact that there are two of us seated at the controls. Who’s doing what — and when and why? The answers are a function of both rank and role.At my airline, like most, one pilot — who wears four stripes on their jacket sleeves and epaulettes, and sports a somewhat blingier hat — holds the rank of captain. The other — bearing only two or three stripes — ranks as first officer. Bear in mind, however, that “co-pilot” is another term for first officer (a confusing one, as all of us are pilots) and that some other airlines term their newest pilots “second officers”.
人們對商用飛機飛行員職業的許多誤解都源于一件事:控制臺前有兩個飛行員。誰在干什么——以及什么時候和為什么干?答案取決于級別和角色。