Cockpitpersonal

Cockpitpersonal is a term used to describe the personnel who operate and manage the cockpit of an aircraft, commonly referred to as the cockpit crew or flight crew. In civil aviation, the primary members are pilots: the captain, who is the pilot in command, and the first officer, who assists and may assume command when required. On some long-haul or high-demand flights, a second or relief pilot may be carried to provide rest periods. Historically, a flight engineer served in the cockpit to manage aircraft systems, but in modern jet airliners this role has largely been automated or removed. In smaller aircraft, a single pilot may operate alone or with a co-pilot.

Duties of cockpit personnel include pre-flight planning, weight and balance calculations, fuel planning, weather assessment, and the review of the flight plan. They perform checklists, configure avionics, monitor aircraft systems, manage automation and navigation, and communicate with air traffic control. They are trained to handle normal operations as well as abnormal or emergency situations and are responsible for post-flight tasks.

Training and qualification require licenses such as a commercial pilot license or airline transport pilot license, along with instrument ratings and a type rating for specific aircraft. Ongoing education includes recurrent simulator and flight checks, and training in crew resource management. Regulatory oversight comes from international and national authorities such as ICAO, FAA, and EASA, along with medical fitness requirements for aircrew.

Safety considerations include cockpit door security, fatigue management, rest rules for augmented crews on long-haul flights, and adherence to standard operating procedures to support decision-making and threat and error management.