A First Officer in aviation is a commercial airline pilot who helps navigate and operate flights. They work in the cockpit with the Captain to assist them with the flight. They sit in the right seat and are the second in command (SIC), while the Captain sits in the left seat and is the pilot in command (PIC).

On a Delta Air Lines flight, the primary difference between a Captain and a First Officer is the level of legal responsibility and seniority, though both are fully qualified pilots capable of flying the aircraft. The Captain is the "Pilot in Command" (PIC) and sits in the left-hand seat. They hold the ultimate authority over the safety of the flight, the crew, and the passengers; in any emergency, the "buck stops" with them. You can identify a Delta Captain by the four gold stripes on their epaulets. The First Officer, sitting in the right-hand seat, is the "Second in Command" (SIC) and wears three gold stripes. During a typical flight, the two pilots take turns as the "Pilot Flying" and "Pilot Monitoring" to manage fatigue. While the First Officer is essentially an "apprentice" for the Captain's role, they often have thousands of hours of experience themselves. The pay gap is also significant, as Captains are higher on the seniority list. Despite the hierarchy, Delta utilizes "Crew Resource Management" (CRM) to ensure that the First Officer is encouraged to speak up if they notice a safety issue, maintaining a collaborative and safe cockpit environment.