Some planes have a third position in the cockpit for a flight engineer, also called a second officer.
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The flight crew includes three persons: chief pilot, co-pilot, and navigator. The aircraft design envisages installation of an additional seat for the flight engineer. [...]
In the past, there was always a flight engineer in the cockpit alongside the two pilots, but now only three people are on board to control the aircraft on long-haul flights, to allow for alternating rest phases. For particularly small aircraft with up to eleven passengers, only one pilot is even necessary.
Modern airliners only require two pilots, the captain and the first officer. Where relief crew are required for long haul flights, additional captains and first officers will be carried. Junior first officers undergoing training are sometimes known as second officers.
On a flight, the co-pilot acts as the second-in-command under the captain. This means that a co-pilot can often have lower-level responsibilities and can take instructions immediately from the captain during a flight.
A second officer or a flight engineer wears two stripes, a first officer (co-pilot/second-in-command) wears three stripes, and a captain, also known as a pilot-in-command, is awarded four stripes. What is the highest rank a pilot can get? Captain or pilot-in-command is the highest rank a pilot can earn.
Ensures Overall Aviation SafetyHaving two pilots is a sure way to make a flight immediately safer. Whether it be a technological malfunction, a health issue or a communication problem, having two experts in the cockpit vastly improves the efficiency and safety of a flight. Even smaller private jets require two pilots.
A Captain is typically the highest rank. However, in some airlines, there is a role of a Training Captain – an experienced pilot who not only performs regular captain duties, but also takes on the responsibility of training and evaluating other pilots (they also wear four Captain stripes).
Co-Pilot - Person who sits in the cockpit with the Pilot. The Co-Pilot is also known as the first officer and monitors the plane's controls and gauges while the Pilot flies the plane.
Women pilots were also formerly called aviatrices (singular aviatrix). Women have been flying powered aircraft since 1908; prior to 1970, however, most were restricted to working privately or in support roles in the aviation industry. Aviation also allowed women to travel alone on unprecedented journeys.
Many airlines provide crew rest areas on their aircraft, where pilots can sleep during long-haul flights. These areas are usually located in the tail, cargo area or above the cabin of the plane and are designed to be as quiet and comfortable as possible. Other crew members prefer to use business class seats to rest.
While some airlines require a third pilot for flights longer than seven hours, others may extend it to 10 hours. If the flight is longer than 12 hours, a fourth pilot (second officer) is required.