In-flight crew relief

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In-flight crew relief (commonly referred in noun form as the relief aircrew, relief flight crew, or just relief crew), is a term used in commercial aviation when referring to the members of an aircrew intended to temporarily relieve active crew members of their duties during the course of a flight. [1] The term and its role are almost exclusively applied to the secondary pilots of an aircrew, commonly referred to as relief pilots, that relieve the primary and active captain and/or first officer (co-pilot) in command of an aircraft to provide prolonged breaks for rest or sleep opportunities. [2] [3]

Contents

Usage

While one crew is flying, the other crew may rest in a crew rest area, such as this one on a Boeing 787 Crew rest on a Boeing 787.jpg
While one crew is flying, the other crew may rest in a crew rest area, such as this one on a Boeing 787

In-flight crew relief is generally required for flights that are determined to be long haul or "ultra-long haul" on aircraft commercially operated (airline operated). [4] [5] In certain places such as the United States, flights will be given these classifications and equipped with relief crews when around or exceeding 8–12 hours domestically or internationally. [3] [6] Operators of these flights prototypically will have 1 or 2 relief pilots to the amalgamated 3 to 4 pilots assigned to the total aircrew depending on the regional jurisdictions regarding flight length. [7] [8]

Initially in the early years of commercial aviation, pilots assigned as the second officer (flight engineer) or third officer of a flight crew would take the role of relieving the commanding captain or first officer when situationally necessary. [9] [10] [11] In modern years however, the pilots consisting of a relief crew are usually certified as captains or first officers correspondingly being referred in certain instances as the relief captain or relief first officer. [12] [13]

A prominent intention for the utilization of in-flight crew relief is in the interval(s) the pilots of the relief crew have aircraft command, the pilots of the primary crew are permitted to exit the flight deck (cockpit) for extended periods of time and be able to regain energy from sleep or rest in the aircraft cabin or dedicated crew rest compartments equipped in some aircraft. [7] [14] This is often considered as an effective and significant factor in lessening the potential risks of pilot fatigue throughout the duration of flights, especially ones scheduled during night and early morning hours. [14] [15] Pilots in the relief crew may be used also to assume command of the aircraft in the event of an in-flight emergency causing or due to the incapacitation or unexpected death of one or both of the commanding pilots of the primary crew. [16] [17]

Regulations and scheduling arrangements

The members of a relief flight crew are intended by their commercial operators to be properly and fully rested prior to the departure of a flight and provided a seat in either the flight deck (typically a jump seat) or a seat in the cabin of the aircraft. [1] [14] Airlines will create their own customary rules and regulations, ones such as Air France require the pilots of both crews present in the flight deck for the takeoff and landing sequences of the flight. [18] Air France also made it requirement for the relief pilot(s) to not engage in operating the aircraft during these processes and to assist in pre-flight planning with the active crew. British Airways has been noted to also requiring the flight deck presence of the relief pilot(s) during takeoff and landing. [19] They similarly task the relief crew to assist with ground services and flight planning before takeoff in addition to prohibiting "abort" or "go around" directive callouts from the relief pilots in these situations. [19]

According to Cornell Law School, a commercial pilot can't be assigned as a member of a relief flight crew if they exceed "500 hours in any calendar quarter", "800 hours in any two consecutive calendar quarters" or "1,400 hours in any calendar year." [20] The Federal Aviation Administration has approved policies from multiple airlines requiring a qualified crew member such as a relief pilot to be in the flight deck during the short temporary absence of one of the active pilots as a direct result of the crash of Germanwings Flight 9525 in 2015. [21]

The schedule for when the relief crew takes over control of an aircraft's flight deck from the active crew is mainly designated in accordance with the guidelines created by the commercial operator of the aircraft though in some cases it may be arranged along with a verbal consensus between both flight crews. [22] [5] The common system executed between a primary and relief crew from this is that the primary active crew will command the flight for the takeoff and climb segments of the flight. [1] The active crew afterwards would transfer command of the aircraft to the relief crew during the middle portions of the flight, when the aircraft is primarily operating on autopilot at cruising altitude and not requiring substantial manual flight control manipulation. [23] These type pilots of a relief crew that regularly take command during these portions are alternately referred as cruise relief pilots. [24] Cruise relief pilots are designed to command the aircraft typically at altitudes of 20,000 feet and higher. [24] The primary crew will then reassume command typically before the flight's final descent into the landing approach and land the aircraft.

Scrutinization and refinements

The European Cockpit Association (ECA) published an article on April 9, 2014, in which critical concerns and issues regarding flight safety around the specialized relief crew role of a "cruise relief pilot" were expressed. [25] The organization detailed at time of the article's publishing, regulations did not make commercial operators have landing and takeoff training mandatory for cruise relief pilots. The ECA article addresses this further with the probable scenario of an emergency or technical malfunction stating " ...each and every crew member in the cockpit must be able to safely handle, both above and below FL 200." [25]

Two days later on April 11, 2014, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) had proposed safety regulations regarding the liable lack of safety and certifications regulation for cruise relief pilots. [26] Some proposed in the published report included "that a cruise relief co-pilot and a cruise relief pilot are adequately trained and qualified to safely operate an aeroplane during the cruise segment of a flight" and "appropriate operating procedures are established for the transfer of authority from the captain to the cruise relief pilot." [27] The EASA in their report used supporting evidence in the Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety's (BEA) investigation into the crash of Air France Flight 447, which no directive or nomination was given from the vacating captain to whether the first officer relieving the captain in the left seat or the first officer in the right seat should be the pilot in command. [28]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aircraft pilot</span> Person controlling an aircraft in flight

An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators because they are involved in operating the aircraft's navigation and engine systems. Other aircrew members, such as drone operators, flight attendants, mechanics and ground crew, are not classified as aviators.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flight engineer</span> Air crew member responsible for systems monitoring

A flight engineer (FE), also sometimes called an air engineer, is the member of an aircraft's flight crew who monitors and operates its complex aircraft systems. In the early era of aviation, the position was sometimes referred to as the "air mechanic". Flight engineers can still be found on some larger fixed-wing airplanes and helicopters. A similar crew position exists on some spacecraft. In most modern aircraft, their complex systems are both monitored and adjusted by electronic microprocessors and computers, resulting in the elimination of the flight engineer's position.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aviation safety</span> State in which risks associated with aviation are at an acceptable level

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aircrew</span> Personnel who operate an aircraft while in flight

Aircrew, also called flight crew, are personnel who operate an aircraft while in flight. The composition of a flight's crew depends on the type of aircraft, plus the flight's duration and purpose.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pilot error</span> Decision, action or inaction by a pilot of an aircraft

In aviation, pilot error generally refers to an action or decision made by a pilot that is a substantial contributing factor leading to an aviation accident. It also includes a pilot's failure to make a correct decision or take proper action. Errors are intentional actions that fail to achieve their intended outcomes. The Chicago Convention defines the term "accident" as "an occurrence associated with the operation of an aircraft [...] in which [...] a person is fatally or seriously injured [...] except when the injuries are [...] inflicted by other persons." Hence the definition of "pilot error" does not include deliberate crashing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First officer (aviation)</span> Flight crew role

In aviation, the first officer (FO), also called co-pilot, is a pilot in addition to the captain, who is the legal commander. In the event of incapacitation of the captain, the first officer will assume command of the aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electronic flight bag</span> Flight Information management device

An electronic flight bag (EFB) is an electronic information management device that helps flight crews perform flight management tasks more easily and efficiently with less paper providing the reference material often found in the pilot's carry-on flight bag, including the flight-crew operating manual, navigational charts, etc. In addition, the EFB can host purpose-built software applications to automate other functions normally conducted by hand, such as take-off performance calculations. The EFB gets its name from the traditional pilot's flight bag, which is typically a heavy documents bag that pilots carry to the cockpit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flight dispatcher</span> Flight planning and management specialist within the operations centre of an airline

A flight dispatcher assists in planning flight paths, taking into account aircraft performance and loading, enroute winds, thunderstorm and turbulence forecasts, airspace restrictions, and airport conditions. Dispatchers also provide a flight following service and advise pilots if conditions change. They usually work in the operations center of the airline. In the United States and Canada, the flight dispatcher shares legal responsibility with the commander of the aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Comair Flight 5191</span> 2006 passenger plane crash in Lexington, Kentucky, United States

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pilot in command</span> Flight crew role

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Second officer is a civil aviation rank, also known as junior first officer. It is used for pilots at an early stage of their career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">EgyptAir Flight 990</span> 1999 plane crash of a Boeing 767 in the Atlantic Ocean

EgyptAir Flight MS990 (MSR990) was a scheduled flight from Los Angeles International Airport to Cairo International Airport, with a stop at John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York City. On October 31, 1999, the Boeing 767-300ER operating the route crashed into the Atlantic Ocean about 60 miles (100 km) south of Nantucket Island, Massachusetts, killing all 217 passengers and crew on board, making it the deadliest aviation disaster for EgyptAir, and also the second-deadliest aviation accident involving a Boeing 767 aircraft, behind Lauda Air Flight 004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Qantas Flight 32</span> 2010 Airbus A380 engine incident

Qantas Flight 32 was a regularly scheduled passenger flight from London to Sydney via Singapore. On 4 November 2010, the aircraft operating the route, an Airbus A380, suffered an uncontained failure in one of its four Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines. The failure occurred over the Riau Islands, Indonesia, four minutes after takeoff from Singapore Changi Airport. After holding for almost two hours to assess the situation, the aircraft made a successful emergency landing at Changi. No injuries occurred to the passengers, crew, or people on the ground, despite debris from the aircraft falling onto houses in Batam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UPS Airlines Flight 1354</span> 2013 aviation accident

UPS Airlines Flight 1354 (5X1354/UPS1354) was a scheduled cargo flight from Louisville, Kentucky, to Birmingham, Alabama. On August 14, 2013, the Airbus A300 flying the route crashed and burst into flames short of the runway on approach to Birmingham–Shuttlesworth International Airport. Both pilots were pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. They were the only people aboard the aircraft. It was the second fatal air crash for UPS Airlines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northwest Airlines Flight 188</span> 2009 aviation incident in the United States

Northwest Airlines Flight 188 was a regularly scheduled flight from San Diego, California, to Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, on October 21, 2009, which landed over one hour late in Minneapolis/St Paul after overshooting its destination by more than 150 miles (240 km) because of pilot error. As a result of the incident, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revoked the pilot certificates of the involved pilots and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued recommendations for changes to air traffic control procedures and the rules for cockpit crew. The incident also caused American lawmakers to move to prevent pilots on U.S. airliners from using personal electronic devices while taxiing or flying. In 2013, changes to flight deck automation were suggested, and prototype designs that could mitigate errors leading to similar incidents were described.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Impact of culture on aviation safety</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pilot fatigue</span> Reduced pilot performance from inadequate energy

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crew rest compartment</span> Area of an airplane where workers can rest in private

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Empire Airlines Flight 8284</span> 2009 aviation accident

Empire Airlines Flight 8284 was a cargo flight operated by Empire Airlines for FedEx Feeder from Fort Worth Alliance Airport to Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport, Texas. On January 27, 2009, it crashed on final approach to its destination. Both crew members survived with minor injuries but the aircraft was written off.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Carrico, Matthew; Matessa, Michael; Stover, Keith (September 2018). "Reduced Crew Operations". 2018 IEEE/AIAA 37th Digital Avionics Systems Conference (DASC). pp. 1–8. doi:10.1109/DASC.2018.8569515. ISBN   978-1-5386-4112-5. S2CID   54459983.
  2. ↑ "Perchance to Dream (Expanded Version)". Flight Safety Foundation. Retrieved 2022-05-26.
  3. 1 2 Freeman, Joel (2000-08-04). "How Becoming an Airline Pilot Works". HowStuffWorks. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  4. ↑ "Pilot – AC Express Pilot Careers Portal (for AC Express Pilots only) in TORONTO, ON - Air Canada". Air Canada . Retrieved 2022-05-26.
  5. 1 2 "In Taking a Seat, Relief Pilot Added to Investigators' Suspicion". The New York Times archive. Retrieved 2022-05-26.
  6. ↑ Patterson, Thom (2013-09-26). "Britain's aviation authority says pilots slept at 30,000 feet, but not at same time". CNN. Retrieved 2022-05-31.
  7. 1 2 Zhang, Benjamin. "Take a look inside the hidden bedrooms on board Boeing's 787 Dreamliner". Business Insider . Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  8. ↑ "Flight Crew Alertness and Sleep Relative to Timing of In-Flight Rest Periods in Long-Haul Flights" (PDF). NASA Ames Human Systems Integration Division. 2020. p. 1. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  9. ↑ Villamizar, Helwing (2022-04-23). "From Five to None? Evolution of the Flight Crew". airwaysmag.com. Retrieved 2022-05-26.
  10. ↑ Christenson, Sig (2021-11-11). "Daredevil pilot's medals — pawned in S.A. — returned to his descendants". San Antonio Express-News . Retrieved 2022-05-26.
  11. ↑ "Women Pilots". The New York Times. 1973-06-10. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  12. ↑ "REQUIREMENTS ON INFLIGHT RELIEF OF FLIGHT CREW MEMBERS" (PDF). Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia . July 21, 2005. p. 2. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  13. ↑ "Recent experience requirements pilot in command, co pilot and cruise relief pilot" (PDF). International Civil Aviation Organization . p. 2. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
  14. 1 2 3 Aviation, United States Congress House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on (2000). Pilot Fatigue: Hearings Before the Subcommittee on Aviation of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of Representatives, One Hundred Sixth Congress, First Session, August 3 and September 15, 1999. U.S. Government Printing Office. ISBN   978-0-16-061143-8.
  15. ↑ Gander, Philippa H.; Mulrine, Hannah M.; van den Berg, Margo J.; Smith, A. Alexander T.; Signal, T. Leigh; Wu, Lora J.; Belenky, Gregory (2014-08-01). "Pilot Fatigue: Relationships with Departure and Arrival Times, Flight Duration, and Direction". Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine. 85 (8): 833–840. doi:10.3357/ASEM.3963.2014. PMID   25199126.
  16. ↑ Baker, Al; Chan, Sewell (2009-06-19). "After Pilot Dies, Jet Lands Safely in Newark". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2022-05-26.
  17. ↑ "Can an Average Passenger Actually Be Talked Through Landing a Plane in an Emergency?". Mental Floss. 2021-09-28. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
  18. ↑ "Augmentation Study Committee Final Report to MEC" (PDF). European Cockpit Association . 2000. p. 12. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  19. 1 2 "Augmentation Study Committee Final Report to MEC" (PDF). European Cockpit Association . 2000. pp. 15, 17. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  20. ↑ "14 CFR § 135.269 - Flight time limitations and rest requirements: Unscheduled three- and four-pilot crews". LII / Legal Information Institute. Retrieved 2022-05-26.
  21. ↑ Jansen, Bart. "Locking the cockpit: How airline security varies". USA Today. Retrieved 2022-05-31.
  22. ↑ "Flight Crew Alertness and Sleep Relative to Timing of In-Flight Rest Periods in Long-Haul Flights" (PDF). NASA Ames Human Systems Integration Division. 2020. p. 8. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  23. ↑ Antonio, Puentes (Fall 2011). "The Manual Flight Skill of Airline Pilots". San Jose State University . p. 21. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  24. 1 2 "Cruise relief pilots" (PDF). International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations . September 12, 2013. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  25. 1 2 "Relief pilot concept "cruising" down the wrong path?". European Cockpit Association . Retrieved 2022-06-03.
  26. ↑ Mark, Robert P. "EASA Proposes Changes to Relief Pilot Requirements". Aviation International News. Retrieved 2022-06-03.
  27. ↑ "Requirements for relief pilots" (PDF). European Aviation Safety Agency . April 11, 2014. p. 1. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  28. ↑ "Requirements for relief pilots" (PDF). European Aviation Safety Agency . April 11, 2014. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
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