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Does a plane need 2 pilots?
The primary reason for having two pilots on every flight is safety. Obviously, if something happens to the captain, a plane must have another pilot who can step in. Typically, flight engineers are fully trained pilots, but on an ordinary trip, they don’t fly the plane.
Why do Jets need two pilots?
The primary reason any fighter aircraft would be designed for two crew members is work load. As avionics, sensors and weapon systems advance they become easier for a single pilot to operate, which is why far fewer fighter aircraft have two crew members now than in the past.
Do pilots get to fly for free?
Yes, as a perk of the job most pilots have access too heavily discounted or even free flights. It varies between airlines and across countries but it is generally accepted that pilots and their friends or family get access to cheap flight tickets.
Why do there have to be two pilots in a plane?
In fact, they have a requirement that single pilot can, physically, fly them, so he can get to the ground safely when the other pilot becomes incapacitated (which is the main reason why legally there have to be two pilots)!
When does a flight require a copilot?
I always assumed a copilot is required once civilian passengers are aboard, but when I recently was a passenger in South-African and South-American sight seeing flights, the pilot was always flying alone. Flights in europe however always had a pilot and copilot.
How many people do you need to fly a cargo plane?
You may be more likely to find these older airframes/configurations in cargo service these days. For these planes the legal requirement is often 3 people (not 2) but from a pure “get it off the ground, fly it, land it” case you need at least 2 people to operate it.
Do you have to be a copilot on a 747?
Some older aircraft that required a Flight Engineer in the third seat (not the copilot) and controls at that station that were not available to the pilot or copilot. Some older variants of the 747 (pre 400 series, not sure if any are still in service in their original config) had a required 3 man crew.