Different Designations of a Pilot in the Airline industry

For students who aspire to pursue a career in the aviation industry, it can get a little confusing to understand the different designations of a pilot in the airline industry. This article aims to give you a brief understanding of all the designations of a pilot and the ranks they hold.

Examiner

The Examiner is the highest designation a pilot could achieve. The examiner must hold an ATPL (Airline Transport Pilot License) and must know to conduct proficiency checks, skill tests, and PIC (pilot in command) upgrade checks. Moreover, they must possess a total flying experience of 4000 hours.

Flight Instructor

As the name suggests, a flying instructor’s role is to teach aspiring pilots to fly an aircraft. The flight instructor must hold a CPL (Commercial Pilot License) or ATPL. They must also possess 50 hours of PIC in the last 18 months, and 200 hours of PIC in the last 5 years.

Line Training Captain

The Line Training Captain trains other pilots and shares all the responsibilities of a Captain. If a pilot is new to an airline company, for example,  if they are new to Air India or a certain type of aircraft such as the 787 Boeing Dreamliner, it is the Line Training Captain’s job to fly with them until they reach the required flying standards. They are senior to a Captain, however, they wear the same 4 stripes as the Captain.

Captain

The Captain, who is also known as the PIC, holds the highest rank in the flight crew. Unless a Training Captain is in the flight, the Captain is in charge of the aircraft, crew, and passengers. A Captain’s rank is reflected by 4 stripes on their uniform.

Senior First Officer

A Senior First Officer is someone who would have over 1500 hours of flying experience. They are first in line to be promoted to the Captain rank and have 3 stripes on their uniform.

First Officer

The First Officer is the second-in-command of the aircraft and is often known as the Co-pilot. The control of the aircraft is usually shared by both, the Captain and the Co-pilot. The rank is reflected by 2 or 3 stripes on the uniform.

Second Officer

The Second Officer is a rank lower to the first officer and is someone who performs selected duties such as a relief pilot. On long haul flights, the PIC can hand over the controls to the second officer during certain portions of the flight so that they can take rest breaks.

I hope this article has offered you with quality insights and cleared any confusion you have regarding the designations of a pilot in the airline industry.

About the author:

Captain Sameer Dogra is a commercial airline pilot from India with nearly 24 years of flying experience. His career in the aviation industry has seen him play various roles such as Check Pilot, Instructor, and Examiner. With his extensive knowledge and flying experience, he aims to provide relevant information and insightful tips to anyone aspiring to pursue a career as an airline pilot.