First officer

:This article is about the civil aviation rank. For military use, see Executive Officer.

Related Topics:
Civil aviation - Military - Executive Officer

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In commercial aviation, the first officer is the second pilot of an aircraft. They are subordinate to the Captain, though many airlines promote by seniority within their own company only, so the first officer may actually have more flying hours than the captain, for instance as a military pilot or with other airlines. Traditionally, they sit on the right hand side of a fixed wing aircraft, or the left of a helicopter.

Related Topics:
Commercial aviation - Pilot - Aircraft - Captain

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