Profession co-pilot

Co-pilots are responsible for assisting captains by monitoring the flight instruments, handling radio communications, watching for air traffic, and taking over for the pilot as needed. They adhere to the pilot's commands, flight plans, and regulations and procedures of aviation national authorities, companies, and airports.

Personality Type

• Enterprising / Conventional
• Realistic / Conventional
• Realistic / Investigative

Knowledge

• Airport planning

  Know airport planning for different types of aircrafts; use that information to mobilise resources and people in order to handle the aircrafts while they are in the airport.

• Aircraft flight control systems

  Know the setting, features and operation of aircraft flight control systems. Manage flight control surfaces, cockpit controls, connections, and operating mechanisms required to control the flight direction of an aircraft. Operate aircraft engine controls in order to change aircraft speed.

• Air transport law

  Know air transport laws and regulations. Due to the nature of aviation, knowledge of air transport laws partially overlaps with knowledge of international law.

• Visual flight rules

  Types of flight rules which are a compilation of regulations that allow pilots to fly aircrafts in clear as well as unclear weather conditions whereby it is declared that outside visual reference to the ground and other obstructions are not safe.

• Aviation meteorology

  Understand aviation meteorology to deal with the impact of weather on air traffic management (ATM). Understand how thorough changes in pressure and temperature values at airports can create variations in head and tail-wind components, and may impose low visibility operating conditions. Knowledge of aviation meteorology can help to reduce negative impact on the ATM system by diminishing disruption and the consequent problems of disturbed flow rates, lost capacity and induced additional costs.

• Common aviation safety regulations

  The body of legislation and regulations that apply to the field of civil aviation at regional, national, European and International levels. Understand that regulations aimed at protecting citizens at all times in civil aviation; ensure that operators, citizens, and organisations comply with these rules.

• Geographic areas

  Know the geographic area in detail; know where different organisations carry out operations.

• Civil aviation regulations

  Know civil aviation regulations, rules and signals, including marshalling signals.

• Air traffic control operations

  Understand the tasks performed by air traffic controllers, including Interaction and effective communication between aircraft and air traffic controllers; execution of follow-up activities, and ensuring smooth operations during flights.

Skills

• Operate two-way radio systems

  Use radios that can receive and transmit sound signals in order to communicate with similar radios on the same frequency such as mobile phones and walkie talkies.

• Comply with air traffic control operations

  Act in compliance with instruction provided by air traffic controllers.

• Comprehensively inspect aircraft

  Conduct inspections of aircraft and aircraft components, namely their parts, appliances, and equipment, to identify malfunctions such as fuel leaks or flaws in electrical and pressurisation systems.

• Possess visual literacy

  Interpret charts, maps, graphics, and other pictorial presentations used in place of the written word. The graphics used vary from process to process; therefore, the professional must have sufficient knowledge of the field in order to follow and use the information presented.

• Analyse work-related written reports

  Read and comprehend job-related reports, analyse the content of reports and apply findings to daily work operations.

• Deal with challenging work conditions

  Deal with challenging circumstances in which to perform work, such as night work, shift work, and atypical working conditions.

• Apply signalling control procedures

  Control train movements; operate railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, on correct routes, and on time.

• Maintain counterweight inside modes of transport

  Maintain balance and mass distribution inside the means of transport (vessel, aircraft, train, road vehicles, etc). Ensure that passengers and cargo distribution do not hinder the mobility of the mode of transport.

• Ensure public safety and security

  Implement the relevant procedures, strategies and use the proper equipment to promote local or national security activities for the protection of data, people, institutions, and property.

• Undertake procedures to meet requirements for flying aircraft heavier than 5,700 kg

  Ensure that operation certificates are valid, validate that take-off mass is a minimum of 5,700 kg, verify that the minimum crew is adequate according to flight needs and regulations, ensure that the configuration settings are correct, and check if the engines are suitable for the flight.

• Implement airside safety procedures

  Apply a series of airfield safety rules and procedures to ensure a safe working environment for airport crew.

• Run preventive simulations

  Run preventive audits or simulations with new signalling systems; assess operability and detect flaws for improvement.

• Ensure aircraft compliance with regulation

  Ensure that every aircraft complies with applicable regulation and all components and equipment have officially valid components.

• Read 3D displays

  Read 3D-displays and understand the information they provide on positions, distances, and other parameters.

• Ensure compliance with civil aviation regulations

  Ensure best practice standards are adopted and all regulatory requirements met

• Read maps

  Read maps effectively.

• Perform take off and landing

  Perform normal and cross-wind take-off and landing operations.

• Prepare transportation routes

  Prepare routes by chosing the best possible way and foresee adjustments in case of need, by providing additional running time or adapting capacity and timing in response to changes in circumstances, thereby ensuring an efficient use of resources and achievement of customer relations goals.

• Use different communication channels

  Make use of various types of communication channels such as verbal, handwritten, digital and telephonic communication with the purpose of constructing and sharing ideas or information.

• Have spatial awareness

  Be aware of your position and the space around you. Understand the relationship of objects around you when there is a change of position.

• Ensure smooth on board operations

  Ensure the trip goes smoothly and without incidents. Before departure review if all security, catering, navigation and communication elements are in place.

• Follow verbal instructions

  Have the ability to follow spoken instructions received from colleagues. Strive to understand and clarify what is being requested.

• Perform flight manoeuvres

  Perform flight manoeuvres in critical situations, and associated ‘upset’ manoeuvres, in order to avoid collision.

• Operate radar equipment

  Operate radar screens and other radar equipment; ensure that aircraft fly at a safe distance from one another.

• Use meteorological information

  Use and interpret meteorological information for operations dependent on climatic conditions. Use this information to provide advise on safe operations in relation to weather conditions.

• Undertake procedures to meet aircraft flight requirements

  Ensure that operation certificates are valid, guarantee that take-off mass is a maximum of 3,175 kg, verify that the minimum crew is adequate according to regulations and needs, ensure that the configuration settings are correct, and check if engines are suitable for the flight.

• Operate radio equipment

  Set up and operate radio devices and accessories, such as broadcast consoles, amplifiers, and microphones. Understand the basics of radio operator language and, when necessary, provide instruction in handling radio equipment correctly.

• Operate radio navigation instruments

  Operate radio navigation instruments to determine the position of aircraft in the airspace.

• Create a flight plan

  Develop a flight plan which details the flight altitude, route to be followed and the amount of fuel required using different sources of information (weather reports and other data from air traffic control).

• Apply transportation management concepts

  Apply transport industry management concepts in order to improve transportation processes, reduce waste, increase efficiency, and improve schedule preparation.

• Handle stressful situations

  Deal with and manage highly stressful situations in the workplace by following adequate procedures, communicating in a quiet and effective manner, and remaining level-headed when taking decisions.

• Perform routine flight operations checks

  Perform checks before and during flight: conduct pre-flight and in-flight inspections of aircraft performance, route and fuel usage, runway availability, airspace restrictions, etc.

• Operate cockpit control panels

  Operates control panels in the cockpit or flight deck according to the needs of the flight. Manage on-board electronic systems to ensure a smooth flight.

• Ensure ongoing compliance with regulations

  Conduct tasks and procedures to ensure that aviation certificates maintain their validity; undertake safeguarding measures as appropriate.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB