Old 06-02-2011, 05:35 AM
  #2  
iaflyer
seeing the large hubs...
 
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Joined APC: Oct 2006
Position: 73N A
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At DL, there is usually one rotation (pattern, trip, etc) with a CA and FO, then the extra FO is on another rotation number. On some trips, both rotations are the same. (ie, JFK-BUD-JFK, the rotations are identical) - on other trips, that go through places where we have lots of departures (AMS, CDG, NRT) you can fly in with one crew and out with another.

Who is relief is not defined by rotation - it depends on how people feel, who needs/wants a landing, how rested they are, etc. The way you described for Delta is typical, but not exclusively so. There is no "FB" per se, it's just whichever FO isn't going to be in a control seat for TO and LDG is the relief.

I've seen it where the Captain says he doesn't want either landing, so the FOs split it. I've been on trips (4 man, 12+ hrs) where just the CAs landed. I've seen 4 man trips where I did both landings so I didn't have to go to the sim the next week.
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