No, IROs are there as a required crewmember. This kind of statement is exactly why this profession is going downhill. You can't even respect those that are a necessary part of your crew. An IRO spends just as much time in the seat as an FO. Before I bid to CA I first bid high time turns as an FO and if I couldn't hold that I bid IRO. Same 11 hour turn and same pay. That is the part you don't get.

It is about days OFF and nothing more.

Well, since you are still ONLY an FO and if we fly together I'll just let you be a gear thrower. Because if an IRO is just a babysitter. Your nothing but a CAs puppet. Thank goodness I'm not either one of those anymore. Because in your eyes YOU and the IRO simply aren't needed. BTW, did you do the walk-a-round?

Been there done that. Time at home is the only destination I care about.

He may not have been putting CAL down but to call IROs babysitters is BS. I'm not bitter. Just offended by his lack of respect for a requirded crew position. Makes you wonder how he'll be as a CA on the 756 one day when the IRO shows up. While he is giving his "I'M THE CA SPEECH". I hope he has the balls to call the IRO a babysitter.

Of course they are a required crewmember, who said they were not? IRO's do not get to fly. No flows, no checklists, no takeoffs, no landings, no currency. I know about the pay and days off. That is not part of the discussion. I'm not sure why you are so upset? I'd rather fly as a pilot and not as an IRO. Many others think that way too. Many like to be IRO, and there are career IRO's. Good for them. I'm not saying they are worthless (read my posts). I never said or implied that I don't respect them. They are qualified pilots- typed in the plane. "In my eyes the FO and IRO are not needed". Wow, where did you get that one? A babysitter is a good description, they watch the plane while another crewmember takes a required FAA break. What would you call it? If you, as my CA, will only let me throw the gear- then I will not fly with you. The FAA requires a minimumTWO pilots and so does CAL. One of the reasons I prefer FO to IRO- is what I have been saying. I fly, the IRO does not. I don't know what you're reading into my posts, but please stop.

There is NO lack of respect. Many of my friends can only hold IRO. The thread is on new hires getting IRO on the 777. I don't do it because all I'd do is sit there and watch the plane while another pilot takes their break. If you don't like the comparison, too bad. I'm not saying they are equal to a 16 girl getting $5/hour. I'm saying they don't get to fly. Many of my IRO's have 20 years more senority than me. They have more experience, more flight time, and make a lot more money than me. Still, I'd rather fly the plane. I think you've taken my posts wrong.

I read that your opinion of an IRO is nothing more than a babysitter. Kinda like someone that doesn't know any better saying that you are nothing but a bus driver. But the difference is you should know better and have more respect for what you do or your IRO does. Maybe statements like yours is why the pay is headed that way. I'll bet you voted yes.

Again, you are way off. Again, you mention lack of respect. I won't try convicing you that you're wrong about how I feel about IRO's. If you think I'm the problem with pay in the industry, you're dumber than I think. No, I did not vote "yes".

I'm curious why you wouldn't rather be the IRO? sleep in the back and be rested on the overnight vs. staying up all night and being tired? is it the 75% pay?

I think Otto explained in his posts, he would rather FLY than sleep since he is a PILOT and wants to FLY:)

It is a personal choice, IMO. If someone mostly cares about time off, pay, QOL etc., then he/she may not care about being IRO or FO. But if someone wants to really FLY more and build hours, then FO is much more desirable than IRO. I understand this as my bf just left IRO position with his current airline in the US to join an international airline as 747 FO. As hard as it is, I understand his desire to FLY more.

The only flying an FO does more than an IRO is possibly one TO and one landing. Actually, an IRO depending on which legs the breaks are taken actually flys more than the FO. But if monitoring the autopilot is flying then I guess OTTO loves his job. I own a Pitts and a C180 on floats. To me that is flying not watching an autopilot enter the hold for me.