Reduced Crew Operations
While most modern commercial airplanes are flown with two pilots, long haul flight operations
require augmented flight crews. While the normal crew complement conducts the takeoff, climbout
and initial en route segments, additional pilots are on-board. These ‘relief’ pilots will be rested
and ready to take over the flying duties later in the flight. Flight duty times and preand postflight
rest requirements currently require multiple flight crews per airplane in order to maximize
utilization of the airplane.
Advances in intelligent systems, airspace modernization, human factors, and data links are raising
the possibility of safely and efficiently operating commercial airplanes with reduced flight crews.
As applied to long haul commercial flights, such Reduced Crew Operations (RCO) concepts may
include periods of flight where there is only one pilot in the cockpit while other pilot(s) are taking
prescribed rest periods. In the RCO concept, the normal flight crew complement (for example,
captain and first officer) are in the cockpit for critical flight phases such as takeoff and landing and
then alternate flying and resting during cruise. In the event of abnormal operations or an in-flight
emergency, the resting pilot can be alerted and called to the flight deck.
This paper examines the operational and regulation aspects of Reduced Crew Operations. An impact
analysis of the applicable US Federal Aviation Regulations, particularly Part 117 Flight and
Duty Limitations and Rest Requirements: Flight Crew Members, and Part 121 Operating Requirements:
Domestic, Flag, and Supplemental Operations is presented. This paper provides a summary
of the research into RCO concept of operations, including research jointly conducted by NASA and
Rockwell Collins. Based on the regulation impacts and the studies, this paper identifies the present
operational, procedural, and technical challenges that must be addressed to safely implement Reduced
Crew Operations.