Pilot flying


In commercial aviation and a two-person flight crew, the Pilot Flying is the pilot in control of the flight trajectory of the aircraft. The other pilot is referred to as the Pilot Monitoring or Pilot Not Flying. Before a flight departs, the pilot in command must decide who the Pilot Flying and Pilot Monitoring will be for the remainder of the flight, or for any specific phase of flight. Typically, the flight crew swap roles on the return leg.