Question of the Week: How Many Hours Do You Need to Sit in the Right Seat on an Airliner?

Editorial Staff

Thursday, October 06, 2011 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

The FAA has raised the minimum flight hour requirement for airline first officers to 700 hours, an increase from the previous 250 hours.
This new 700-hour minimum is a compromise, being substantially lower than the 1,500 hours initially proposed.
The article prompts readers to consider whether the number of flight hours truly matters and invites participation in a poll on the topic.

See a mistake? Contact us.

The FAA now says an airline first officer should have a minimum of 700 hours, up from 250 but far less than the 1,500 that was originally proposed. Does the number of hours really matter?

How many hours should a first officer have?
(click to answer)

Last Week’s Question: Results

Want to see the current breakdown of responses? Take a moment to answer the question yourself, and then you can view real-time results.

What’s On Your Mind?

Have an idea for a new “Question of the Week”?
Send your suggestions to .

NOTE: This address is only for suggested “QOTW” questions, and not for “QOTW” answers or comments. (Use this form to send “QOTW” comments to our AVmail Editor.)