first officer
Captain's right hand
First officer is the second-in-command on an aircraft or ship.
In aviation, the first officer sits in the right seat of the cockpit and shares flying duties with the captain: The first officer was at the controls during landing.
On ships, the first officer (also called first mate) oversees deck operations and crew.
The title sounds senior but denotes the person just below the top.
Affection symbols in messages
- second-in-commandImmediate subordinate to leader
- adjutantCommander's administrative officer
- aide-de-campPersonal military assistant
- lieutenantJunior commissioned officer
commander · rank · chain of command · commissioned · wardroom · operations · briefing · deployment
Auxiliary aircraft operator
- flight deckPilot's control area
- cockpitPilot's control compartment
- captainOne who commands
- airlinerLarge commercial passenger plane
takeoff · landing · autopilot · yoke · throttle · avionics · transponder · flight plan
Partner or companion
- chief mateSenior deck officer
- second mateThird in ship command
- third mateJunior navigation officer aboard
- bridgeStructure spanning an obstacle
helm · watch · captain · bosun · quartermaster · deckhand · merchant marine · cargo
Power to enforce obedience
- responsibilityState of being answerable
- leadershipAbility to direct others
- supervisionOverseeing people or processes
- delegationTransferring responsibility downward
decision-making · succession · protocol · procedure · crew management · coordination · communication · duty
XO
Affection symbols in messages
- second-in-commandImmediate subordinate to leader
- adjutantCommander's administrative officer
- aide-de-campPersonal military assistant
lieutenant · commander · rank · chain of command · commissioned · wardroom · operations · briefing · deployment · posting
copilot
Auxiliary aircraft operator
- flight deckPilot's control area
- cockpitPilot's control compartment
- captainOne who commands
airliner · takeoff · landing · autopilot · yoke · throttle · avionics · transponder · flight plan · air traffic control
mate
Partner or companion
- chief mateSenior deck officer
- second mateThird in ship command
- third mateJunior navigation officer aboard
bridge · helm · watch · captain · bosun · quartermaster · deckhand · merchant marine · cargo · manifest
authority
Power to enforce obedience
- responsibilityState of being answerable
- leadershipAbility to direct others
- supervisionOverseeing people or processes
delegation · decision-making · succession · protocol · procedure · crew management · coordination · communication · duty · accountability
- airport workerspilot, flight attendant, baggage handler, gate agent, ticket agent
- aviation jobspilot, airline pilot, copilot, co-pilot, captain
- aviatorspilot, aviator, fighter pilot, bomber pilot, jet pilot
- Deputiesdeputy, lieutenant, second-in-command, second in command, number two
- pilotscommercial pilot, airline captain, helicopter pilots, copilot, fighter pilots
- crew memberscaptain, deckhand, seaman, pilot, sailor
first officercaptain
One who commands
commanding officer · skipper · master · commander · chief pilot
first officerdeckhand
Ship's manual laborer
enlisted personnel · flight attendant · cabin crew · able seaman · steward
first, officer, officers, police officer, security officer, commanding officer, warrant officer, naval officer, customs officer