1. Why Pilots Arrive Early and Cannot Depart Until All Checks Are Done
Imagine a flight that takes off at 8:00 AM. According to one co-pilot from an airline, they arrive at the airport 1 hour and 30 minutes before departure to start preparations [4]. This is just one example from one company; other airlines may differ.
Clues about what happens during this time are found in aviation law. The law states that a captain must not depart unless they have confirmed that necessary operational preparations, such as safe navigation, are complete [1]. One airline introduces that all legally required confirmations are done with the co-pilot for every flight [3].
This means the captain must finish checking before departure. So, what exactly do they check? Note that this early arrival has legal backing.
2. The Six Items the Captain Must Check: Maintenance, Weight, Information, Weather, Fuel, and Cargo
The Aviation Law Enforcement Regulations list six items the captain must check before departure [2]. These are: maintenance status; weight, center of gravity position, and distribution of cargo and people at takeoff and landing; aeronautical information; weather information needed for navigation; quantity and quality of fuel and lubricating oil; and the safety of loaded items [2].
How are these used? A captain from one airline explains that they check weather at each airport to decide if departure is safe. They also predict turbulence from bad weather along the route, deciding when to turn the seatbelt sign on or off [3].
Fuel checks include not just the amount for the destination, but also for alternate airports in case the plane cannot land at the destination. For one small aircraft model, they need to keep the center of gravity within about 60 cm (about 24 inches) near the main wings [3]. This is an example for one model and not a universal number for all planes.
These six checks act as a "pre-flight question list." The captain makes many decisions before departure. How do the two people in the cockpit share these judgments? Note that the six items are: 1) maintenance status, 2) takeoff/landing weight and distribution, 3) aeronautical info, 4) weather info, 5) fuel/oil quantity and quality, and 6) cargo safety [2].
3. How the Captain Decides Who Flies the Plane and Who Monitors
In two-person passenger planes, the captain decides who will take control before departure. The other person acts as a monitor, watching the pilot’s operations and handling communications and checklist reading [5]. Some companies split duties for the whole flight, while others only for parts like approach or landing; it varies by operator.
This division affects cabin announcements. In one airline, the person flying usually makes announcements. However, some pilots believe the captain should broadcast even if the co-pilot is flying, so it differs by flight [6].
Regardless of who flies, the captain’s role does not change. Aviation law states that the captain commands and supervises everyone on board [7]. The flying role and overall responsibility are separate. Where is judgment hardest?
4. Why Pilots Do a Go-Around When They Cannot See the Runway Before Landing
Passengers sometimes feel the plane lift up slightly and approach again during landing. This is a "go-around" (restarting the landing). In an example from a regional airline’s propeller plane, they decided whether to land based on if the runway was visible to the pilot just before touchdown [8]. According to this example, if it was not visible, they restarted the landing. If weather did not improve, they sometimes returned to the departure airport [8].
Standards are set by each airport and aircraft, so this example cannot be applied to all flights. However, it shows that "not landing until conditions are right" is part of flying work. Checking fuel for alternate airports before departure may support these restarts.
5. How Long It Takes to Become a Captain and What Checks Continue Afterward
How long does it take to become a captain? A column from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s Haneda Airport Office states that training to become a co-pilot takes 2 to 4 years [10]. After that, pilots serve as co-pilots for about 7 to 10 years before taking the captain promotion review [10].
To fly passenger planes as a captain, one must be certified by the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism for having necessary knowledge and skills [9]. Even after certification, there are regular and special reviews.
Becoming a captain is not the end. The same column explains that checks on skills, English ability, and health continue regularly. If standards are not met, even experienced captains cannot fly [10]. Pilots, who are at the center of checking work, are also subject to continuous checks.
6. Why Pilots Have Flight Time and Rest Standards to Keep Their Judgment Sharp
If the person making judgments is tired, checks and role-sharing lose meaning. Therefore, pilots have standards for flight time and rest.
According to reports, new flight time standards applied to Japanese airline pilots from December 1, 2021 [11]. For two-person crews starting work between 5:00 AM and 4:59 PM, the maximum flight duty period is 10 hours if there are 2 or fewer flights, and 9 hours if there are 3 or more (other times are 1 hour less) [11]. For three-person crews with sleeping facilities, it can be up to 15 hours [11]. Between duties, a basic rest period of 10 hours including 8 hours of sleep is required [11].
These are limits on flight time, not total work time. Since these numbers come from news reports, please check official Ministry documents for exact conditions.
7. What Checks the Captain May Already Have Made When the Seatbelt Sign Turns On
When the seatbelt sign turns on, imagine that the captain may have already looked at bad weather spots along the route and thought about when turbulence would hit [3]. Even if the view outside is calm, behind the scenes are six pre-departure checks and a division of labor between two people.
You can try this in your life. Before going out tomorrow, decide your own 6 items (like belongings, weather, time), check them by pointing with your finger, and then leave the house. Comparing your items to the pilot’s six is interesting. If you skip an item or find a gap during checks, that helps you understand why pre-departure checks matter.
For more details, the Haneda Airport Office column introduces pilot training and qualifications in Japanese [10].