Why Second Officers Struggle with Their Upgrade — Insights from a Training Captain
- Emily Johnson
- Apr 9
- 3 min read
Upgrading from Second Officer (SO) to First Officer (FO) is one of the most underestimated transitions in a pilot's career. As a training captain who's guided dozens of SOs through their upgrades, I’ve seen firsthand how many technically competent, well-intentioned pilots hit a wall when the time comes to step up.
The reasons aren’t always obvious — and they’re rarely about flying skill alone. Let’s dive into the real reasons SOs struggle or fail during their upgrade.
1. Watching Is Not Doing
Many SOs feel they’re ready because they’ve "seen it all" from the cruise. But the truth is: observing in cruise does not translate into action under pressure.
During an upgrade, you're suddenly expected to handle:
Dynamic ATC changes
Weather deviations
Go-arounds
Takeoff/landing decisions
Without firsthand experience managing time-critical decisions in the high-workload phases, SOs tend to fall behind quickly.
2. Handling Skills Have Degraded
SOs may go months or years without meaningful hands-on flying, especially below 10,000 ft. As a result:
Hand-flown approaches look robotic or overcorrected
Visual circuits become unstable
Go-arounds and missed approaches are poorly executed
Technical flying is like a muscle — if it's not used, it weakens.
3. Situational Awareness (SA) Collapses Under Pressure
SOs often know what should happen, but struggle when things don’t go to plan. During the upgrade:
They lose track of speed/altitude trends
Get tunnel-visioned on the FMS
Fail to monitor the big picture
Being behind the aircraft is a major reason for failed checks — and a hallmark of unprepared upgrades.
4. Communication Breaks Down Under Stress
For many SOs, English may not be their first language, which already adds pressure in a high-stakes environment. Under stress, communication often suffers first:
Callouts become unclear, rushed, or incomplete
Briefings are hard to follow or skipped entirely
Responses in abnormal situations get delayed or lost in translation
Even capable SOs can struggle to express themselves clearly when mentally overloaded, especially during check rides. This can make coordination with the captain more difficult and can leave a negative impression on training evaluators.
5. One Mistake Triggers a Mental Spiral
Many SOs are perfectionists. When they make one early mistake — miss a callout, get a quiz question wrong, or fumble a procedure — they begin to spiral:
"I messed that up... am I failing now?"
They lose focus, get caught in their own head, and start compounding errors. Instead of learning and moving on, they fixate.
6. Passive CRM Habits Are Hard to Break
SOs spend years being quiet, observant, and reactive. When promoted, they suddenly need to be:
Assertive
Proactive
Coordinated
Vocal
But these habits don't develop overnight. The result? Missed opportunities to lead, unclear communication, and weak cockpit presence.
7. They Underestimate the Mental Transition
The biggest trap? Thinking the upgrade is just "a step up."
In reality, it’s a leap in responsibility:
From watching to executing
From knowing to anticipating
From supporting to leading
And that leap requires more than knowledge. It takes mindset.
Final Thoughts from the Left Seat
Upgrading isn’t just about flying well — it’s about thinking well under pressure. It’s about recovering from small mistakes and continuing with clarity. It’s about growing into the mindset of a First Officer, not just the seat.
At FlightReady™, we provide one-on-one coaching with senior airline captains who understand exactly what you're going through. We’ll help you sharpen your skills, rebuild confidence, and walk into your upgrade check feeling ready — not hopeful.
Fly smart. Fly prepared. Fly ready.