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.
