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  • What is MCC in Aviation? The Multi-Crew Cooperation Course

Ignacio Espila

Publicado por Ignacio Espila el 25 June, 2026

Última actualización: 1 July, 2026

Multi-Crew Cooperation (MCC) is a course designed to prepare pilots for teamwork and coordination in a multi-crew cockpit environment. It is one of the last steps to becoming a commercial pilot.

During your initial flight training, you get used to acting as the sole pilot of your aircraft. You manage the navigation, the systems, the communications, and the decision-making all by yourself. It is a safe and familiar environment, but commercial airline cockpits work in an entirely different way.

The transition from general aviation (single-pilot) to airline requirements (multi-pilot) is one of the greatest milestones in an aviator’s career. To successfully navigate this transition, EASA regulations require the completion of the MCC (Multi Crew Cooperation) course, a fundamental training where you learn to fly in coordination with another professional.

In this post, we explain what is MCC and what does it consists of, why it is essential for your professional future, and how it defines daily life in a commercial cockpit.

What is MCC and why is it mandatory?

The MCC is an essential stage of pilot training designed for two professionals to learn to operate in perfect synchronization within a flight deck.

In modern commercial aircraft, the complexity of systems and the speed at which events develop make it unfeasible for a single person to manage the operation with the required levels of operational safety.

Through this practical training, the student’s focus changes completely: you are no longer evaluated solely on your technical skill to fly the plane, but on your ability to communicate, delegate, and cooperate with your partner.

It is the indispensable requirement for being able to undergo type ratings for commercial passenger jets like the Airbus A320 or the Boeing 737.

Differences Between a Pilot and a Flight Commander or Captain

To fully understand the difference between a pilot and a flight commander, we must look at the structure of a professional crew.

In a commercial passenger cockpit, there are always at least two pilots: the Captain or Commander (who sits on the left) and the Co-pilot or First Officer (who sits on the right). Both professionals are pilots, both are perfectly qualified to fly the aircraft, and in fact, they take turns flying the aircraft during the trip.

The fundamental difference lies in the fact that the flight commander is the only one designated as Pilot in Command (PIC). This means that even if the co-pilot is physically flying the plane at any given moment, the commander remains absolutely legally responsible for decision-making, crew management, and the safety of lives on board.

The pilot flies; the commander leads and assumes final responsibility for the operation.

CRM: The Fundamental Pillar of MCC

If there is one term that is always linked to the MCC stage, it is CRM (Crew Resource Management). CRM is not just another theoretical subject; it is a set of non-technical skills, communication processes, and essential behaviors for proactively mitigating any threat or incident in flight.

The philosophy of CRM assumes that aviation incidents are rarely due to pure mechanical failures, but rather to an improvable management of available resources. A well-trained and coordinated crew working under these principles minimizes operational risk.

The essential pillars of CRM that you will study and practice in the simulator are:

  1. Clear and Concise Communication: Strict use of standardized aviation terminology to avoid errors and misunderstandings.
  2. Collective Situational Awareness: Knowing with absolute precision what the aircraft is doing, what your partner is doing, and which systems are operating at all times.
  3. Structured Decision Making: Evaluating risks as a team, analyzing available information before executing an action.
  4. Leadership and Teamwork: Defining who assumes the conducting role at any given time, promoting a cockpit environment where the co-pilot can intervene assertively if they detect a deviation.
  5. Stress and Fatigue Management: Critical factors that directly affect performance and attention in the cockpit.
  6. Time and Workload Management: Fundamental for prioritizing and effectively managing tasks in the cockpit, especially in high-pressure or contingency situations.

Cockpit Role Distribution: Pilot Flying (PF) vs. Pilot Monitoring (PM)

As we mentioned, one of the biggest differences that the MCC introduces is having two pilots in the cockpit. But how do the pilots divide their tasks? Who does what?

To optimally manage the workload on a commercial aircraft, the multi-crew is strictly divided into two basic operational functions: Pilot Flying (PF) and Pilot Monitoring (PM).

It is fundamental to understand that these roles are independent of each rank; both the Commander and the First Officer act as PF or PM depending on the flight leg.

Comparison table of cross-functional roles and responsibilities
Cockpit FunctionMain ResponsabilitiesKey Tasks During the Flight
Pilot Flying (PF)Direct charge of physical handling and aircraft trajectory.– Fly manually or supervise the autopilot.

– Control takeoff, climb, cruise, and landing.

– Request the execution of configurations (flaps, landing gear).

Pilot Monitoring (PM)Charge of overall supervision, procedure reading, and external links.– Manage communications with Air Traffic Control (ATC).

– Execute system flows and read checklists.

– Continuously monitor engine parameters and fuel consumption.

MCC vs. APS MCC: The Industry Standard

Today, the industry’s most prestigious airlines look for pilots who go a step beyond the traditional 15-to-20-hour simulator MCC course. The true standard demanded by today’s industry is the APS MCC, or Airline Pilot Standard Multi-Crew Cooperation.

The APS MCC is an advanced program developed under EASA guidelines alongside major airlines. It features double the simulator training hours, is taught by active commercial airline pilots, and seamlessly integrates the JOC (Jet Orientation Course).

This ensures a perfect adaptation to the speeds, dynamics, flows, and procedures of commercial passenger jet aircraft.

MCC Standardized Procedures: Flows and Checklists

The basis of multi-pilot aviation is standardization. To prevent two pilots from acting in an uncoordinated manner, airlines use so-called “Flows” (work flows).

The flows are memorized, standardized sequences of physical checks and procedures performed in the cockpit during different flight phases. They are designed to help pilots perform checks efficiently and systematically, reducing the possibility of errors and omissions.

The best way to practice them immersively is through a mock-up (a full-scale printed replica of the aircraft cockpit) where maneuvers and procedures are rehearsed before making the definitive leap to the flight simulator.

Flight phases in which flows are used

Some of the phases of flight in which flows are used are:

  • Pre-flight preparation: Includes checking aircraft status, system configurations, document verification, and review of the weather and flight plan.
  • Aircraft start-up: The flows during aircraft start-up include the activation of electrical systems, verification of the correct functioning of navigation and communication systems and engine start-up.
  • Pre-take-off: Flows during this phase include flap configuration, trim, steering and braking system verification, and pre-take-off checklist review.
  • Take-off and climb: During take-off and climb, flows include monitoring of aircraft systems, communication with air traffic control and engine performance management.
  • Cruise: Cruise flows involve monitoring systems, managing fuel consumption and maintaining situational awareness.
  • Descent, approach and landing: These flows include preparing the aircraft for descent and approach, configuring for landing and performing the appropriate checklists.
  • After landing and shutdown: Includes taxiing to the apron, configuring systems for engine shutdown, disabling electrical systems and shutting down the aircraft.

Advanced Training in One Air’s SIMLAB

If you have made it this far, we are sure you have a clear idea of what the MCC consists of and why it is such an important stage in your training.

At One Air, we do not just limit ourselves to meeting the minimum regulatory requirements. That is why we feature the largest simulation center in a European ATO, designed to offer the most immersive multi-pilot experience on the market.

For the MCC training phase mandated by regulations, we provide the FNPT II Alsim ALX Medium Jet simulator based on the A320. However, to make a real difference in your airline placement, at One Air we add 10 extra hours of training in our state-of-the-art Airbus A320 and Boeing 737-800 simulators, or in our exclusive Boeing 737 MAX FTD.

These cockpits feature 100% real hardware and specific software developed by the manufacturers themselves, guaranteeing authentic airline-style training to successfully face any selection process in the international commercial aviation environment.

One Air, three times awarded as the Best Flight School in Spain.

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