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Your crew is the people who make operations happen — pilots, flight attendants, dispatchers, and ground staff. In this tutorial, you will add crew members to PlaneConnection, assign them operational roles, and understand how crew data integrates with trip scheduling, currency tracking, and duty time compliance. By the end of this tutorial, you will have crew members in your system with currency tracking and duty time visibility, ready to be assigned to trips.
Who should do this tutorial? Operations managers, chief pilots, and admins who manage crew rosters. You will need Admin permissions to add and configure crew members.

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Before you start

Make sure you have:
  • An active PlaneConnection account with Admin permissions
  • Logged in to your workspace in the Operations module (see the Quickstart if you need help)
  • Your crew members’ details on hand: names, contact information, roles, and certification numbers

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Understanding crew roles

Crew members in PlaneConnection have two types of roles: Platform roles determine what a user can access in the PlaneConnection application (Admin, Safety Manager, Pilot, Crew, Viewer). These are set in the Settings > Members area. Operational roles describe a crew member’s function on a flight. These are set in the Crew section of the Operations module and are used for trip scheduling:
Operational roleDescription
PIC (Pilot in Command)The pilot responsible for the operation and safety of the aircraft during flight
SIC (Second in Command)The second pilot who assists the PIC
Flight AttendantCabin crew responsible for passenger safety and service
DispatcherOperational control specialist who coordinates flight planning and support
MechanicMaintenance personnel who may travel with the aircraft
OtherAny other operational role (loadmaster, medical crew, etc.)
A person can have both a platform role (e.g., Pilot) and an operational role (e.g., PIC). The platform role controls app access; the operational role controls trip scheduling.

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Adding crew members

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Navigate to the crew page
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  • Make sure you are in the Operations module. Check the module switcher at the top of the sidebar.
  • In the sidebar, click Crew Roster under the Crew group.
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    You will see the Crew page with two tabs: Active and Deactivated. The Active tab shows crew members who are currently part of your operation.
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    Click Add User
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    Click the Add User button to open the crew member creation form.
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    Enter crew member details
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    Fill in the following fields:
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    First name and last name: Enter the crew member’s full legal name as it appears on their certificates.
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    Email address: Enter their email address. This is used for:
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  • Sending login credentials if they will access the platform
  • Trip assignment notifications
  • Schedule change alerts
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    Phone number: Enter a contact phone number (optional but recommended for operational communication).
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    Operational role: Select the crew member’s primary operational role from the dropdown (PIC, SIC, Flight Attendant, Dispatcher, Mechanic, or Other).
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    If a pilot serves as both PIC and SIC depending on the trip, choose PIC as their primary role. They can be assigned to either position when building a trip.
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    Enable platform login (optional)
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    If this crew member needs to access PlaneConnection (to view their schedule, submit safety reports, or manage their profile), enable the Can Login option.
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    When login is enabled:
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  • The crew member receives an email invitation to set up their account
  • They can log in to the workspace and access features based on their platform role
  • They can view their assigned trips under Trips > My Trips
  • They can submit safety reports in the SMS module
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    Not all crew members need platform access. If a crew member only needs to appear on trip manifests and schedules (but does not need to log in), you can leave login disabled. You can enable it later at any time.
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    Save the crew member
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    Review the information and click Save. The crew member now appears in the Active crew list.
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    The crew table shows the following columns:
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    ColumnWhat it showsNameAvatar, full name, role, and last loginCurrencyThree color-coded dots for medical, IPC, and type rating status (green = current, yellow = expiring, red = expired)Duty HoursMini duty time gauge showing weekly hours used out of the 34-hour Part 135 limitSmartScoreMini gauge showing the crew member’s SmartScore valueContactEmail (clickable link) and phone numberCan LoginToggle checkbox for enabling/disabling platform accessActionsView, Edit, Schedule, Message, and Deactivate

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    Adding more crew members

    Repeat the steps above for each crew member in your operation. Add all pilots, flight attendants, and operational staff who will be assigned to trips.
    Start with your pilots (PIC and SIC), then add flight attendants and other crew. Pilots are required for every trip, so having them in the system first allows you to start building your schedule immediately.

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    Managing currency tracking

    After adding crew members, you should set up their certifications and qualifications. The currency matrix tracks all certifications across your crew with color-coded status indicators:
    ColorMeaning
    Green (check icon)Current — more than 60 days until expiration
    Yellow (clock icon)Expiring soon — within 60 days of expiration
    Red (close icon)Expired — the certification has lapsed
    Common certifications tracked for Part 135 pilots:
    CertificationTypical renewalColumn in currency matrix
    Medical Certificate6 or 12 monthsMedical
    Biennial Flight Review (BFR)24 monthsBFR
    Instrument Proficiency Check (IPC)6 monthsIPC
    Aircraft Type RatingRecurrent training requiredType Rating
    Recurrent Training (Part 135)12 monthsRecurrent
    Night Landings90 days (3 landings)Night Ldg
    To add certifications:
    1. Click on a crew member’s name in the crew list to open their detail page.
    2. Navigate to the Currency tab.
    3. For each certification item, you will see a card showing the item name, status label, last completed date, expiration date, days remaining, and requirements.
    4. Click Schedule Renewal on any item to open the training scheduling dialog.
    PlaneConnection automatically alerts you when certifications are approaching expiration.

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    Monitoring duty time

    The crew detail page includes a Duty Time tab that tracks compliance with 14 CFR Part 135 Subpart F flight time and duty limitations.
    1. A large DutyTimeGauge at the top shows weekly hours used versus the 34-hour weekly limit as a circular gauge.
    2. Below the gauge, a bar chart shows daily duty hours over the last 30 days.
    3. A duty log table lists individual duty entries with start time, end time, flight time, and rest periods.
    PlaneConnection tracks duty time automatically based on completed trips, but it is the dispatcher’s and PIC’s responsibility to confirm compliance before each flight. The 34-hour weekly limit and required rest periods per Part 135 Subpart F must be verified before assigning crew.

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    Exploring the crew detail page

    Click on any crew member in the crew table to open their detail page. The detail page has six tabs:
    TabWhat it contains
    ProfilePersonal information (avatar, name, role, status), contact details (email, phone, emergency contact), qualifications (certificates, type ratings, medical), and employment info (hire date, base, department)
    CurrencyCurrency matrix for this crew member with individual certification cards, expiration dates, and renewal scheduling
    Duty TimeDuty time gauge, daily duty bar chart, and duty log table
    LogbookFlight logbook entries filtered to this crew member with running totals
    TripsUpcoming and completed trips assigned to this crew member
    SmartScoreSmartScore gauge, radar chart of sub-scores, 12-month trend, and contributing factors

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    Crew scheduling and availability

    Once crew members are added, they integrate with the rest of the Operations module: Trip assignment: When creating a trip (see Create Your First Trip), you select crew members from the crew list. PlaneConnection shows their availability, currency status dots, and remaining duty hours. Schedule view: The operations Schedule page displays crew assignments alongside aircraft and trip schedules. You can toggle between By Aircraft and By Crew views and switch between week and month layouts. My Trips: Crew members with platform login can see their own trip assignments by navigating to Trips > My Trips. This gives them a personal view of their upcoming schedule. Command Center: The Crew Intelligence section of the Command Center shows aggregate currency and duty hour data for your entire crew.

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    Active and deactivated crew

    The crew page has two tabs: Active: Crew members who are currently part of your operation. Active crew can be assigned to trips and appear in scheduling. Deactivated: Crew members who have left the operation or are on extended leave. Deactivated crew members:
    • Cannot be assigned to new trips
    • Retain their historical records (past trips, certifications, logbook entries)
    • Can be reactivated at any time
    To deactivate a crew member, use the Actions menu on their row in the crew table. To reactivate, switch to the Deactivated tab and use the Actions menu there.
    Deactivating a crew member does not delete their records. Flight time, trip history, and certification records are preserved for regulatory compliance and auditing purposes.

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    Crew data in other modules

    Your crew data flows across PlaneConnection:
    WhereHow crew data is used
    TripsAssign crew to trips as PIC, SIC, or other roles with currency validation
    ScheduleView crew availability and assignments on the calendar
    DispatchSee crew assignments on the dispatch board with duty hour indicators
    Command CenterCrew Intelligence section shows currency status and duty hours
    Reports (Ops)Generate pilot times, duty time charts, currency reports, and crew schedule summaries
    Safety reports (SMS)Crew members with login can submit safety reports and are tracked as reporters
    SmartScoreAggregate crew safety and proficiency scores

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    Next steps

    Create Your First Trip

    Now that you have crew, create a trip and assign them to it.

    Set Up Your Fleet

    Add aircraft to pair with your crew for trip scheduling.
    Last modified on April 11, 2026