Manage Your Crew
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 and safety reporting. By the end of this tutorial, you will have crew members in your system, 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.
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
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 role | Description |
|---|---|
| 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 Attendant | Cabin crew responsible for passenger safety and service |
| Dispatcher | Operational control specialist who coordinates flight planning and support |
| Mechanic | Maintenance personnel who may travel with the aircraft |
| Other | Any other operational role (loadmaster, medical crew, etc.) |
Adding crew members
You will see the Crew Management page with two tabs: Active and Deactivated. The Active tab shows crew members who are currently part of your operation.
First name and last name: Enter the crew member’s full legal name as it appears on their certificates.
Phone number: Enter a contact phone number (optional but recommended for operational communication).
Operational role: Select the crew member’s primary operational role from the dropdown (PIC, SIC, Flight Attendant, Dispatcher, Mechanic, or Other).
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.
If this crew member needs to access PlaneConnection (to view their schedule, submit safety reports, or manage their profile), enable the Can Login option.
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.
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.Managing certifications and qualifications
After adding crew members, you should track their certifications and qualifications. Certification tracking helps ensure that only qualified crew are assigned to trips and that renewal dates are monitored. Common certifications to track for Part 135 pilots:| Certification | Typical renewal |
|---|---|
| ATP or Commercial Pilot Certificate | No expiration (but medical required) |
| First or Second Class Medical | 6 or 12 months |
| Instrument Proficiency Check (IPC) | 6 months |
| Line Check / Proficiency Check | 12 months |
| Aircraft Type Rating | No expiration (recurrent training required) |
| Recurrent Training (Part 135.293/297/299) | 12 months |
| Hazmat Training (if applicable) | 24 months |
- Click on a crew member’s name in the crew list to open their detail page
- Navigate to the certifications section
- Add each certification with the certificate number, issue date, and expiration date
- PlaneConnection will alert you when certifications are approaching expiration
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 based on existing assignments. Schedule view: The operations Schedule page displays crew assignments alongside aircraft and trip schedules. You can see at a glance who is assigned, who is available, and where schedule conflicts exist. 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. Duty time tracking: PlaneConnection tracks crew duty time and flight time based on completed trips. This data feeds into:- Duty time reports
- Part 135 Subpart F flight time limitation tracking
- Crew schedule summaries
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)
- Can be reactivated at any time
Crew data in other modules
Your crew data flows across PlaneConnection:| Where | How crew data is used |
|---|---|
| Trips | Assign crew to trips as PIC, SIC, or other roles |
| Schedule | View crew availability and assignments on the calendar |
| Dispatch | See crew assignments on the dispatch board |
| Reports (Ops) | Generate pilot times, duty time Gantt charts, and crew schedule summaries |
| Safety reports (SMS) | Crew members with login can submit safety reports and are tracked as reporters |