Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 200; Flight Crew Total 12125; Flight Crew Type 3288
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Other / Unknown
Human Factors
I have noticed a trend where a significant percentage of copilots; and for some reason; more lately; will reach up and put their hand; palm open and up against the back of the throttles; following them up on the takeoff roll; then leaving them there as if they're protecting the throttles; as if they're flying a Convair.As you know; this is not a company procedure; and frankly; it doesn't accomplish anything.I have two concerns about this;1) It is a major distraction to the Captain when in that environment; where our attention should be focused entirely on the runway; traffic; aircraft control; etc.; a hand comes up out of nowhere near the engine start levers and throttles when it's not supposed to be there. It distracts me from what I need to be focused on.2) If the captain needs to abort; those throttles are going to come back fast and hard and one of two things will happen; either the First Officer's going to get a broken hand; broken fingers; or severed fingers; or the Captain already being distracted by the hand there is going to moderate the reject and potentially extend a high speed abort distance on the runway by trying to bring the throttles back gently. In my case I have to spend the energy and distraction to tell them to get their hands out of the way. This then distracts them as well.The 777 flight manual is very clear about whose hands should be on or near the throttles on the takeoff roll. An extra set of hands is clearly not our policy or procedure and does nothing but cause distraction and is a possible injury waiting to happen.
B777 Captain reported he noticed a trend where copilots are placing their hand against the back of the throttles; when the only hand there should be the Captain's.