Ops (left) and Conn (right) positions aboard a Template:ShipClass starship.
The flight controller (also known as conn, conn officer, or astrogation plotter) is the crew member on a Federation starship assigned the duty of piloting the vessel. This position combines the roles of the navigator and helmsman used in the past. (Star Trek: The Next Generation)
In 2371, the USS Voyager lost its astrogation plotter when the ship was brought to the Delta Quadrant by the Caretaker. A replacement was required when the ship began its course back to the Alpha Quadrant. (VOY: "Parallax")
List of flight controllers
- Lieutenant Junior Grade Geordi La Forge (2364)
- Lieutenant Torres (2364; relief)
- Chief Miles O'Brien (2364; relief)
- Lieutenant Junior Grade Worf (2364; relief)
- Lieutenant Junior Grade Orfil Solis (2364; relief)
- Ensign Clancy (2365)
- Acting Ensign/Ensign Wesley Crusher (2365-2367)
- Ensign Tess Allenby (2367)
- Ensign Graham (2367)
- Ensign Ro Laren (2368-2369)
- Lieutenant Junior Grade Monroe (2368; relief)
- Ensign Gates (2370)
- Ensign Sariel Rager (2367-2369)
- Ensign Dern (2370)
- Lieutenant Junior Grade Sam Lavelle (2370)
- Lieutenant Commander Jadzia Dax, Major Kira Nerys, and Cadet Nog provisionally served as conn officer at various times.
- USS Voyager (NCC-74656)
- Lieutenant Stadi (2371)
- Lieutenant Junior Grade/Ensign Tom Paris (2371-2378)
- Ensign Culhane (2375)
- Ensign Jenkins (2375)
Appendices
Background
To have "the conn" is to have sole responsibility to control, or direct by order, the movements of a ship. On a Starfleet vessel, as on its Terran wet-navy antecedents, this responsibilty resides with the Deck Officer, also known as the Officer of the Day. The conn responsibility must be assigned away temporarily if the assigned officer leaves the bridge, even for such mundane activities as using the head. Even the entrance of the Captain onto the bridge does not automatically assign conn responsibility to him or her; it must be assigned by verbal exchange. Modern ships have a "conning tower", a raised platform with high visiblity from where the commanding officer gives directions to the ship's helmsman.
The word "conn" dates back to the eleventh century, in England. It comes from the Anglo-Saxon word conne, which means to know or to be skillful.
Although the positions of helm and flight controller are interchangeable in the Star Trek universe, this is not accurate in present naval procedures; the helm position can be assigned the conn, but is not in fact "the conn".
"The Conn" has been used in multiple ways in Star Trek history. In Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Captain Kirk leaves Lt. Saavik in charge of the bridge by saying, "You have the conn," while in "Basics, Part I", Captain Janeway tells Chakotay to replace Tom Paris at the helm by saying, "Chakotay, take the conn."
- Most of this information was verified at Tolani Maritime Institute.
Apocrypha
The Star Trek Roleplaying Game Player's Guide describes the flight controller as having to be knowledgeable in atmospheric craft, subspace field geometry, complex mathematics, space sciences, astrogation, system operation of the flight console, and systems repairs at the level of a technician.