Ops (left) and Conn (right) positions aboard a Galaxy-class starship.
The flight controller (also known as conn or conn officer) is the crew member on a Federation starship assigned the duty of piloting the vessel. This position was also sometimes referred to as helmsman in the past. (Star Trek: The Next Generation)
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)
Background information
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 and Navyslang.com.