FSD: USS Voyager NCC-74656: Conn Station

On Starfleet vessels, the conn officer, sometimes known as the flight control officer, is responsible for navigating and piloting the ship.

On the USS Voyager, the conn position is an isolated station at the front of the bridge. It can be used to control Voyager's warp and impulse engines, reaction control thrusters, inertial dampers, and landing struts. The conn officer also has complete access to the structural integrity field and the atmospheric controls. The conn also has responsibility for overseeing shuttlecraft operations and docking procedures. When a ship is in orbit, the conn station provides information on weather conditions in the nearby planet's atmosphere, allowing the conn officer to make recommendations about the use of shuttles to the commanding officer. Although many flight operations are automated, the conn is always manned. In emergencies, the conn has a dedicated flight control backup processor that allows the conn officer to take manual control of the ship. The conn officer's skill can often mean the difference between life and death for the entire crew. On Voyager, the conn is normally manned by Lieutenant Paris, who has proven himself to be an excellent pilot. The interface on the conn constantly reconfigures itself, presenting the conn officer with the most appropriate controls in a logical sequence. If necessary, the console can be reconfigured to take on some of the functions of another station, such as ops. The conn officer's duties break down into a number of areas. The conn is responsible for inputting the ship's heading and for making any course corrections. The conn station displays information from the long-range sensors and from the ship's databaseof positional information, which is regularly updated by stellar cartography. Data can be confirmed by a network of secondary sensor systems.

The conn officer also monitors the ship's flight path and the performance of routine operations. When Voyager is traveling at warp, the conn monitors long-range sensors to detect navigational hazards. The computer makes automatic course corrections, but the conn officer can override these if necessary. The computer informs the conn officer if it encounters any kind of serious hazard. The conn officer inputs all maneuvers, whether they are relatively routine, such as docking at a space station, or more complex, such as tactical procedures. The conn can literally steer the ship by tapping instructions on the keyboard. Conn officers train to perform a number of tactical maneuvers, ensuring that the ship is ready to respond in a military situation. On Intrepid-class starships, they also train to perform unusual procedures, such as landing the ship on a planet.

The conn officer works closely with the operations manager, also known as the ops officer, who controls many of the functions that are closely related to flight operations, such as scanning and monitoring ship's systems. The conn is also in constant contact with engineering, and can take control over many of its functions. During warp flight, both the conn and main engineering monitor subspace field geometry to ensure that conditions are normal.