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Single-pilot jumbo jets just around the corner

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It's official: the industry is working toward an airline flight deck that can safely be operated by a single pilot. And if it's extended long-haul, an augmented crew would be two pilots: one on the flight deck and the other resting. A team led by Thales Avionics, consisting of many other high-profile European companies plus Boeing and Jeppesen from the USA, is working toward an advanced airliner cockpit that can be managed by a single pilot backed up by high quality communications… (www.flightglobal.com) Más...

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sparkie624
sparkie624 6
LOL... This is just too crazy... Even if the planes can handle it, I do not think the public is even close to being ready for that. Computers can do a lot, but the airbus pilots in France crash a good number of years ago may be here today if the had done what he commanded vs what the computer thought was best. I want to have 2 pilots up there. What happens when one pilot goes crazy. I remember when an FO locked the captain out of the cockpit because he lost it. What is going to happen when you only have one crew in the cockpit.
jbermo
jbermo 1
The future points to 0 pilots in the cockpit (no one to go crazy). I expect there will always be accidents though fewer of them, however the term "pilot error' someday will become extinct.
Derg
Roland Dent 1
Don't ya realise the folks who make the decisions are divine..they don't follow rules...they make them. You not realised this fact yet? Been evident since the year 2000.
ToddBaldwin3
ToddBaldwin3 3
That'll make Michael O'Leary happy.
skyfly12
shawn white 3
400 passengers, 17 hours of flying, 500million dollar equipment--- One pilot getting paid 40k a year.
=Not Comforting!!!
skyfly12
shawn white 2
And wait till one of the engine blows, tearing up your hydraulics and wing!
They landed that A380 with how many pilots again???
jkudlick
Jeremy Kudlick 3
Exactly. Everyone remembers UAL232, right? How about the Gimli Glider, or Sully? Someone playing FlightSim on the ground is not going to save those flights.
racerman
larry clement 3
I gotta believe the insurance companies will have the final say.Who wants to insure a $100m+ plane with potentially billions of dollars of liability that only has one pilot on board? The increases in insurance costs will probably more than offset the savings of the pilot salary. Notwithstanding the lost revenue of passengers that won't fly with only one pilot.
WtfWtf
WtfWtf 3
In all seriousness though isn't it about redundancy more than anything? One pilot can basically do the job now but the reason for 2 is that safety net and the backup of judgment calls etc. Why hand that over to someone in a cubical over a data connection? It would cost even more to begin with.
skyfly12
shawn white 2
Maybe they are hoping to have one dude in a cubicle for every hundred planes flying, which would be 99 less pilots to train...
jkudlick
Jeremy Kudlick 1
And if two of his/her assigned flights require attention at the same time?
THRUSTT
THRUSTT 1
Multi task, walk and chew gum...
onceastudentpilot
tim mitchell 1
decisions decisions
WALLACE24
WALLACE24 5
Why not? If the captain has a problem the CEO can just take over using his iPad. Will add to his bonus. Lol
Moviela
Ric Wernicke 2
Why don't we just skip ahead and have the pilot stay on the ground and run the systems on remote? Airports all over the world have pilotless trams to move passengers between terminals. Passengers don't think twice about hurling along a berm at 50 mph with no one on board at the controls. Elevators are pretty safe, can be operated by a child tall enough to push the button.

The problem I see is that passenger aircraft are not simple machines. You need people to conduct safe operations of those systems. People, not a person. Humans are probably the least reliable component in the cockpit. You need backups.
onceastudentpilot
tim mitchell 2
and thus the rebirth of general aviation has begun
cmsherbert
Shit engineers are toying with the luck! It projects that delay is wanting to be more than the physical and wisdom of an airplane. When you take a shit they stop with these thoughts.
jbermo
jbermo 1
Logical airline evolution - the First Oficer gone with the Flight Engineer and Radio Operator/Navigator. . . pure UAV's by 2050?
benin
benin 1
Seems possible at this rate. if this holds true, all pilots will be trained to fly drones. lawyers would have a field day if there eas a mid air collision. this may also help eliminate Air traffic controllers. it's all downhill from here boys, hold on tight.
SkyBaby2
Kira Andreola 1
Well that's real comforting.
WtfWtf
WtfWtf 1
From the golf course mind you!
WtfWtf
WtfWtf 1
I'm far from old school but I prefer to have 2 with me in person.. even in IT there are some repairs that cannot be made remotely. Those repairs aren't even life or death mind you..
bbabis
bbabis 1
Progress marches on. I think a U.K. Company just flew a jetstream 31 across the channel with no pilots so I guess one pilot will be nice just incase everybody on the ground dies.
Derg
Roland Dent 1
"If we could only get rid of people aviation would be a great industry"
WALLACE24
WALLACE24 1
You bet. Those pax are really a pain in the ass.
Derg
Roland Dent 1
I think they mean the paid staff...but I agree...yes...scary world with scary people running stuff..
WALLACE24
WALLACE24 1
I was just being sarcastic. Airlines without pax would all run smooooth.
Derg
Roland Dent 1
Well yeah I know..BUT..it really annoys me when the cal PAX "self loading freight". The Brits in particular have this brand of humour.
WALLACE24
WALLACE24 1
I wouldn't bet a lot of money on the best airlines. If they don't shoot theirselves in the foot, outside sources can conspire to change the playing field instantly. If you get from point A to B safely it is a good day. Everything else you can live with or change.
Derg
Roland Dent 1
Oh yeah plenty of collusion on price fixing in the past
dg1941
dg1941 1
I fully support this, if every pilot they hire is perfect. Two pilots will always be safer than one. Sometimes even with two pilots I get nervous, and what happens in an emergency. Look at United 232, they had to bring in a fourth person when their hydraulics failed. And an even better argument, I assure you that a computer wouldn't think to do something like differential throttle or figuring out how to fly straight with only one elevator.
rkremp
RICHARD KREMP 1
NUTS TO THAT........
YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN THE PILOT WILL STROKE OUT OR HAVE A CORONARY!!!!!!!

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