Some of the world's largest aircraft manufacturers seem convinced that adding new technologies and increasing automation will allow airlines to reduce the number of pilots on the flight deck. For them, it is a question of when, not if. Despite the misconception that planes largely fly themselves, they can’t. Autopilot on commercial flights is simply a tool designed to assist pilots, not completely replace their training and experience. As these manufacturers push to advance technology on the flight deck, there is a red line that must not be crossed: any effort that removes pilots from the controls.
As we prepare for a busy holiday travel season, our industry’s paramount commitment to passenger safety must never be in doubt. That’s why it is essential to sound the alarm before a bad idea—like removing pilots from the flight deck—takes root. Unfortunately, this isn’t some far-fetched, far-in-the-future proposition; it’s something airplane manufacturers are actively working to implement as soon as possible. Already, European manufacturers Dassault and Airbus are pursuing designs that introduce new technologies they say would allow a single pilot to actively fly a commercial plane.
