Single-Pilot Airliners

Remember when complex transport-category aircraft had a flight engineer (FE) to manage systems? I imagine there was quite an uproar when automation progressed to the point where the FE became unnecessary and airliners were certified for two-person crews.

Frank Bowlin

Saturday, April 14, 2018 at 12:00 AM ET

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Key Takeaways:

The article discusses the controversial push towards single-pilot airliners, drawing parallels to the past removal of flight engineers but emphasizing the unique practical challenges of replacing a primary pilot.
A core concern is how single pilots would gain the necessary hands-on experience and develop critical judgment for complex or non-standard situations without the traditional mentorship and shared experience of a two-person crew.
The author argues against single-pilot operations, citing the lack of collaborative decision-making and the inability of automated systems to effectively handle unforeseen emergencies that fall outside of pre-programmed scenarios.

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Now it’s happening again. Several initiatives are exploring a single-pilot airliner. There’s an old joke that automation will eventually progress to the point where an airline flight crew will consist of a pilot and a dog; the dog’s sole duty will be to bite the pilot if s/he touches anything. Are we now headed there?