Until just recently, the role for most pilots was pilot flying with manual control, occasionally supplemented with autoflight when the workload was high and we needed a helping hand. With the increasing availability of more and more capable systems, that role is changing to one of systems manager or, worse, just systems observer. That’s not good. Our problem extends far beyond automation complacency. It’s become a new and dangerous way of thinking about the role of the pilot.
Automation Paradigm
Key Takeaways:
- Advanced cockpit automation has dangerously shifted the pilot's role from active manual flying to passive systems management, fostering over-reliance and eroding fundamental flying skills.
- This over-dependence leads to diminished situational awareness, slower manual intervention in critical scenarios, and a reluctance to utilize less automated but perfectly capable navigation methods.
- The article warns that this trend represents a new and dangerous mindset where pilots view automation as the primary aircraft controller, undermining their ability to take charge and recover from undesired states.
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