A debate is percolating online about the risks of flying jets single-pilot after the crash of an Embraer Phenom 100 in Maryland earlier this month that killed six, including three people on the ground. Former Flying editor Richard Collins weighed in on his website, arguing that the FAA shouldn’t approve any jet for single-pilot operations unless it’s equipped with autothrottles. The airlines, meanwhile, are taking a slightly different tack: Cram the cockpit full of advanced automation, they say, and eliminate all the copilots.
To test whether this labor-saving move would be feasible or safe, NASA has selected Rockwell Collins as the lead research firm for the Single Pilot Operation program, an effort aimed at exploring concepts and automation technologies for airliners that one day might lead to copilot-less airplanes.
