Single-Pilot Ops Originated in Europe

The two-pilot crew began as an American initiative during World War II.

Meg Godlewski

Monday, October 31, 2022 at 01:36 PM ET

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CWH Lancaster Bomber on final approach. [Courtesy: Adobe Stock]

Key Takeaways:

During WWII, American multiengine aircraft utilized two pilots, contrasting with European nations like Germany and England, which faced pilot shortages.
This pilot shortage in Europe, stemming from a decline in birth rates after WWI, led to the design of some heavy military aircraft for single-pilot operations.
A notable example is the British Avro Lancaster B. Mk I, a four-engine heavy bomber from 1942, which carried a seven-member crew but was intentionally designed for a single pilot with a compact cockpit.

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Two-pilot operations in American multiengine aircraft date back to World War II. America’s bombers—the B-17, B-24, and B-25—all relied on having two pilots in the cockpit.

In Europe, however, it was a different story. In Germany and England, for example, there was a shortage of pilots because of a decline in the birth rate after World War I—so much so that some heavy military aircraft were designed around single-pilot operations. The British Avro Lancaster B. Mk I, a four-engine heavy bomber, is one of those.