Originally Posted by Ed Harley

This is absolutely the future. With the improvements in aircraft technologies (automation, ground based flying abilities, etc..), the perceived shortage of pilots, and the airlines ability to save pilots costs (MPL's would surely be paid less) it becomes the perfect storm of pressure on the government to make regulatory changes to existing FAR's to make this happen. The public will buy into it because most people already think that the captain is the only one that fly's the airplane so what's the difference between a "co-pilot" and an MPL crew member?

It's inevitable and I don't think that any union can really stop it.