Originally Posted by
C130driver
And do not listen to a word this guy says. He's just bitter and hates his job. Go be a pilot, automation won't affect your career until maybe you are in your 60s, and that's a huge maybe. Seriously can anyone come up with a cogent point proving cost savings or an equal or better level of safety? No.
I agree, OP should be a recreational pilot if he likes flying. But I think he was asking about the potential for automation to replace airline/cargo pilots.
Math challenge accepted:
Pilots accounted for 9% of operating expenses in 2016 at AA, ~ $3B. Aircraft debt service was ~$200M in 2016. Even if we doubled the cost of aircraft to AA annually to $400M, to account for an automated airliner increase in cost, I think the numbers form a relatively cogent argument.
Of course there would be costs associated with improving infrastructure to allow automated cockpits, but when you save $2B+ annually, there's room to maneuver. And those added infrastructure costs, unlike salaries, can be amortized.