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Old 04-23-2018 | 06:21 AM
  #57  
CBreezy
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Originally Posted by FlyingMaryJane
This has been going on for years... this will happen soon, there will be 1 pilot in the left seat to start.. GET READY FOR YOUR NEW FO... If you are under the age of 45, have a plan B

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCJqeZ2Rwh8
What happens when there is an RA? What happens when ATC says cancel approach clearance and proceed direct to a fix that isn't on your flight plan? What happens when ATC gives you a step down that the airplane cannot do? What happens.... I could go on and on. So a robot can program an autopilot under ideal conditions with an optimally performing ILS. I could teach a 6 year old to do it and fly to an autoland. But the robot can't land in a 30 kt gusty crosswind. It more than likely cannot adjust to abnormal, non-profile clearances (or clearances at all). Plus, do we want to trust Siri or Alexa to understand a guy mumbling into a mic...or doing literally what the controller says even it's not what he means?

As far as single pilot, the amount of money it's going to take to build the infrastructure to support it is going to be WAY WAY more than the cost savings on labor. And then how do we get those experienced Captains if they don't first spend time as an FO somewhere? We will just magically have experienced Captains? "Hi, this is CA Steve. This is his first ever flight in a jet and he's the only one here. Good luck!" The remote operator is also a bad idea. I can't tell you how many times I cross the country with inop satellite wifi systems or no ACARS signal. Anyone who thinks a remote operator is going to be able to assist the in flight pilot with a situation like what happened on Southwest is delusional. I don't doubt we will be replaced by automated systems at some point. To say that it's right around the corner is to be lacking any perspective of the complexity of airline operations.
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