Originally Posted by
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Anyone younger then 45 will probably see single pilot. Those just entering the industry will most likely be automated away at some point. I will seriously start to worry when FedEx and UPS go single pilot, we won't be far behind.
Looking at the avhearld site the vast majority of incidents are pilot induced today. Taking the pilot out of most operations will most likely improve safety. I know it sounds bad but the facts are the facts.
A lot of the CA's job is ensuring compliance with regulations, and interacting with all facets of the operation. I personally do not see that job function going away. It may, and the job description may well change from "pilot" to "flight ops coordinator". Who knows.
But so much of our industry still operates in a labor intensive fashion.
I agree and any perceived pilot shortage could be quickly negated with single pilot airplanes. In the short 20 years I have been flying the pace of automation has exponentially increased. At the current rate if left unchecked it will greatly change the skill set of a “pilot”. Look how many new guys at the airlines never flew steam gauges ever in their careers. They went from g1000 to emb-175 with auto throttles and full automation. Not a knock on them but they have been trained, in my humble opinion, as more of a system operator than a stick and rudder pilot. When I started not so long ago everyone cut their teeth flying boxes in turbo props or passengers in b1900. Which turned anyone in to great “sticks” or spit them out. There was no automation to fall back on when things went south. Situational awareness was maintained in your head not looking at a line on a box. At the end of the day it is what it is, but it’s sad to see the art of a good stick going by the way side.