fightandflight

Contracts are not designed to have a 40 year outlook, and they typically do not protect workers from what-if scenarios (Although I have heard that AA is negotiating a clause to protect jobs from aliens). We have a pay guarantee and we have retirement benefits, if they replaced us all tomorrow with autonomous airplanes that would last however long it took for them to close up shop. No contract will protect you from the future, ask American auto workers, but this future is a lot further off than you think - and when it comes it will impact the entire industry.

I am not in the international cargo is at the most risk camp, I personally think that international agreements and proven safe datalink is the long pole in the tent. Completely autonomous “small” aircraft (probably electric) between two low population dense areas for daily repetitive runs will be the harbinger of the “end times,” but even that will precede autonomous 767 size aircraft by 20 years or more. It would only take one autonomous 747 going into the Eiffel Tower or the Cologne cathedral to turn public opinion against autonomous flight for a long time, so when they do it they are going to make sure they do it right - and that equals time.

Bottom line, I was told 4 years ago that I would be out of a job in 5 years due to autonomous cargo aircraft. To date, no meaningful progress has been made that leads me to believe my job is at risk within the next year. UPS continues to buy pesky two seat aircraft.

I feel like we just argue this point in circles on these forums. Someday someone will pull my 30 year old posts to show me how wrong I was.