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 remember seeing Rutan in an interview about aircraft automation a long time back.....

He put it well:

"Sure, we could fully automate airliners with technology we have right now..... But then one will screw up and fly into the Rose Bowl, and that's the last you'll ever see of that idea."

100% agree. The technology to gaurentee the same amount of safety (and with the majors it's the highest it could ever be,) just does not exist yet; neither does the cost savings. I'm sure pilots would have been eliminated years ago, but alas even cargo is flying 70s technology. Rest easy gents, barring Kim Jong Unstable going whazooo we are going to be gainfully employed for a while.

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.

Aircraft debt. What do you think the debt would be if you parked all the current aircraft and then replaced every single one with pilotless aircraft? It would probably bankrupt the company. That and there isn't even remotely the infrastructure in place to remotely control any aircraft from an ATC perspective. I'm not saying it won't eventually be possible, but not during my career.

That's some pretty serious back pedaling without the self awareness to realize it...

Can you elaborate on why you think an airline would go bankrupt by replacing aircraft?

I agree that there is work to be done in order to communicate with automated aircraft, (issues with ADS-B bandwidth and signal security come to mind). I think that we'll solve these type of infrastructure problems sooner than later.

"We"? Dude I don't think many pilots are going to be trying to solve problems to increase the possibility of autonomous planes any time soon. Where I'm from that's called shooting yourself in the foot .

We can't stop Iran from high jacking a drone. Remember, if it can be coded it can be broke. Now fill her up with friends and family, good luck with that!!
No thanks.......

Okay.. How about parallel parking in NYC?