Single Pilot Flight Innovation in Passenger Airplanes
by Nurseli IŞIK
In the airline industry, fuel and labor factors are two elements that airlines can never control. In the early years of aviation, there were five flight crew members in the cockpit. These were the captain, first officer, navigator, radio operator, and flight engineer. Nowadays, there are only two people assigned in the cockpit: the captain and the first officer.
With advancing technology, the topic of conducting flights with a single pilot has sparked discussions in the aviation industry recently. More than 30 countries, including Germany, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand, have expressed their desire to fly passenger aircraft with a single pilot instead of two in the airline industry. While airlines believe that this move will reduce costs and alleviate staff shortages, some pilots and passengers have expressed concerns about safety.
So what risks can arise in a single-pilot flight?
If there is an issue with the pilot on the aircraft and they are incapacitated, the other pilot can take over all operations and make the landing. Single-pilot flying is a significant risk.
The job of pilots is not just to fly the aircraft. For this reason, a pilot must manage appropriate systems and maintain communication to ensure the safety of the flight operation while flying the aircraft. Assigning these operations to a single pilot can be considered a risk.
Another benefit of having two pilots on a flight is that they can check each other’s work. A second pair of eyes monitoring for errors can help prevent more serious incidents.
Ultimately, single-pilot flights involve a more complex aircraft. What happens if the complexity of the flight is high and the single pilot cannot comprehend it? This situation may lead the pilot to distrust the system they are not confident in, which increases the workload. This can create a very challenging situation for the pilot who has to manage all automation, failures, and flying.
EASA’s communications chief Janet Northcote said, “We are potentially removing the last human surplus on the flight deck.” However, EASA stated that this service could not start before 2027. EASA acknowledged its concerns regarding single-pilot flights and mentioned that addressing and evaluating these concerns is part of the process. Following this, Northcote indicated that this concept would not be implemented until there is confidence that aviation operations will be at least as safe as they are today.
International Air Transport Association (IATA) Director General Willie Walsh stated that allowing single-pilot airline operations would take decades and that the airline industry is not ready for such a change. “At the very least, I do not expect to see a transition to single-pilot operations; I certainly do not see it happening in the next 15, 20, maybe 25 years,” he said.
References
Maaz, M. (2022). Tek Pilot Operasyonlar: Riskler ve Zorluklar
Greenberg, P. (2022). Havayolları, Kokpite Bir Pilot Koyabilecek Federal Düzenlemelerde Değişiklik Yapılması İçin Lobi Yapıyor
Whitley, A. (2022). Havayolları, Yardımcı Pilot Olmadan Uçma Konusunda Rahat Olmanızı İstiyor. Niles, R. (2022). Havayolu Birliği Tek Pilot Teklifini
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