In general, people resist the idea of pilotless commercial and private flights — even though a good portion of today’s aircraft controls are already automated. Disasters like the failed landing of Asiana Airlines Flight 214 and other recent accidents demonstrate that sometimes pilots believe in their flight control systems so completely that they lose track of where they are.
Is it time to lose human pilots altogether? The current debate swirls around whether flights should transition to full automation or if too much automation is a simply a fresh disaster waiting to happen.
Pilotless flight pros and cons
You might be surprised to learn that many in the airline industry think passengers would be safer with fewer pilots. Some of the strongest arguments for pilotless flights include:
- Cost reductions — With fewer pilots, airlines could save on salaries, simulator training, healthcare, and layover costs. Reducing the flight crews on aircraft would save airlines loads of money and also potentially lower ticket prices for passengers.
- Passenger protections — On a pilotless flight, a terrorist has no one to threaten nor the ability to hijack a plane midflight. Disasters like the 9/11 plane hijackings could not occur, and passengers would arguably be safer.
Another argument is related to flight safety. Proponents of pilotless flights claim that pilots and copilots rely “too much” on autopilot systems and are ill-equipped to override the systems even when they believe they should.
Those against full automation have plenty of counter arguments, of course, and claim that no automation is completely foolproof. A pilot’s experienced judgment is important in ensuring the safety of the aircraft and its passengers. Case in point: Chesley Sullenberger’s skill in landing US Airways Flight 1549 in 2009.
Another argument against pilotless flights is the fact that pilots spend less time flying manually than they used to. Thus, using less automation in the cockpit may be more sensible because it will force pilots to hone their manual-flying skills. A final argument is this: Automation could add greater complexity to flight emergency response procedures, which are critical to passenger safety.
Despite the public’s resistance to the idea of traveling in a pilotless aircraft, that resistance could erode as unmanned aerial vehicles become more mainstream. Like many new technology concepts, once pilotless flying has a chance to prove itself, the public will likely accept it sooner or later.
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