Will it be safe to fly with only one pilot in the cockpit?

[RobPol471 173]

 

While regulators are pushing the United Nations International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to look into ways to make operations single pilot the ultimate norm in commercial flights.

Document links:

https://www.icao.int/Meetings/a41/Documents/WP/wp_101_en.pdf

and US Air Force announced the completion of two KC-46A Pegasus tanker sorties with only a pilot and single-arm operator, plus an instructor pilot who he's only acting as a security observer, on board.

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/kc-46-pegasus-tanker-flies-with-a-single-pilot-at-the-controls

one has to ask how they plan to resolve an unfortunate case of pilot incapacity or, unfortunately, as recently happened at the Chicago apt where the pilot of the flight  Envoy Air 3556 had a heart attack and died after takeoff?

https://bnonews.com/index.php/2022/11/pilot-dies-after-plane-takes-off-from-chicago/

[188AHC 2,138]

Come on guys. This is a serious question and cute little comments aren't appropriate. Any more will be hidden. Honest answers please.

 

[harrry 322]

Quote

A June 2022 Bloomberg News study of crashes involving Western-built commercial airliners revealed that pilot murder-suicides were the second most prevalent cause of airline crash deaths from 2011 to 2020, and that from 1991 to 2020, deaths due to pilot murder-suicides increased while deaths due to accidental causes significantly decreased. Furthermore, if China Eastern Airlines Flight 5735 is confirmed to be an intentional act, it will mean that deaths due to intentional acts have exceeded all other causes since the start of 2021.^[9] H

even easier for this to happen if there is only one pilot.

[C2615 319]

Of course it is safe to fly with one pilot in the cockpit, that's been demonstrate 60 years ago so we have 2 crew cockpit since then.

The real problem is if it's safe to fly with zero pilot in the cockpit.

[RobPol471 173]

3 hours ago, C2615 said:

Of course it is safe to fly with one pilot in the cockpit, that's been demonstrate 60 years ago so we have 2 crew cockpit since then.

The real problem is if it's safe to fly with zero pilot in the cockpit.

Sorry  C2615, but I don't agree with what you wrote because the comparison between the number of pilots flying sixty years ago and those who now fly every day is impossible.
Statistics say that the cases of incapacitated pilots with cases such as, unfortunately, the recent one at the Chicago apt where the pilot died after take-off, are not few, as you can read on this link:

The Aviation Herald (avherald.com)

Personally I would never get on a plane, especially on long flights, with only one pilot in the cockpit also because I don't have any... pilot license to fly a plane, in case of incapacity of the pilot!

Edited November 25, 2022 by n4gix
Fixed search link.

[pete_auau 1,154]

1 hour ago, RobPol471 said:

Personally I would never get on a plane, especially on long flights, with only one pilot

ok  whats the difference between a long  flight  and  a short  flight  either  way  if  the pilot  dies you still  going  down.    You be  better of if  it  were  a drone aircraft, least  their  is more  likely   to be  more pilots  hanging  around in the control room  if the  drone  pilot  dies 🙂

[Christopher Low 5,336]

I am not sure why anyone would think that single pilot commercial passenger flights is a sensible option.

[orchestra_nl 925]

Current airliners are  perhaps not automated enough to make this possible. Communicating with ATC alone is a big part of the  job. Do away with that, automate some more and it might be possible for a single pilot to fly a commercial flight. 

Off course only pilots that are not suicidal, immune to heart attacks and cannot make mistakes are suitable for this kind of operation unless we accept these risks. For military flights that might be acceptable but I don't see passengers eager to board such a flight. 

For airlines it's all about cost. Replacing the 2nd pilot is only an option for them if it cheaper. 

[RobPol471 173]

1 hour ago, pete_auau said:

ok  whats the difference between a long  flight  and  a short  flight  either  way  if  the pilot  dies you still  going  down.    You be  better of if  it  were  a drone aircraft, least  their  is more  likely   to be  more pilots  hanging  around in the control room  if the  drone  pilot  dies 🙂

I wrote "especially on long flights" because it's one thing... praying that nothing happens to the pilot on a short flight than having to pray for... many hours on a long flight!😁

If I wouldn't get on a plane with only one pilot in the cockpit, let alone if I would get on a drone, especially if the pilots... are these!😁

 

 

[martin-w 3,234]

1 hour ago, orchestra_nl said:

Current airliners are  perhaps not automated enough to make this possible.

 

Perhaps they could be though. We have the Garmin system in light aircraft, that if the pilot is incapacitated, the passenger, or if it was installed in an airliner one of the cabin crew, pull a lever and the system automatically communicates with ATC and safely navigates the aircraft to a safe landing. Can't recall which aircraft it is now, but its an obvious big red lever., you just give it a pull and the rest is automatic, with reassuring voice messages for the passengers.  

 

Quote

 

The benefits of emergency autoland – What the system does? 

Should a pilot be incapacitated, the emergency autoland can be automatically or manually engaged – by either passengers or pilot. So, instead of the aircraft flying uncontrolled or along a path already programmed into the FMS until the fuel runs out, the system will decide on the most suitable airfield for landing. It will then automatically navigate to that airfield while avoiding known terrain and weather hazards. The system will then set up the aircraft for landing, touchdown and bring the aircraft to a full stop. You can probably imagine lots of situations where having such a system onboard could save lives. In the event of hypoxia, the pilot can take back control at any time should they recover sufficiently to land the aircraft themselves.

 

 

https://www.easa.europa.eu/community/topics/emergency-autoland-0

I'm not saying I'm in favor of a single pilot in a big commercial jet, just food for thought.

 

 

 

 

Edited November 25, 2022 by martin-w

[ZoblebV8 53]

I think the TBM-960 has a single-button auto-land.

[birdguy 3,943]

My vote is for two pilots in the cockpit.

https://simpleflying.com/airbus-a220-inadvertent-autopilot-engagement-near-misses/

Noel

[n4gix 4,947]

6 hours ago, martin-w said:

but its an obvious big red lever., you just give it a pull and the rest is automatic, with reassuring voice messages for the passengers.

Looks more like a guarded push button. Garmin's system is fantastic!

[martin-w 3,234]

10 minutes ago, n4gix said:

Looks more like a guarded push button. Garmin's system is fantastic!

 

In the aircraft I'm thinking of its overhead. 

[Garys 209]

8 hours ago, orchestra_nl said:

For airlines it's all about cost. Replacing the 2nd pilot is only an option for them if it cheaper. 

I'm not in management, but have worked in the airline industry for nearly 30 years. All I can say is that commercial airline pilots need a reality check and come back down to earth.  Did you know that even if an airline wants a new fleet type to expand it's operation into new ventures for the benifit of the whole airline the pilot group can and will vote it down. Dont get me wrong I respect pilots but they have far to much power. They dont give a word not allowed about anybody else. Im good with single pilot ops.