I'm a Project Engineer for an aircraft OEM and I can also add that those complex automated systems that you need for Single Pilot Ops have to be developed and fully understood by engineers who are also error prone.
One aspect that was not completely discussed in the video is pilot psychology. Everytime there is a controlled flight into terrain, air crash investigations would focus (too) on the PF’s state of mind. Was the CFIT intentionally done by the pilot? Did the PF have his/her complete faculties to correctly and safely fly the airplane? Having only one pilot increases risks in this area. This is why, everytime a PM requests for time out of the cockpit (toilet break, what have you), usually in narrow body aircrafts, a flight attendant is requested to stay in the cockpit, and avoid being in a situation where there is only one person in the cockpit. Case in point, German Wings 9525.
This will never happen. Redundancy is required ALSO to prevent pilot murder suicide. When one pilot leaves the cockpit a flight attendant has to be in there JUST to make sure there are 2 people in there. Won’t happen ever sorry.
No matter the level of automation, human error will always find a way to creep into the process. Having another pair of eyes to call attention to any oversight or blatant error is absolutely essential. And no, fully automated (no human intervention) flight decks are not a feasible solution, not unless potential failure can be brought to absolute zero. Study any accident/incident investigation and it becomes clear that a two-person cockpit is the bare minimum for safe commercial operation. At least with current technological restrictions.
7:06 Sensors are not that reliable atm, even if they're coded to detect rainfall, those exterior sensor could be running out of order, e.g. frozen tubes and sensors. An extra cognitively functioning brain in the cockpit is the only option.
I think this would make sense on short regional flights. Private jets have been flying with single pilots for a while now, and there's no evidence such operation is unsafe.
How about for chief flight attendant to be a pilot as well, so that he'd still be on board in case of an emergency? He'll most probably be an ex-pilot or prepared to be a future one, but will primarily work with passengers when not engaged.
I’m sure a few here remember Dave Bowman - recall his eventful single “pilot” experience??? Commercial aviation, i.e, with hundreds of paying passengers aboard... and a single pilot cockpit (... as the norm) simply will not be reached in the lifetime of anyone who is alive today. Technology advances have come far in a relative short timeframe. Without doubt, we are not quite there yet with this application alignment.
TBH if the technology exists for the aircraft A.I to take over from 1 pilot, I would rather have no pilots at all. This would remove the risk of human error. This might get the low cost carriers salivating over this prospect, but I don't think they will have any passengers if they decide to implement this.
Unless and until autopiloting becomes sophisticated enough that planes can fly themselves entirely, literally from takeoff through landing, even through fault conditions like engine failures and malfunctioning control surfaces or landing gear, I just cannot imagine it being considered safe enough to eliminate the human redundancy. The computer would need to be almost as good as a pilot and that's not going to happen anytime soon.
Obviously zero pilot operation with multiple redundant computers should be far superior to single pilot. No misunderstanding. Sounds as if coding flying aka scaling drones is by far easier as programming interaction between human and ai.
I wasn't around for 5 in the cockpit but I was for 4 then 3 then only 2, now they want to reduce it to only 1 !!! Supposing it's the pilots turn to go meet his maker....👻 or maybe... " good morning ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking, just to let you know I will be working from home today.........😱 nope... I'm on the bus,🚃 boat⛴ or train🚅 thank you very much.👋
THESE PEOPLE PUSHING FOR SINGLE PILOT OPERATION DOESN'T KNOW THE INTRICACIES OF COKPIT OPERATION, THEY ARE PROBABLY LEADERS WITH ACCOUNTING BACKGROUND, ADMINISTRATORS, FINANCIAL PLANNERS, AND THE LIKES ... TRYING TO CUT COSTS BUT IN ACTUAL FACT IMMENSELY ENDANGERING AIR OPERATIONS ...
Extremely detailed video full of deep in-sight. I will add one more. We have had cases where one pilot for some reason decides to commit suicide on flight. These kind of incidents are like to going to occur more often when we have only one pilot in the cockpit.
I think for an aircraft the more redundancy the better. Especially in an environment where you can have hundreds of lives on the line while in the air. A little mistake can cost you because we've seen it in the past.
As someone that has flown study level aircraft in a home simulator, there is no way for this kind of operation to take place. Let the general public know about this and you'll see how it goes.
The ONLY way I can see this happening is if you have "drop in pilots", let me explain. You have a single full time pilot and two relief pilots who also act as cabin crew. These cabin crew pilots would be present during take off and landing to eliminate any redundancy such as pilot Illness (heart attack as an example) During flight, they would act as cabin crew and drop in when needs be if the pilot needs the toilet or a break. I still think 1 pilot is STUPID but I can see something like this working at some point if they absolutely insisted on it. To be clear, I don't agree with 1 pilot
What are the benefits for flight safety of SPO? Any .......at all? If none, or few, then the motive for the move must be money which is not reassuring.
The only motivation for this is for airlines to save money by employing fewer pilots, full stop. These savings will not be passed on to the passengers. This will be the erosion of not only safety, but a great profession. Disgusting.
@@AnotherPointOfView944 Then you better master your Microsoft Flight Simulator. 😂😂 Seriously though, they will have redundancies built in, including being able to control the aircraft from the ground. That creates another potential issue, but before we start seeing single pilots in cockpits, those issues will be addressed. I just think that, in our greedy capitalist society, a single pilot cockpit is inevitable. Eventually there won't be any pilots in there at all.
@@davidkavanagh189 I’m 100% sure the job of a engine which provides propulsion and a pilot, who controls said propulsion is completely different lol. Computers are taking over taking more human jobs whether you want to see it or not. A lot of vehicles are becoming automated and if safe to say aircraft will not be the exception.
@@banksrail They aren't the same. That wasn't my point. Find me one critical system in a modern airliner that isn't duplicated at least once if not more than that. There are a million reasons why this isn't inevitable and only a few why you might think it's inevitable. Back in the 80s, pilotless planes were only a decade away. Over 30 years later, here we are with not even one commercial airliner scheduled to be developed with one pilot, let alone none. The only people who think this is inevitable are greedy airline owners and people who know little about airliner flying.
As most pilots know, it is 99% boredom and 1% of terror. The other major factor, an aircraft is a complex beast and there is no guarantee of 100% reliability of any component on the aircraft.
Never on a large airliner, but a small one with less than 30 seats, just maybe, that’s about the biggest aircraft i’d be comfortable seeing single pilot ops be implemented. As aircraft gets larger, they need more automated systems so it flies safely.
"Rumack: The life of everyone on board depends upon just one thing: finding someone back there who can not only fly this plane, but who didn't have fish for dinner." This quote was in my head the entire video 🙂
