Careers in Aviation dwindling

[Evan]

Well I have felt that the next step is getting closer and closer. What step? Single pilot corporate, airlines and cargo large aircraft.

The doctrine of redundancy, task-sharing and crosscheck procedures will assure that commercial flights require at least two fully-trained pilots, and duty limits will require more on long-haul. There are also operational limits to autoland and times when the ground equipment is not functioning. And there is no 'auto-take-off' or 'auto-configuration'. These would require the industry to design and certify a new generation of aircraft and phase out the old ones. It will also require airports to replace ILS with something more capable and reliable, something more like LAAS. When you consider the costs involved, pilot salaries should look like a bargain. So I wouldn't worry about it in your lifetime.

The thing you should would worry about is airlines cutting costs by paying lower pilot salaries and spending less on training them.

The current method of pilot-supervised autoflight is pretty ideal from a safety standpoint, as long as the pilots still know how to take over when necessary.

[Gabriel]

Dully noted.

Fixed?

[ATLcrew]

Duly noted.

[kent olsen]

"Aviation E Brief"

Today they stated that 15% of the pilots today will be retiring in the next 5 years and then 50% will retire in the next 15 years.

Learning to fly today is nothing like the $700 it cost me back in 1967. Then the GI bill helped me get the necessary ratings to work in aviation for 45 years. I also remember when the airlines went to Boeing and Douglas and asked if they could make an airplane you could fly with only two pilots and sure enough they did. The airlines were trying to cut costs.

Well I have felt that the next step is getting closer and closer. What step? Single pilot corporate, airlines and cargo large aircraft. Who flies the aircraft today, mainly the auto-flight system. Of course someone must taxi to and from the runway but we've had auto-land for years. If you can convince the passengers, cargo could care less, that an equal level of safety would be had with one pilot the airlines would jump for it. You could have the lead flight attendant trained to set up the plane for an auto-landing in the event something happened to the pilot. Or like the Military that flies UAV's all over the world from Tampa, Florida, you could have that kind of backup.

When Amazon has a UAV deliver your package to your back door just think how soon they'll be flying their B-767's via someone on the ground. Really the only one's in aviation that may be able to extend their career are the mechanics.