Back in the day, a flight engineer would accompany both pilots in the cockpit to ensure the function of aircraft systems and diagnose issues. Eventually, in the early 1980s, the flight engineer position was eliminated due to advancements in integrated circuits and computing power. Nowadays, we only see two pilots in the cockpit, however, there is a heated debate currently in the works about reducing the cockpit to one pilot. Our skilled aviation crew at Sheffield discuss two sides of the argument about airlines eliminating co-pilots.
All in Favor of Eliminating the Co-Pilot
Most of those in favor of airlines eliminating co-pilots are, in fact, the airlines themselves. The driving argument for removing the co-pilot position is that it can help save airlines money. Airlines argue that reducing the pilot pool will make a positive impact on their salary budget since pilots are their highest-earning employees. It will also help airlines save money on increasing wages and bonuses since eliminating the co-pilot position will also eliminate the pilot shortage.
As of now, the aviation industry is facing an airline pilot shortage due to the decreasing number of licensed pilots over the past 30 years, down by 30%. [1] Some airlines are forced to reduce or cancel flights due to the shortage of qualified pilots. By cutting down on co-pilots, airlines will no longer face this problem.
…And Those Who Oppose
We’ve seen aircraft tragedies this year like the Boeing 737 Max crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia, and such disasters can increase from the prevalence of human-automation interaction within the cockpit. There are one too many airplane accidents that have happened in the past, partially due to the failure in the human-automation team. Additionally, the increased use of automation can lead to a decrease in a pilot’s manual flying skills. Should the automation fail, a pilot is left grappling to troubleshoot the problem.
Adding to the argument against airlines eliminating co-pilots is the eventual inactivity of the pilot. Pilots are still human, which means they will eventually experience fatigue during the flight. According to a survey performed by Balpa, more than half the pilots who participated admitted to succumbing to sleep while flying. [2] Secondly, should a pilot experience cardiac arrest or other possibly fatal events during the flight, there will be no one present to take over. The passengers and flight crew would be completely unaware.
What are your thoughts on airlines eliminating co-pilots? Feel free to let us know below and if you’re interested in learning how to be an air traffic controller, contact a member of our knowledgeable aviation crew to find out more.
Sources:
[1] The Conversation – The US is facing a serious shortage of airline pilots
[2] BBC News – ‘More than half’ of pilots have slept while flying
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Flying Solo: Airlines Eliminating Co-Pilots
Back in the day, a flight engineer would accompany both pilots in the cockpit to ensure the function of aircraft systems and diagnose issues. Eventually, in the early 1980s, the flight engineer position was eliminated due to advancements in integrated circuits and computing power. Nowadays, we only see two pilots in the cockpit, however, there is a heated debate currently in the works about reducing the cockpit to one pilot. Our skilled aviation crew at Sheffield discuss two sides of the argument about airlines eliminating co-pilots.
All in Favor of Eliminating the Co-Pilot
Most of those in favor of airlines eliminating co-pilots are, in fact, the airlines themselves. The driving argument for removing the co-pilot position is that it can help save airlines money. Airlines argue that reducing the pilot pool will make a positive impact on their salary budget since pilots are their highest-earning employees. It will also help airlines save money on increasing wages and bonuses since eliminating the co-pilot position will also eliminate the pilot shortage.
As of now, the aviation industry is facing an airline pilot shortage due to the decreasing number of licensed pilots over the past 30 years, down by 30%. [1] Some airlines are forced to reduce or cancel flights due to the shortage of qualified pilots. By cutting down on co-pilots, airlines will no longer face this problem.
…And Those Who Oppose
We’ve seen aircraft tragedies this year like the Boeing 737 Max crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia, and such disasters can increase from the prevalence of human-automation interaction within the cockpit. There are one too many airplane accidents that have happened in the past, partially due to the failure in the human-automation team. Additionally, the increased use of automation can lead to a decrease in a pilot’s manual flying skills. Should the automation fail, a pilot is left grappling to troubleshoot the problem.
Adding to the argument against airlines eliminating co-pilots is the eventual inactivity of the pilot. Pilots are still human, which means they will eventually experience fatigue during the flight. According to a survey performed by Balpa, more than half the pilots who participated admitted to succumbing to sleep while flying. [2] Secondly, should a pilot experience cardiac arrest or other possibly fatal events during the flight, there will be no one present to take over. The passengers and flight crew would be completely unaware.
What are your thoughts on airlines eliminating co-pilots? Feel free to let us know below and if you’re interested in learning how to be an air traffic controller, contact a member of our knowledgeable aviation crew to find out more.
Sources:
[1] The Conversation – The US is facing a serious shortage of airline pilots
[2] BBC News – ‘More than half’ of pilots have slept while flying