A newly introduced bill in Congress – the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill – calls for the FAA to allow for a single pilot operation, first in cargo aircraft. Similar legislation is pending in Europe to optimize commercial flights by reducing flight crew. In the long term, only one pilot will be needed to perform the cockpit operation.
In other words, if a pilot dies, as we saw recently with an American Envoy Air flight, the plane goes with him. Even if he suddenly goes unconscious, he might not wake up on time.
Airlines will say it’s due to the staffing shortage, although money has to be a big factor. The airlines laid off too many pilots under the pandemic rules, and many didn’t return.
Regulators are pushing the UN’s International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to examine ways of making single pilot operations the eventual norm in commercial flights. – I personally see this as a horrible mistake and a recipe for disaster.. https://t.co/mHwKuVraVY pic.twitter.com/7zimHZx4c8
— Dez (@dez_blanchfield) November 22, 2022
I finally found something I agree with Adam Kinzinger on:
How about ABSOLUTELY NOT. This is really among the dumbest ideas among dumb ideas.
Airlines are lobbying for a change to federal regulations that could put one pilot in the cockpit – CBS News https://t.co/9tQdlHnJVi
— Adam Kinzinger #fella (@AdamKinzinger) December 15, 2022
So, if the pilot dies, you all die.
Airbus and Boeing have “autoland” features, allowing the autopilot to land the aircraft automatically. However, the aircraft needs to be correctly configured, and some systems can only operate within specific parameters. In the Airbus A320 (the most popular aircraft in the world), you must manually engage the landing gear and thrust reversers and correctly use the rudder pedals to stay straight.
Heart attacks are one of the reported side effects of the vaccine, which is mandatory for pilots. Are you willing to entrust your lives to one pilot who has been vaxxed and could suffer an attack?
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