Would you feel comfortable on a passenger plane with only one pilot at the controls?
Aircraft manufacturers and airlines are hoping passengers will embrace the idea, as they look to usher in a new era in aviation in which airlines will have just one pilot in the cockpit during the cruise phase of a flight.
Passengers have not been enthusiastic about the idea, and neither has the pilot community, with the European Cockpit Association Raising awareness of the need for single-pilot cockpits through a new advertising campaign.
A series of notices will appear between July 20 and 27 at Brussels-Zaventem Airport, Belgium, warning passengers that reducing the number of pilots on the flight deck once a plane has taken off is a safety risk, equivalent to flying without a pilot at all.
The posters are part of the ‘OneMeansNone‘ campaign that warns passengers that “flying with a single pilot is like flying without a pilot.”
The European Cockpit Association is spreading awareness about the need for single-pilot cockpits through a new advertising campaign
The ECA continues: ‘Aircraft, especially large commercial aircraft, require multiple pilots to fly safely. Flight safety depends on a team of pilots sharing tasks and working together.
‘Their duties include flying the aircraft, supervising the flight, managing automation and dealing with risks in a complex and changing environment. If a pilot becomes incapacitated or unwell, there will be no one else in the cockpit to quickly take over. Short-crew operations (RCO) are a commitment to safety.’
He added: “Airlines are pushing to replace pilots with automation to reduce staffing costs and possibly boost profits.”
ECA President Captain Otjan de Bruijn said: ‘We hope this campaign will serve as a conversation starter and show in a graphic way why we need at least two pilots in the cockpit.
‘Faced with the prospect of reduced crew operations, both pilots and passengers are obviously on the side of safety.
‘An airplane has multiple backup systems (two engines, two generators) for a reason. A single pilot is not enough to deal with emergencies and ensure that all aspects of the flight are in order.
“We cannot allow the commercial interests of airlines to get in the way of passenger safety.”
ECA President Captain Otjan de Bruijn said: “An aircraft has multiple standby engines (two engines, two generators) for a reason. One pilot is simply not enough to deal with emergencies and ensure that all aspects of the flight are in order.” Above – file image
Who powers single-pilot flights?
Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines and Qatar Airways have all expressed interest, but because passenger acceptance and interest is low, they are not spreading the word.
The main impetus comes from manufacturers Airbus and Dassault.
The ECA states: ‘Currently, regulatory and industry standards dictate the need for two pilots at the controls of a large commercial aircraft.
‘However, manufacturers such as Airbus and Dassault are actively pushing for the removal of a pilot from the cockpit during the cruise phase.
‘This proposal, also known as ‘Extended Minimum Crew Operations’ (eMCO), is currently being evaluated by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Its approval would lead to a significant reduction in flight safety, as one pilot would leave the cockpit for several hours during the cruise phase, while the other remains at the controls.’
Airbus says having a pilot in the cockpit will mean more rest for pilots and smoother operations.
It states: ‘Extended Minimum Crew Operations “This enables the flight crew to better organise their presence in the cabin during the cruise phase thanks to additional automated functions. Pilots can thus achieve a better balance between work and rest time on long-haul flights.”
Airbus is keen to push eMCO for the A350, which Christophe Cail, operational advisor to Airbus’ head of product safety and test pilot, told Aviation News is “the only platform that allows this technology; there is no other aircraft that can support this evolution.”
