VIVAERO

European agency rules out flights with only one pilot

The European Union Air Safety Agency (EASA, its acronym in English) has ruled out the possibility of allowing commercial aircraft to be commanded by only one pilot until 2030, despite the efforts of the industry in this direction. On the other hand, EASA considers allowing single-pilot operations for certain phases of flights from 2027 onwards.

Consulted by Reuters, the regulator said it is evaluating proposals from Airbus and Dassault Aviation on the feasibility of solo flights in commercial aircraft in the cruise phase. According to the aviation agency, this stage of the flight is less demanding, unlike takeoff and landing, when at least two pilots still need to work together in the cockpit.

EASA manager Andrea Boiardi told the publication that European manufacturers' plans to reduce crews by 2030 are "absolutely unrealistic" as the level of automation in current aircraft has not advanced enough for the introduction of single-pilot operations.

However, Boiardi stated that only the most advanced planes will be able to be commanded by a pilot, citing as examples the Airbus A350 and the Boeing 787 and the new 777X(in the image above). Even so, even state-of-the-art aircraft will need two pilots in the cockpit during critical flight phases at least until the end of this decade.

The implementation of solo flights in commercial aircraft, even just in the cruise phase, depends on approvals from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) of the United Nations, airlines and pilots' unions. In response to Reuters, the UN agency reported that it should start studies on the subject this year.

According to Boiardi, EASA is collecting information related to single-pilot operations with airlines and pilots and that the process should be concluded in March. If the safety of this operational model is proven, eventually the long-distance crews, which today require three or four pilots, could be reduced to two members, with both in the cockpit during landing and takeoff, added the manager of the European agency.

Flights with just one pilot is an old desire of the commercial aviation market, which is looking for ways to reduce costs with salaries and crew training. In recent years, the proposal has been gaining more and more strength due to the shortage of labor in the airline industry.