There is a tried and tested safe way to fly - but this could all be compromised if a dangerous push by some airlines and manufacturers gets its way, writes Tony Lucas.
On my flight to Canada, there will always be two well-rested and well-trained pilots on the flight deck, working as a team to get their passengers and crew to their destination.
Flying is the safest mode of transportation because airliners have what we call redundancy built in all over. Having two pilots also makes emergencies easier to handle. When things go wrong at 35,000 feet and 950 km/h, they go wrong fairly quickly.You may recall the “miracle on the Hudson” in 2009 when Captain Chesley Sullenberger and First Officer Jeffrey Skiles landed an Airbus A320 on the river off Manhattan after a flock of birds took out the engines.
The bean-counters and bureaucrats behind the push for single-pilot flights don’t understand this because they don’t spend their working lives flying as part of a well trained flight deck crew.This may be true, but the autopilot only helps fly the plane whilst two human pilots are still needed to make the safety critical decisions. For example, if there is a tropical storm en-route, the pilots decide how to navigate a safe path through it.
When some of the sharpest minds in the world are struggling to make autonomous cars a safe reality, why on earth should we entrust our lives to a computer in the sky?There are other major pitfalls with single-pilot flying beyond the immediate safety concerns. One major consideration is training and knowledge transfer.
Pilots’ wages only make up a tiny fraction of the cost of your airline ticket, with most of the price going towards fuel, taxes and profits.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Netflix releases images of William and Kate in next series of The CrownPictures show William and future Princess of Wales in scene thought to depict early days of their courtship
Read more »
Meghan Markle reveals next major business moveThe Duchess of Sussex has signed with United States powerhouse agency William Morris Endeavour (WME) and is reportedly focused on pursuing further business and creative ventures.
Read more »
‘Blood in the water’: where next for the Murdoch empire, and what about the succession?Fox News settlement seen as ‘moment of weakness’ that puts focus on mogul’s heirs and their future
Read more »
Biden to make historic visit to pacific nationPresident Joe Biden is set to make a brief stopover in Papua New Guinea on his way to Australia, a move that will send a strong message to Beijing.
Read more »
Australia’s most advantaged and disadvantaged areas: how does your suburb compare?Regional areas dominate list of nation’s most disadvantaged areas, while areas on or next to water, particularly in Sydney, are the most advantaged
Read more »
PM to unveil hospital relief blueprint at National Cabinet todayHealth and housing will be top of the agenda when National Cabinet meets today, in the final leadership get-together before the federal budget next month. 9News
Read more »