Can passenger planes fly without a pilot?

Technology continues to make our daily lives easier. Many things we once did manually can now be done by automated systems. Moreover, artificial intelligence technologies, which have become popular recently and have been developed for a long time, take this situation one step further. So, thanks to this technology, can passenger planes carrying hundreds of people fly completely without a pilot?

Is there a cockpit without a pilot?

Today, there are many different studies for the use of autonomous systems in the field of aviation. We often encounter examples of this, especially in projects such as air taxis and the defense industry. These developments, of course, come to mind: “Can passenger planes fly without a pilot?” brings the question.

Until the Boeing 757 aircraft was launched in the early 1980s, the two-pilot cockpit crew practice, which is a very normal situation for us today, did not exist. In addition to the captain and co-pilot, flight engineers were also on duty in the cockpit, actively monitoring all systems of the aircraft and responding to any technical support needs.

If we go back a little further in the history of commercial aviation, we see that in addition to flight engineers, the radio operator and navigation officer are also present in the cockpit on most long-haul flights. However, with technological developments and changes in aviation procedures over time, other officers in the cockpit, except the pilots, transferred their roles to computers and advanced aircraft systems.

In this case, especially as a result of the great technological breakthroughs of our age, the possibility of flights with a single pilot in the cockpit of passenger aircraft comes to mind. However, there are some requirements to achieve this situation; security, safety, operational capability of aircraft and the process of people accepting and getting used to these developments.

Pilots use the plane for 7 minutes!

According to a study conducted by UBS, it is claimed that reducing the number of pilots in the cockpit from two to one could save the airline industry $15 billion annually in cost items such as pilots, training, insurance and fuel. According to the research, it was stated that for an average flight, the time it takes for the pilot to fully control the aircraft is 7 minutes.

The research also includes that single-pilot flight trials will begin on cargo planes within 5 years, and then this process will be transferred to commercial passenger planes. The research may bring to mind the idea that pilots serve for a very short time and wait idle for the remaining phases of the flight.

However, pilots are always on the lookout for the aircraft during the flight, whether under their own control or on autopilot, reviewing the flight plans and ready to intervene immediately in case of any emergency.

Additionally, the same research says that 63 percent of people do not want to travel on an airplane without a pilot in the cockpit. Although unmanned aerial vehicle platforms are at a very advanced level today, the issue of flying planes with hundreds of passengers traveling without a pilot is not just a technical issue, since the human factor is involved.

Currently available in almost all commercial passenger aircraft; Integrating more advanced autonomous and artificial intelligence systems on top of technologies such as autopilot technology, which allows the aircraft to fly on its own under the control of the pilot, and precision instrument landing systems, which provide automatic landing, and to show that these technologies can enable the aircraft to perform its mission smoothly without pilot intervention or control, and to provide travellers, They must prove it to the aviation authorities that regulate the procedures.

Although the human factor has come to the fore as the number one factor in aircraft accidents with the development of technology, some segments of the world believe that flight safety will be improved by using highly developed autonomous systems and well-trained pilots to fly in cooperation, rather than completely removing pilots from planes, in terms of both technology and human-eye control and taking control when necessary. He thinks it will also improve. As a matter of fact, no matter how advanced technologies are available in the event of an emergency in the air, it is a more comforting and safer idea for many people to know that there are competent pilots in the cockpit.

We discussed the issue of passenger planes flying without a pilot. So, would you travel in a fully autonomous passenger plane without a pilot? You can share your thoughts and opinions on the subject with us in the comments section.