In a survey conducted by the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA) this week, 81 percent of Americans expressed opposition to removing pilots from cockpits on safety grounds.
ALPA conducted the survey to highlight the issue during Congressional debates over a Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill, and to counter those who have shown interest in moving toward automated aircraft. Their survey also noted that 80 percent of respondents demanded two pilots working together as the best option for operating aircraft — a belief backed by a separate NASA study, which found that single-pilot flying promoted significant demands and workload, potentially generating an unsafe environment.
“Instead of wasting taxpayer money on an unnecessary and dangerous program, Congress should look to the existing research, and the public’s opinion, when legislating on these vital issues,” ALPA President Tim Canoll said. “The U.S. airline industry is experiencing one of the safest periods in the history of commercial aviation—why would Congress do anything that might adversely impact that safety record?”
That safety record also demands the upholding of current training and qualification standards for pilots, Canoll said. Of the 1,109 adults surveyed, 73 percent opposed proposals to reduce training and experience requirements, with only 8 percent were in favor of investing in technology to eliminate one or both pilots from the cockpit.