Airlines are lobbying for a change to federal regulations that could put one pilot in the cockpit

CBS News ^ | 12/08/2022 | PETER GREENBERG

[DFG]

In the airline business, there are two cost factors the airlines can never control: fuel and labor. And as technology improves — and pilot salaries increase — there's been a controversial move lately by the industry to try to amend what's known as part 121 of the Federal Aviation Regulations. That's the federal air regulation that requires air carriers to have two pilots in the cockpit at all times.

The airlines have been quietly lobbying that the single-pilot approach would quickly solve the staffing problem caused by the pilot shortage and that technology has vastly improved to allow for safe operation of a single-pilot flight.

There's language in a new bill now introduced in Congress — the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill — asking the Federal Aviation Administration to reconsider part 121 and to allow the use of a single pilot operation, first in cargo aircraft.

Not surprisingly, airline pilots are loudly protesting this idea, claiming that it would diminish a safety discipline and culture that has been responsible for the safest 25 years in commercial aviation in the history of aviation. Pilots unions argue it's all about the airlines saving money and could compromise safety.

[CFW]

Can you imagine? The pilot passes out as the plane is taxing from the runway and taking off. A flight attendant luckily notices, and runs into first class and calmly asks, “is there a pilot here?”. The response is “no”, so she proceeds to business class and asks again. No responses.

Meanwhile, three minutes have passed, the plane is not leveling off for flight, important “knobs and buttons” are not being pushed, and within four minutes the plan has landed. Crash landed with all aboard deceased. Yeah, good plan.

I seem to recall airlines recently changing requirements for pilots to the point that recently retired Air Force pilots would not qualify for private airline employment. That has greatly reduced the number of pilots availability.

[CFW]

Then, add in the number of pilots fired for not getting the Covid vaccine, and the number of pilots harmed by getting the vaccine, and you end up with a shortage of qualified pilots. This just adds to the general infrastructure failures we are currently experiencing in our nation.

Between D.I.E. required hiring and vaccine requirements, “those that can do” have been fired or replaced by “those that can’t” and those that are “unable to perform due to health reasons”.

[CFW]

“I would think the cost of two versus one pilot would be insignificant compared to the cost of the plane(amortized), fuel, AC maintenance, ground/baggage crew, cabin crew, and a flight’s share of a terminal.”

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And the settlements of lawsuits that would be paid out after a crash. That costs is sometimes in the billions.