A group of pilot unions wants to ground a provision in a House of Representatives’ Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill that calls for a study into single-pilot cargo plane operations.
Specifically, Section 744 and 703(a)(XVIII) of the bill would authorize an FAA research and development program to explore the use of single-pilot cargo plane operations using remote-piloting technology.
The pilot unions — the Air Line Pilots Association, Allied Pilots Association, Coalition of Airline Pilots Associations, Independent Pilots Association, Teamsters, NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots and Southwest Airlines Pilots Association — called the provision “dangerous” and “reckless.”
“The inclusion of this unacceptable provision serves as an existential threat to aviation safety and security, the general public and the airline piloting profession,” said Capt. Tim Canoll, Air Line Pilots Association president, in a recent statement.
“This technology is neither mature nor proven to a level of confidence capable of assuring a higher level of safety than that which can be attained by two highly qualified, highly trained professional airline pilots on the flight deck,” added Lee Collins, Coalition of Airline Pilots Association president. “Having the ability to do so in a lab under controlled circumstances does not mean we should do it in our national airspace system now or at any time in the future.”
The pilot unions said a minimum of two pilots in an aircraft cockpit promotes not only safety, but shared decision-making while in the air.