My prediction is driverless aircraft on the market within 10 years time. First electric velocopter, then some sort of cargo drone and eventually autonomous passenger planes. Maybe with some poor lonely guy sitting in front of a couple of screens imposing as a "pilot".
Airlines in turn will be able to recruit less educated, cheaper "pilots". Think of a barely literate Uber driver from East Europe following blindly the company GPS instead of your black cab cockney chap with "the knowledge" exam under his belt.
I am aware I sound gloomy, but whatever your outlook, even the most pilot-centric individual would just have to admit that automation will happen and significantly (further) reduce responsibility, difficulty and range of action.
Like it or not, AI will lead to replacement of any operator of machines, or ( even worse) degrade operators to an extra. This is the future, it is inevitable.
I am a senior long haul captain and never had a really bad employer, no accident, no divorce, always well paid, at times even excellent. But was it all worth it? I struggled with expat life and extreme boredom, jet lag, mediocre hotels and lack of social life due to difficult work patterns and many relocations. Still, I am not bitter ( I think) , just extremely pessimistic on the future of this industry. I told my son early on I will finance him any education he likes except flight school.
Last edited by Sam Ting Wong; 15th May 2022 at 06:48.