And once you make the machine so safe and easy to fly, you take all of the FUN out of it and when you stop enjoying flying it is time to quit.
How much fun is it being a modern airline pilot where the computer does 99% of the flying for you? It's very safe but how quickly do your pilot skills wane when you never get to fly the aircraft?
Nick's utopian dream is achieveable but it won't need any pilots - as 407 said, just door openers and closers.
I am very happy to have a TAS and height hold and be able to couple up the helo to the nav kit as it offloads my small brain for mission decisions but when it gets to the interesting bit I am going to don my chest wig and actually fly the aircraft.
Despite not having lightning fast reflexes nor the judgement of a brain surgeon (more like a startled sloth and brain donor) the human interface (even mine) will be required for the less mundane tasks, especially where judgement calls need to be made (not something machines are very good at).