C'mon fellas. Take a deep breath.
The flying crew of 2106 will still have pilots. In fact, the number of flight crew will be larger, per aircraft operation, than now.
Pilots will be very highly compensated and will be widely known by name and various nicknames, similar to actors and futbol stars. Like their navigation counterparts, the Air Traffic Controllers, Pilots will mostly work from secure windowless bunkers, distributed strategically about the planet. Each pilot will have several Assistant-Pilots at the same location or in equivalent distant facilities. The many inflight duties and responsibilities are delegated as necessary by the managing Pilot to Assistant Pilots with calm precision, throughout each flight. Each pod of Pilot + AP's will fly several aircraft at a time from highly automated consoles. Some direct flight controls for the actual aircraft will be available to the ground Pilots for special circumstances, but normally those are not used because all automatic-class air carrier aircraft in flight and on the ground will be controlled by internal robotics, much as are elevators, bread ovens, and automated factory production lines.
In each aircraft will be two or more Aircraft Unit Managers (AUMs) who are directly responsible for the conduct and successful outcome of the flight. They will supervise all ground arrangements, the fuel cost-management program, passenger-related matters, and flight documentation and reporting. If, during the flight, the Pilots request supplemental information regarding weather or aircraft systems, in addition to the river of data continuously transferred through telemetry, then the AUMs will skillfully do the job, using cameras and information retrieval tools optimised for the purpose. The AUMs will also have sole onboard responsibility for operation of the small switch panels that can change certain configuration details for the control systems, should the need arise.
In line with long-standing airline tradition, AUM's will be the 'first to arrive' at each destination. Because taxiing, towing and parking remain the aviation functions most difficult to automate, the AUMs will work from a porthole-equipped compartment in the lower portion of the aircraft nose, located directly under the premium first-class club-deck area which is universally known as " the Captains Lounge."
Last edited by arcniz; 22nd December 2006 at 00:50.