This discussion has been ongoing since the Wright brothers. We haven't yet reached the stage of pilot less aircraft but we are getting there. Unfortunately, the majority of accidents are still down to pilot error, many avoidable with the correct use of, or better automatics. Who could object to 3D GPS for terrain clearance and approach flying, especially as we have had two CFIT incidents in the last month. Having retired from aviation after 38 yrs of military and civil flying I am disturbed at some of the standards in the industry, illustrated, for example by the accident investigation programmes on TV amongst other sources and personal experience. This range of abilities is of course typical of all professions, look at medicine for example. What is important is that pilots accept the inherant sefety of automated systems, accepts them and actively engages in thier development and use. The 'I'm a pilot and therefore must hand fly it' mentality has cost lives.