Thanks all for pointing out my grammatical error. I shall beat myself up about it later.
In any case the natural progression, using technological advances, is fewer ATCOs per “X” number of movements. Can the number of ATCOs ever be reduced to zero?
As “tech” becomes cleverer (/more clever)/cheaper/more prevalent will we see the end of the ATCO? (And the pilot?)
Still, there’s Brexit, potential for a nuclear war, climate change, bitcoin boom & bust, etc, etc.
Failing that, there’s always the regulator’s hoops to jump through (quite rightly).
I’d guess ATCOs (& pilots) will be around for a while yet.
I mean it’s not as if they’d let driverless cars/trucks/UAVs on the road/in the sky is it?
*Coughs*