Single-Pilot Cruise Concept

[verticallimit]

What do you think of this idea?


LINK (http://www.traveldailynews.com/pages/show_page/27866)

[POL.777]

Pipe dream for the likes of MOL

[BelArgUSA]

After that, how about "single engine" airplanes...
Maybe Mr. MOL dreams about operating small single engine jets, with 1 pilot.
And strap the passengers under the wing... (under, when it rains) -
Must be quite economical, compared to a 737...
xxx
I started my airline career when we still had flight navigators in the 707s...
Then the INS navigation... bye bye navigators.
We were left with the two pilots and the flight engineer.
Was quite inconvenient to play bridge in cruise... we switch to other games.
Then, Mr. Boeing and Mr. Douglas got airplanes with just 2 pilots...
United and Western pilots fought to continue operating 737s with 3 pilots for long...
xxx
So expect Ryanair to operate single pilot flights for short 1 hour flights.
JAR certainly will find a way to make it legal, one way or another.
No danger (I guess) the poor guy to fly asleep.
Is pushing little buttons of a FMS a cause of lethargy...?
xxx
Ladies and gentlemen, we have a slight problem...
Please identify yourself if you have a pilot licence, our captain is not feeling well.
xxx
:*
Happy contrails

[CptRegionalJet]

nightmare!:=

[Check Airman]

I think it's a great idea! The 200hr wonders and MPL guys can finally get to do that first solo!:ugh:

[verticallimit]

I am sure that the airline company could earn a lot of exstra money, by selling the empty seat for flight simmers, so they can try to be in the "hot seat" during cruise :E

[tcasblue]

This is probably the next step for airline operations....



https://aviationweek.com/business-av...5d5e7d17422655"

PARIS—Dassault Aviation is studying reduced-crew operations in cruise flight for its Falcon business jets, in a bid to cut costs and free up room in the cabin, according to Innovation Director Bruno Stoufflet. For long-haul flights, “we are working on single-pilot operations in cruise,” he said, speaking at a conference on autonomous aircraft and ships jointly organized by France’s Air and Space Academy and Navy Academy. The idea would be to avoid the presence on board of a third pilot for rotation during the flight. Such a move would make sense economically for the operator. Moreover, a crew rest area would no longer be required. On the cabin floor plan of a high-end aircraft, a crew rest area can take a surface equivalent to a full galley. That space could be used for other amenities more attractive for Dassault’s customers. Nevertheless, the second pilot would have to be able to sleep in good conditions. His or her seat, in the cockpit, would have to offer a great enough recline angle. Background noise would have to be compatible with sleep, too—possibly thanks to active cancellation. For those phases when one pilot only is awake, a crew monitoring system would be needed, Stoufflet says. Overall, the aircraft would have to be designed to be operated by a single pilot. This is effectively the case already, except for some procedures that require actions by two crewmembers, such as a cockpit smoke emergency, he notes. Dassault and Airbus—which is also interested in reduced-crew operations—are coordinating in their exchanges with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), Stoufflet says. Asked about Garmin’s Emergency Autoland system, slated to become standard on several small business aircraft next year, he described it as a “beautiful design.” But he warned against potential wrong usage, as an unscrupulous pilot may want to use it without an emergency. Dassault has implemented a similar functionality in its Neuron unmanned combat aircraft demonstrator.”

[FullWings]

We have had single-pilot cruise for a long time: most long haul guys I know do this as it’s one of the ways to try and ensure that you’re both compos mentis for the landing. Better than both of you staring out at the dark, then waking up to find you’re the only one awake...