I am looking for some information (research, books, conferences) concerning the advantages, disadvantages and problems with the automated flight deck and the reduction of crews to two person flight decks.
Also, is there any safety statistics showing whether two person flight decks are as safe if not safer than the three person flight decks.
Thanx for any info you might have...
Luftwaffle
30th Jan 2001, 22:17
Never seen any, but I'd question the bias of such statistics, because the presence or absence of that third crew member is not independent of differences in equipment, training, and corporate culture.
If company A flies equipment X with three crew and company B flies it with two crew, and company A has fewer accidents, maybe it's because company A has better training, more crew rest, or FOs and FEs who aren't afraid of being punched in the head for questioning the captain's judgement.
If company C used to fly equipment Y with three and now flies it with two, and has fewer accidents than before, is it because their FEs were accidents waiting to happen, or is it because the cockpit layout was changed and everyone received top-notch CRM training co-incident with the switch?
Companies A, B and C are entirely ficticious and no association with any companies living or dead should be made.